Tag Archives: Washington

Commercial Fisherman Andrew (Andy) Paul Babich of Gig Harbor, Wa. has passed away

December 18, 2024   North Pacific, Pacific

Andrew (Andy) Paul Babich passed away peacefully at home in Gig Harbor, WA, surrounded by loved ones, on November 16, 2024, at the age of 58. He was born May 16, 1966, to Nick and Delia (DeeDee) Babich in Tacoma, WA. He remained a lifelong third-generation resident and commercial fisherman of Gig Harbor. Andy spent his childhood years on Chinook Avenue with brothers, friends, and cousins, and never missed an opportunity to spend time with his Dad on the F/V Sonia, and later the F/V Maria. After his Dad passed in 1985, 19-year-old Andy, alongside his brother, Nick, took over the family fishing operation in Alaska and on Puget Sound, becoming one of the youngest captains in the fleet. In 1997, he purchased the F/V Ocean Dream, fishing salmon, squid, sardines, and Dungeness crab with his younger brother, Mike, who crewed with him for many years. more, >>CLICK TO READ< 11:08

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Fire heavily damages fishing boat at Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham

October 28, 2024   Pacific

A 68-foot fishing boat was heavily damaged by fire early Sunday as it was moored in Squalicum Harbor. Bellingham’s fireboat the Salish Star is moored in the marina nearby and poured water on the blaze, Michaelis told The Bellingham Herald in a phone call. “The Salish Star made the initial attack and its crew was able to get it mostly out,” he said. The boat, called the Alaskan Girl, suffered heavy damage to the top deck, cabin and galley, Michaelis said. It remained afloat. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:51

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Commercial salmon fishers struggle with low prices

October 21, 2024   North Pacific, Pacific

With the commercial salmon season coming to an end, 2024 is shaping up to be a lean year for commercial salmon fishers up and down the West Coast. That’s largely because prices for salmon that fishers receive at the dock are at an unusual low. Warren “Buck” Gibbons lives in Bellingham and has been fishing for sockeye in Bristol Bay, Alaska, since 1976.  In a good year, Gibbons said, a Bristol Bay sockeye fisher can gross $300,000–400,000 (they take home less after expenses). But when prices are as low as they were this summer, they’ll gross about $100,000 (again, the take-home pay is less).  For a fisher working on a smaller scale, including many tribal fishers, the situation is even grimmer. Dana Wilson of the Lummi Nation said that with prices so low, it hasn’t been worth selling salmon for the last couple years. He now keeps his entire catch to feed his own family and relies mostly on crab for income. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:25

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Commercial fishing industry member Wallace L. “Buck” Huff of Seattle, Washington has passed away

September 28, 2024   Pacific

Wallace L. “Buck” Huff was born June 24, 1938, in Seattle Washington, to Wallace T. and Myrtabelle Huff. On March 24, 1967 Buck was united in marriage to Dolores A. Beste, and became the Dad to her 4 children and welcomed his youngest son a year later. The family lived briefly in Federal Way until moving to Westport WA in the early 70’s, where he worked most his life connected to the commercial fishing industry. He ran a boat lift at the Westport docks for Bar View Resort, owned and ran the Channel Cat and Ocean Knight, primarily fishing salmon, later he operated the Washington Crab Producers meal plant, until he retired in the mid-90’s. He moved to Moses Lake Washington in 2005 to be near his youngest son and his family and took a job at the Senior Center Thrift Store. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:14

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Tom Anglin of Guemes Island, WA, has passed away

