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.

Personnel file

The governor today announced the nomination of Rachel Baker, of Juneau, to the International Pacific Halibut Commission.

Baker is deputy commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. She presumably would replace sportfishing lodge owner Richard Yamada on the IPHC.

The governor also announced the reappointment of Jack Schultheis to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors. Schultheis is general manager of Kwik'pak Fisheries.

Behnken bounced from halibut commission

Federal officials have appointed Richard Yamada to the International Pacific Halibut Commission, replacing Linda Behnken.

Yamada is president of the Alaska Charter Association and owner of a sportfishing lodge on Shelter Island near Juneau.

Behnken, of Sitka, fishes commercially for halibut and is executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association.

Federal officials also announced that Bob Alverson, who heads a Seattle-based commercial fishing organization, will remain on the halibut commission.

Here's the official announcement.