Alaska's winter fisheries kick off: Groundfish, crab, and rising market trends
Published onAlaska's largest groundfish and crab fisheries begin each year's fishing cycle. Summer salmon seasons will always be at the heart of Alaska's fishing industry, but January marks the start of the Great Land's largest fisheries. Beginning on January 1, fishermen using baited hooks and pots target Pacific cod, rockfish, and other species in waters of the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. That's followed on January 20 when fisheries in both regions open to trawl gear. The bulk of Alaskas seafood, by far, is taken by trawl gear at fishing grounds from three to 200 miles offshore that are managed by federal overseers. Their bounty includes over two dozen types of groundfish; notably, the nation's largest fishery - Alaska pollock -which this year is set to produce over three billion pounds. A small pollock fishery also opens in state waters at Prince William Sound, which ...
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Mustad Autoline’s latest enhances fishing efficiency
Published onProduct development isnt limited to the drawing board for Josh Dunham, general manager and technical supervisor for Mustad Autoline in North America. I go out on the boats sometimes, says Dunham. I went out for three days with one of our testers for our new pot hauler. He was fishing golden king crab in southeast Alaska, and he was using it to haul 7-foot diameter cone pots. According to Dunham, an 800cc radial piston motor designed for marine applications and manufactured by Ital Group in Modena, Italy, powers the 16-inch diameter hauler. The 16-inch diameter fits the needs of customers hauling pots or longline but can go bigger or smaller depending on the customers demands, says Dunham. The sheaves can be changed according to the requirements of the fishery and the diameter of the line being hauled. We use cast iron sheave, Dunham says. The crystalline surface ...
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Remembering an Alaskan fishing legend: Bart Eaton
Published onBart Eatons personal life was as robust as his professional one, which is saying something, as he was an icon in the Alaska fishing industry. Barts was truly a life of adventure, dedication, and service. Sadly, Barts family, friends colleagues have had to say goodbye, as Bart passed away on December 14, 2024. He was 85 years old and is survived by his wife, Toni; two children, Julie (Martin) and Jeff (Jennifer); seven grandchildren, Neil, Marlie, Brian, David, Cameron, Blake, and Andrew; his brother John (Barb) and sisters Barbara and Beth (Mark). A celebration of life is planned for early 2025. Douglas Barton Bart Eaton was born in Red Bluff, California, a town located in Californias Sacramento Valley and not exactly known for its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Bart would eventually leave his mark on the Alaska fishing industry, but not before graduating from Chico State College in 1963 ...
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Alaska Board of Fisheries approves octopus fishery in Prince William Sound
Published onCommercial fishermen in Prince William Sound, Alaska, could soon be able to harvest octopus after the Alaska Board of Fisheries voted to allow a directed fishery at its recent December meeting. Commercial fishermen are already allowed to catch octopus as bycatch in both Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet, but catch levels have remained consistently low in Prince William Sound. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) has typically set an annual guideline harvest level of 35,000 pounds of octopus for Prince William Sound; however, octopus bycatch has never approached that limit. According to ADFG data, just 1,091 pounds of octopus were harvested in Prince William Sound in 2024. Cook Inlet fishers have typically harvested far more octopus as bycatch, with state data showing 19,591 pounds of octopus was harvested from the management area in 2024less than the 26,867 pounds harvested in 2023. Commercial Operators ...
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Northern fishermen gear up with Zerofit's cold weather wear
Published onTis the season for cold weather gear. As New Bedford scallopers prepare for winter fishing on Georges Bank, the Aleutian pot cod boats and the Bering Sea fleet get ready to steam north, sometimes to the edge of the ice, deckhands are packing their sea bags and figuring out how their systems for staying warm. Most fishermen are open to improving their systemsif there is something new that is better, theyll try itstarting with a base layer. For the second year in a row, the Japanese company Zerofit brought its high-tech line of base layer shirts, leggings, and accessories to the Pacific Marine Expo, giving fishermen a chance to try something new. The thing about fishermen is, they come here to buy, says Zerofits North American distributor, Doug Zirbel. And were here to sell. Zerofit offers an extensive line of products, but Zirbel focused on two lines of shirts ...
