Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, a significant part of the state’s economy, involves working in challenging marine environments. The pursuit of seafood means confronting hazardous conditions, which leads to injuries and fatalities each year. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Understanding the safety measures in place and the legal…
House Bill 116 is currently under consideration by the Alaska State Senate, representing a potential turning point for the state’s commercial fishing industry. This legislation would authorize Alaskan fishermen to form their own insurance cooperatives, which would lower operating costs and ensure the financial stability of smaller operators facing increasingly…
A bipartisan effort led by Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and supported by fellow coastal state senators has introduced new legislation aimed at providing relief to the Alaska seafood processing industry. The proposed “Save Our Seafood Act” seeks to exempt seafood processing companies from the federal cap imposed on the…
On March 26, 2025, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka successfully conducted a medevac of a 37-year-old woman experiencing a medical emergency in Sitka Sound, Alaska. The woman, who was aboard the fishing vessel NEKTON, required immediate medical attention. The aircrew responded swiftly to…
In a ceremony celebrating nearly four decades of service, the U.S. Coast Guard officially decommissioned the Cutter NAUSHON on Friday March 21st, 2025, in Homer, Alaska. Presiding over the event was Rear Adm. Megan Dean, Commander of U.S. Coast Guard District 17, who honored the vessel’s long standing commitment and…
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has introduced a bill that could mark a significant shift in the state’s approach to aquaculture by legalizing finfish farming in controlled environments. The proposed legislation, House Bill 111 (HB 111), would authorize closed-system finfish farms, ending Alaska’s longstanding ban on the practice. Currently, Alaska prohibits…
A recent study using advanced genetic testing has revealed alarmingly high infection rates of bitter crab disease in Tanner and snow crabs, two commercially important species in the Bering Sea. Scientists estimate that up to 42 percent of Tanner crabs and 36 percent of snow crabs were infected during the…
In a significant policy shift, the Alaska Board of Fisheries has approved a proposal to permit a limited commercial harvest of red king crabs in Southeast Alaska. This decision, approved during the board’s Southeast and Yakutat Finfish and Shellfish meeting in Ketchikan from January 28 to February 9, 2025, changes…
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has released its 2025 salmon run forecast for the Prince William Sound (PWS) and Copper River regions. The projections provide key insights into Chinook, sockeye, pink, and chum salmon returns, which will influence early-season management strategies. Copper River Chinook Salmon The 2025…
Alaska’s Permanent Fund trustees invested over $29 million in Peter Pan Seafood, a seafood processing company in King Cove, Alaska, as part of an effort to support local businesses. However, the company shut down, leading to financial losses for the state and economic hardship for the community. The Permanent Fund,…