'Challenging times'

Here's an interesting letter from Janet Coit, head of the National Marine Fisheries Service, to Angel Drobnica, chair of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Trident names Microsoft man as COO

Here's the press release.

The salmon situation

The latest weekly harvest update from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute offers a concise summary of the waning salmon season.

More Russian naval activity possible

Details in this U.S. Coast Guard advisory sent to the fishing industry.

Endangered Chinook?

Public comments are rolling in on a National Marine Fisheries Service finding that listing Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon as threatened or endangered "may be warranted."

The finding was in response to a petition from the Wild Fish Conservancy, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington state.

The idea of listing Chinook has raised considerable alarm across Alaska's fishing industry, with many organizations and individuals warning of serious economic damage were such an action actually taken.

NMFS is taking public comment until Sept. 6. You can read all the comments here.

We'll update this post periodically with links to select comments.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

United Fishermen of Alaska

Kenai River Sportfishing Association

Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska

Wild Fish Conservancy

Alaska resource associations

Alaska Trollers Association

Purse Seine Vessel Owners' Association

Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association

Southeast Alaska Guides Organization

Petersburg Borough

Alaska Marine Conservation Council

Pacific Seafood Processors Association

Mayors stick up for embattled pollock industry

Here's their column in the Anchorage Daily News.

311 brilliant ideas

The Alaska Board of Fisheries has posted its proposal book for the 2024-25 meeting cycle.

The board will hold meetings in Cordova, Ketchikan and Anchorage, and has accepted 311 proposals for review.