Trade Mission Brings Next Generation of Seafood Buyers to Alaska

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

Introducing young seafood buyers to Alaska seafood is the goal of a “Next Generation” Trade Mission hosted by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Eight under 40 visitors from Ukraine, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Mexico will start off in Seattle on Friday and then spend two full days next week in Kodiak.

“They're touring four processing plants and we will hopefully get on a few boats. And then we're going to be meeting with NOAA and ADF&G....

Alaska Fishing Updates for February 2020

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

Winter sees a wide array of fisheries out on the water with more to come. Cod and a big mix of whitefish kicked off the year in the Bering Sea and in many parts of the Gulf. 

Alaska pollock, the world’s largest food fishery, opened on January 20 in the Bering Sea with a 3 billion pound harvest. Smaller pollock catches will come out of the Gulf  (250 million pounds) and at Prince William Sound (5 million pounds)...

Halibut Charters Wanted for Summer Surveys

Ten to 14 halibut longliners are needed to help with the annual stock surveys from Oregon to the far reaches of the Bering Sea. The International Pacific Halibut Commission charters the vessels each year to take scientists fishing.  

Steve Keith is IPHC assistant director -          

“The whole coast is broken up into 28 charter regions and vessels can bid on any number of those regions that they'd like to fish for us. We award a contract to a given region to a given vessel. We supply the bait and the ice, they supply..."

Fisheries Give Alaska a Good Return on Investment

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

Alaska gets a good return on investment from its commercial fisheries. That was shown to lawmakers this week in a presentation to the House Fisheries Committee. Sam Rabung is director of the commercial fisheries division for the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game.

“The commercial fishing industry is the largest private sector employer in Alaska, directly employing almost 60,000 workers annually. It contributes about $172 million directly in taxes, fees and self-assessments to state, local and federal governments...

Fish Catches, Prices, Sales by Alaska Region Back to 1984

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch. 

One click takes you to a site that can tell you everything about fish prices and landings for every Alaska species by region, how much was processed into what products, what processors bought and sold it for and how much money fishermen made by region.

It’s called the Commercial Fisheries Statistics and Data page on the Department of Fish and Game website and it extends back to 1984. Most recent numbers are through 2018; 2019 data will be out this spring...

Fish Art Contests Fishing for Entries by US Forest Service/AK

The Alaska Forest Service is fishing for entries in a state fish art contest.

“We are just thrilled to see such a diverse art assortment of art coming into our offices in Juneau. Our employees are going to be engaged as judges. This is something really fun for us.”

Bobbie Jo Skibo is US Forest Service regional partnership coordinator in Alaska and new state host of the fish art competition, a project of the conservation charity Wildlife Forever.

Its Fish On! program uses art as a springboard into the...

Alaskan Legislature Convenes, Updates on Fish Bills

Today begins the 31st Alaska legislative session in Juneau and at least two fish bills will resurface. A priority is resolving the conflict of interest issue for the state Board of Fisheries – House Bill 35.

“You can see it at every BOF meeting you go to. When you have a board member who has an expertise in a certain area and is conflicted out and can’t even express his knowledge to other board members, what’s the point of having him on the board.  So this bill will allow them...

Alaska Fishing Updates for January 2020

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

There’s lots of fishing going on across Alaska and more to come in the winter line up.

Cod and a mix of groundfish kicked off the year on January 1 in the Bering Sea and in many parts of the Gulf.  Boats also are targeting black rockfish in Southeast, the westward region of Kodiak, Chignik and the Alaska Peninsula and along the Aleutians.

Lingcod also is open in Southeast. Divers there have pretty much wrapped up a 2 million pound sea cucumber fishery but...

Pink Salmon Payouts for 2016 Run Failure Back on Track

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Pink salmon payouts for the 2016 run failure are getting back on track.

It’s been a long time coming but payments could soon be in hand for fishermen, processors and communities hurt by the 2016 pink salmon failure Kodiak, Prince William Sound, Chignik, Lower Cook Inlet, South Alaska Peninsula, Southeast Alaska, and Yakutat. 

Congress ok’d over $56 million in federal relief funds the following year, but the authorization sat on NOAA desks in DC for over two years...

Kodiak Salmon Fisheries Could Take a Big Hit From BOF Proposals

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Will Kodiak lose its salmon to other regions? The Fish Board will decide.

Kodiak could take a big hit to its salmon fisheries as other regions try and lay claim to more fish.

The Board of Fisheries will take up several proposals this weekend in Kodiak that again aim to change salmon management on the entire west side of the island. Most have resurfaced regularly over decades.

Five proposals from Chignik would change...

