Alaska's senators, Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich, continue to pursue federal fisheries disaster relief for the recent poor Chinook salmon returns.
Here's a letter the two signed with 14 other senators also seeking funds for fisheries disasters declared elsewhere in the country.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Some herring notes
A fine mess of Togiak herring. Tim Sands photoDeckboss hears reliably that processors advanced $500 a ton. We'll see if the market pushes that higher.
Sitka, of course, is just the start of herring season around Alaska. Several other fisheries are either under way or soon will be.
In Southeast Alaska, for example, 83 permit holders recently took part in a spawn-on-kelp fishery at Ernest Sound.
At Kodiak, purse seiners and gillnetters are prosecuting the local sac roe herring fishery.
In May, the action will shift to the remote village of Togiak, in Bristol Bay. This historically has been the scene of the largest herring fishery by volume in the state.
Togiak once was highly competitive, with scores of boats and processors operating under the direction of a small air force of spotter planes.
Today, the fishery is a much more leisurely affair, as the traditional Japanese market for herring roe simply isn't what it used to be.
A very large quota of 30,056 tons is available for this year's Togiak sac roe fishery. Details in this announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
A great deal of herring also will be up for grabs in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim region along Alaska's western coast.
Coastal Villages Region Fund has announced it intends to pay fishermen a base price of $350 per ton this year for AYK herring.
Victoria allision under investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating Tuesday's mash-up at Victoria between the factory trawler American Dynasty and the Canadian navy frigate HMCS Winnipeg.
From the look of these photos, the warship got the best of it!
From the look of these photos, the warship got the best of it!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
American Dynasty hits Canadian navy frigate
Media reports out of Victoria, British Columbia, say the factory trawler American Dynasty yesterday crashed into a docked Canadian warship.
Here's a report from the Times Colonist of Victoria.
And here's another report with better video of the bizarre mishap.
The 272-foot American Dynasty belongs to Seattle-based American Seafoods. It's one of several factory trawlers the company operates in the Bering Sea pollock fishery.
The news reports say tugs were moving the trawler for maintenance when the incident occurred.
Six people were said to be injured, apparently none seriously.
Here's a report from the Times Colonist of Victoria.
And here's another report with better video of the bizarre mishap.
The 272-foot American Dynasty belongs to Seattle-based American Seafoods. It's one of several factory trawlers the company operates in the Bering Sea pollock fishery.
The news reports say tugs were moving the trawler for maintenance when the incident occurred.
Six people were said to be injured, apparently none seriously.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Fleet reduction in Bristol Bay?
The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association is conducting an "informal poll" of drift gillnetters on the idea of a permit buyback.
The association has told its members to expect a letter from the board very soon.
Bristol Bay, of course, is Alaska's most important commercial salmon fishery, attracting hundreds of gillnet boats each summer.
The BBRSDA works to advance the fishery in a number of ways, and relies on a landings tax the drift fleet self-imposed in 2006.
Bristol Bay setnetters rejected the tax and aren't part of the association.
The association has told its members to expect a letter from the board very soon.
Bristol Bay, of course, is Alaska's most important commercial salmon fishery, attracting hundreds of gillnet boats each summer.
The BBRSDA works to advance the fishery in a number of ways, and relies on a landings tax the drift fleet self-imposed in 2006.
Bristol Bay setnetters rejected the tax and aren't part of the association.
Shrimping starts slow in Prince William Sound
Last week's four-day season opener in the Prince William Sound shrimp pot fishery produced a modest catch of 8,761 pounds, with 21 vessels participating.
Another four-day period begins today, the state Department of Fish and Game says.
The quota for the year is 66,300 pounds, so plenty of shrimp left to catch if fishermen can find them.
Another four-day period begins today, the state Department of Fish and Game says.
