Issue: September 2023

With higher-than-normal numbers of adult-size sturgeon found dead in several pools of the Columbia River this summer, white sturgeon fishing was closed by authorities on a large portion of the mid-Columbia on July 29. Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon announced July 26 that the closure would extend from the Dalles Dam upstream to Priest Rapids Dam. The closure is scheduled to remain in place through Sept. 15. “Water temperatures increase throughout the summer, but have been running warmer than the historical average, likely contributing to the increased mortalities,” the states’ officials said in a statement. “The fishing closure is a proactive measure being taken out of an abundance of caution to prevent additional stress on the population.” About two dozen sturgeon have be...

Ask festival goers who show up by the thousands every year what attracts them to Salmonfest at Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds, and they’ll say it’s the music. But the undercurrent is the promotion and conservation of healthy salmon habitat. “You can’t build an event around a cause,” festival producer Jim Stearns told Fishermen’s News. “People don’t give a damn about the cause. It has to be all about the music first, but even opponents (of the cause) come because it is so cool, and then you get your message out.” That message—about the importance of sustainable salmon habitat in the ocean and Alaska’s rivers and streams—is provided each year at Salmonfest by a number of nonprofit conservation and other activist entities, plus speakers, including Native Alaskans, on four stages, in...

State of Alaska officials are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) veto of a Clean Water Act permit needed for construction of the Pebble copper, gold and molybdenum mine on property abutting the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon fishery. The “bill of complaint” filed by the state on July 26 argues that the EPA’s decision violates the state’s right to develop its natural resources for the maximum benefit of its people. “Bureaucrats in Washington D.C. are exercising unbridled and unlawful power to choke off any further discussion on this important decision affecting so many Alaskans,” Gov. Mike Dunleavy said.  “It’s an indefensible and unprecedented power grab that the U.S. Supreme Court should find unlawful,” Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor...

Officials with Alaska’s Aleutians East Borough (AEB) are proposing installation of a new prefabricated floating dock at Sand Point for what they say would be improved safety, efficiency and reliable use of the harbor. Borough officials noted on July 31, that the federal Transportation Department’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) had awarded funds to the borough under the Port Infrastructure Development Program to complete the treated timber floating dock. Use of these funds would require compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act to be provided through an environmental assessment process. AEB made the announcement in conjunction with a request for public comment. No formal public meeting is proposed. Along with the installation of the prefabricated treated timber floats, th...

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has banned retention of quillback rockfish in both recreational and commercial fisheries effective Aug. 7. CDFW officials said July 28 that the combined recreational and commercial take of quillback rockfish  would exceed the harvest limits specified in federal regulation for 2023, and that in-season action must be taken to reduce the risk of overfishing. Under California state law when federal harvest limits are projected to be exceeded, CDFW has authority to make in-season changes, including adjustments to bag and sub-bag limits. Quillback rockfish, which are found from Kodiak Island in Alaska to Southern California, can grow to up to 25 inches in length and 7.2 pounds, and can live up to 95 years. It has a mild, slightly sweet f...

Northern California-based Wild Planet Foods, which specializes in sustainably caught seafood, in mid-July announced the introduction of five new seafood items to Whole Foods Market shelves nationwide. “The fishing industry continues to face criticism due to the depletion of fish in our waters, with 34.2% of global fish stocks being overfished and about 22 billion pounds of food killed and discarded due to non-selective harvesting methods,” the company said in a statement announcing the new products. Wild Planet has said that it uses selective harvesting methods that target just one species at a time to help eliminate bycatch, whether that means catching tuna without nets and only using a pole and line, or sourcing from well-managed and highly respected fisheries for salmon and mackerel...

On July 26, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced sweeping changes to the national Ministry, with one of the changes being Diane Lebouthillier becoming Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, replacing outgoing Minister Joyce Murray. Lebouthillier, a member of the Liberal Party, was elected to the House of Commons in the 2015 federal election and represents the Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine district. The woman she replaced, Murray, had served as fisheries minister since being appointed by Trudeau in October, 2021. She announced July 25 that she was leaving elected office. “After much thought and reflection, I have decided not to run again in the next election after my current term,” she said in a statement posted on X, the social media site formerly ...

Fishermen’s News regularly features Pacific Northwest boatyards extending the life of older trawlers with hull inserts or sponsons, but there are also many aging fishing vessels that are beyond repair occupying valuable space on the waterfront. Four old steel trawlers of 70-to-80 feet in length were hauled out at the Tongue Point shipyard in Astoria, Ore. in the late 1990s and sat there until there was no hope that they could ever be re-launched. Time finally ran out this year when Hyak Maritime, the property owner, began implementing a plan to turn the former World War II seaplane base into a modern haul-out facility. After an inspection confirmed there were no hazardous materials on board, Hyak contracted with Northwest Demolition and Dismantling Inc. of Tigard, Oregon to remove all...

The Port of Seattle Commission on Aug. 8 announced that it has approved $32.6 million to transform one of the oldest existing facilities at the port, the historic Ship Supply Building at Fishermen’s Terminal, into its Maritime Innovation Center. The port has said it’s building the facility to meet sustainability objectives, attract global industry leaders to Puget Sound, and demonstrate the connection between innovative technologies and the maritime industry. Built in 1914, the historic Ship Supply Building is to be restored and modernized into a 15,000 square foot facility with a mix of working space for incubators, accelerators and anchor tenants along with fabrication and event space. The port has also said that it plans to make investments in Fishermen’s Terminal to make it easier...

After several rounds of stakeholder input and a public comment period that took place earlier this year, NOAA Fisheries has released its first-ever National Seafood Strategy. The strategy, which was released in early August, ties in with NOAA’s stated commitment to seafood sector resilience, and also aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration’s goals for economic recovery, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience. Additionally, the strategy aims to address the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health’s pointing to the need for increased seafood consumption in the United States. Plus, it responds to multiple challenges facing the U.S. seafood industry, including climate change, new technologies, labor shortages and aging infrastructure. The National Seafood ...