What is pelagic trawl gear?

State Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, weighs in with a letter to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which is meeting this week in Anchorage.

Another big day in court

As previously reported, a Bering Sea bottom trawl fleet, operating under the banner Groundfish Forum, is suing in an effort to kill new regulations to tighten halibut bycatch limits.

The fleet argues it's being unfairly singled out and faces potential financial ruin.

The National Marine Fisheries Service — as well as several fishing, processing and conservation players in the halibut sector — are defending the regulations.

The case has been cooking for several months and is now set for an important round of oral argument beginning at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in federal court in Anchorage.

To listen, dial (571) 353-2301 and use call ID 275666327.

Trident proposes trawl experiment

According to this agency letter, Trident Seafoods is applying to test trawl gear designs that "aim to minimize seafloor contact when targeting pollock."

A Kodiak trawl Chinook bycatch blowout

Here's the story from Nathaniel Herz and his Northern Journal.

Interesting reading

Here are a couple of notable items in print.

The New York Times published a big story on Red Lobster's descent into bankruptcy. It's rollicking, rapacious, revolting read.

Also, Doug Vincent-Lang, Alaska's fish and game commissioner, has a piece on the Anchorage Daily News site headlined Safeguarding Alaska offshore habitat and providing a path forward for trawling.

Big day in court

As previously reported here on Deckboss, two tribal organizations are suing the National Marine Fisheries Service in federal court, challenging the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish fisheries.

At 9 a.m. tomorrow in federal court in Anchorage, lawyers will square off for oral arguments, each side seeking summary judgment — a knockout victory.

The tribal organizations — the Association of Village Council Presidents and Tanana Chiefs Conference — are represented by Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law firm.

The public may listen to the hearing by dialing (571) 353-2301 and using call ID 275666327.

Third snow crab season to receive disaster aid

Federal officials have allocated another large sum of money as disaster relief for the troubled Bering Sea snow crab fishery.

This latest sum of $39.5 million covers the 2023-24 season.

Previously, officials allocated much larger amounts for Alaska crab fisheries, including:

• $96.6 million for the 2022-23 Bering Sea snow crab and Bristol Bay red king crab fishery disasters

• $94.5 million for the 2021-22 Bering Sea snow crab and Bristol Bay red king crab fishery disasters.

The snow crab fishery has been closed the past two seasons due to weak stocks, and we're expecting word soon on whether the closure will extend to a third season.