Emergency petition on Chinook bycatch denied

Details in this news release from the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Unalaska opposes salmon bycatch petition

In a letter to federal officials, Unalaska's mayor says the city and the fishing industry "face a dire situation" should an emergency petition be implemented to bar Chinook salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery.

Shutting down Chinook bycatch

Tribal organizations have submitted an emergency petition to "institute a cap of zero on any further Chinook salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands pollock trawl fishery."

The emergency regulation should stay in effect for 180 days, the petition says.

Emergency in Cook Inlet?

Eastside Cook Inlet setnetters have submitted an emergency petition to the Alaska Board of Fisheries in a bid to save at least a sliver of their sockeye fishery, which is slated for closure this year to help conserve scarce king salmon.

Crab crisis?

The Board of Fisheries has scheduled a March 16 special meeting to consider an emergency petition to close the Norton Sound commercial red king crab fishery for the remainder of 2021.

Herring pickle

Bering Sea pollock trawlers have used up their herring bycatch allowance, and now they're getting shut out of productive fishing grounds known as herring savings areas.

This will cause "significant disruption and economic harm to the pollock fishery," and could even lead to increased salmon bycatch, the trawlers say in this emergency petition to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

As a solution, the trawlers propose doubling their herring bycatch allowance from 2,532 metric tons to 5,064 metric tons.

This idea is drawing plenty of opposition from people who say herring is a valuable forage fish best left in the water to help support the marine food chain.

The council is meeting Monday through Wednesday via webconference.

Save the Chinook!

Two Alaska Native organizations have filed an emergency petition to tighten the limit on Chinook bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery.

Fish Board to entertain emergency petition

The Board of Fisheries has scheduled an emergency teleconference for Nov. 26 to consider a petition asking the board to undo its recent action to establish a purse seine fishery for Atka mackerel in state waters in the Aleutians.

The petition and other details are posted here.