Mark your calendar

Organizers of the Pacific Marine Expo trade show have announced the dates for this year's event: Thursday, Nov. 20, through Saturday, Nov. 22, at Lumen Field Event Center in downtown Seattle.

Expo time!

Pacific Marine Expo is set for tomorrow through Friday at the Lumen Field Event Center in downtown Seattle. More information here.

Mark your calendars

The organizers of Pacific Marine Expo, the big Seattle trade show, today announced dates and times for this year's event, and they're kinda different.

"This year's show will follow a new schedule pattern," a press release said, with the show floor opening as follows:

• Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

• Thursday, Nov. 21, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Friday, Nov. 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Salmon season tallies $577 million

This year's Alaska salmon harvest paid almost $577 million ex-vessel, a strong result but short of last year's total.

The salmon value is among highlights contained in this year in review presented at last week's Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle.

Check out the 13-page report for interesting notes by region on salmon, crab, herring and other fisheries.

Fish Expo time!

Deckboss is in Seattle for Pacific Marine Expo, running this morning until 3 p.m. Friday.

Hope to see you on the show floor!

Expo time

Step right up, gents. Deckboss photo

It's a question you hear often this time of year: "Are you going to Fish Expo?"

Officially known as Pacific Marine Expo, Fish Expo is a huge trade show in downtown Seattle where working fishermen can find just about anything — from engines to electronics, buoys to bait.

This year's event will run Thursday through Saturday in the exhibition hall at CenturyLink Field, where the Seattle Seahawks play.

The show strongly targets Alaska fishermen, and many figure to be walking around with extra cash this year thanks to strong prices in salmon, halibut and other fisheries. I've heard the Expo will have more vendors than usual, all looking for a piece of the action.

Fish Expo also features some panel discussions on safety, marketing and other topics.

One session sounds particularly intriguing: "The North Pacific Fishery Management Council: Public process under scrutiny." The one-hour session, scheduled to begin at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, could generate some fireworks, considering the discussion we've heard recently about perceived political imbalances on the council. The panel includes well-known industry players Arni Thomson, Larry Cotter, Lori Swanson, Steve Minor and Merrick Burden.

So, are you going to Fish Expo?

Deckboss will be there. Find him hanging around Pacific Fishing magazine, booth 729.

Expo time!

Today's the start of the three-day Pacific Marine Expo, a showcase for everything from engines to electronics to bait. It's billed as the largest such event on the West Coast, and is being held in the grand Qwest Field Event Center smack in downtown Seattle. Qwest Field, in case you don't know, is home to the Seattle Seahawks. Deckboss will be hanging out in there today and looking to score a few new contacts among Alaska commercial fishermen. Wesley Loy photo

Sleeping well in Seattle

Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle, hub harbor for North Pacific commercial fisheries. Wesley Loy photo

Deckboss is on the road for a spell, and Seattle is my first stop.

What a city. I could spend hours walking the piers at Fishermen's Terminal looking at fish boats of every size and shape. The restaurants, entertainment and general pace of Seattle is marvelous. Heck, I even like the rain.

I do have some business here. I'll be attending Pacific Marine Expo, also known as Fish Expo, starting on Thursday.

If you go to the expo and see me walking around, by all means step up and say hello.