Monday, August 5, 2013
PIPELINE ERASES SKEENA RIVER
Pacific NorthWest LNG is taking steps to correct a map in its project description that completely eliminates the Skeena River.
– Shaun Thomas, reporting in Northern View, Prince Rupert
More: thenorthernview.com
Cook Inlet anger
Susitna Valley anglers were mad the commercial drift gillnet fleet in Cook Inlet has messed up runs of silver salmon to streams throughout the Susitna Valley basin.
– Alaska Dispatch
More: alaskadispatch.com
The right salmon ratio
Hatching up millions of sockeye salmon and dumping them into the ocean may seem like a good idea but has anyone really sat down and figured out what all those extra mouths are suppose to eat?
– Don Johnson, reporting in the Kenai Peninsula Clarion
More: peninsulaclarion.com
Alaska Fisheries Report
The disappointing Bristol Bay sockeye run is boosting roe prices in Japan. There's a gripping new documentary about a terrifying night on the Bering Sea. And, did you ever think you'd hear anyone say Kodiak Island needed more rain?
– Jay Barrett, KDLG; BenMatheson, KDLG, and Rosemarie Alexander, KTOO
More: kmxt.org
Bristol Bay Fisheries Report
We also outline some new research to track king salmon in the Nushagak River.
– Mike Mason, KDLG
More: kdlg.org
Salmon update
Here are a few highlights from the ongoing Alaska salmon season.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Wesley Loy, writing in his blog, Deckboss
More: deckboss.blogspot.com
B.C. oil port nears
A little-noticed federal ocean monitoring program around Kitimat is the clearest signal yet that the federal government is preparing the region for crude oil tanker traffic.
– Tom Fletcher, reporting in Northern View, Prince Rupert
More: thenorthernview.com
Coast Guard near Tillamook Head
The U.S. Coast Guard launched a helicopter from Air Station Astoria and 47-foot motor lifeboat from Tillamook Bay around 8 a.m. this morning. It responded to a report of the 50-foot wooden trawler Hatta III taking on water through its fish hold about 64 miles west of Tillamook Head.
– Edward Stratton, reporting in the Daily Astorian
More: dailyastorian.com
Fish poachers face the music
The Daily Herald newspaper reports that 38-year-old Igor Stepchuk, of Lynnwood, and Oleg Morozov, of Kent, sold an undercover agent more than $4,500 worth of poached salmon, steelhead and caviar.
– The Oregonian
More: oregonlive.com
Study: Acidity will hurt
While not yet fully understood, the ecological and economic consequences of ocean acidification could be substantial.
– Bryant's Maritime Consulting
More: fas.org
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
SEA LICE PLAGUE IN IRELAND
He felt "conscious-bound"' to make it clear that sea lice are "linked to mass fatal parasite infestations on wild salmon and trout in Ireland, Scotland, Norway, and Canada" to counter "misinformation appearing in the Irish media."
– FishNewsEU
More: fishnewseu.com
Hurt on a winch
The 21-year-old crewman, who wasn't identified, was reported to have suffered injuries to his hand and arm while using a winch aboard the 54-foot F/V Jerilyn.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Wesley Loy, writing in his blog, Deckboss
More: deckboss.blogspot.com
Heat killing Alaska salmon
Unusually hot, dry weather in Alaska is wreaking havoc on fisheries, as thousands of fish perish in overheated waters.
– Aviva Shen, reporting in Climate Progress
More: thinkprogress.org
Catching coho on Bristol Bay
Several drift and setnet fishermen in the Nushagak District delivered coho through the weekend, thanks to a late-season market with Togiak Seafoods.
– Dave Bendinger on KDLG, Dillingham
More: kdlg.org
Waiting for Fraser fish
Four years after disastrous sockeye runs on the Fraser River spurred the federal Cohen Commission, fisheries managers in Canada and the U.S. are waiting anxiously to see how returns will fare this summer for that same cycle of salmon.
– Larry Pynn, reporting for the Victoria Times Colonist
More: timescolonist.com
Canada feds listen to big biz
The federal Conservative government consulted with both environmental organizations and industry associations before making controversial changes to the Fisheries Act last year, but listened primarily to industry.
