Alaska
IPHC Cuts Coastwide Commercial Halibut Catch By 18%
Fishermen's News - February 5, 2025
In a somber and tense meeting of the International Pacific Halibut Commission in Vancouver, British Columbia, stakeholders faced with the lowest spawning biomass in 40 years opted to cut the commercial catch limits for the 2025 season by just over 18%.
Chinook Salmon an Increasingly Popular Food Choice of Salmon Sharks
Fishermen's News - February 5, 2025
Wild Chinook salmon, a perennial favorite of seafood aficionados at upscale restaurants, is also becoming increasingly popular with a hungry, hot-blooded predator found in ocean waters from the Central Bering Sea to the coast of Oregon.
Kelp and mariculture industry growing along with Kodiak's farms, output and potential market
KMXT by Davis Hovey - February 3, 2025
Kodiak resident Nicholas Mangini runs Kodiak Island Sustainable Seaweed on top of his other mariculture related jobs and roles.
Trump Nominates Neil Jacobs to Lead NOAA
Expana by Ryan Doyle - February 5, 2025
President Donald Trump nominated Neil Jacobs to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The nomination, now officially submitted to the US Senate, paves the way for Jacobs to return to the helm of NOAA, a role he held on an acting basis during Trump’s first term.Currently, Jacobs serves as the chief science advisor for the United Forecast System, an initiative within NOAA that aims to "better predict weather and climate."Since Trump's return to office, the future of NOAA has been a hot-button topic. Project 2025, a policy roadmap frequently linked to the Trump administration, calls for the breakup of NOAA, while another Republican proposal pushes to make NOAA a standalone agency, as the Washington Post reported.Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, the department which oversees NOAA, said that he had no interest in separating NOAA, as Expana covered yesterday. Multiple Senators questioned Lutnick on the topic, and he continued to indicate that it was not on his agenda.Most national media coverage of Jacobs revolves around his involvement in a saga dubbed 'Sharpiegate.' Trump displayed a map of Hurricane Dorian’s likely impact that featured a map altered with a Sharpie pen to extend the impact area. An investigation found that Jacobs violated NOAA’s code of ethics after he released a statement following the incident.The Fishing Communities Coalition, a group representing over 1,000 independent fishermen and business owners across the country, described Jacobs as a “great choice.” The Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association mirrored that sentiment.“Dr. Neil Jacobs is a great choice to lead NOAA,” said Noah Oppenheim, coordinator of the Fishing Communities Coalition. “Commercial fishing communities need a steady hand at the helm as we face unprecedented infrastructure, market, and regulatory challenges. We need fundamental reforms at NOAA to improve fishery surveys, while keeping the agency’s core weather forecasting functions strong so we can safely and efficiently catch fish to feed Americans.”“Dr. Jacobs has deep knowledge and experience with the agency’s inner workings, said Ben Martens, executive director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association. “We look forward to working with him in his role as NOAA Administrator.”
Trump pauses 25 percent tariffs on Canada, but Chinese tariffs take effect
Seafood Source by Chris Chase - February 4, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump has paused planned 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods, barring a 10 percent carveout for energy, following a conversation with Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
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As the Alaska pollock fleet ages and Russia zooms ahead, can anything be done to catch up?
Some in the US seafood industry fear the fleet has now fallen too far behind.
Intrafish by Rachel Sapin - February 4, 2025
Seattle-based Arctic Storm Management Group's launch last year of the Arctic Fjord, its new pollock factory trawler, was a momentous achievement for the 39-year-old company. But it was significant for another reason: the vessel is the first Alaska pollock catcher-processor newly built in the United States in over 30 years.That's in stark contrast to rival pollock producers in Russia, where, for example, the Russian Fishery Company (RFC) last year launched its sixth pollock "supertrawler" out of 10 that are planned as part of the whitefish giant’s $800 million-plus (€770 million) fleet renewal.
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Environment/Science
Biologists predict strong area sockeye, pink, chum runs; low Chinook returns
Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman - February 3, 2025
Fisheries officials are predicting a mixed bag of salmon returns in the Copper River and Prince William Sound this year. https://thecordovatimes.com/2025/02/03/biologists-predict-salmon-returns/
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