Copper River to open May 16

Here's the announcement.

Vincent-Lang confirmed, Johnstone rejected

State legislators yesterday confirmed Douglas Vincent-Lang as commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on a vote of 58 yeas 1 nay.

Marit Carlson-Van Dort, Gerad Godfrey, and Israel Payton were confirmed without objection to the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

Karl Johnstone was rejected for the fish board on a vote of 24 yeas 33 nays.

To see how legislators voted, click here.

Togiak herring fishery opens

Here's the announcement.

Trident reports 'minor fire' at False Pass plant

Here's the press release.

'A rare occurrence'

United Fishermen of Alaska hates the idea of Judge Karl Johnstone returning to the Board of Fisheries, and has submitted this pointed letter of opposition to state legislators.

Sitka's herring bust

It's now apparent we'll see no sac roe herring harvest this season in Sitka Sound.

The fishery has experienced a zero harvest only once before, in 1977.

So, what happened?

"It's not a biomass issue," Aaron Dupuis, a state fishery biologist, tells Deckboss.

Test boats caught many tons of herring, and fishable numbers of herring seemed everywhere, Dupuis said.

The problem was marketability — the fish just weren't large enough on average to interest processors, he said.

And so, the herring are now deep into their spawn, and the fishery won't open this season. A disappointing outcome for a fishery with a legacy of fierce competition and fast fortunes.

A big year for salmon?

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has released its statewide salmon forecast, and the outlook is bright.

• The commercial harvest is projected at more than 213 million salmon, compared to last year's 115.7 million.

• This year's pink salmon harvest is projected at 137.8 million fish, more than triple last year's tally.

• The projected catch of nearly 29 million chum salmon "would be the largest on record for Alaska," the department says.

• The sockeye harvest is projected at 41.7 million, down from last year's 50.5 million.

The department also has announced a Southeast Alaska treaty troll quota of 101,300 Chinook salmon, which is 5,600 fish better than last year.