State wants more time for Chinook listing comment

Here's the letter. And here's the background.

Agency to entertain Chinook listing

The National Marine Fisheries Service announced today that listing of Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon as threatened or endangered "may be warranted."

This is a preliminary, pro forma finding by the agency; we remain far from any actual listing under the Endangered Species Act.

The NMFS announcement comes in response to a petition from the Wild Fish Conservancy, the same organization that's fighting in court to shut down the Southeast Alaska troll Chinook salmon fishery.

Bristol Bay price mediation?

The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association says it has developed a petition to have the state of Alaska initiate price mediation between fishermen and processors.

Chignik discontent

Folks at Chignik are unhappy with the management of local salmon fisheries and are petitioning the governor for changes.

Togiak fishermen seek protection

Update: The Board of Fisheries will meet at 2 p.m. Friday to consider this matter.

Togiak District gillnetters have submitted an emergency petition to the Alaska Board of Fisheries seeking an extension of the district's unique "superexclusive" status.

Togiak is the westernmost of Bristol Bay's five salmon fishing districts, and historically the least productive.

Fishing reportedly hasn't been good this year at Togiak, and the petitioning gillnetters don't want to see fishermen from other districts transferring in to compete for sockeye.

They want the district's superexclusive protection extended by nearly three weeks, to Aug. 15.

No word yet on whether the Board of Fisheries will convene a public meeting to consider the petition.

Endangered coral? NMFS says nope

The National Marine Fisheries Service has shot down a petition to list 44 coral species off Alaska as threatened or endangered. More here.

Board of Fisheries to meet on Cook Inlet salmon

The Alaska Board of Fisheries will hold an emergency teleconference at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow to consider a petition regarding Upper Cook Inlet salmon setnetters.

State fishery managers have shut down eastside setnetters because of poor Chinook salmon runs into the Kenai River.

That's costing the setnetters big time, as their target sockeye crop is swimming by unharvested.

Here's the public notice of tomorrow's board teleconference.

"The petition requests that setnet fishing in the East Forelands statistical area of Cook Inlet be opened to help keep the Kenai River late-run sockeye salmon escapement within the range set by regulation," the notice says.

Here are comments on the petition from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

It's unanimous

The state Board of Fisheries just voted 7-0 to grant the city of Adak's emergency petition.

More fishing for Adak?

The Alaska Board of Fisheries this morning is considering this emergency petition from the city of Adak.

The petition would open some state waters along the Aleutian chain to commercial fishing for cod, in conflict with federal regulations to protect endangered Steller sea lions.

Live audio here.