Halfway there in Sitka herring fishery

We've now had two openers in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery, and the total catch stands at 5,700 tons.

That's almost half the preseason quota of 11,549 tons.

Samples taken yesterday indicated "very high quality herring," the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said.

That means the fish were especially rich with roe, or eggs. The roe is marketed primarily in Japan, and accounts for almost all the value of the fishery.

Another opener isn't expected until tomorrow at the earliest.

Processor refloated

Here's a new situation report from the state on the Pacific Producer, the processing vessel that ran aground on Kodiak Island a while back.

This is the pertinent paragraph:

The vessel was refloated March 24, 2013 without assistance from the salvage team. The vessel transited under its own power to the harbor in Ouzinkie where it remains while the vessel's stability is evaluated by the USCG. The hull was inspected by a dive survey on March 26, 2013 and found to be intact.

As for the cause of the grounding?

Naturally, that remains "under investigation."

And they're off!

Raven Radio KCAW in Sitka reports the herring fishery got its first opener of the season yesterday afternoon, but the catch was modest.

Check out the report here.

Kluberton, Webster to continue on Fish Board

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell today reappointed Tom Kluberton, of Talkeetna, and Vince Webster, of King Salmon, to the state Board of Fisheries.

Dipnet supremacy?

The House Special Committee on Fisheries will hold a hearing at 10 this morning on House Bill 18, which would give "personal use" or dipnet fisheries priority over all other fisheries except subsistence.

The bill sponsor is state Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak.

You can listen to the hearing by teleconference.

Here's a Matanuska-Susitna Borough resolution favoring HB 18.

And here are a bunch of letters from commercial fishermen opposed to the bill.

Legislature passes anti-GE salmon resolution

The Alaska Senate today unanimously passed a resolution opposing U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of genetically engineered salmon.

The resolution, which previously passed the House, now goes to Gov. Sean Parnell.

A resolution does not carry the force of law. Rather, it merely expresses legislative sentiment.

'Large bodies of herring' seen

Here's the latest update on the fast approaching Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery.