Council wants an accounting

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council, meeting in Anchorage, today passed this brief but interesting motion.

Russia watch

The following is from a U.S. Coast Guard enforcement report to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting this week in Anchorage.

U.S./Russian Maritime Boundary Line (MBL) Enforcement

During the reporting period, there was medium to high foreign-flagged longline and trawl fishing on the Russian side of the MBL. In the month of June, there were 88 potential FF/V incursions by 13 different Russian fishing vessels detected via electronic means. CGC ALEX HALEY patrolled the MBL in response to this activity, and no further potential incursions were detected. Coast Guard Arctic District patrols the MBL using both C-130 aircraft and surface vessels to deter and detect illegal incursions. No vessels were observed fishing over the line by Coast Guard aircraft or cutters. Coast Guard Arctic District contacted the Russian Border Guard (RBG) about each potential incursion. RBG responded to all reports of potential incursions and indicated that their investigation resulted in administrative penalties for two vessels that crossed the MBL due to Force Majeure but failed to notify the Russian government in accordance with Russian laws. All other potential incursions were noted to be too brief or limited in depth to be confirmed MBL crossings by Russian standards. RBG also indicated that their investigation confirmed no Russian vessels were engaged in fishing actively while transiting in the U.S. EEZ.

The New York Times discovers Alaska fish politics

Here's an article and a video.

Red king crab, bairdi surge while snow crab dips

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game today announced Bering Sea crab harvest quotas for the 2026-27 season.

The Bristol Bay red king crab quota is 3.41 million pounds, a 27 percent increase from last season.

The Bering Sea snow crab quota is 5.1 million pounds, down 45 percent.

The Bering Sea bairdi Tanner crab quota is 32.1 million pounds, a 185 percent increase.

The season opens at noon Oct. 15, with the fleet expected to concentrate on red king crab first.

Northwest oil threat?

A proposed Canadian pipeline could "bring a massive expansion in both the volume of crude oil and the number of tankers transiting the Salish Sea," Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson and Ecology Director Casey Sixkiller say in a joint statement.

'History of Terminal 91'

Read it here.

USCG reports Southeast sinking, helicopter rescue

Details and a video here.