The first planeload of Copper River salmon from Cordova, Alaska, landed Friday morning at Sea-Tac Airport and the Alaska Airlines pilots carried a 40-pound king to waiting chefs.

Between 60 and 70 percent of Alaska’s seafood is exported to customers around the globe, and the strength of foreign currencies against the U.S. dollar plays a big role in annual sales.

The National Marine Fisheries Service announced May 14 it will consider dialing back commercial fishing restrictions in the western Aleutian Islands that were put in place to protect endangered Steller sea lions.

KENAI — Gary Hollier has a king salmon problem.

You can still fish for early-run king salmon on the Kenai River this year, but unless it’s a trophy fish, or a very small one, you’ll probably have to let it swim free.

A bill extending the limited entry program for scallops is making its way through the Alaska State Senate, but not without scrutiny.

The Anchorage/MatSu region is the major population center in Alaska and the fastest growing area in Alaska.

In response to the historic sport and commercial fishery closures during 2012, justified by the smallest return of Kenai kings ever observed, the Alaska Board of Fisheries will consider changes in the management of Kenai kings at the upcoming Statewide Finfish meeting in Anchorage March 19 – 24.

The just released “Fisheries Economics of the U.S.” by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries covers the commercial and recreational fishing industries from 2002 to 2011 and is loaded with descriptive seafood industry stats by region.

In 2012 Gov. Sean Parnell stepped out for the first time ever and declared a statewide king salmon fishing disaster; enormous portions of King salmon water were closed to fishing.