Groundfish fisheries challenged

The Association of Village Council Presidents and Tanana Chiefs Conference have sued the National Marine Fisheries Service in federal court, challenging the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish fisheries.

The 33-page lawsuit cites trawl bycatch of salmon and "rapid and unprecedented" ecosystem change.

Fish politics

Fritz Johnson and Mark Niver have won reelection to the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association board of directors. More details here.

Trident factory trawler ablaze in Tacoma

A Trident Seafoods factory trawler, the Kodiak Enterprise, has caught fire while moored in Tacoma, the U.S. Coast Guard reports.

"The fire has progressed throughout the ship and was last reported approximately 100 feet from the vessel's freon tanks," the Coast Guard says.

More details in this press release.

Alaska salmon forecast is out!

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is forecasting a statewide commercial salmon harvest of 189.4 million fish this year.

That compares to last year's total of 163.2 million.

Here's the forecast.

KRSA likes Zuray

The Kenai River Sportfishing Association is supporting legislative confirmation of Stanley Zuray for the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

Personnel file

Jamal Moss will be the next Alaska deputy regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service.

"Jamal is a highly regarded scientist and leader who currently serves as deputy director of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Auke Bay Laboratories, where he oversees teams of scientists and administrative professionals responsible for fisheries stock assessment, genetics, information technology, facilities management, and other functions," the agency says in a report to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Fish board appointments

Gov. Mike Dunleavy today named three people to the Alaska Board of Fisheries: Gerad Godfrey, Greg Svendsen and Mike Wood.

The governor's office provided a little background for each.

These three presumably will replace current members Mike Heimbuch, John Jensen and McKenzie Mitchell, whose terms expire on June 30.