September 19, 2024   North Pacific, Pacific

“Tell me a sea story” Tom Anglin would say. He passed peacefully at home on Guemes Island, WA on a beautiful afternoon, September 12, 2024. To say that Tom was a larger than life character is an understatement. He was born in Seattle, WA on July 3, 1943 to (Thomas) Dale and Ila Jean Anglin. Tom grew up in the small town of Coolin on Priest Lake, Idaho, where his love for fishing began. He graduated from Priest River High School in 1962, before joining the US Navy. Tom’s sea story began boarding the USS Burton Island Icebreaker in Seattle bound for Antarctica for Operation Deepfreeze to resupply McMurdo Station and then the Arctic becoming a shellback on the journey. Tom took his electronics training from the Navy to the North Slope of Alaska, forging life-long friendships as an electrician before buying his first boat, the Bubble Cuffer II. Each vessel was a new chapter in the greatest commercial fishing adventure: the little Katrina, Katrina, Baltic Sea and finally the Kona-Kai. Spanning ports from Sausalito to SE AK and Hawaii to SW Alaska, trolling for king salmon to pot fishing king crab in the Bering Sea. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:42

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Fire at sea: US Coast Guard rescues two from commercial boat fire near Salish Sea

September 12, 2024   Pacific

The U.S. Coast Guard, Puget Sound Sector rescued two from a life raft after a fire broke out on the commercial boat they were on. On Tuesday, the Sector Command Center of the U.S. Coast Guard received a call from a boat about 3 nautical miles from Cape Flattery reporting a fire on board. Five miles off Tatoosh Island, near the Makah Tribal Reservation, the F/V Tarka II reported an emergency before abandoning the boat and getting onto a life raft. A Motor Lifeboat from Coast Guard Station Neah Bay rescued the two people in the raft and brought them back to shore. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:24

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Craving seafood? Check out Westport’s Fresh Catch

September 10, 2024   Pacific

The signs are everywhere as you drive into town, everything from oyster farms to fishing vessels offering up the ocean’s bounty with handmade, roadside advertisements. Westport on Washington’s coast is the place to find a fresh catch. So, the 9th largest commercial seaport in the nation went to work to put some of their bounty directly into the hands of visitors, one fish at a time. Westport’s Fresh Catch is a program that uses its website and a huge dockside sign to show visitors what’s in season – and exactly where to find it when they come to town.  For example, craving fresh caught tuna? The sign will guide you to what month it’s generally available (July, August, September and October) and then to the fishing vessel Jetstream on float number 7. This is where Richard Toal sells tuna that he just caught, right off his boat. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:25

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Community steps up after family loses father in Alaska fishing accident

September 8, 2024   North Pacific, Pacific

Cheyenne Hoy keeps her husband’s shoes and hat in their bedroom. The camouflage-patterned Crocs and ball cap have become some of the most important and precious items for her. They were what Clayton Hoy, 36, was wearing when he fell overboard from his salmon fishing vessel early on the morning of July 25 near Egegik, Alaska, on the east side of Bristol Bay. He wasn’t wearing a life jacket at the time and his crew heard the splash when their captain hit water. The crew of the F/V Warmaster radioed for help at 2:45 a.m. and the United States Coast Guard, Alaska Wildlife Trooper and Good Samaritan boats searched the water for a day and a half before the search was suspended, according to KDLG, the public radio station in Bristol Bay. “We were all very hopeful, but it didn’t turn out that way,” Cheyenne said. Clayton’s shoes were found a few days later in a mudbank by local volunteers who were searching by boat and by foot for the fisherman. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:46

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Everson man falls overboard commercial boat, dies

August 29, 2024   Featured, North Pacific, Pacific

In the early hours of Saturday, Aug. 24, Cheyenne Hoy gave birth to her baby girl, Fiona Rose. Tragically, her husband Clayton was not able to be with his family. Hoy, a commercial fisherman, went missing on July 25 after he fell overboard his boat near Egegik, Alaska. On Aug. 12, he was confirmed dead. Cheyenne Hoy said Clayton “was our everything and sole provider for our family.” “He truly loved fishing and learned everything from his father,” Cheyenne said. Through his father, Guy Hoy, Clayton became a commercial salmon fisherman. Since age 15, he crewed with his father, then became his own captain. Cheyenne explained that 2024 was Clayton’s third year with his own boat and he “was already one of the top boats in the bay.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:12

