'Historic opportunity'

The Northern Hawk coming to roost in Seward? CVRF photo

Steady followers of Deckboss know we pay a good bit of attention to the federal Community Development Quota program, which allocates shares of Bering Sea fish and crab to six companies for harvest on behalf of Western Alaska villages.

Since the program started in 1992, the companies have acquired numerous fishing vessels.

Many are based in Seattle, long the traditional home port for the bigger boats working in Alaska.

Now one of the CDQ companies, Coastal Villages Region Fund, is seriously looking to move its fleet to Alaska, including its 341-foot flagship, the Northern Hawk.

Coastal is working with the city of Seward, which is stoked at the prospect of landing a new fleet to support jobs and local businesses.

The company and Seward say they have a "historic opportunity" to base Alaska's fishing fleet here, where it belongs.

Naturally, Seward officials are now doing what people do when pursuing big dreams in Alaska — hit up the state Legislature for money.

The city envisions a major port project at its Seward Marine Industrial Center, on the eastern shore of Resurrection Bay, and is asking legislators for $400,000 to conduct preliminary engineering and other studies.

In a rousing letter to Seward's mayor, Coastal touts its "quarter of a billion dollar balance sheet" and supposes that the other five CDQ companies just might follow Coastal's lead in relocating their fleets to Alaska.

The letter and other interesting documents are in this packet of papers obtained from the city of Seward.

Cook Inlet's fortnight of fish

Gillnetters at ease in the Kenai River. Deckboss photo

The Alaska Board of Fisheries is now two days into a meeting set to last a solid two weeks, until March 5.

That's obviously a long, long time to talk fish. But the talk always runs at length whenever the topic is Upper Cook Inlet finfish management.

The board has more than 210 proposals before it — ideas from anyone and everyone looking to tweak, modify or flat-out revolutionize the fisheries.

Deckboss reviewed the proposals and frankly found little to get too excited about. Most are pretty arcane, so we're unlikely to see any genuine revolutions or knockout victories from this marathon meeting.

That's mainly due to the bitter battles of the past, which seem to have created pretty much of a stalemate between the commercial, sport, subsistence and dipnet fishermen competing for salmon in Alaska's most popular fishing hole.

But certainly we'll keep an eye on the meeting, open to the public at the Egan Center in downtown Anchorage.

If I had to pick one area of interest, it would be the proposals from commercial fishermen to restrain a growing rival — the dipnet fisheries that draw thousands of Alaskans each summer to the Kenai and Kasilof rivers to scoop up salmon returning from the sea. One proposal would cut annual household limits to prevent "excessive harvest beyond actual food needs."

Hmmm, can't imagine a fight over that.

Begich: I got fish

Here's some news from U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska:

Feb. 17, 2011

Begich named chairman of Oceans Subcommittee

With fisheries one of the Alaska's leading industries, U.S. Sen. Mark Begich today was named to chair the Senate panel with prime jurisdiction over that industry and other ocean and coastal issues.

Begich was named chairman of the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard, a subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

The subcommittee is responsible for legislation and oversight of matters that impact our oceans, coasts and climate, including: coastal zone management; marine fisheries and marine mammals; oceans, weather and atmospheric activities; marine and ocean navigation; ocean policy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The subcommittee also is responsible for overseeing the U.S. Coast Guard.

"With Alaska fisheries such a vital part of the state's economy, producing over half the seafood landed in the nation, this is a key assignment for Alaska," Begich said. "Management of these fisheries as well as protection of the oceans and the Coast Guard's work on fisheries enforcement and search and rescue are also critical functions for our state."

The importance of NOAA's weather service functions for safe air travel and marine activities add to the value of chairing the subcommittee, Begich added.

Regnart rises to director of commercial fisheries

Here's a press release from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game:

Feb. 17, 2011

Jeff Regnart appointed commercial fisheries director

JUNEAU — Commissioner Cora Campbell today announced the appointment of Jeff Regnart as director of the Division of Commercial Fisheries. Regnart will step into his new role today from his regional Central Region supervisor position.

"Jeff comes to this position with outstanding qualifications," Campbell said. "He combines a wealth of knowledge and experience, from commercial fishing and sportfish guiding while attending college in the '80s to recently overseeing some of the most complex and competitive fisheries in the state."

During his career, Regnart has held diverse and increasingly complex positions within the department, in addition to serving on numerous fisheries panels and forums.

In his recent position as supervisor for the Central Region, he was responsible for program administration and supervision of all management and research activities including those for Bristol Bay, Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound.

Before being appointed regional supervisor in 2003, Regnart worked his way up from biologist I in 1990 to biologist IV in 1998. He started his career with the department as a fish and wildlife technician in 1984.

"I'm humbled and honored to be appointed director and look forward to working with commercial fisheries staff and department leadership to carry out our mission," Regnart said.

Regnart attained a bachelor's degree in biology from Western Washington University and attended Humboldt State University where he completed his master's in fishery management.

The Division of Commercial Fisheries manages commercial, subsistence and personal use fisheries. The division's core services include stock assessment and applied research, harvest management, aquaculture permitting and information services and statistics.

This is cool

The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program is partnering with Integrated Marine Systems Inc. to offer the one-day refrigeration workshop March 29 in Anchorage.

The workshop is designed to help commercial fishermen better use and maintain onboard refrigeration systems.

Interested? Sign up here.

Two factory trawlers collide at Dutch Harbor

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating a collision involving two factory trawlers at Dutch Harbor.

The incident happened last night or early this morning, apparently at a pier.

The trawler Alaska Spirit sustained damaged to its bow, while the hull of the Kodiak Enterprise was cracked above the water line, said Coast Guard Lt. Lane Munroe in Juneau.

No word on injuries.

The 221-foot Alaska Spirit belongs to Fishing Company of Alaska, while the 261-foot Kodiak Enterprise is part of the Trident Seafoods Corp. fleet.

Runaway barge!

The 143-foot barge Brittney Moe is adrift in Shelikof Strait southwest of Kodiak Island after the tug Seahawk lost the tow in heavy weather early Tuesday. The tug experienced a partial loss of steering in the mishap, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The barge is laden with a forklift, a shipping container and a layer of ice. She's in no danger of running aground and plans are in motion for the Seahawk or another tug to recover the craft. USCG photo