Alaska Seafood Community Mourns Former UFA Executive Director Phil Allen Daniel

The Alaska seafood community was sorry to learn of the passing of Philip (Phil) Allen Daniel in late December, 2019, at the age of 82.  Phil is survived by his wife Kirsten, brothers Hugh and Sam, and numerous nieces and nephews. Phil was a long time hi-line fisherman in Southeast, Cook Inlet and Bristol Bay, Alaska.

Phil was instrumental in the revival of the Alaska salmon fisheries in the 1970’s.  He and a core group of fellow fishermen formed the United Fishermen of Alaska...

Americans Will Pay More For Alaska Seafood

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

Americans are willing to pay more for salmon from Alaska and other seafood across the board.

A nationwide online survey of 4,000 U.S. seafood consumers over the age of 18 revealed that nearly 40 percent are willing to shell out more for the Alaska brand. The survey was done by market researcher Technomic for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Further, 71 percent of customers said they would be willing to pay at least 10 percent more, and 51 percent said they would...

Coast Guard Experiencing Communication Degradation in Prince William Sound

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders are experiencing intermittent communication within 3,745 square-mile area of Prince William Sound and may not be able to hear mariners on VHF-FM radio.

"As technicians work to analyze and restore Coast Guard radio coverage for Prince William Sound, I urge mariners to listen more carefully to channel 16 and to relay any possible distress calls to the Coast Guard via other means, like HF radio, satellite communications and cell phones," said Cmdr. Scott Smith, chief of response for Coast Guard Sector Anchorage...

Looking Ahead at Alaska 2020 Fishing

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch…Looking ahead at some new year’s fishing.

Cod openers in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska will kick off the coming year’s fishing lineup starting on January first. 

Kodiak’s 400,000 Tanner crab fishery opens on January 15.

That’s also around the time that Bering Sea crabbers will get serious about pulling up snow crab. That quota was boosted to nearly 34 million pounds, a 24 percent increase from last season.

Alaska pollock opens to trawlers on January 20 in the Gulf and...

AK Could Get State Waters Cod Fishery, Decision Coming Shortly

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – The Gulf could get a state waters cod fishery.

Cod traditionally kicks off Alaska’s fisheries at the start of each year. Following the unprecedented cod closure in federal waters of the Gulf of Alaska, the status of a state waters cod fishery out to three miles will be decided in the next two weeks.

Doug Vincent Lang is Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game Commissioner, -

“We’re looking at everything from a fully prosecuted state water fishery to having no fishery...

ADFG Introduces Rockfish Playing Cards as Education Tools

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

Learning about rockfish is literally getting into people’s hands in the form of playing cards.

“We came to the conclusion that a lot of people like playing cards, when you go on boats or travel, there’s typically a deck of cards on board to keep people busy. It’s really a way to bridge the gap between sport and commercial fishing regulations.” 

Andrew Olson is the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game groundfish and shellfish coordinator for the Southeast region...

Fish Bills Moving Fast With Alaska Legislators

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

United Fishermen of Alaska is closely tracking fish related actions by Alaska lawmakers during the early weeks of the legislative session, and things are already moving fast.

“I was anticipating a somewhat slow start, but they're organized and they're diving right into these issues and taking these bills up. And so there’s lots of opportunities to participate.” 

Frances Leach is UFA director.

UFA is strongly backing a bill (HB 35) that would resolve a conflict of interest fix at the state Board of Fisheries which...

Alaska Fisheries Programs on the Budget Chopping Block

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch --

Fishery programs across Alaska are on the chopping block in Governor Dunleavy’s proposed budget for the coming year.

The commercial fisheries division of the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game operates on a nearly $67 million budget of which $36 million comes from state general funds. That could be cut by over $1 million with impacts to every state region.

In Southeast, the Wrangell Fish and Game office is set to be closed; also, assessments of red king crab would be eliminated...

Coast Guard Medevacs Man Southwest of St. Paul, Alaska

The Coast Guard medevacked a man from a fishing vessel about 46 miles southwest of Saint Paul, Alaska on Monday.

Watchstanders in the 17^th District command center received the medevac request from fishing vessel Bountiful for a crewmember with severe burns at 9:56 a.m.

After conducting a brief with the Coast Guard duty flight surgeon, watchstanders directed the launch of a helicopter crew.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak safely hoisted the 43-year-old at 2:56 p.m. and transferred him to emergency...

Halibut Catches Revealed Next Week in Anchorage

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch…Halibut catches will be revealed next week in Anchorage. 

Pacific halibut stakeholders are bracing for bad news for 2020 and beyond when catches are revealed next week in Anchorage.

International Pacific Halibut Commission lead scientist Ian Stewart put the industry on notice in November when he summarized the outlook for commercial fisheries.

“In short, the model survey trends as you’ve seen from the previous presentations are down both in numbers and weight per unit of...

Safety Drill Training Ramps up in Alaska

Since 1994 it’s been the law that skippers and crews do monthly safety drills if they fish beyond three miles.

