The situation with the halibut survey

The International Pacific Halibut Commission will meet in special session on Oct. 31 to talk about the setline survey.

The annual summer survey is crucial for managing the halibut fishery. But it's facing serious financial challenges as the halibut stock struggles.

"The spawning biomass of Pacific halibut is near the lowest levels observed since the 1970s and catch rates in nearly all IPHC regulatory areas are at or near the lowest levels observed in 40 years," says this brochure posted on the IPHC website.

The commission historically has paid for the survey by selling catches, but low catch rates and low fish prices coupled with rising costs have created a funding crunch, the brochure says.

In the special session, commissioners plan to discuss survey design for 2025 and beyond.

Man overboard at Chignik

The Alaska State Troopers today reported the following:

Location: Chignik

Type: Search and rescue

On 10/10/24 at approximately 0810 hours, Alaska State Troopers received a report of a man overboard in Chignik Bay. Jimmy Prokopeuff, 45, of Chignik, fell over the railing of his fishing vessel coming into the fueling dock. The captain attempted to rescue him with a mooring line and life jackets, but the individual was ultimately rescued by search and rescue volunteers who deployed in a skiff at 0829 hours. They retrieved him and transported him to the local clinic for treatment.

Trident to deal Kodiak plant to Pacific Seafood

Here's the press release.

Ship in distress at Unalaska

The U.S. Coast Guard is keeping a close eye on a struggling cargo ship near Unalaska.

"Although intense weather conditions put the vessel in danger of running aground, the vessel is anchored and stable," the Coast Guard said.

A Coast Guard helicopter removed four of the ship's crewmembers and took them to Dutch Harbor.

For updates, check the USCG Alaska X feed.

Halibut all year in British Columbia?

A commercial fisherman is proposing a year-round halibut fishery in Area 2B (British Columbia).

"This proposal would allow the retention and sale of Pacific halibut year-round in Canadian waters," says this International Pacific Halibut Commission memo.

The commission is slated to hold its interim meeting electronically Nov. 25-26 and its annual meeting Jan. 27-31 in Vancouver, B.C.

Debating fish

Candidates for Alaska's lone congressional seat will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Kodiak for a fisheries debate.

The candidates include incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, Republican challenger Nick Begich and John Wayne Howe, of the Alaskan Independence Party.

The debate will be broadcast live on Kodiak radio station KMXT and streamed at kmxt.org.

For more information, including debate topics, click here.

Snow crab comeback!

After a two-year closure, the Bering Sea snow crab fishery will reopen at noon Oct. 15 with a modest quota of 4.72 million pounds, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced Friday.

The department also announced a quota of 2.31 million pounds for the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery, which likewise will open Oct. 15. That's a slight increase from last season's 2.15 million pounds.

And the Bering Sea bairdi Tanner crab season will open Oct. 15 with a quota of 1.77 million pounds, down from last season's 2.08 million pounds.