Tag Archives: Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game

Alaska: Commercial fishing is a good investment

“This is probably not well-known,” said Sam Rabung, director of the commercial fisheries division for the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game… Rabung pointed out that the commercial fishing industry is the largest private sector employer in Alaska, putting almost 60,000 people to work annually. “It contributes about $172 million directly in taxes, fees and self-assessments to state, local and federal governments, and contributes an annual average of about $5.6 billion in economic output to the Alaska economy,”  >click to read< 20:32

Crabbers face another round of harvest cuts

Bering Sea crabbers started their 2019-20 season this week with a mixed harvest bag and an uncertain future for their fisheries. The NPFMC and Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, which collaboratively manage the state’s crab fisheries, announced the catch limits and overfishing limit for the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and Bristol Bay crab fisheries last week, just in time for the fisheries to open Oct. 15. While the eastern Bering Sea snow crab fishery’s total allowable catch is up, the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery’s is down and there won’t be a Bering Sea Tanner crab fishery at all.  >click to read< 21:52

Declined for Alaska Board of Fisheries, Karl Johnstone says Legislature made a mistake

An allegation levied on the floor of the Alaska Legislature has opened old arguments about due process in cases of accused sexual harassment and misconduct. Last week, lawmakers meeting in joint session rejected Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s selection of Karl Johnstone for the Alaska Board of Fisheries. The rejection came after Rep. Ivy Spohnholz, D-Anchorage, said she had been contacted by two women who said Johnstone made “inappropriate and unwelcome sexual comments” to them while previously serving on the board.,, “There’s no truth to it at all. Zero truth,” Johnstone said Tuesday by phone. >click to read<20:01

Bristol Bay total salmon catch #1 in 20 years, Value tops $156m

bristol-bay-region-300x219From Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game September 9, 2016 The following is an overview of the 2016 Bristol Bay commercial salmon season. All data are preliminary. The 2016 inshore Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run of 51.4 million fish ranks 2nd out of the last 20 years and was 46% above the 35.1 million average run for the same period. This year’s Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run was 10% above the preseason inshore forecast of 46.6 million fish. The Egegik,Nushagak, Togiak and Ugashik districts were higher than the preseason forecast while Naknek-Kvichak district was less than predicted. Read the rest here 19:04