– Gloria Galloway, reporting in Globe and Mail, Toronto
More: theglobeandmail.com
Bristol Bay in NYer magazine
Recently, a Bristol Bay setnet fisherman and photographer gave fans of the New Yorker Magazine an up-close and personal look at the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery, through the smartphone application Instagram.
– Jason Sear, KDLG, Dillingham
More: kdlg.org
Judge to rule on Cook Inlet
Did the Alaska Department of Fish and Game exceed the scope of its authority while trying to balance competing fishery needs in Cook Inlet this summer?
– Molly Dischner, reporting for Alaska Journal of Commerce
More: peninsulaclarion.com
Saving Cal salmon
That is why I, along with 79 other commercial and recreational fishermen, sent a letter to agency leaders in the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Water Resources, and the National Marine Fisheries Service, asking them to fulfil their obligations under the San Joaquin River Restoration Program and bring back our salmon.
– Jacky Douglas, The Hill
More: thehill.com
Big money in Cal diversion
A proposed twin-tunnel water system in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, coupled with a massive habitat restoration effort, would generate billions of dollars in economic activity for California.
– Red Bluff (Calif.) Daily News
More: redbluffdailynews.com
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
HUGE CATCH IN SOUTHEAST
Purse seiners are making what are believed to be record catches in Southeast Alaska.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Wesley Loy, writing in his blog, Deckboss
More: deckboss.blogspot.com
B.C. sockeye worst
The average gillnetter fishing the North Coast has caught approximately 500 fish. Just 500.
– Shaun Thomas, the Northern View, Prince Rupert
More: thenorthernview.com
Coho strong on Bristol Bay
Some fishermen were waiting for tenders to come back from Togiak and pick up the rest of the fish.
– Dave Bendinger reporting for KDLG, Dillingham
More: kdlg.org
Otter ban challenged
Conservationist groups back the U.S. Fish and Wildlife decision to abolish the "no-otter" zone in the south of California, but the move has been met with annoyance by some fishing industry groups which have recently filed a lawsuit for the alleged "illegal termination" of the program.
– FIS
More: fis.com
Benefits of Bristol Bay
In 2010, harvesting, processing, and retailing Bristol Bay salmon and the multiplier effects of these activities created $1.5 billion in output or sales value across the United States."
– Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association
More: bbrsda.com
Petersburg demolishes marina
Petersburg's oldest harbor is empty and a contracting company started pulling pilings and removing the aging floats.
– Joe Viechnicki, reporting for KFSK, Petersburg
More: kfsk.org
Coast Guard kept hopping
The U.S. Coast Guard's Sector Columbia River responded to at least seven rescue cases – two of them receiving help from good Samaritan vessels.
– Edward Stratton, reporting in the Daily Astorian
More: dailyastorian.com
Giddings builds boats
Giddings Boat Works has two boats in the works — the first since 1999 — The Patriot, owned by Mike Pettis, and The Miss Emily, owned by Todd Whaley.
– Emily Thorne, reporting in the Coos Bay World
More: theworldlink.com
Fish move to cooler water
According to a three-year international study published in Nature Climate Change yesterday, warming oceans are impacting the breeding patterns and habitat of marine life, effectively re-arranging the broader marine landscape as species adjust to a changing climate.
– FishNewsEU
More: fishnewseu.com
Thursday, August 8, 2013
END COOK INLET FINGER-POINTING
The department believes that it must balance the need to prevent excessive escapement of sockeye with the need to achieve at least the minimum range for escapement of kings, which complies with the constitutional principal of sustained yield.
– Karl Johnstone, chairman of the Alaska Board of Fish, writing in the Anchorage Daily News
More: adn.com
A boom in coho
The wild return and commercial catch projections are well above average and second only to those in 1994, when the coho salmon return was the largest on record.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Wesley Loy, writing in his blog, Deckboss
More: deckboss.blogspot.com
Pebble guy coy
"I do really think that there's a better than even chance that we will submit our permit application later this year."
