Seattle sinking

A venerable fishing vessel, the Quaker Maid, sadly has sunk at Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle. We don't have any details on how this happened, nor do we know much about the vessel's history. The 72-foot wood boat, a Hanson make, was built in 1935, according to the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission database. The boat was registered for many years with CFEC as a fish tender, with 2020 being the last year. Her homeport is listed as Excursion Inlet, and the owner is Quaker Maid Fisheries, of Lynnwood, Wash. Note the "for sale" sign on the wheelhouse. Jeff Pond photo

Here's your Copper River salmon forecast

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game predicts an uninspiring commercial harvest this year of 728,000 sockeye.

Juneau watch

The House Special Committee on Fisheries has introduced House Joint Resolution 29 supporting continued prohibition of Russian seafood imports.

Halibut catch limit goes lower, but only a little

The International Pacific Halibut Commission, meeting this week in Bellevue, Washington, set this year's coastwide catch limit at 29.33 million pounds.

That's a decrease of 1.3 percent from last year, says this IPHC press release.

Notably, the entire cut comes in Canada, Area 2B.

The commission set a commercial fishing season of 6 a.m. local time March 26 to 11:59 p.m. Dec. 7.

Congressman Begich draws a fisherman challenger

Independent Bill Hill, a Bristol Bay salmon driftnetter and former teacher, says he'll run against U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska.

Here's his announcement, and here's his bio.

Two hoisted from boat in distress off Kodiak

Details and a photo in this press release from the U.S. Coast Guard.

An update on the F/V Arctic Sea grounding

The fishing vessel Arctic Sea remains hard aground on the rugged north coast of St. George Island in the Bering Sea.

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation today issued situation report No. 2 on the shipwreck, including some new photos and details on efforts to recover fuel and capture any rats that might be aboard.

Unfortunately, it sounds like tough weather is preventing much progress on salvaging the vessel.