Issue: September 2024

A $240 million investment in fish hatcheries that produce Pacific salmon and steelhead was announced July 25 by the U.S. Interior and Commerce departments in support of economic ceremonial and subsistence needs of Pacific Northwest tribes. The investment also fulfills treaty-reserved fishing rights, the federal agencies said. The Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is to partner with the Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to deliver the funds to regional tribes. “Since time immemorial, tribes in the Pacific Northwest have relied on Pacific salmon, steelhead and other native fish species for sustenance and their cultural and spiritual ways of life,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said. “This funding will help us deliver historic ...

A judge has fined the owner and operator of the commercial halibut fishing vessel Gypsy Soul a total of $33,596 for offenses under Canada’s Fisheries Act, the country’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) revealed Aug. 8. Judge Roy Dickey on May 24 fined vessel master Brent Belveal after Belveal pleaded guilty to fishing inside of the Hecate Strait Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reef Marine Protected Area (MPA) near Bella Bella, British Columbia, and for selling his illegal catch. The case stems from illegal fishing activity on April 4 and 5, 2020, which was captured through electronic monitoring data provided to the DFO as a license condition for groundfish like halibut, as well as other commercial fishing fleets. An impact statement submitted to the Provincial Court by a Fish...

A research report charting a new course to “un-gray,” or make younger, the Alaska fleet of commercial harvesters looks at current challenges and proposes programs for young fishermen. The report titled “Charting a new course: ungraying the fleet and comprehensively supporting fishing livelihoods and communities,” is the work of veteran fisheries social scientists Danielle Ringer of Kodiak, Alaska, Rachel Donkersloot of Aniak and Courtney Carothers of Anchorage. The document, available online at frontiersin.org, reflects on years of scientific research on the graying of the fleet in Alaska fisheries and discusses progress made at the federal level to improve intergenerational equity in fisheries. The authors emphasize the importance of a multifaceted approach to challenges facing fishe...