USCG, good Samaritans help injured skipper

From the U.S. Coast Guard:

June 11, 2012

Coast Guard medevacs fisherman near Chignik

JUNEAU — Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak personnel this morning medevaced the captain of the fishing vessel Providence after he injured his hand near Chignik.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a supporting HC-130 Hercules airplane launched at 4:35 a.m. after Coast Guard watchstanders received a medevac request through the good Samaritan vessel Flying Ocean.

The injured captain of the Providence was transferred to the Flying Ocean and the Flying Ocean began making way toward Kodiak to shorten the helicopter's flight distance.

The Jayhawk reached the Flying Ocean near Sutwik Island and safely hoisted the patient at 6:54 a.m., then returned to Kodiak and transferred him to emergency medical services.

"Help from good Samaritans like the Flying Ocean crew significantly reduces response time in medevac cases," said Master Chief Jeremiah Roberts, a watchstander at the 17th Coast Guard District command center. "The willingness of mariners to help others on the water has saved countless lives, and the Coast Guard is grateful for their assistance."

Secretary Bryson takes medical leave

Here's a press release from the U.S. Department of Commerce:

June 11, 2012

Commerce Secretary John Bryson's notice of medical leave

Tonight, U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson notified President Obama that he would be taking a medical leave of absence and immediately transferring his functions and duties as Secretary to Deputy Secretary Dr. Rebecca Blank. Effective immediately, Dr. Blank will become Acting Secretary of Commerce.

Commerce secretary in trouble with the law

California authorities are investigating hit-and-run traffic incidents involving U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson. Numerous media outlets have the story, including the Los Angeles Times.

The Commerce Department, of course, houses the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Deep thinking in Sitka

The local government is seeking a consultant to study the financial viability of establishing a deepwater dock, a commercial moorage for large vessels and a marine service industry at Sitka's Sawmill Cove Industrial Park.

Click here to see the three requests for proposals.

Council tightens Gulf halibut bycatch limits

Here's the final motion the North Pacific Fishery Management Council passed regarding Gulf of Alaska halibut bycatch.

The action, subject to U.S. commerce secretary approval, would impose a 15 percent reduction in the annual halibut bycatch limit for the trawl and longline catcher vessel fleets targeting groundfish. The longline catcher-processor sector would see a 7 percent reduction.

The cuts would be phased in over three years, starting in 2014.

The council, meeting in Kodiak, passed the motion Friday on a 10-1 vote.

1,000,000 and counting

Copper River gillnetters already have had a fine year, and we're only a little over three weeks into the season.

The sockeye catch has now surpassed 1 million fish.

But the harvest rate has cooled off, with the last couple of openers producing fewer sockeye than forecast.

The Copper River District opens again at 7 a.m. Monday for a 36-hour period.

Bad day at Kodiak

To keep from sinking, the U.S. Army Reserve landing craft Monterrey beached itself on Puffin Island after hitting a rock and taking on water late Friday in Chiniak Bay near Kodiak. A fishing vessel, the Peggy Jo, took two Monterrey crewmen with minor injuries to Kodiak for medical care. The Coast Guard said an estimated 15,291 gallons of fuel spilled from two breached compartments. The 174-foot landing craft was hauling heavy equipment construction equipment and supplies from Port Hueneme, Calif., to Bethel. USCG photo