Significant news from Silver Bay

Silver Bay Seafoods, one of Alaska's largest salmon processors, today provided the following statement from Branson Spiers, chief operating officer:

Silver Bay Seafoods will be buying salmon in all Prince William Sound drift and seine fisheries in 2026, and we will continue to provide fleet services in Cordova. Given the low salmon forecasts in PWS, we've developed an operational plan that prioritizes fishermen opportunity and economics, with processing planned in Valdez and Seward.

We've asked the company for clarification, but presumably this means Silver Bay will not process salmon this season at its plant in Cordova, the main port for the gillnet fleet targeting famed Copper River salmon.

Coast Guard keeps busy

A crewman aboard the 79-foot fishing vessel Pacific Star needed a helicopter medevac Saturday after deck rigging struck him in the head, the U.S. Coast Guard reports.

The Coast Guard isn't naming the 26-year-old crewman, who was hoisted off the boat some 74 miles southeast of the city of Kodiak. Here's video of the rescue.

On Friday, a Coast Guard helicopter rescued two fishermen from the disabled 26-foot gillnetter Sunrise southwest of Cordova. Again, we have video.

Who killed the sea lions?

A commercial fishing group, Cordova District Fishermen United, is offering $5,000 for information leading to the conviction of whomever is responsible for a Steller sea lion slaughter near Cordova.

With the $2,500 federal officials have offered, the total reward is now $7,500. More details in this press release.

Ill crewman airlifted off boat south of Cordova

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter Tuesday night hoisted an ailing crewman off the 130-foot fishing vessel Retriever more than 200 miles south of Cordova.

The 57-year-old crewman was experiencing symptoms of internal bleeding, but he was conscious and able to walk upon arrival at Cordova, the Coast Guard said.

Here's some video of the medevac operation at sea.

Authorities investigate crewman death at Cordova

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Cordova
Type: Unexpected death
On 6/4/12 at approximately 0645 hours, the U.S. Coast Guard reported that the F/V Northern Mariner had an unexpected death occur aboard the vessel between midnight and 0530 hours. The deceased was reported as Sean M. Johnson, a 34-year-old resident of Cordova, who was a crewmember aboard the vessel. A death aboard a fishing vessel is considered a "serious marine incident" by the USCG, which is investigating the incident. The vessel is currently in transit to Cordova and expected late this evening where the state will take possession of the remains. The state medical examiner has requested the body for an autopsy. Next of kin notification is complete.

Crew rescued, but tender is in tough spot

The fish tender St. Joseph, beached between Cape Suckling and Cape Yakataga. A Coast Guard helicopter safely hoisted the five-member crew Friday night after the vessel lost steering in 20-foot seas 52 miles southeast of Cordova. The abandoned boat then went aground. "We are working diligently with the owner of the vessel to develop salvage and response plans to recover the St. Joesph from the beach," said Lt. Doreen McCarthy, command duty officer of Marine Safety Unit Valdez. "At this time there is no reported pollution." State records list the owner as Jeff Schock of Everett, Wash. Copper River Seafoods photo via USCG

'Fluency in Czech and Slovak language preferred'

So, who works in Alaska's processing plants?

If you think it's Lower 48 college kids up for a summer salmon adventure, you'd best get with the times.

Just check out this ad for a production manager over in Cordova.

Abby Louise update

The U.S. Coast Guard says the fishing vessel Abby Louise, which partially sank a few miles outside of Cordova over the weekend, has been raised and towed to the harbor. Here's more.

Trouble in Orca Inlet

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and two good Samaritan boats helped rescue three crewmen off the 44-foot fishing vessel Abby Louise, which partially sank early Saturday about seven miles southwest of Cordova. The Miss Emily radioed the Coast Guard about the sinking, and the Lady Samantha took the crewmen aboard shortly before 1 a.m. and delivered them to Cordova. A Coast Guard helicopter earlier carried dewatering pumps to the Abby Louise, but apparently to no avail. The Coast Guard's Valdez office is investigating the incident. USCG photo

Trident generates excitement in Cordova

Peter Kuttel, a manager with Trident Seafoods Corp., gave a Chamber of Commerce talk yesterday in Cordova about the company's big local expansion.

Deckboss wasn't there to listen, but luckily Rochelle van den Broek was and she shared this excellent summary.

It seems that Trident is really surging in Cordova. A big part of its expansion is squeezing value from fish waste though the production of fish oil and a liquefied fertilizer product made from a process known as hydrolyzation.

Trident is employing more people and intends to keep its plant doors open longer each year.

Kuttel indicated this is "the single largest investment that Trident has made in a community in Alaska," van den Broek writes.

Heck, the company has even pledged to help send the town's Miss Iceworm queens to college, she adds.

As background, you might recall that Kuttel ran a Cordova processor called Bear & Wolf Salmon Co. He stayed with Trident after the Seattle-based giant acquired Bear & Wolf in early 2008.

DOT crackdown burns commercial fishermen

People are stirred up in at least two Alaska ports over an apparent Alaska Department of Transportation crackdown on commercial transit regulations.

Evidently some Cordova fishermen received citations in July related to the trailering of commercial fishing boats.

More recently, from what I hear, DOT enforcement officers have appeared in Petersburg to educate folks there about the potential for $1,000 fines for not complying with road rules that sound more appropriate for truckers than fishermen.

The Petersburg Vessel Owners Association on Friday sent out this detailed information advisory.

And here's another advisory well worth reading from Cordova District Fishermen United.