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NMFS Reallocates Projected Non-Use of Pacific Cod to Hook-And-Line Gear
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NMFS Reallocates Projected Non-Use of Pacific Cod to Hook-And-Line Gear

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) has announced the reallocation of the projected unused Pacific cod from catcher vessels using trawl gear to catcher vessels using hook-and-line gear and catcher/processors using hook-and-line gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. The decision, effective since Nov. 4, is in effect through Dec. 31. NMFS officials said this action was necessary to allow the 2024 total allowable catch of Pacific cod to be harvested. The groundfish fishery in the Gulf of Alaska is managed according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The plan is prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. An announc...
New Report Says SEAK SeaBank Contributes Billions to Area Economy
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New Report Says SEAK SeaBank Contributes Billions to Area Economy

A new report highlighting the value of Southeast Alaska’s terrestrial and marine environment, including its commercial fisheries, concludes annual economic dividends from fisheries and tourism to its communities are valued at $1 billion and 16,500 jobs. The 2024 Seabank Annual Report, released Nov. 17 by the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust in Sitka, notes that in 2024 the SeaBank had a value of $5.3 billion in ecosystem services such as marine nurseries and wetland buffers from 850,000 acres of estuaries and 2.7 billion metric tons of carbon sequestered in the SeaBank forest. The report also identifies as threats to that natural capital industrial logging, trawling, mining and climate change. “This incredible bank supports over 72,000 human shareholders’ in 33 communities, alo...
Tail End of Big Crab Cohort Prompts Lower GHL for Kodiak Tanner Crab Fishery
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Tail End of Big Crab Cohort Prompts Lower GHL for Kodiak Tanner Crab Fishery

Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists have set a guideline harvest of 560,000 Tanner crab for the 2025 season, down significantly from 2024. Based on 2024 Kodiak District survey results, the Eastside and Southeast sections exceeded regulatory thresholds necessary for a 2025 commercial Tanner crab season, agency officials said. The Kodiak District commercial Tanner crab season is scheduled to open at noon on Jan.15, unless delayed by inclement weather.  Since the guideline harvest level is less than 5,000,000 pounds, the regulatory pot limit is 20 pots per vessel. The Chignik District is to remain closed for the 2025 season. ADF&G said that abundance must be sufficient to provide for a minimum GHL of 200,000 pounds before a commercial Tanner crab fishery may occur. ...
Alaska Commercial Salmon Harvest Took a Hit in Size, Value in 2024, Data Show
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Alaska Commercial Salmon Harvest Took a Hit in Size, Value in 2024, Data Show

Alaska’s statewide commercial salmon harvest took a dive both in size and value in 2024, and market conditions had a significant impact on pricing, according to the state’s preliminary harvest and other data released Nov. 18 by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The report estimated 101.2 million salmon were harvested in 2024, a drop of 56% from the 2023 total harvest of 232.2 million salmon.  The 2023 commercial salmon fishery harvest for all species had a value of about $304 million, compared with $398 million for the 2023 catch. Sockeye salmon made up roughly 68% of the total value at $206.7 million and 42% of the harvest at 42 million fish. Pink salmon made up about 9% of the value at $28.2 million and 40% of the harvest with 40 million fish. Chum salmon contributed 1...
NOAA Fisheries Plans to Enhance Seafood Import Monitoring
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NOAA Fisheries Plans to Enhance Seafood Import Monitoring

NOAA Fisheries on Nov. 14 introduced a new plan to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing while at the same time strengthening the sustainability of seafood, and globally addressing forced labor issues. The announcement came in the wake of a comprehensive review of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) completed in November 2023, involving over 7,000 stakeholders, including seafood industry professionals, foreign governments, researchers and civil society groups. “Our goals are to strengthen the U.S. domestic seafood industry by promoting fair trade practices in the global seafood supply chain while building capacity to maintain and grow the program,” NOAA Administrator and Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere Richard Spinard said. “Once im...
Alaska Symphony of Seafood Plans Gala for Nov. 19 in Seattle
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Alaska Symphony of Seafood Plans Gala for Nov. 19 in Seattle

Fifteen companies engaged in retail, foodservice and “Beyond the Plate” competition are scheduled for judging of their entries in advance of the Alaska Symphony of Seafood gala, slated for the King Street Ballroom in Seattle from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Nov. 19. Organizers with the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF) said plans are to provide guests with an exclusive tasting of this year’s entries for Best New Retail Product, Best New Foodservice Product and Beyond the Plate, plus an awards ceremony, and live and silent auction. Chefs judging the competition include Roy Breiman, vice president of Food and Beverage at Columbia Hospitality; Kati Lauffer, culinary director for Nordstrom; Jason Stoneburner, chef/owner of Stoneburner; David Tangkilisin, chef at Chinook's; and Rac...
Federal Court Upholds Abundance-Based Management of Halibut Bycatch
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Federal Court Upholds Abundance-Based Management of Halibut Bycatch

A federal district court judge has upheld Amendment 123 to the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, keeping in effect the abundance-based management of halibut bycatch by the Amendment 80 fleet. The ruling was handed down Nov. 8 in Anchorage by U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason. The plaintiff in the case, the Groundfish Forum, a non-profit trade organization based in Seattle, represents five companies and 17 trawl catcher-processors that comprise the Amendment 80 sector. The Amendment 80 sector, which harvests groundfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI), is governed by the groundfish fishery management plan (FMP) developed by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Ma...
Washington Gov. Inslee Slated to Give Keynote Address Pacific Marine Expo
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Washington Gov. Inslee Slated to Give Keynote Address Pacific Marine Expo

Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee is scheduled to give a keynote address on the latest in technologies and services in the blue economy during the final day of Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle on Nov. 22. His scheduled presentation is part of the “State of the Blue Annual Gathering: Innovation Impact, and Investment in the Blue Economy” event, under a partnership between Pacific Marine Expo planners and Washington Maritime Blue, a regional maritime and blue economy innovation cluster. Inslee is slated to be among the early speakers at the Olympic Club Lounge in Lumen Field, with the full program running from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with leadership of start-up companies and hear of programming that updates major initiatives such as sust...
51M Fish Forecast for Bristol Bay Salmon Run
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51M Fish Forecast for Bristol Bay Salmon Run

A Bristol Bay 2025 sockeye salmon run forecast estimating a return of 51.31 million fish and a potential harvest of 36.33 million fish was released Nov. 7 by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The forecast is 16% smaller than the most recent 10-year average of 61.23 million fish and 38% greater than the long-term average of 37.07 million fish (1963-2024). A run of 51.31 million sockeye salmon would allow for a potential harvestable surplus of 36.33 million fish: 34.78 million fish in Bristol Bay and 1.55 million fish in the South Peninsula June fishery. ADF&G biologists said that a Bristol Bay inshore harvest of this size would be 15% less than the most recent 10-year average harvest of 40.91 million and 50% greater than the long-term average harvest of 23.27 million ...
Additional Training for U.S. Coast Guard Recommended by GAO
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Additional Training for U.S. Coast Guard Recommended by GAO

A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office recommends updates in training for the U.S. Coast Guard for emerging missions demands, such as Arctic operations, cybersecurity and modernizing its training efforts. Meeting the mission demands requires enhanced skills and training for the Coast Guard workforce, the GAO said in a report published online Oct. 30. The Coast Guard currently carries out varied duties, including Arctic patrols, cybersecurity and trying to stop illegal fishing in the Western Hemisphere. Its training command delivered over 400 unique training courses to more than 23,000 Coast Guard students in fiscal year 2023. While the Coast Guard for the most part followed sound practices when developing, implementing and evaluating its training, it could imp...