Here is a thumbnail sketch of the recommendations made by the task force's five subcommittees:
Create an Alaska Commercial Seafood Commission.
The Salmon Industry Task Force will provide its final report to the full legislature at the end of January.
Seattle sells direct
The port of Seattle may change its policy that limits fishermen from selling their own catch. The policy now prohibits them from selling processed seafood, such as smoked or filleted fish, from their boats at the terminal. They can only sell "dressed" fish, which have been cleaned and gutted.
The rule was put in place in 1996, shortly after Wild Salmon Fish Market opened in the terminal, said port spokesman Mick Shultz. "The idea was not to have fishing boats serve as retail platforms," he said. Several fishermen oppose the rule and have approached port officials asking them to review the policy. With salmon prices so low, selling their own fish to the public is one way fishermen can make a bit more money.
Piranha control
Officials in China have put together regulations on how to control the spread of deadly piranha. The China Daily reports that the fish was introduced as a new visitor attraction into an ocean amusement park in south China. The fish have become popular sand are being snapped up in pet markets in cities around the country.
Piranha flock to a target and strip it of all its flesh in no time at all, an expert with the Ministry of Agriculture was quoted as saying.
Although the piranha has a gentle appearance, it tops the list of "most dangerous aquatic species" in the Amazon region of Brazil. Experts said that about 1,200 head of cattle are killed every year in Brazil by the deadly fish.
Kodiak-based free-lance writer Laine Welch can be reached via e-mail at msfish@ptialaska.net.
