Blog: Fish Bytes
Blogs 2011
03/30/12Friday council update: chum salmon bycatchMore revisions to analysis needed before narrowing down alternatives. |
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03/30/12Fishermen's Finest moves to enter rockfish lawsuitOperators of American No. 1 and Intrepid move to defend program from processors' challenge. |
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03/29/12Thursday council update: chum bycatch reports continueTribal consultation process a hot topic in the morning. Staff reports pick up on Friday. |
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03/28/12IPHC nominations released, top scientist Hare steps downTen hats in the ring for two open seats; Hare leaving IPHC in May after 15 years. |
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03/28/12Snow crab still slow going; Gulf shallow trawlers closedHalibut, chinook bycatch up in 2012 versus last year. |
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03/28/12Observer program on track, funding still not setNOAA trying to scrape together $3.8M in startup costs. |
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03/19/12State, fishermen appeal Steller sea lion rulingAnd International Seafoods of Alaska drops out of lawsuit against Gulf rockfish program. |
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03/05/12Judge wants Steller sea lion EIS done within two yearsWill require regular progress reports. |
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03/01/12Icicle, Peter Pan case filesLots to comb through |
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02/29/12Wrapping up the UFA spring meetingOrganization is supporting Frank Kelty for one of two Board of Fisheries seats. |
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02/29/12Icicle acquires SnopacCompanies will operate jointly this season if deal doesn't close in time. |
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02/27/12Inspector General probe expands to council rulemakingIG Office responding to request from Massachusetts Congressmen Tierney and Frank. |
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02/27/12Another take on Steller sea lionsResearcher says Steller sea lions in Alaska are swimming in "field of celery." |
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02/27/12Comment period extended on National Ocean PolicyNational Ocean Council taking comment now through March 28. |
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02/16/12Icicle, Adak Fisheries settle 2004 violations for $615KOriginal penalty was $3.44 million. Peter Pan Seafoods reached similar deal with NOAA last October. |
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02/16/12Two seats open on the IPHCNOAA seeks nominees for seats held by Hoard, Lestenkof. |
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02/14/12Alaskan Leader to build new longliner184-footer will be home-ported in Kodiak. |
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02/09/12Steller sea lion briefs, exhibitsParties practice overfiling |
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02/08/12Feds tell judge 23 months for EIS on Steller sea lionsNMFS rediscovers value of council input and public comment. UPDATED: State, seafood companies drop more than 450 pages on Burgess' desk. |
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02/08/12Kodiak fisherman offers unvarnished view on council processGeorge Hutchings lets it all hang out. |
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02/05/12Sunday council wrap upCouncil moves options for vessel replacement for pollock catcher vessels. |
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02/04/12Alternatives advanced to cap bottom trawl chinook bycatchCaps range from 5,000 chinooks to 12,500. |
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02/04/12The other rockfish lawsuitTrident, Ocean Beauty, Westward Seafoods, North Pacific Seafoods and International Seafoods of Alaska sue NMFS over rockfish program. |
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02/04/12Revisions to crab EDR program approvedRequirement to collect unique crew contracts and settlement sheets dropped from final action. |
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02/02/12Council still treading water on halibut bycatchCouncil expands options for analysis, targets June vote. |
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02/01/12NMFS to council: halibut bycatch cuts can't take effect until 2014Fields says he feels "sucker punched;" agency blames workload including recent judge's order to prepare an EIS for Steller sea lion regs. |
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01/27/12IPHC adopts 2012 harvest levels, approves Southeast slot limitBritish Columbia gets a bump from staff harvest recommendations. |
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01/26/12Reverse slot limit in Southeast shot down in IPHC Conference BoardCanada objects to Gulf of Alaska harvest levels, wants 3A designated "area of concern" and additional harvest for B.C. |
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01/20/12More reaction to Steller sea lion rulingStatements released by National Marine Fisheries Service, Marine Conservation Alliance |
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01/19/12Judge finds feds violated NEPA on Steller sea lion regsJudge Burgess denies all other claims by state, fishing groups and Aleut Corp., and decision won't lift fishing closures. |
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01/18/12Copper River/PWS forecast releasedStrong king and sockeye harvests for Copper River |
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01/18/12New study blames killer whales for sea lion statusPredation, not fishing pressure, behind failure for Stellers to recover. |
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01/18/12What's behind processors dropping MSC?Cost, or Canada? |
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01/13/12Commerce re-shuffle could put NOAA at Interior Dept.Gov. Hickel's spat with President Nixon is revisited. |
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01/13/12Weekend readingCouncil docs for February meeting, draft Ocean Policy released for public comment. |
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12/12/11Council re-commits to halibut catch sharing planAdditional analysis will come back to council in April. |
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12/12/11Council recommends dropping halibut max size limit in SEAdopts guidance for IPHC of a reverse slot limit instead, recommends no changes in Southcentral. |
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12/10/11Divided council makes move toward active participation in crab fisheryNorth Pacific Fishery Management Council approves analysis of new active participation requirements by 6-5 vote. |
