Geoduck groans

For the fifth consecutive week, the commercial geoduck clam fishery in Southeast Alaska is closed due to all harvest areas failing paralytic shellfish poison testing.

Deckboss isn't sure if this is some kind of record. But he's confident dive fishermen must be frustrated with such a long closure.

Here's the latest disappointing announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Ailing seiner crewman airlifted to Kodiak

From the U.S. Coast Guard:

Sept. 11, 2010

Coast Guard medevacs fisherman with possible shellfish poisoning

JUNEAU — A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter rescue crew this morning medevaced a 28-year-old male reportedly suffering from shellfish poisoning aboard the fishing vessel Miss Michelle in Kupreanof Strait 15 miles northwest of Kodiak.

Jonathon Botz was medevaced after a crewmember on the 55-foot seiner contacted the Sector Anchorage command center via satellite phone. Sector Anchorage in turn contacted the 17th Coast Guard District command center in Juneau at approximately 5 a.m. to coordinate the medevac with the duty flight surgeon.

After the flight surgeon recommended Botz be medevaced, the helicopter was launched at 6:20 a.m.

The crew of the Miss Michelle moored the vessel in Port Lions where the rescue helicopter crew landed and transported Botz to Air Station Kodiak. He was then taken to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center.

A tragedy in Haines

The victim in this apparent case of fatal shellfish poisoning was a Southeast salmon drift gillnetter and held other types of commercial fishing permits as well.