Commercial fisherman Clayton Hoy, who went missing July 25 after a fall overboard near Egegik, was confirmed dead on August 12.  Clayton Hoy, a 36-year-old from Washington, fell overboard from a commercial fishing boat, the F/V Warmaster.  more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:14

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US appeals court allows Alaska fishery to remain open

August 17, 2024   North Pacific, Pacific

A federal appeals court on Friday reversed a judge’s decision that would have effectively shuttered an Alaska salmon fishery, a result environmentalists sought in order to protect endangered whales and threatened wild Chinook salmon populations. A three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that a judge in Seattle last year abused his discretion by vacating a key authorization issued by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Services for the fishery’s summer and winter Chinook salmon harvests. U.S. District Judge Richard Jones at the urging of the Wild Fish Conservancy had in May 2023 vacated part of a so-called incidental take statement the fisheries service issued in 2019 that authorized the commercial Chinook salmon troll fishery in southeast Alaska. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:39

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He was found fatally shot in his truck 15 years ago. Whatcom County detectives believe it was an ambush

August 9, 2024   Pacific

Fifteen years have gone by with no tips to help Whatcom County Sheriff’s detectives solve an Everson man’s homicide. Even so, detectives say they are close to solving the case. On July 28, 2009, Jeff Little was found dead in the front seat of his pickup truck on Massey Road. The 34-year-old had been shot to death. Detectives found at least 11 bullet holes in his truck, three of which struck Little. Jeff Little worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska but returned to Washington in July to get medical attention for an injury in his hometown.  “He was in the engine room, and he hurt his knee, and he had to come home to have it looked at,” his brother, Joel Little, said. “In less than 24 hours of him being home, he was gone.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:14

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $105 Million for West Coast and Alaska Salmon

August 2, 2024   North Pacific, Pacific

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced more than $105 million in recommended funding for 14 new and continuing salmon recovery projects and programs. Located along the West Coast and in Alaska, these state and tribal efforts will be funded through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF). The funds include Fiscal Year 2024 annual appropriations as well as $34.4 million under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and $7.5 million under the Inflation Reduction Act, and will aid programs and projects in Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington that include habitat restoration, stock enhancement, sustainable fisheries and research and monitoring. “This $105 million investment, made possible thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, will build on decades of salmon recovery work, while helping Pacific coast Tribes and Alaska Natives sustain their communities and cultural traditions in the face of climate change,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This is a result of the most ambitious climate agenda in history, and I am proud that nearly half of all funds in this announcement are being awarded to Tribal applicants.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:55

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$18,000 penalty for diesel spill after fishing boat sinks

July 4, 2024   Featured, Pacific

In August 2022, a 58-foot fishing boat sank off the western shore of San Juan Island, kicking off a complex, lengthy response to prevent additional diesel from spilling out of the sunken vessel, and to eventually raise the boat back to the surface. Now, the Washington Department of Ecology is penalizing Matthew Johnston, the boat’s owner, $18,000 for the spilled diesel. Johnston actively participated in cleanup efforts and fully cooperated with Ecology’s investigation, the agency said in a news release. This penalty is based on strict liability under Washington State law for spills to Washington waters, regardless of fault. Ecology’s investigation did not find that the spill was caused by negligent or reckless operation. The incident happened on Aug. 13, 2022, when Johnston noticed water rising from the aft scuppers on his boat, F/V Aleutian Isle. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:14

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Fisherman ordered to pay $646,259 for oil spill off San Juan Island

June 28, 2024   Pacific

Washington state officials are ordering a salmon fisherman to pay $646,259 in damages and penalties for spilling diesel fuel into Haro Strait as his commercial fishing boat sank off San Juan Island. The boat, a purse seiner called F/V Aleutian Isle, sank while participating in a sockeye salmon fishery in August 2022. Its five-member crew escaped onto a small skiff before the Aleutian Isle rolled on its side and disappeared beneath the waves, about 15 minutes after its captain noticed water covering its main deck. F/V Aleutian Isle spent more than a month on the sea floor, with the powerful currents of Haro Strait moving it to deeper water over time, before salvage crews lifted it from the water. They recovered 590 gallons of diesel from its tanks. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:11

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A new report acknowledged the ongoing damage done by dams on the Columbia River. But that’s only part of the story.

