Quick hits

Here's a few noteworthy items I couldn't get posted yesterday.

Are those reports of a virus outbreak in Canada's wild salmon bogus?

Citing the chronic high death rate of commercial fishermen, the National Transportation Safety Board is recommending crewmen wear a "flotation aid" at all times while on deck. Vessel owners, be sure to check out the other NTSB recommendations.

The Department of Fish and Game has posted a preliminary tally of the dockside value of this year's Alaska salmon harvest: $603 million. That's about the same as last year's adjusted value of $605 million.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has posted a draft assessment of the eastern Bering Sea pollock stock, and the numbers suggest we'll see a lower catch limit in 2012. The best reading is on pages 22-23. Deckboss tips his cap to KUCB radio at Dutch Harbor for breaking the story.

Senators urge continued NIOSH funding

Six Democratic senators have signed a letter urging their colleagues to maintain funding for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's commercial fishery research program.

The program's research and outreach efforts have been a lifesaver in the notoriously dangerous commercial fishing industry, the senators argue.

"We recognize that this is a difficult fiscal climate, but the safety of our commercial fishermen must remain a priority," the letter says.