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Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Issues Final Report

17Jul

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Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Issues Final Report

A final report detailing research needs for Alaska salmon recommends applied research on seven matters related to salmon productivity, from climate warming and extreme events to predators and freshwater habitat changes. and marine harvest. The report was released July 12 by NOAA Fisheries. Under climate and extreme events, for example, the task force recommended research to understand and quantify the effects of natural environmental variability and warming climate on Alaska salmon distribution and abundance. Under marine harvest, it recommends research to better understand the frequency of occurrence and mortality rate of direct and discards attributed to unobserved fishing mortality, including illegal, unreported and unregulated harvest. An Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim working ...

Alaska Legislature Approves Task Force to Help Commercial Fishing Industry

Alaska legislators on May 12 approved the creation of a task force to make policy recommendations to help the state’s struggling commercial fishing industry. It is to be modeled after another legislative task force created over 20 years ago to help the salmon industry at a time when harvesters were facing the impact of low prices and competition from farmed fish. The resolution by the House Special Committee on Fisheries, and sponsored by the Alaska Senate Finance Committee, acknowledges the economic distress for harvesters in danger of being without markets and the number of seafood processing facilities for sale, closing or planning to shut down for a portion, or all of, the 2024 fishing season. The task force is to be composed of eight members, with the state senate preside...

Alaska Bycatch Review Task Force Delivers Recommendations

The Alaska Bycatch Review Task Force has delivered its recommendations to the state on research, state engagement and management priorities on tackling the subject of thousands of fish caught incidentally to directed fisheries. In its final report to Gov. Mike Dunleavy, the task force said that while bycatch can and should be reduced, it can’t be completely eliminated without significant economic consequences. The report recommended continuous work to reduce bycatch through research, implementation of effective management measures and public engagement. As the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council has heard frequently in testimony, any action taken to change management of one fishery always has some impact on other vessels targeting other fisheries in the same area. Balancing th...