June 23, 2024   National, Pacific

The Biden administration released a report this week acknowledging “the historic, ongoing, and cumulative damage and injustices that the federal dams on the Columbia River have caused and continue to cause to Tribal Nations.” In government documents from the 1940s and 1950s, obtained by OPB and ProPublica, officials openly discussed what they called “the Indian problem” on the Columbia River. At times, they characterized the destruction of the last major tribal fishery as a benefit of dam construction. The documents reveal that the government’s 1950s era of dam-building on the Columbia was marked not by a new report, but rather by a well-informed and intentional disregard for Native people. “These documents shine a spotlight on a historic wrong” U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, said in a statement. “The government’s actions wiped out tribal communities, houses, villages, and traditional hunting and fishing sites with thousands of years of history.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 21:10

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Northline Seafoods barge embarks on maiden trip to Bristol Bay 

June 5, 2024   National, North Pacific, Pacific

A new state-of-the-art seafood barge is enroute to Bristol Bay, with a freezer capacity to hold over one-million pounds of frozen salmon. The vessel is on its way to Clarks Point in the Nushagak District and will be buying fish from throughout the Bay during the fishery. The 400-by-100-foot barge, a vertically integrated vessel more than three years in the making including 15 months of construction, is designed for purchase, freezing, shipping, storing and distributing wild Alaska salmon. The innovative supply chain platform will improve quality, increase efficiency and preserve the value of wild salmon at the source, company officials said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:02

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Fishing boat rams pier, several boats near Seattle’s Ballard Bridge

May 22, 2024   Pacific

Crews responded to the west end of the Ballard Bridge after a fishing vessel crashed into a pier and several other boats Wednesday afternoon. According to the United States Coast Guard (USCG), at around 10:30 a.m., a 73-foot fishing boat crashed into the pier, damaging several other moored vessels. At around 12:28 p.m., the United States Coast Guard (USCG) announced that pollution teams were at the scene, reducing any potential environmental impacts. 4 photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:41

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Tidal Vision, a startup turning crab shells into a green industrial chemical, is raising fresh cash

May 18, 2024   National, Pacific, South Atlantic

Tidal Vision, a green chemistry company founded by a former Alaska fishing boat captain, is raising more investment to fuel growth. A new SEC filing reveals $46.7 million in fresh cash. We reached out to the company for comment on the filing. Tidal Vision uses an environmentally friendly, zero-waste process to turn discarded crab shells into a valuable industrial chemical called chitosan. The material is something of a wonder ingredient and can be used in water purification, to preserve produce, to promote plant growth, as a flame retardant in fabrics, and in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. It offers a safe alternative to toxic chemicals, metals, petroleum products and pesticides used in industry. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:30

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NTSB Report: Fire Alarm Aboard Kodiak Enterprise Never Sent an Alert

May 9, 2024   Pacific

In the early hours of April 8, 2023, a fire broke out in the dry stores compartment of the fishing vessel F/V Kodiak Enterprise. The vessel was in port for a regular yard period, including cutting and welding of wasted hull and bulkhead sections. Four crewmembers from the engineering department were staying on board. On April 7, repair contractors were aboard to carry out hot work on the pilot house, hold deck, 03 deck and on a variety of vent pipe valves. The dry stores cargo hatch on the 03 level was propped open so that the workers could run a forced air ventilation hose into the interior.  They finished and disembarked at about 1530 hours. The assistant chief engineer inspected the work areas after they left, and all looked to be in order. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:14

