Personnel file

• Silver J. Prout is communications director and fishery liaison for Congressman-elect Nick Begich. Her family owns and operates the F/V Silver Spray out of Kodiak. Here's an announcement with other Begich staff appointments.

• Shannon Mason is now public information officer at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Previously, she was a communications aide for Congresswoman Mary Peltola.

A Maersk update

Unalaska's city manager, in a memo for Monday's special city council meeting, advises the following:

Maersk intends to pull operations out of our community by February 2025. I received confirmation about the matter via various channels. I also learned that America's Finest may move operations from the Light Cargo Dock to trampers in the bay. The discussion I'm hearing is that CMA should pick up the Maersk cargo. The America's Finest news is related to Maersk. We anticipate most of the revenue will still come in due to the fish tax, however we will lose wharfage and tariff at the city docks.

On the horizon

Here are upcoming events of importance to Alaska's fishing industry:

NMFS three-day Alaska pollock workshop

International Pacific Halibut Commission annual meeting

Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting, Ketchikan

NPFMC special meeting on chum bycatch, Cook Inlet salmon

ComFish Alaska, Kodiak

NTSB to investigate Wind Walker tragedy

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate and determine the probable cause of the deadly Wind Walker sinking, the agency announced.

The U.S. Coast Guard will lead the investigation into the casualty, which resulted in five deaths. Two bodies have been recovered.

The boat reportedly was heading out in poor weather to fish for halibut and black cod.

The NTSB has set up a webpage for the Wind Walker case.

Waste of rockfish, cod charged

Details in this press release from the Alaska State Troopers.

Visit our companion blog The Brig for lots more fisheries enforcement news.

Canadian competition

The Wheel Watch, a newsletter of the Seattle-based Fishing Vessel Owners' Association, offers this interesting note:

Something of concern for halibut is that the Canadian Maritime communities will produce 12 to 15 million pounds next year. This begins to rival Alaska landings which are now about 17 million lbs. Harvest limits in Alaska will all likely be reduced in 2025.

A big announcement from Maersk

The shipping giant Maersk today posted this advisory saying in part: "We will no longer be calling terminals in Dutch Harbor and Kodiak on the Transpacific Network in the coming year."

How will this affect Alaska's fishing industry?