Tag Archives: sablefish

Sablefish season to open with slight increase, along with uncertainty

Alaska’s sablefish fishermen will go into the 2019 season in March with no change to their overall catch limit but some debate about the state of the stock. Sablefish, also known as black cod, regularly opens to fishing in Alaska in March, at the same time as the halibut fishery. Commercial fishermen in the Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska and Southeast Alaska catch them using trawls, longlines or, in some areas, pots. Fishermen landed about 13,956 metric tons of them last year between the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands fisheries. >click to read<19:55

Strong harvests, more oversight marked 2016 groundfish fisheries

Last year was a good year overall for groundfish fisheries in the region. With a few standout harvests and favorable proposals with the Board of Fisheries, managers are feeling optimistic heading into the new year. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game oversees several groundfish fisheries within the Cook Inlet Management Area, which extends outside of Kachemak Bay to the north Gulf coast. “These fisheries include Pacific cod, sablefish, a directed pelagic shelf rockfish fishery, lingcod, and a small commissioner’s permit Pollock fishery,” said Jan Rumble, Fish and Game area groundfish management biologist. Pacific cod stood out in 2016 as it was open all year long for pot and jig gear in either a parallel or state waters fishery, Rumble said. Read the story here 11:19

More info on AK IFQ cost recovery programs for halibut, sablefish, Bering Sea crab

nmfs_logoThose who hold quota shares of Alaska halibut, sablefish and Bering Sea crab pay a fee to the federal government for costs of managing and enforcing the fisheries. Information from  Troie Zuniga, Fee Coordinator Operations and Management Division NOAA Fisheries NMFS – Alaska Region(907) 586-7105 Read the rest here 20:51

Weather slows halibut opener, first prices similar to 2013

23523_354387901211_7651997_aCommercial halibut fishers began targeting 16.7 million pounds of quota March 8, but bad weather kept many off the fishing grounds. Individual fishing quota, or IFQ, holders will take the majority of the Alaska commercial catch limit, about 15.9 million pounds, with Community Development Quota landings from the Bering Sea areas making up the remainder of the catch. Read more here 13:36

IFQ market for AK halibut, sablefish in a stall for all regions except Southeast

Alaska’s record salmon season has permit brokers hopping, especially for seine cards. But it’s a very different story for the quota share market. This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – The market for quota shares is slower than ever. Listen  15:57