Tag Archives: Commercial salmon fishermen
HUMBOLDT HISTORY: The Salmon Canneries of the Lower Eel River and the Death of a Fishery
Eel River salmon have been the Humboldt Bay Region’s premier fish from time immemorial. Salmon was a major staple of the aboriginal Wiyot Indians’ diet, and when the earliest white settlements were established along the river commercial salmon fishing began almost immediately. The first extensive commercial salmon fishery on the Eel River was established in 1853 by Jesse Dungan, a successful former gold miner who had bought a 300-acre ranch in the lower Eel River valley. Other commercial salmon fishermen soon followed, often forming partnerships. Pioneer firms fishing the estuary in 1859 included Dungan & Denman, John Mosely, Martin & Plummer, Gilman & Skinner, William Ellery & Bro., Thomas Worth, Parcells & Nicholson, and Dickerman & Miller. They operated from the mouth of the river upstream to the head of tidewater — near the present Fernbridge. Photos, much more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:12
Commercial salmon fishermen eye Klamath dam removal with cautious hope
At 76, he still fishes for salmon alone. Standing in the cockpit on the stern deck of his wooden trawler, Elmarue, he can keep an eye on all six wires; when one of the lines starts to dance, he brings the fish in, stunning it with his gaff while it’s still in the water. Then he uses the tool to hook the salmon behind the gills and swings it onto the deck. “By the way, I want that fish cleaned and chilling in a single water flush within half an hour; that’s the standard,” says Dave Bitts. “I want you to enjoy eating it as much as I enjoyed catching it.”In April, for the second year in a row, the Pacific Fishery Management Council voted unanimously to close California’s commercial and recreational ocean salmon fishery. The closure was based on woefully low numbers of adult salmon expected to return to several California rivers. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:58
California’s commercial salmon fishermen face another disaster of a season amid proposed federal restrictions
A regional fishery council is mulling three proposals for commercial salmon season, with one canceling the season entirely and the other two severely limiting how long the season would last and how many salmon could be taken. While two of the proposed options do offer limited commercial fishing opportunities, at least one local fisherman says the restrictions would significantly curb the viability of salmon fishing. “These really aren’t a viable option for anyone,” said Tim Obert, a Ben Lomond resident who’s been fishing salmon commercially for close to 20 years. Obert is president of the Santa Cruz Commercial Fishermen’s Association, sits on the state of California’s Dungeness Crab Task Force and is also a part of several working groups that advised the council in coming up with the alternative proposals. more, >>click to read<< 11:07
Boom-bust commercial salmon season doubles 2020 value
This summer was significantly better for commercial salmon fishermen in Alaska than 2020, though that success was far from evenly spread. Commercial salmon fishermen hauled in salmon valued at $643.9 million this season, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. That’s more than double the 2020 value of $295.2 million, but still a little behind the estimated 2019 value of $657.6 million. Overall, 2021 ranks fairly well in the historical averages for numbers of salmon harvested and poundage as well as in value, according to Fish and Game data. >click to read< 16:37
At two-day virtual conference, B.C. commercial salmon fishermen discuss cures for an industry on the brink
The United Fishermen And Allied Workers’ Union (UFAWU-Unifor) and active fishermen’s associations convened the conference, Future of BC Commercial Salmon Fishing,,,, The issues are complex and sometimes controversial. Allocation of stocks with recreational and First Nations fisheries, and access to healthy runs are priority issues, but interwoven are challenges with policy and governance that are not meeting the economic-development needs of fishing communities, a licensing regime established in the 1990s that’s consolidated power into the hands of corporations and so-called “armchair fishermen”, and an explosion in pinniped predation rates on juvenile salmon, to name a few. >click to read< 07:49
Thanks for all the fish: a wild salmon story
I live in a place that’s wedded to salmon. Hundreds of local people in this town of 5,000 are commercial salmon fishermen, scores more fish for themselves or work in an industry tied to salmon. So it makes sense that the local calendar runs on these fish. Schools break up in late May so families can prepare for the salmon season. The ebb and flow of boats from the harbour and local boatyards follow salmon. Tourists do too, thronging into town just as the fish start filling local rivers.It might be odd that Homer calls itself the “Halibut Fishing Capital of the World” when it’s salmon that truly captures locals’ hearts. Halibut are dun-coloured flatfish; we think of them as meat that swims. photos, >click to read< 09:12
Letter: Fishing and farming communities need solutions
Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s draft report on the lower Snake River dams raises important questions about the future of our region’s salmon runs, energy and infrastructure. But one of the most important considerations in the report is the future of our rural economies — from here on the Pacific coast to the inland Northwest. Commercial salmon fishermen and wheat growers have a lot in common. We work hard and we have deep pride and commitment to the land and waters we call home. We also face similar challenges when it comes to keeping our communities vital and thriving. Too often, we feel we’ve been left behind. >click to read< by commercial fisherman Joel Kawahara
A dark horizon
If you’re an Alaska commercial salmon fishermen, be forewarned; the farmers in Wisconsin are coming for you. Enter the marketers. “A Better Ocean in Your Backyard” is the new marketing theme of Superior Fresh, a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) farm in America’s Heartland: “Until now, it’s been impossible to get truly fresh Atlantic salmon in the Midwest, not to mention salmon of the incredible quality that Superior Fresh offers. Healthy, delicious, and without the same contaminants you’d find in the wild. And we did it sustainably to boot.” The word that will, or should, jump out to Alaskans (everyone, everywhere) there is “wild.” >click to read< 10:33
California King Salmon Season Reopens July 26
California’s commercial salmon fishermen are thrilled to again provide some of the world’s best tasting salmon – the California King Salmon! In fact, chefs, foodies and salmon lovers everywhere can again enjoy this iconic summer delicacy right from their local grocery stores, fish markets and restaurants. After a mid-season break, commercial salmon fishermen will begin fishing again on July 26. Prior to the scheduled June 30 closure, the catch was more than double the projection for the May-June season in the Monterey management zone. “There is a larger supply of King Salmon than was anticipated, which is great news for California consumers,” said David Goldenberg, chief executive officer of the California Salmon Council. >click to read<21:05
Chinook conservation, permit stacking approved for Bristol Bay fisheries (innovation!)
Commercial salmon fishermen will see a number of changes. Under the changes to how permits can be stacked, two driftnet permit holders can fish from the same vessel and jointly operate 200 fathoms of drift gillnet gear except in the Togiak District, in a special harvest area, or when the Naknek River Special harvest Area is open. Read more