The quota for the year is 66,300 pounds, so plenty of shrimp left to catch if fishermen can find them.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Icicle calls it quits on Adak
Here's a press release from Icicle Seafoods:
April 19, 2013
Icicle continues Alaska expansion, plans to close Adak operation
Icicle Seafoods Inc. has decided to close its operation in Adak, in the Aleutian Islands, citing concerns about the short- and long-term health of the region's Pacific cod resource and increased regulatory uncertainty.
"Icicle has worked incredibly hard in the two years since we took it over to make the Adak plant a viable operation," said Amy Humphreys, Icicle's new president and CEO. "We strongly support policies that encourage the development and sustainability of Alaska's coastal communities and recognize this goal is often best achieved with a resident fishing fleet and year-round seafood processing operation. However, given the questionable outlook for the Pacific cod fishery in the area and the high costs of operating in this remote location, we have decided to focus our resources in other areas within our Alaska operations."
Icicle Seafoods has invested heavily elsewhere in Alaska in recent years, most recently completing the purchase of a second shore-based seafood processing facility in Bristol Bay. The addition of the Wood River facility in Dillingham will significantly increase Icicle's capacity to produce high-quality sockeye salmon fillets. Herring and chum and pink salmon will also be processed at the facility.
The purchase was the final step of Icicle's acquisition of Snopac Products assets, which began in 2012.
"The strategic acquisition of the Wood River facility is yet another step in our growth strategy as a leading processor of salmon and other seafood products," Humphreys said. "Icicle is well-positioned with its diversified harvesting and processing infrastructure and its broad, quality product offerings to further strengthen and build upon the founding vision put into motion almost 50 years ago: to be a superior, diversified seafood company offering premier service and commitment to our customers, fishermen and employees."
Previous Alaska investments include the major expansion of Icicle's Petersburg processing facility in 2011; the purchase of the processing vessel Snopac Innovator, renamed the Gordon Jensen in honor of one of Icicle's founders, in the spring of 2012; the installation of a new cod production line on the Gordon Jensen; and the purchases of the AFA trawl catcher vessels Hickory Wind and Progress, in 2011 and 2012.
April 19, 2013
Icicle continues Alaska expansion, plans to close Adak operation
Icicle Seafoods Inc. has decided to close its operation in Adak, in the Aleutian Islands, citing concerns about the short- and long-term health of the region's Pacific cod resource and increased regulatory uncertainty.
"Icicle has worked incredibly hard in the two years since we took it over to make the Adak plant a viable operation," said Amy Humphreys, Icicle's new president and CEO. "We strongly support policies that encourage the development and sustainability of Alaska's coastal communities and recognize this goal is often best achieved with a resident fishing fleet and year-round seafood processing operation. However, given the questionable outlook for the Pacific cod fishery in the area and the high costs of operating in this remote location, we have decided to focus our resources in other areas within our Alaska operations."
Icicle Seafoods has invested heavily elsewhere in Alaska in recent years, most recently completing the purchase of a second shore-based seafood processing facility in Bristol Bay. The addition of the Wood River facility in Dillingham will significantly increase Icicle's capacity to produce high-quality sockeye salmon fillets. Herring and chum and pink salmon will also be processed at the facility.
The purchase was the final step of Icicle's acquisition of Snopac Products assets, which began in 2012.
"The strategic acquisition of the Wood River facility is yet another step in our growth strategy as a leading processor of salmon and other seafood products," Humphreys said. "Icicle is well-positioned with its diversified harvesting and processing infrastructure and its broad, quality product offerings to further strengthen and build upon the founding vision put into motion almost 50 years ago: to be a superior, diversified seafood company offering premier service and commitment to our customers, fishermen and employees."
Previous Alaska investments include the major expansion of Icicle's Petersburg processing facility in 2011; the purchase of the processing vessel Snopac Innovator, renamed the Gordon Jensen in honor of one of Icicle's founders, in the spring of 2012; the installation of a new cod production line on the Gordon Jensen; and the purchases of the AFA trawl catcher vessels Hickory Wind and Progress, in 2011 and 2012.
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