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12/09/11Council adopts 1.2M ton quota for pollock in 2012But not until after a lively discussion. |
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12/09/11Pollock discussion continuesCouncil must address differences between stock assessment author's and Plan Team's recommendations. |
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12/08/11Council affirms state control of salmon, drops federal jurisdictionNo surprises in the 11-0 vote |
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11/30/11More cuts in halibut coming, except in SoutheastIPHC staff recommending harvest levels 10 million pounds lower than 2011. |
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11/29/11Register for IPHC stock assessmentSurvey data and catch recommendations will be released Wednesday in Seattle. |
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11/10/11ADF&G releases more 2012 forecastsIncluded: Bristol Bay sockeye, Togiak herring and Nushagak chinooks. |
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11/07/11Halibut to get 12 hours at December council meetingThe agenda has been posted. |
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11/07/11Salmon harvest pegged at $603MTotal value ranks third since 1975. |
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10/28/11State forecasts weak humpy harvest in SoutheastHarvest in 2012 predicted to be well below 10-year average, but similar to recent even-numbered years. |
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10/26/11More interest on Coastal Villages payAPRN did a follow-up on tonight's Alaska Nightly News. |
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10/26/11Rep. Young rips into Jane LubchencoThe NOAA administrator gets an earful. |
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10/25/11Sen. Murkowski weighs in on halibut plan"One of the things I’ve learned is that on some of these very contentious things you just have to make a decision and we move forward from there." |
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10/20/11Another look at salaries for Coastal Villages Region FundTalking with KYUK about CEO Morgen Crow's generous compensation at the non-profit CDQ group. |
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10/20/11The future of counting king salmonBonus: Watch a seal eat a sockeye. |
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10/19/11How low can you go?Fellow fisheries writer Laine Welch and I compared notes on where the 2011 Bristol Bay red king crab quota ranks historically. |
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10/12/11Sens. Brown, Ayotte introduce anti-catch share billThere's nothing wrong with representing your constituents. |
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10/04/11Board of Fisheries work session will consider agenda change requestsKenai River Sportfishing Association documents support for examining late-run king salmon management. |
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10/04/11Council adjourns, will address charter management in DecemberSurvey data of halibut stocks will inform recommendations from council to IPHC. |
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10/03/11King crab quota cut in halfADFG is out with the 2011 Bristol Bay red king crab quota. |
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10/03/11Stateless high seas drifter last made port in ChinaOwner of vessel in China, according to Coast Guard Capt. Gregory Sanial. |
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10/03/11Monday council updateEarly indications are North Pacific council will try to clear space on the December agenda to discuss the issues with halibut catch sharing plan. |
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10/01/11Halibut bycatch to be reduced through amendment processDecision means no cuts in Gulf of Alaska halibut bycatch until 2013 at earliest. |
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10/01/11Halibut bycatch updateThe council must decide whether to reduce bycatch through annual process or amendment. |
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09/30/11Corrected tanner crab number will allow larger snow crab harvestLarger limit for tanner crab will allow for greater snow crab harvest. |
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09/30/11Council defers final action on Pribilof blue king crab rebuilding planAnalysis needs revision based on new data as well as uncertainty in bycatch estimation. |
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09/29/11Snow crab quota could be trimmed to protect tanner stocksBering Sea tanner crab stocks are overfished, and snow crab quota may have to be cut despite increasing numbers. |
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09/29/11Campbell expects to have decision on Cook Inlet salmon regs next weekADFG commissioner was delegated authority by Board of Fisheries to fix errors in sockeye management plan. |
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09/29/11Council will consider collecting crab crew contracts, settlementsA win for crew advocates today in Dutch Harbor. |
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09/29/11CDQ groups respond to criticismWestern Alaska Community Development Organization says letter to Washington and Oregon politicians was "fundamentally incorrect." |
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09/28/11Trident agrees to $2.5M fine for Clean Water Act violationsTrident admits violations at numerous Alaska processing plants. (Updated with consent decree and EPA press release) |
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09/28/11UPDATED: NMFS asks for delay before publishing halibut ruleNo chance for implementation of the controversial plan in 2012 as NMFS seeks more input from North Pacific council. |
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09/23/11ADFG: Kenai kings may have missed escapement goals 2 of last 3 yearsThe late run of king salmon to the Kenai River was at or below the lower end of escapement goals for the last three years according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. |
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09/22/11Alaska scores well in first national bycatch reportAlaska's rate was estimated at 7 percent compared to a 17 percent national average. |
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09/22/11Comments on halibut CSP close, more than 1,600 submittedThe folks at NMFS have a lot of reading to do. |
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09/21/11Writer raises stink about Legal Sea FoodsIsn’t the whole goal of sustainable fisheries management to make sure we have plenty of tasty wild seafood to eat? |
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09/21/11A chat with IPHC biologist Gregg WilliamsBefore the launch of the new website, I would have had to wait more than a week to get a new story up. Now, I can share Williams’ thoughts with you today. |
