Almost lamprey time again on the Yukon

Lamprey fishing on the Yukon. Kwik'pak Fisheries photo

Looks like we'll see another commercial fishery for Arctic lamprey this year on the Yukon River.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game today announced a catch limit of 44,080 pounds of lampreys.

The harvest could begin as soon as Oct. 31. Like last year, the buyer will be Kwik'pak Fisheries.

Pacific Fishing magazine in March published this summary of the 2010 lamprey fishery:

An experimental commercial fishery for Arctic lamprey in late November on the lower Yukon River produced the second-best result since the harvest began in 2003. Fishing with hand-held dipnets through holes sawed in river ice, 22 fishermen delivered 30,713 pounds of the anadromous, eel-like fish to processor Kwik'pak Fisheries, which operated a buying station at the village of Grayling. At $1.25 per pound, the harvest paid $38,391 with an average value per fisherman of $1,745, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported. The best lamprey harvest was 49,657 pounds worth $62,000 in 2003. Kwik'pak general manager Jack Schultheis says the lampreys are frozen in the round and sent into Asian and European food markets, with some demand also from research institutions.

Bound to go viral

Tom Casey of Seattle offers this lament as we approach Saturday's start of another king crab season in the Bering Sea.

Southeast fisherman survives scary moment

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Angoon
Type: Search and rescue
On 10/6/11, at 1150 hours, the Angoon VPSO received a report of a life raft signaling a passing plane with smoke in Chatham Strait adjacent to Angoon. Angoon SAR responded in their search vessel and located Peter Roddy, 59, of Sitka, in a life raft. Roddy reported that he was under way in the F/V Jager, a 42-foot crabber, when his vessel rolled and the stern went down under the water. While Roddy was deploying his life raft the vessel rolled over onto its side and sank. Roddy was uninjured and transported safely back to Angoon.

A leadership change in Bristol Bay

Here's an announcement today from the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association:

In September, BBRSDA board member Nick Lee (Seat D, Non-Alaska Resident) resigned his position, which opened up a vacancy for appointment. Our bylaws give responsibility in cases like this to BBRSDA President Robert Heyano. President Heyano asked the other board members to submit to him the names of S03T permit holders who might make good board members and would be willing to serve. After reviewing the submitted names, President Heyano appointed Matt Luck to fill the vacant seat and serve out Nick Lee's term, which ends in 2013. Matt runs the F/V Meg J in Bristol Bay, where he has fished (as crewman and operator) for 12 years. In addition to his work in the Bay, Matt's fishing experience includes longlining, seining and drifting in Prince William Sound, Southeast, Kodiak and Togiak. He is a founding member of the Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation, and past chairman of the Copper River/PWS ADF&G Advisory Committee. We hope you'll join us in thanking Nick Lee for his many years of volunteer service to the fleet, and in welcoming Matt to the board.

Oh, those tempestuous New Englanders

Saving Seafood, the very vocal East Coast fishing industry nonprofit, posted this entertaining item on its website.

A step closer to trimming Southeast seine fleet

The National Marine Fisheries Service today published regulations for a possible $23.5 million buyback of state permits in the Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon fishery.

Let's get these guys

Here's an important call for help from the U.S. Coast Guard:

Oct. 5, 2011

Vandalism to lights and buoys endangers mariners

SITKA — The Coast Guard is asking for the public's help to put a stop to the vandalism of aids to navigation throughout Southeast Alaska.

Several navigational lights in the region have been vandalized rendering them inoperable. Recently the batteries were deliberately and illegally removed from a light marking an offshore hazard at Tenakee Springs.

"The loss of this equipment costs taxpayers and the Coast Guard in many ways: first is the obvious financial burden of replacing the damaged or stolen equipment, second is the slowing of commercial and recreational traffic, and third is the possibility of environmental damage that could result from a collision or grounding that occurs because a hazard is not marked," said Lt. Cmdr. Dan Gray, commanding officer of the Coast Guard cutter Maple.

Those found guilty of vandalizing aids to navigation can be fined up to $2,500 and imprisoned for up to five years. Anybody witnessing vandalism to a navigational aid or finding a damaged aid should contact their nearest Coast Guard unit.

"The marine highway is the lifeblood of commerce and transportation in Southeast Alaska and it is vitally important that these aids to navigation remain a reliable tool for mariners in the region," Gray said.

The Maple's crew is responsible for servicing many of the buoys, lights and beacons in Southeast Alaska. Commissioned on Oct. 19, 2001, the Maple is a 225-foot Juniper Class buoy tender homeported in Sitka. Maple is operated by seven officers and a crew of 46 men and women. More information here about the cutter Maple.