Tag Archives: Herring seiners
After two-year break, seiners hopeful herring fishery will continue into future
The Sitka Sound Sac Roe Herring Fishery opened in late March, after a two-year hiatus. Less than half the fleet is fishing this spring, but the seiners who have stuck around have hauled in catches every day over the last week and a half. KCAW spoke with two commercial fishermen shortly before the fishery opened about the importance of herring to their businesses and lives. Justin Peeler is standing on the deck of his boat, the F/V Defiant, Matt Kinney runs the F/V Hukilau. audio, >click to read< 11:08
Seiners explain decision to stop test fishing
As of Tuesday evening, herring seiners in Sitka were standing down from further test fishing — but they weren’t calling it a strike.,,, Commercial fisherman Matt Kinney of Sitka has been involved with the sac roe herring fishery for the past 10 years and he says each year it’s exciting to take it all in. “It’s a big biomass out there that supports a lot of life whether it be sea lions or eagles or whales, but it’s pretty impressive to see on a grand scale.” So far this year, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has found a lot of fish,,, >click to read<17:06
Whale-watchers ask why herring fishery carries on where right whales sighted
A whale-watching tour operator and one of her customers say they are concerned nothing was done to stop herring seiners after two North Atlantic right whales were spotted in the Bay of Fundy off Brier Island, N.S. ,,”My big concern is the herring fishery,” Blackman said. “The seiners have been moving in every night. The last three nights they have been right in the place we spotted the whale this afternoon. Right in the opening between Brier Island and Long Island. “We’re watching the herring seiners come in, and they set up with these huge nets which are endangering the whale.” >click to read<09:51
140 minutes to fish 15,000 tons of Sitka Sound herring
The commercial herring season opened Thursday, more abruptly than in past years. Herring seiners had about two days’ notice to get to Sitka. And then about another four hours’ notice to prep their gear. Although winter salmon trolling wrapped 10 days ago, this always feels like the opening bell of the commercial fishing season in Alaska. State biologist Dave Gordon manages the commercial herring fishery. Over the years, he has also become its voice. “Five, four, three, two, one, open! The Sitka Sound Sac Roe Herring Fishery is now open. This is the Alaska Department of Fish & Game standing by on channel 10,” Gordon announced. Read the story here 08:41
