On Sunday September 11th, 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard successfully rescued the survivor of a plane crash that was located roughly 35 miles northwest of Juneau, Alaska. Personnel at the Southeast Alaska Sector Command Center initiated the deployment of an MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew from Air Station Sitka at 5:38 p.m.…
Due to disappointing population surveys once again this year, the commercial harvests of red and blue king crab in Southeast Alaska will remain closed during the 2023–24 season. Stock assessment models have revealed a biomass of just 188,899 pounds, falling short of the 200,000-pound threshold required to authorize the fisheries.…
It was a busy weekend for the U.S. Coast Guard as they responded to five rescue cases, including two unwell commercial fishermen. On August 25th, at approximately 6:20 a.m. watchstanders at the U.S. Coast Guard District 17 command center received a request for a medevac from the F/V NORTHERN EAGLE.…
Trident Seafoods is in the process of constructing the initial bunkhouses for their upcoming processing plant located in Captains Bay, Unalaska. The company hopes to have the plant operational by 2027. The Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea are known for some of the most productive fishing grounds globally. The region…
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Roger Fitzgerald, an 85-year-old maritime writer. He was best known for his column titled “In Search of the Simple Life”. His column brought joy and amusement to commercial fishermen spanning from Seattle to the Bering Sea and beyond. The…
On June 5, 2023, an engine room fire on UnCruise Adventures’ WILDERNESS DISCOVERER prompted the evacuation of crew members and passengers. U.S. Coast Guard watchstanders in Juneau received a call at 7:30 a.m. stating that a fire had broken out aboard the vessel, and help was needed. U.S. Coast Guard…
After 17 years, the HUBBARD, an Alaska-built ferry, embarked on its maiden voyage. The ferry, which measures 280-feet long, took an additional four years to enter service due to the need for crew quarters, an amenity that was not part of the vessel’s original design. U.S. Coast Guard regulations limit…
April 6th is National 406 Day. It is easy to remember, as the date (04/06) corresponds to the 406 MHz frequency used by these devices to transmit digital signals to satellites. These beacons are considered by many in the maritime trades to be the best life insurance available. And in…
The U.S. Coast Guard has successfully recovered a partially submerged tugboat that was located at the National Guard Dock in Gastineau Channel, Alaska. In late December of 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau was notified after an oil sheen was discovered. Working together, the city of Juneau, the U.S.…
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced on December 16th, 2022, the approval of multiple Alaska and Washington fishery disaster requests. This approval is based on data submitted by states and/or local tribes. “America’s fisheries are a critical part of our national economy and directly impact our local communities when…