“And those monthly drills have to cover Man Overboard, flooding, fire and abandoned ship, those four scenarios.”

Jerry Dzugan is director of the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association based in Sitka.

AMSEA training helps fishermen get used to doing the safety drills and stay up to speed with survival equipment like EPIRBS, life rafts and radios, immersion suits and what to do in emergencies...

Kodiak Loses Salmon to Chignik, Cook Inlet

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

Kodiak salmon fishermen are reeling after a Board of Fisheries decision that limits fishing in two traditional regions. The new rules are aimed at letting more salmon get to Chignik and Cook Inlet.

After hearing testimony by 150 local residents and spending an extra day for deliberations, the board put a mix of new time and catch limits on fisheries at Cape Igvak and the Katmai Alinchak section on the west side of Kodiak Island.

“We’re just stunned. I don’t know if we can really...

Alaska Residents in Need Received Over 830,000 Servings of Seafood in 2019 Thanks to SeaShare 

Roughly 1 in 7 Alaskans struggle with hunger, but SeaShare is working hard to make a difference. In 2019 the non-profit was able to send 838,852 servings of seafood to Alaska residents in need.

SeaShare recently highlighted their distribution efforts in Alaska with a map of locations where they directly distributed to food banks or community groups, as well as locations that received seafood from distribution partners. The non-profit was able to distribute directly to 11 food banks across the state...

Economic Importance of Alaska's “Forest Fish” Revealed in First Study

A first ever, 10 year study gives estimates of the numbers and values of what the Tongass and Chugach National Forests contribute to Alaska’s commercial salmon industry.

The Tongass is the largest national forest in the U.S. at nearly 27,000 square miles and covers most of Southeast Alaska.

The adjacent Chugach at half the size ranks as the nation’s second largest forest and covers the Copper River delta, Prince William Sound, and part of the Kenai Peninsula. 

Researchers excluded salmon born outside the forests’ lakes...

First Ocean Acidification Study in Alaska on Salmon Underway

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – We know directly the negative impacts that a warming ocean has on salmon all across Alaska. But what about the other big threat – increased acidity? 

Extensive studies for years have been underway by Alaska scientists on impacts to major fish and shellfish stocks. But for Alaska salmon, only two studies have been done, both out of state.

That’s changing with a federally funded, multi-year, collaborative project underway with Alaska’s universities and the...

Kodiak Tanner Crab Fishery Starts Next Week

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Kodiak’s Tanner crab fishery opens on January 15, albeit a small one.

The mid-January fishery will have a combined 400,000 pounds catch limit in two areas, the minimum to open a fishery. Crabbers will tap on the tail end of a big Tanner year class from 2013.

“The east side's going to have a 300,000 pound GHL and the southeast is going to have 100,000 pounds. And particularly on the east side, this definitely is fishing on the same crab that...

What do Fishermen Want to be Called?  

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

Our language has evolved and changed to try and become more gender neutral and ‘politically correct’.   For example, policeman to police officer, fireman to firefighter, and now fisherman to fisher.

Since the beginning of time the word fisherman has been used to describe a person who captures fish and other animals from a body of water. Fishing is one of the oldest occupations in history.

Fish Radio asked fishing men and women of Kodiak what they thought of the more gender neutral name change...

Ocean Acidification Updates in Alaska From 2019

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – The latest updates on Alaska’s off kilter ocean chemistry.

Alaska waters are showing effects of increasing acidity faster and more severely than lower latitudes because cold water is richer in carbon dioxide and melting sea ice and glaciers are worsening the problem.  That’s the verdict in the latest report by the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network which updates the science going on around the state.

The off kilter ocean chemistry reduces the amount of minerals sea creatures need to build and maintain their shells...

LISTEN: Alaska Cod Fishery Update; GE Salmon Label; Charlie the Tuna Doll and More

This week on the SeafoodNews podcast hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione talk about the Alaska cod fishery; the Dungeness crab season opening; genetically engineered salmon; and Charlie the Tuna's Funko Pop! doll. Plus, find out what's going on in the octopus, pollock and salmon markets.

This episode is brought to you by COMTELL, which will be receiving a complete redesign in 2020. Subscribers who utilize COMTELL to track market quotations, analyze trends and stay on top of key industry news will see a host of...

SeaShare Turns $1 into 8 Seafood Servings at Food Banks

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – One dollar equals eight seafood servings at food banks.

For over 25 years, fish that is taken as bycatch in Alaska has been donated to hunger relief programs instead of being thrown overboard as required by law. 

More than 120 Alaska boats are part of the program - including every boat in the Bering Sea pollock fishery and more than half of the Gulf trawl fleet.

It’s due to the efforts of Sea Share, a Seattle-based nonprofit that...