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Coast Guard, other agencies respond to sunken vessel near Henry Island, Washington

May 4, 2024   Pacific

The Coast Guard, Washington Department of Ecology, and San Juan County officials are responding to a vessel that sank Friday just west of Henry Island, Washington.  Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a report at approximately 6 a.m. Friday that the 48-foot commercial fishing vessel Chief Joseph was taking on water with one person and a dog aboard. The person and dog departed the vessel aboard a life raft. Click to review 6 photos in the gallery, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:56

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Letter to the Editor | Linda Pitcher’s ‘The Fleet’ created a lasting impact on Gig Harbor Fishermen

May 2, 2024   Pacific

When Linda Pitcher arrived in Gig Harbor a few years ago, she brought with her a PhD in anthropology from Berkley. She stumbled upon our small community and its rich history of fishing, eventually becoming a volunteer at the History Museum. That’s where I first met her, sharing anecdotes about my family’s deep-rooted connection to commercial fishing. My grandfathers were among the early crew members at the turn of the 20th century. Then my Dad’s father made his mark, purchasing his first boat, the San Marco, and later partnering in the Mermaid II. Linda spent several years meticulously piecing together information on all the commercial fishing boats that operated out of Gig Harbor. It was a daunting task, and she enlisted the help of Lita Dawn Stanton (Ancich).by Ken Malich, more, >>CLICK TO  READ<< 15:47

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Tire toxicity faces fresh scrutiny after salmon die-offs

April 27, 2024   National, Pacific

For decades, concerns about automobile pollution have focused on what comes out of the tailpipe. Now, researchers and regulators say, we need to pay more attention to toxic emissions from tires as vehicles roll down the road. At the top of the list of worries is a chemical called 6PPD, which is added to rubber tires to help them last longer. When tires wear on pavement, 6PPD is released. It reacts with ozone to become a different chemical, 6PPD-q, which can be extremely toxic — so much so that it has been linked to repeated fish kills in Washington state. The trouble with tires doesn’t stop there. Tires are made primarily of natural rubber and synthetic rubber, but they contain hundreds of other ingredients, often including steel and heavy metals such as copper, lead, cadmium, and zinc. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:07

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Commercial Fisherman Riley Tavis Locker of Blaine, Washington has passed away

April 15, 2024   Pacific

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Riley Tavis Locker. Riley was a cherished son, twin, brother, nephew, cousin, grandson and father. Born on April 2, 1993, he passed on March 14, 2024. Riley’s vibrant spirit and strength were evident from the beginning, when he entered the world ahead of his twin. Riley attended Ferndale High School, where he graduated in 2011. After graduation he discovered his passion for the water and thrived as a commercial fisherman, embodying a zest for life and a readiness for any adventure. Riley lived life on his own terms. more, >>click to read<< 10:01

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Federal advisory group recommends curtailed Oregon ocean salmon fishing again; closing California season

April 14, 2024   Pacific

Recommendations for the ocean salmon seasons off the coasts of Oregon, California and Washington were made last week with some OK news for some fishermen and devasting news for those in California. Once again. The Pacific Fishery Management Council — which oversees fishing along the West Coast — voted unanimously Wednesday to once again shut California’s commercial and recreational chinook salmon fisheries through the end of the year. Its recommendations are similar to those made in 2023, which was the first time such a closure occurred in 14 years. Oregon and Washington fared better – but still not very good. more, >>click to read<< 08:18

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Crew School provides a reality sea trial for commercial fishing wanabees

April 10, 2024   Featured, Pacific

Along Gig Harbor’s waterfront, this vocational trend is gently materializing in the form of a newly organized Crew School for potential commercial fishermen — and women. During March, seven people completed this hands-on training program that essentially offers a reality-based test drive for those interested in commercial fishing aboard a 58-foot purse seiner. Lifelong local fisherman and purse seine captain Gregg Lovrovich is program lead and creator of the crew-in-training curriculum. He coaches rookies through knot skills, gear maintenance, net setting/handling, safety and survival skills, not to mention the realities of living for months in a 58-foot space with 3-4 crew members who get all too familiar with one another. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 13:04

