UFA seeks new skipper

United Fishermen of Alaska, the state's flagship commercial fishing organization, is seeking a new executive director.

That's because the current executive director, Frances Leach, who has held the job since January 2018, is leaving to start a Juneau lobbying firm.

Jim Balsiger to retire

Jim Balsiger, Alaska regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service, is planning to retire. His last day will be Nov. 30.

Balsiger has been the agency's Alaska chief since May 2000. He would be away from Alaska for a time to serve as acting head of NMFS in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Balsiger lives in Juneau and says he intends to remain there after retirement.

Sitka outbreak

The City and Borough of Sitka this week reported a COVID-19 outbreak at Sitka Sound Seafoods.

Local officials did not specify the number of positive cases.

But this state COVID-19 summary cites 12 new nonresident cases with "purpose seafood" in Sitka.

Sitka Sound Seafoods is a unit of North Pacific Seafoods.

Halibut, sablefish win five-year MSC recertification

Here's the new certificate.

Kodiak fisherman draws prison time, $1 million fine

Details in this press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Anchorage.

Bristol Bay's big haul

The Bristol Bay sockeye salmon catch now stands at more than 36.4 million fish, surpassing the state's preseason forecast. And we're still seeing large daily catches!

North Pacific Seafoods changes hands

North Pacific Seafoods, a major salmon processor in Alaska, has new ownership.

A June 23 filing with the Alaska Division of Corporations indicates the new owner is Kanaway Seafoods.

Kanaway does business as Alaska General Seafoods, which is part of the Canadian Fishing Co., better known as Canfisco. The parent company of Canfisco is the Jim Pattison Group, a diversified holding company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The previous owner of North Pacific Seafoods was Japanese titan Marubeni.

Dave Hambleton remains as president of North Pacific Seafoods, the June 23 filing shows.