Coming back to life

The Southeast Alaska commercial red and blue king crab fishery will open Nov. 1 with a modest quota of 211,573 pounds, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced.

This fishery has been closed for several years starting with the 2018-19 season.

Otter outcry

Sounds like people in Southeast Alaska have just about had it with the sea otters.

Board sinks hatchery proposal

The Alaska Board of Fisheries, meeting in Ketchikan, voted 5-2 against Proposal 156, which would have reduced pink and chum salmon production capacity by 25 percent at Southeast Alaska hatcheries.

The proposal, from Virgil Umphenour, drew widespread opposition from hatchery supporters including this group of legislators.

Squid game

The Alaska Board of Fisheries is meeting in Ketchikan. Among the many proposals under consideration are a couple to create a directed jig fishery for magister armhook squid in Southeast Alaska waters.

"Magister squid is an underutilized species that not only could provide a source of revenue for dwindling commercial fishermen, but also provide a mechanism to control their predation on other economically important commercial species such as all species of salmon, cod fish, and herring," say the proposals from Richard Yamada and the Juneau-Douglas Advisory Committee.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is opposed to the proposals.

Search underway for multiple people in Southeast

The U.S. Coast Guard and good Samaritans are searching for five people from a fishing boat that reportedly capsized near Point Couverden in Icy Strait.

The boat involved is the Wind Walker, the Coast Guard says.

Southeast pink salmon forecast

The Southeast Alaska pink salmon harvest in 2025 is predicted to be in the "average" range at 29 million fish.

More details in this advisory announcement.

Do we have a harbor porpoise problem?

Federal and university scientists have published a study better defining Alaska's harbor porpoise population.

The research seems to lay the groundwork for measures to limit bycatch of harbor porpoises in the Southeast Alaska salmon gillnet fisheries.

Southeast salmon crossed off Canada's list

Canada's largest sustainable seafood label has pulled its recommendation for Southeast Alaska salmon fisheries, the Times Colonist newspaper reports.

Summer troll fishery set

The summer troll fishery will open July 1 targeting 64,700 treaty Chinook salmon, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today.

That's a considerable drop-off from last year's opening period target of 74,800 treaty Chinook.

'Average' pink salmon harvest predicted

Details in this advisory announcement.

'Weak' forecast for Southeast Alaska pink salmon

Here's the announcement.

106,900 treaty Chinook up for grabs July 1

Here's the announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Canadians come after Alaska 'interception fisheries'

Here's the press release.

'Weak' forecast for Southeast Alaska pink salmon

Details here.

Southeast pink salmon outlook

An "average" pink salmon harvest of 28 million fish is forecast for Southeast Alaska next year.

The dire situation with Southeast Chinook

Here's the press release.

Southeast pink salmon outlook

Southeast Alaska can expect an "average" harvest of 23 million pink salmon in 2018, says this forecast just out from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

'A very difficult decision'

The state is barring retention of Chinook salmon in commercial and recreational fisheries throughout Southeast Alaska.

More details in this press release.

Trollers take a hit

Southeast Alaska trollers have a 2017 quota of 154,880 treaty Chinook salmon, a big decline from last year's 263,197.

Strong outlook for Southeast pink salmon

The state is forecasting a strong harvest of 43 million pink salmon next year in Southeast Alaska.

That would be a big rebound from this year's poor catch of 18.3 million pinks in Southeast.