Grounded vessel salvaged

The F/V Sea Ern, which ran aground and spilled diesel this week off Afognak Island, has been patched up and towed to Kodiak, state officials said today. "Limited sheen has been seen near the Kitoi Bay Hatchery which continues to be a priority for responders," they added. U.S. Coast Guard photo

Fishing vessel grounds, spills diesel off Afognak

Here's a situation report with more details and a photo.

Salmon notes

• A major Bristol Bay fish processor, Trident Seafoods, is paying a base price of 95 cents a pound for sockeye, Dillingham radio station KDLG reports. That compares to a Bristol Bay average of 89 cents in 2024.

• Bristol Bay's Nushagak District has netted a strong sockeye catch this season. "Harvest in the district is at 15.9 million, the fourth-largest harvest for the Nushagak District ever, but harvest has slowed and fishermen are pulling boats and ending their seasons," the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported Friday.

• Fish and Game provided new details on a reported fuel spill at Chignik: "Leaking fuel in the Chignik Lagoon due to a capsized seiner caused the commercial opener on Sunday, July 13, to be prematurely closed in the Chignik Bay District. The fishery was able to reopen on Tuesday, July 15."

Salmon notes

• The Bristol Bay salmon catch now stands at 36.4 million fish, surpassing the state's preseason forecast of 34.8 million sockeye.

• Statewide, the all-species salmon harvest now exceeds 54 million fish.

• The state closed commercial fishing Sunday in the Chignik Bay District due to a fuel spill within Chignik Lagoon.

Fuel spill reported at Naknek

More details in this announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Cordova hatchery chief charged

State prosecutors have filed criminal charges against David Reggiani, general manager of Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corp., and two others in connection with a fuel oil spill in 2013 at the Cannery Creek Hatchery.

Alaskan Leader Fisheries fined $11K for fuel spill

Here's a press release from the state of Washington:

Jan. 15, 2015

Fishing vessel owner fined for 2013 Seattle spill

SEATTLE — The Washington Department of Ecology has fined Lynden-based Alaskan Leader Fisheries LLC $11,000 for a 2013 oil spill to Elliott Bay from one of its fishing vessels in Seattle.

The Bristol Leader, a 167-foot catcher-processor, spilled 181 gallons of diesel fuel into the bay on Sept. 13, 2013, while taking on fuel from a tank truck at Terminal 91.

Incoming fuel — intended for empty tanks on the Bristol Leader — went instead to a partly full tank. Ecology determined that the vessel's chief engineer had not followed the company's written procedures and loading plan. These specified which tanks would receive fuel and in what order, and required the chief engineer to monitor tank levels and valve settings.

"The company could have prevented the spill if they had kept a close watch on the valves and fuel levels," said David Byers, Ecology's spill response supervisor.

To read more, click here.

Fuel spill reported in Nushagak River

Thousands of gallons of diesel reportedly spilled into the Nushagak River upstream of Dillingham after a barging vessel hit a submerged object early Wednesday.

Here's a situation report with more details and a map.

Fish tender runs aground east of Whittier

As if we haven't already seen enough trouble over this holiday weekend, the U.S. Coast Guard now reports a fish tender has run aground and ruptured a fuel tank in Prince William Sound.

The 110-foot Naknek Spirit, with five people aboard, grounded in Passage Canal six miles east of Whittier.

No injuries were reported, but the starboard fuel tank ruptured.

"The tank was reportedly carrying 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel, but crewmembers managed to transfer 1,500 gallons into an intact tank," the Coast Guard says.