Washington watch

Here are two notes of interest from the nation's capital.

• U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and colleagues have introduced legislation to help seafood processors meet labor needs.

• U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska, is cosponsoring a bill to establish "a dedicated secretary of the Coast Guard, providing the service with the same level of leadership and representation as the Army, Navy and Air Force."

State looks at financing seafood real estate deal

A state lending agency, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, is weighing whether to team with a bank on a $7.5 million loan to a Juneau seafood processor.

Here's an AIDEA staff memo with all the details.

The AIDEA board meets Friday. Here's the agenda.

About that motion for contempt

You might recall our posts on Aleut Enterprise asking a federal judge to hold its former tenant, Adak Seafood, in contempt for a purported failure to pay more than $215,000 in rent under a court-ordered lease agreement.

On Thursday, Judge Ralph Beistline denied Aleut's motion.

Contempt at Adak?

Deckboss loyalists know this blog has followed closely the legal strife surrounding the processing plant way out there on blustery Adak Island.

I simply don't have the energy tonight to recap the saga. You are welcome to search the archives for past posts.

But here's something new for you Adak aficionados: a motion in which landlord Aleut Enterprise asks that its most recent tenant, Adak Seafood, be held in contempt of court for failure to pay $215,739.73 in overdue rent!

Bristol Bay processors again say they're ready

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game today came out with its processor capacity survey for the upcoming Bristol Bay salmon season.

As usual, the processors say they're prepared to handle a full harvest.

The state is forecasting a run big enough to support a commercial catch of 30.5 million sockeye. Surveyed processors said they're prepared to purchase and process more than that — 31.6 million sockeye.

But fishermen still might face delivery limits or shutdowns if the fish lump in unevenly, plugging the plants, the survey indicates.

This has been a major sore spot with gillnetters in recent seasons, with some accusing the processors of failing to plan adequately.

A couple of other interesting notes from the survey:

• Processors project a 6 percent decrease in tendering capacity in the bay this summer.

• Air transport of fish is expected to increase.

Bristol Bay last summer yielded a harvest of 30.9 million sockeye.

Don Giles to retire at Icicle

Here's a recent press release about changes at the top at Icicle Seafoods Inc., one of Alaska's biggest processors:

Dennis Guhlke Named Chief Executive Officer of Icicle Seafoods

Brenda Morris appointed CFO

Company Looks to Build on Success Driven by the Leadership of Retiring CEO, Don Giles

SEATTLE, April 17, PRNewswire – Icicle Seafoods, Inc., a diversified seafood harvesting, processing and marketing company, today announced the appointment of Dennis Guhlke to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2009. Mr. Guhlke succeeds Don Giles, who will retire as CEO on June 30, 2009 after 36 years at Icicle. Mr. Giles will continue to serve as an advisor for the next three years to Icicle on various projects. Mr. Giles has been Chief Executive Officer since 1994.

Read the rest of the release here.

Trident wraps up Wrangell Seafoods

Evidently the sale of bankrupt processor Wrangell Seafoods Inc. to Trident Seafoods Corp. of Seattle is complete.

I still haven't seen anything official, such as a company press release, but a "receipt from proceeds of sale" was filed yesterday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Anchorage.

The receipt is for $4.3 million.