The Sitka Sound seine fleet saw a fourth and final herring opener Saturday, taking an estimated 3,935 tons.
That brings the total to 17,231 tons. The "guideline" harvest limit going into the season was 16,333 tons.
The season is now closed, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today.
As for prices paid to fishermen, Deckboss has no definitive numbers at this point.
The full value of the catch generally isn't established until after processors market the product.
The size of the Sitka catch isn't the only price factor. It also matters what other Pacific herring fisheries produce. These fisheries stretch from California to remote Western Alaska, with some occurring before Sitka and some after.
Sitka herring are valued primarily for their eggs, or roe. The pack goes almost entirely to Asia.
The notoriously combative Sitka fishery apparently proceeded without incident this season. Either that, or news of any trouble simply hasn't reached us yet.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
What's the best use of disaster funds?
Several groups from the Yukon-Kuskokwim and Cook Inlet regions have been tabbed to help fashion a spending plan for $20.8 million in federal disaster relief coming to Alaska in response to poor Chinook salmon runs. Details here.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Closing in on the finish
We've now had three openers in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery, and seiners have taken an estimated 13,500 tons, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says.
That leaves us only about 2,800 tons shy of the preseason quota.
The fleet could polish that off as soon as tomorrow.
That leaves us only about 2,800 tons shy of the preseason quota.
The fleet could polish that off as soon as tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
A professional Board of Fisheries?
Down in Juneau, a legislative committee this week is holding a series of hearings on Upper Cook Inlet salmon.
The inlet is the most contentious fishing zone in the state, with commercial, sport and other sectors continually battling over the salmon resource.
The state Board of Fisheries recently finished a tough, two-week meeting on Upper Cook Inlet.
One topic arising in the hearings before the Senate Resources Committee, chaired by Anchorage Sen. Cathy Giessel, is whether it might be time to move to a professional fish board, rather than the appointed, volunteer and generally layman board we have now.
Serving on the Board of Fisheries, if done right, is a big and tedious job. Members annually must sit through a string of multiweek meetings, consider hundreds of often arcane proposals, and read mountains of paper from advocates, biologists and fishermen.
Tempers can flare at these meetings, as seemingly everyone in attendance argues his particular issue is absolutely just and vital.
One wonders, in fact, why any sane person would care to sit on the seven-member Board of Fisheries.
The question is whether a professional board might be better suited for the weighty job of setting state fisheries policy.
Today, the Alaska Senate Majority held a press conference and spent a few minutes talking about the board.
Click here to see the press conference. The pertinent discussion begins about 21 minutes in.
The inlet is the most contentious fishing zone in the state, with commercial, sport and other sectors continually battling over the salmon resource.
The state Board of Fisheries recently finished a tough, two-week meeting on Upper Cook Inlet.
One topic arising in the hearings before the Senate Resources Committee, chaired by Anchorage Sen. Cathy Giessel, is whether it might be time to move to a professional fish board, rather than the appointed, volunteer and generally layman board we have now.
Serving on the Board of Fisheries, if done right, is a big and tedious job. Members annually must sit through a string of multiweek meetings, consider hundreds of often arcane proposals, and read mountains of paper from advocates, biologists and fishermen.
Tempers can flare at these meetings, as seemingly everyone in attendance argues his particular issue is absolutely just and vital.
One wonders, in fact, why any sane person would care to sit on the seven-member Board of Fisheries.
The question is whether a professional board might be better suited for the weighty job of setting state fisheries policy.
Today, the Alaska Senate Majority held a press conference and spent a few minutes talking about the board.
Click here to see the press conference. The pertinent discussion begins about 21 minutes in.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Peter Pan says, yo, it ain't about us!
Peter Pan Seafoods, which operates a huge processing plant in remote King Cove, has come out with a statement on the proposed road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.
Supporters including Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski say the road is vitally needed for public safety. It would connect King Cove to Cold Bay, which has a better airport for medevacs.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, however, has denied construction of the road.
Peter Pan's statement responds to criticism such as this from Bruce Babbitt, who argues the road would be an exorbitant gift to the company.
But the road isn't about Peter Pan, writes Dale Schwarzmiller, vice president for Alaska production.
By law, he says, the road would be for "noncommercial purposes."
Supporters including Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski say the road is vitally needed for public safety. It would connect King Cove to Cold Bay, which has a better airport for medevacs.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, however, has denied construction of the road.
Peter Pan's statement responds to criticism such as this from Bruce Babbitt, who argues the road would be an exorbitant gift to the company.
But the road isn't about Peter Pan, writes Dale Schwarzmiller, vice president for Alaska production.
By law, he says, the road would be for "noncommercial purposes."
Making more salmon
Southeast regional planning teams are scheduled to meet April 8 in Juneau to review, among other things, some interesting hatchery proposals.
Hatcheries, of course, are very important in Alaska. The state's annual salmon harvest wouldn't be nearly so large or lucrative without them.
For some years now, processors have lobbied for increased hatchery production to satisfy market demand for Alaska salmon.
One proposal on the April 8 agenda comes from the Sitka-based Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association, which is seeking a capacity increase of 50 million chum salmon eggs.
Fry would be set to sea from a new remote release site in Crawfish Inlet. NSRAA projects an average return of 1.1 million chums worth about $6.5 million annually.
Another hatchery operator, Juneau-based Armstrong-Keta Inc., has submitted a plan to increase pink salmon production.
Hatcheries, of course, are very important in Alaska. The state's annual salmon harvest wouldn't be nearly so large or lucrative without them.
For some years now, processors have lobbied for increased hatchery production to satisfy market demand for Alaska salmon.
One proposal on the April 8 agenda comes from the Sitka-based Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association, which is seeking a capacity increase of 50 million chum salmon eggs.
Fry would be set to sea from a new remote release site in Crawfish Inlet. NSRAA projects an average return of 1.1 million chums worth about $6.5 million annually.
Another hatchery operator, Juneau-based Armstrong-Keta Inc., has submitted a plan to increase pink salmon production.
Another decent herring haul at Sitka
Sunday's opener at Sitka, the second of the season, produced an estimated 5,000 tons of herring.
Total harvest to date is now about 10,300 tons, the Department of Fish and Game says.
That's well over half the preseason quota of 16,333 tons.
Total harvest to date is now about 10,300 tons, the Department of Fish and Game says.
That's well over half the preseason quota of 16,333 tons.
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