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'All salmon bycatch from one pollock trawl fishery must be retained'
Published onAlaskas Board of Fisheries considered four proposals that would haveseverely restricted or even shut down the pollock trawl fishery in Prince William Sound. Ultimately, though, only one was passed that didnt go nearly that far. The amended version of Proposal 15, which was changed by Board member Tom Carpenter, was approved six to one.Proposals 14 and 16 had no action taken based on #15 passing, and proposal 17 failed with only one member in favor. Read more.
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Bycatch debate heats up in Prince William Sound pollock fishery
Published onA long-running debate over bycatch in the pollock fishery has moved closer to urban Alaska with a new set of proposals aimed at regulating the annual harvest in Prince William Sound. This week, the state Board of Fisheries is considering four proposals that could place sharp restrictions on or even close down the small pollock trawl fishery in the waters east of Anchorage. Supporters of the proposals point to state data showing that approximately 15 boats, mostly from Kodiak Island, unintentionally catch about 900 king salmon and 900 rockfish each year in their wide-mouth trawl nets. They argue that these fish are crucial to subsistence harvests for local communities, especially the village of Chenega. Boyd Selanoff, a member of the Chenega tribal council, expressed concern about the impact on their way of life. The language is disappearing. The culture is disappearing, the subsistence traditions and education are disappearing ...
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Kitty Sopow brings Alaskan humor to art
Published onKitty Sopow, an artist and anthropologist based in Nome, Alaska, brought her sticker and textile art to the Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle. Sopow, now thirty-six, has been making and selling art all her life but has shifted from painting to making fishy stickers and magnets. I move around a lot, says Sopow. And paints are heavy and messy. So, I started working on the computer and turning my art into stickers. I also do magnets if people ask me, but they are heavier, and the shipping costs go up. Sopows sticker images draw from her life and ideas that friends and family suggest. Most are fishy but often with a humorous or sexy twist. I have to mention Carla Harris, says Sopow. Shes an older woman here in Nome and she comes up with these ideas. She said, make a sticker with two legs and a pair of ...
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SMI thrusters: Reliable power for Alaska fishing boats
Published onFor fishermen operating in harsh environments, success depends on having the right equipment, and that includes propellers and thrusters. Csar Torres and his daughter Gabi manned the Ships Machinery International (SMI) booth at the 2024 Pacific Marine Expo, offering what they believe are the most dependable propellers on the market. I used to work for Rice Propellers in Mexico, says Torres. SMI was my customer. When I left Rice, I came to work for them. SMI is the U.S. distributor for Norwegian-based Brunvoll AS, and Torres is vice president of sales in the U.S. Brunvoll used to only produce bow thrusters, he says. Then in 2017 they bought Scana Propulsion, another Norwegian company, and now they produce CPPcontrollable-pitch propellersup to 20,000 kW (26,800-hp). Thats huge. Torres has sold the thrusters and propellers used on some of the most well-known vessels in the ...
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ASMI All Hands On Deck conference Dec. 3-5 in Anchorage
Published onAlaskas fishing industry faces formidable challenges, with high costs, low prices, and stock fluctuations creating constant uncertainty. This has left many wondering what can be done to help address the situation. The prices fishermen receive are driven by the laws of supply and demand. Fishermen are experts in supply factors, monitoring stock assessments, harvest forecasts, and quota levels to plan their seasons. When it comes to demand and the seafood market, timely information can be harder to come by. Thats where the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute(ASMI) steps in. As Alaskas seafood marketing agency, ASMI aims to increase the value of Alaskas seafood resource. ASMI does this by analyzing market dynamics, developing strategies and executing marketing promotions to boost demand for all Alaska seafood. A lot of fishermen want to know, What is ASMI doing to help increase prices? said Matt Alward, president of United Fishermen of Alaska and a ...
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Coast Guard ends search for crew of capsized fishing boat in freezing Alaska waters
Published onThe U.S. Coast Guard on Monday called off its search for five crewmembers missing from a fishing vessel that reportedly overturned in the frigid waters near Couverden Point, Alaska. The 50 seiner Wind Walker issued a mayday call around 12:07 a.m. on Sunday, stating the boat was overturning in heavy seas. The Coast Guards attempts to contact the crew went unanswered, but the agency said it received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon alert from theWind Walkeroriginating just south of Point Couverden in Icy Strait, southwest of Juneau. The crew of a 280 Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) ferryHubbardwas first to arrive on scene after hearing the Coast Guard's urgentmarine information broadcast. The Coast Guard immediately dispatched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka and a 45 Response Boat-Medium from Coast Guard Station Junea to search for the missing seiner. The ...
