Juneau watch

State Sen. Donny Olson, D-Golovin, has introduced Senate Bill 128 titled "An act temporarily closing the commercial salmon fishery in a portion of the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands."

Governor picks Kinneen for council seat

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell just named Simon Kinneen, of Nome, as his top pick for a seat on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

If the commerce secretary approves, Kinneen will replace Eric Olson, whose third and final term expires Aug. 10.

Olson currently chairs the council, which helps regulate commercial fisheries off Alaska.

Here's the governor's official announcement.

Bits and pieces

Here's a news roundup, including some slightly dated items Deckboss wasn't able to post right away.

• Halibut season closes at noon Thursday.

• At its October meeting, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council re-elected Eric Olson as chairman. Olson works for Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association, a Community Development Quota group.

• State biologists see potential for another enormous herring haul next spring at Togiak. The forecast calls for an allowable harvest of 27,890 tons in the sac roe fishery. The industry took 28,793 tons last season.

• Gov. Sean Parnell has made some Pacific Salmon Commission nominations. Details in this press release.

• A new annual report is out on U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries. As you might expect, the report is replete with Alaska references. Here's one interesting note on salmon:

The average price per pound for all species in Alaska was 72 cents in 2012 — a decrease of 5 cents from 2011.

Olson, Henderschedt keep their seats

The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced that Eric Olson of Alaska and John Henderschedt of Washington state have been reappointed to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Here's the announcement.

Governor likes Olson for another term on council

Here's the press release from the governor's office:

March 16, 2011

Gov. Parnell makes nominations to fisheries council

JUNEAU — Gov. Sean Parnell today nominated Eric Olson for consideration by the U.S. secretary of commerce for continued service on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. The governor also named Ragnar Alstrom and Jack Schultheis as alternate nominees.

"Eric has provided outstanding leadership on the council, and his continued service will advance Alaska's interests," Parnell said. "Each of these nominees is knowledgeable and experienced in management and conservation of the fishery resources in the North Pacific."

Olson, of Anchorage, is finishing his second term on the council and is the current chair.

Olson was born and raised in rural Alaska, is a Bristol Bay Native Corp. shareholder, and is a lifelong commercial fisherman. He is the director of offshore fisheries for Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association, and formerly served as the regional seafood financial manager for Kwik’pak Fisheries LLC.

Olson also serves on the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, the North Pacific Research Board and the North Pacific Marine Science Foundation. He earned bachelor's degrees in management as well as accounting from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Alstrom, of Alakanuk, is the executive director of Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association as well as a commercial fisherman, having participated in salmon, halibut, crab and herring fisheries in the Yukon region. Alstrom also serves on the Yukon River Panel and the Bering Sea Fishermen's Association board of directors, in addition to his former service on the NPFMC's Advisory Panel from 1998-2002. He is a former mayor of Alakanuk.

Schultheis, of Emmonak, is the general manager of Kwik’pak Fisheries LLC. He has been involved in processing for 38 years, mostly in Western Alaska fisheries, for companies such as 10th & M Seafoods, North Alaska Fisheries, Yukon Delta Fish Marketing Co-operative, ANPAC Fisheries and Whitney-Fidalgo Seafoods. Schultheis is currently a member of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors.

The NPFMC manages over 900,000 square miles of ocean and is responsible for managing halibut, cod, sole and other groundfish in the Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands waters. Established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act, the council is one of eight regional councils dedicated to the oversight of the nation’s fisheries.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which was originally signed into law in 1976, empowers the commerce secretary to choose the final appointee from applicants nominated by governors of coastal states.