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Vietnam Veteran/Commercial Crab Fisherman John Randolph Staffanson of Bow, Washington, has passed away

April 4, 2024   Pacific

Randy died peacefully at home in Bow, Washington, on March 20, 2024. He was born in Burlington, Washington, in 1949 to John Staffanson and D. Joanne (Denis) Staffanson. His parents predeceased him. Randy enlisted in the U.S. Army, and after attending Boot Camp at Fort Lewis, Washington, served with the 82nd Airborne Division, as a Ranger. He served for a year in the Vietnam War. Randy was a commercial crab fisherman for most of his life, fishing in the Bering Sea in Alaska, and the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia. more, >>click to read<< 10:49

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Nominee to Bering Sea fisheries council would tip balance toward tribes, away from trawlers

March 27, 2024   North Pacific

Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown on salmon and halibut bycatch are set to gain a new ally on the federal council that manages Alaska’s lucrative Bering Sea fisheries. Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee last week nominated Becca Robbins Gisclair, an attorney and conservation advocate, to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. If U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo accepts Inslee’s recommendation, Gisclair, senior director of Arctic programs at the environmental advocacy group Ocean Conservancy, would assume one of the council’s 11 voting positions. Inslee’s choice comes amid an intense fight at the council about tighter regulation of bycatch, and after what advocates described as a last-minute flurry of lobbying in an effort to convince Inslee to pick an ally of one side or the other in that dispute. more, >>click to read<< 13:42

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Commercial fishing fleet still waiting for its homeport

March 26, 2024   Pacific

Members of Gig Harbor’s fishing fleet have waited more than a decade for the city to build a Commercial Fishing Homeport, which has been part of the plan for Ancich Park since 2013. It looks like they will have to wait at least another year. Negotiations between the city and the National Marine Fisheries Service over mitigation for the $3.2 million project have stalled. The city likely will miss the so-called “fish window” for overwater construction this year. The city already has a design, local and state permits, and financing — including a substantial donation from the Gig Harbor Commercial Fishermen’s Club. But it doesn’t have the go-ahead from NMFS, which determines what mitigation is necessary to proceed. For the local commercial fishing industry, the clock is ticking. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:36

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The Complete Guide to Dungeness Crab, where to source, how to break it down, and what utensils you’ll need

March 9, 2024   North Pacific, Pacific

Dungeness are cold-water crabs, 7 to 9 inches in width, and 1 1/2 to 2 pounds in weight, found off the coasts of Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, with the San Francisco Bay Area being a singular hotbed for Dungeness lovers, writes F&W assistant food editor Andee Gosnell. They’re prized for their flaky, sweet, juicy meat. Historically, Dungeness crab season started at the beginning of November and lasted through June. In recent years, environmental stressors and the conservation policies to address them have led to a delayed start and early end to the season. The 2023 season is expected to start in mid-December. If you can’t find Dungeness crab, substitute lump crabmeat. Video, photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:44

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Retired Commercial Fisherman James Richard “Jim” Frederick of Anacortes, Washington, has passed away

March 7, 2024   National, Pacific

On Feb 25, 2024 Jim passed away peacefully at home with his wife Dorothy and son Jim Jr. at his side. He was born in 1933 in Michigan to become a lifelong fisherman. He and Dorothy married in 1953, when he was at Fr. Bragg in the 82nd Airborne Div. After his honorable discharge, with wife and son in tow, he left for Washington in 1960 in search of bigger fish, to which he dedicated his life and almost only topic of conversation. He retired from commercial fishing at age 78 (his call sign was affectionately known as “Grumpy”) and turned his attention to sport fishing and added another layer to his preferred topic of conversation. He will be sorely missed in this household. more, >>click to read<< 09:34

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