This Week's Fish News

January 27, 2023

Final reminder: for those of you with deckhands, 1099s must be postmarked by January 31!

Governor Dunleavy addressed the Bycatch Review Task Force's recommendations in his State of the State speech, noting a need to sustain our fisheries and manage Alaska's fisheries for the benefit of Alaska and stating that his administration would invest in existing producers this year.

The Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association (ALFA) is seeking applicants for its Crew Training Program, which aims to provide a safe introduction to and education on Alaska's commercial fishing industry through hands-on fishing training. Applications are due by March 30.

The US Coast Guard medevaced a man from the 310-ft factory trawler Northern Eagle near Unalaska on Tuesday following an injury to his right hand.

Here's an interesting history on safety regulations in the commercial fishing industry. Notably, 2022 saw no commercial fishing deaths across Alaska's fisheries, the second time in history (the first was 2015). 

Alaska Sea Grant will host a workshop on starting kelp farms in Kodiak March 21-24. The workshop will cover the regulatory process, building a farm, setting and seeding kelp gear, and more. The cost is $200 and applications are due TODAY, January 27!

This week's Alaska Fisheries Report: "Oceana’s Jon Warrenchuk makes a case for freezing the footprint of bottom trawling in the Gulf of Alaska, plus KMXT’s Kirsten Dobroth with a tanner crab stand down update."