USDA seeks another big bite of pollock products

Details in this solicitation.

Togiak herring to remain dormant a third year

The herring sac roe fishery near the remote Southwest Alaska village of Togiak once was the state's biggest herring fishery.

But industry interest in Togiak's abundant herring has waned in recent years amid poor markets, and the fishery was inactive in 2023 and 2024.

Now it appears the Togiak fishery will remain idle again this year.

"Processors have indicated that they do not intend to harvest herring in Togiak in 2025, and it is unlikely that a commercial fishery will occur," the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said today in this advisory announcement.

A name change for Maruha Nichiro

Japanese seafood titan Maruha Nichiro is changing its name to Umios.

In Japanese, the word "umi" means "sea."

Maruha Nichiro explains its name change in this notice.

The company is a major player in Alaska. The Westward Seafoods processing plant at Dutch Harbor is a Maruha Nichiro subsidiary.

Sitka herring gets going

The Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery is now underway, with a four-hour opener yesterday and a nine-hour opener today.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is holding harvest estimates confidential.

"Vessel surveys conducted by the department beginning on March 18 indicated that there is a very large biomass of herring distributed throughout Sitka Sound," Fish and Game said today.

Sullivan talks fish

Alaska's junior U.S. senator, Dan Sullivan, yesterday addressed the Alaska Legislature. His written remarks include a two-part section on fish.

Juneau watch

House Bill 129, which would expand a fisheries tax credit encouraging value-added products, is up for a legislative hearing tomorrow.

The bill has attracted a number of supporters:

Canfisco Group

Pacific Seafood Processors Association

Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association

ASMI awarded $4.5M for international marketing

Here's the press release.

Silver Bay takes OBI stake, assumes management

Here's a news release.

Which boats will conduct halibut survey?

The vessels are named in this media release from the International Pacific Halibut Commission.

A fishy fundraiser

Here's something interesting we spotted on social media.

WTF?

The Alaska Wildlife Troopers posted this today:

Location: Thorne Bay

Type: Suspicious circumstance

While conducting routine shellfish pot inspections near Thorne Bay, AWT Ketchikan located two crab pots near the Thorne Bay Harbor. Each crab pot contained the remains of a domesticated dog. The two French bulldogs had gone missing on 2/13/25 in Thorne Bay and their owners had been actively searching for them. Anyone with information regarding the disappearance of the bulldogs is encouraged to contact the Prince of Wales AWT Post at (907) 755-2291.

Murkowski thanks the commerce secretary

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday posted the following on Facebook:

I'm hearing from halibut and sablefish IFQ fishermen that their permits are beginning to be processed. Thank you, Secretary Lutnick, for working with me to help get Alaskans on the water in time for the opener.

A major victory for the groundfish industry

A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit two tribal organizations brought against the National Marine Fisheries Service challenging the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish fisheries.

Here is U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason's 45-page decision and order dismissing the claims of the Association of Village Council Presidents and Tanana Chiefs Conference. The two groups sued in April 2023.

And here is a joint press release from the At-sea Processors Association and United Catcher Boats.

Commercial fisherman sentenced to prison time

Here's a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Please help?

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is seeking federal disaster relief for several 2024 salmon fisheries:

• Alaska Peninsula sockeye and South Peninsula pink salmon fisheries

• Chignik salmon fishery

• Kodiak pink salmon fishery

• Lower Cook Inlet pink salmon fishery

• Prince William Sound pink and chum salmon fisheries

• Kotzebue District salmon fishery

The governor has written to the U.S. Department of Commerce requesting disaster determinations for the fisheries. His letters are available here.

Trident's big contract

Seattle-based Trident Seafoods Corp. has won a contract to sell the U.S. Department of Agriculture nearly 10.6 million pounds of Alaska pollock products — frozen fillets, fish sticks and nuggets — for $25.1 million.

The purchase is "in support of child nutrition and other related domestic food distribution programs," says this USDA announcement.

No fish farming, says Bristol Bay group

The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association has issued a policy statement on finfish farming in Alaska.

The statement comes in apparent reaction to Gov. Mike Dunleavy's legislation to legalize farming some fish species, though not salmon.

Juneau watch

Rep. Nellie Jimmie, D-Toksook Bay, today introduced House Bill 125 to reform how the governor appoints members of the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

The bill specifies, among other things, that the governor shall appoint "two members who represent subsistence fishing, from a list of four names submitted by the Alaska Federation of Natives."