Personnel file

• Trident Seafoods today announced the retirement of Jim McManus from the company's board of directors.

• Frank O'Hara III has been elected president of the Wild Alaska Sole Association.

• Keyport LLC, a crab and frozen seafood processor and supplier, has named Craig Morris as president. He joins Keyport after seven years as CEO of the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers.

Juneau watch

Several bills of importance to the commercial fishing industry were introduced today in the Alaska Legislature. Here's a rundown.

Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, filed Senate Bill 268 titled "An Act relating to minimum paid sick leave requirements for individuals employed in seafood processing."

Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, filed Senate Bill 269 titled "An Act restructuring the Board of Fisheries."

Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, filed House Bill 356 titled "An Act relating to health and sanitary requirements and certain permits for commercial fishing vessels."

Rep. Neal Foster, D-Nome, filed House Bill 368 titled "An Act relating to meetings of the Board of Fisheries."

Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake, filed House Joint Resolution 34 titled "Urging the United States Congress and federal fisheries managers to make changes to the federal Prohibited Species Donation program to reduce the waste of edible bycatch, increase vessel participation, and improve food security in the state."

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, filed House Joint Resolution 35 titled "Urging federal fisheries managers to reduce trawl bycatch, maintain existing bycatch limits, and strengthen enforcement; and supporting federal efforts aimed at reducing bycatch and benthic habitat contact."

A must for your fish library

Don Giles, the former CEO of Icicle Seafoods, has published a memoir of his career in the fish business. "Fish Tales: My Unplanned Journey Through the Alaskan Seafood Industry" follows a Texas college kid who starts out unloading crab on a Seward dock and ends up running one of Alaska's great salmon processors. It's a remarkably candid insider account of the stressful life of a seafood executive, with the story extending through the bittersweet sale of Icicle in 2007. In telling his own story, Giles describes monumental changes in the industry such as the advent of individual fishing quotas for halibut and sablefish. Buy the book at Amazon.

Is Little Port Walter dead?

During legislative testimony last week, Scott Wagner, general manager of Sitka-based hatchery operator Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association, dropped some news about NOAA's Little Port Walter Research Station.

"This facility was recently shut down by NOAA in the last couple of months. It is now shuttered, the lights are out, generators off. It's closed," he said.

The station, located on Baranof Island, dates to 1934 and is "the oldest year-round biological field station in Alaska," NOAA says.

Featuring a small hatchery, Little Port Walter has a long and productive history of king salmon and other research, Wagner said.

"It definitely is a shame to see it go," he said.

From the sound of it, funding was a factor in the closure, but we don't know for sure. Deckboss has asked NOAA for comment on the station's status, but we've not heard back.

Bernt Bodal crosses the bar

Here's a press release from American Seafoods Co.

Haight to step aside at CFEC

Glenn Haight, Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission chair, is leaving the position with Feb. 27 to be his last day.

Haight advised the governor's office via email that he didn't plan to seek reappointment for a new four-year term.

The CFEC is a small agency that controls participation in Alaska's many fisheries. It issued 16,973 commercial fishing permits and 7,101 vessel licenses in 2025.

Haight has helmed CFEC since Gov. Mike Dunleavy appointed him chair effective May 7, 2022. His term expires soon, on March 1.

Haight came to CFEC after serving a number of years as executive director of the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

What's next for him? He told Deckboss he's not sure.

"I don't have anything hard and fast right now," Haight said. "My wife has a list of things."

Haight has led CFEC through a period of rebuilding, concentrating on filling open positions and advancing efforts to modernize the agency's information technology systems. The agency is budgeted for 21 permanent full-time employees.

"Operations have stabilized," Haight told the governor's office. He further wrote: "Working at CFEC these last few years has been very rewarding. However, I need to step back and let others take over."

CFEC has been controversial over the years, with some questioning whether it has enough work to justify a standalone agency, with handsome salaries for its leadership.

State Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, this year introduced Senate Bill 199 to transfer CFEC's duties to the Department of Fish and Game.

CFEC can have up to two commissioners, and with Haight's exit only Rick Green will remain. It's unclear at this point whether the governor will appoint a replacement for Haight.

The governor appointed Green to the commission in 2024. He previously was special assistant to state Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang, but is best known for his years hosting the "Rick Rydell" radio show.

During a legislative hearing this week in Juneau, with Haight and Green appearing as witnesses, House Speaker Bryce Edgmon asked about the "succession plan" at CFEC.

Green acknowledged he lives in Anchorage, not Juneau where CFEC is based.

Presumably, Green will become lead commissioner, and CFEC for the first time will not have  a commissioner in Juneau, Edgmon said.

"I have to tell you that that is unsettling to me," Edgmon said, noting he himself is a former permit holder. "I think the commissioner should be here with the staff."

Green noted, however, that the commission has an executive director who "basically runs" the agency.

Southeast crab fishery on weather hold

More details in this advisory announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.