– Alaska Public Media
More: alaskapublic.org
Kenai dipnetters 'clean'
The city of Kenai ended its dipnet season with fishery beaches and waters cleaner than they have been in years.
– Dan Schwartz, reporting for the Peninsula Clarion
More: peninsulaclarion.com
Sail for Bristol Bay fish?
The catch is that they would use an old double-ender sailboat.
– Mike Mason, reporting for KDLG, Dillingham
More: kdlg.org
Alaska salmon tally
Wild Alaska salmon commercial harvests in Alaska surged to over 140 million fish through Aug. 6, with the catch of pink salmon alone climbing to 95,618,000 fish.
– Margaret Bauman, reporting for The Cordova Times
More: thecordovatimes.com
New NOAA chief
President Obama has nominated former astronaut Kathryn Sullivan to become Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere and adminis-
trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
– Cordova Times
More: thecordovatimes.com
Snettisham sockeye
About 50,000 sockeye salmon is the early catch estimate for a three-day gillnet opening at Port Snettisham and the Speel Arm near Juneau, with 35,000 of those fish caught in the first six hours.
– Lisa Phu, reporting for KTOO, Juneau
More: ktoo.org
Adding water to Klamath
The Bureau of Reclamation announced that it will release water from the Trinity River reservoirs to supplement flows in the Klamath River.
– Sergio Cisneros, reporting for Oregon Public Broadcasting
More: opb.org
Fish succeed through diversity
That diversity in the first year of life can protect the entire group's response to large-scale forces such as climate change and the operation of hydroelectric dams.
– NOAA
More: nwfsc.noaa.gov
Friday, August 9, 2013
RECORDS FOR PINKS
Petersburg seine fisheries are bustling this season as commercial fishermen netted record-breaking pink salmon numbers.
– Kyle Clayton, reporting for the Petersburg Pilot
More: petersburgpilot.com
Ditto
In a strong run, with heavy fishing, it is going to be a good year for folks in most commercial fisheries.
– Margret Bauman, reporting in the Cordova Times
More: thecordovatimes.com
Still dangerous
Despite technological advances, fatalities in commercial fishing have not changed significantly in the last few years.
– Molly Dischner, reporting for the Juneau Empire
More: juneauempire.com
Fraser running warm
High water temperatures in the Fraser River are always a concern when it comes to wild sockeye survival.
– Jennifer Feinberg, reporting for the Chilliwack Progress
More: theprogress.com
Diver chamber leaves SE
After more than 30 years, the facility discontinued its hyperbaric chamber program and recently removed the 13-foot chamber.
– Lisa Phu, reporting for KTOO, Juneau
More: ktoo.org
Farmers sue over lake plan
Farmers in California's San Joaquin Valley are suing the federal government over the planned release of water from a Northern California reservoir to prevent a salmon kill in the lower Klamath River.
– Coos Bay World
More: theworldlink.com
Albacore vessel sinks
Mark and Cynthia Schneider and their two cats Jasper and Topaz were rescued when their F/V Sea Princess sank after an engine area explosion. Mark was fishing for albacore tuna when the incident occurred. He was able to radio a May Day and Rick Goche of F/V Peso II was near enough to come over and pick up Mark, Cynthia, and the cats from the water.
– Oregon Albacore Commission
More: pacificfishing.com
Cal tunnel to hurt salmon
This project is strongly opposed by many salmon advocates and other environmental groups due to the further harm it would inflict on the already embattled Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta system.
– Guy Carl, writing in the Napa Valley Register
More: napavalleyregister.com
Alaska crab passes audit
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute officials said that the first annual audit of Alaska Bering Sea and Aleutian Island blue and red king and snow crab fisheries to responsible fisheries management certification is completed.
– Cordova Times
More: thecordovatimes.com
Alaska Fisheries Report
Coming up this week, another example of how sunshine and salmon don't mix, and then there's this: "No one's coming up with a world-changing idea over halibut. No way." Also: Why does Dominoes hate halibut?
More: kmxt.org