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Five missing after fishing vessel capsizes off Alaska
Published onThe U.S. Coast Guard is searching for the crew of a fishing vessel that reportedly capsized in frigid weather and heavy seas near Juneau, Alaska. A mayday call from theWind Walker, sent around 12:10 a.m. on Sunday, indicated that the approximately 50 seiner was overturning, but the Coast Guards attempts to contact the vessel for more information went unanswered, according to a Coast Guard press release. The Coast Guard said it received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon alert that was registered to the Wind Walker originating just south of Point Couverden in Icy Strait, southwest of Juneau. Individuals familiar with the Wind Walker crew told the Coast Guard that there were five people on board the vessel, though officials have not yet confirmed that number. The crew of a 280 Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) ferry Hubbard was first to arrive on scene after hearing the ...
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Celebrating the fishing community at National Fisherman’s 2024 Highliners award ceremony
Published onIt isnt just a job, its a lifestyle. Those words spoken by Carli Stewart to open the 2024 Highliner Ceremony personify what it means to be a career commercial fisherman. In recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the commercial fishing industry, the National Fisherman Highliner Awards have established a legacy that stretches back nearly five decades. This legacy is defined not only by the work of these individuals to better shape the industry but also by their commitment to giving back to their communities. In 2023, five individuals became part of this exclusive club, and one of those members was at the 2024 event to help kick it off, further establishing a connection to the past and future of the entire industry. National Fisherman Highliners embody leadership and dedication both on the water and in their advocacy for a sustainable fishing future, which 2023 Highliner Alward winner Matt ...
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Top U.S. ports for a quarter century
Published onFor the 25th consecutive year, Dutch Harbor, AK, and New Bedford, MA, ranked as the top U.S. fishing ports for volume and value in 2022. Nationwide, commercial landings that year were 8.4 billion pounds valued at $5.9 billion, down by 2.6 percent and 11 percent ($632 million), respectively. Those are two of the top takeaways from the annual Fisheries of the United States report released this month by NOAA Fisheries. The data show a downward press almost across the board from Covid-driven impacts as the global pandemic waned in 2022. The easy-to-read, 23-page report provides a national snapshot of U.S. commercial fisheries, aquaculture, seafood processing, imports and exports, market trends, and per capita consumption. Heres a 2022 overview: Landings from 2021 to 2022 decreased in all U.S. regions except for the Gulf of Mexico. By state, only California, Connecticut, East ...
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2024 National Fisherman Highliners to be recognized at Pacific Marine Expo
Published onThe National Fisherman Highliner Award is one of the most esteemed honors in the commercial fishing industry, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions not just through their work, but by giving back to the industry and their communities. Since 1975, Highliners have embodied leadership and dedication, both on the water and in their advocacy for a sustainable fishing future. Complete List of Highliners: 19752023 This year, National Fisherman is proud to present four exceptional honorees for 2024, representing coasts from Alaska to Florida. These Highliners will be honored at the 2024 Pacific Marine Expo during a special ceremony on Thursday, November 21st, from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM PST, at the Main Stage, celebrating their dedication and contributions to the commercial fishing industry. Leonard Leach Alaskas Living Legacy At 81, Leonard Leach has been a fixture in Alaskas commercial fishing industry for over 62 years. Known for his ...
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Alaskan crabbers uncertain recovery, push for resilience
Published onThe future for Alaskan crabbers remains uncertain as the fleet grapples with mounting costs, economic challenges, and an unpredictable recovery for crab stocks. As industry leaders gather at the Pacific Marine Expo (PME), the conversations are centered not just on the fisheries themselves but also on the resilience of the fishing communities and the lives that depend on them. Jamie Goen, executive director of Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers (ABSC), and Gabriel Prout, a veteran Alaskan crab fisherman, illuminated the uphill battle facing the crab fleet. While relief programs do exist, many have proven ineffective, leaving the industry without a reliable safety net. The disaster relief process is a disaster within itself, Goen stated bluntly. It takes so long for funds to reach the people who need them that by the time they do, the significance is lost. The landscape for Alaskan crabbers has always been challenging, but recent years have ...
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