The Governor’s office didn’t announce the appointment, nor was the vacancy advertised. Smith’s name only surfaced after it was transmitted on February 3 to the state Senate for consideration.
Fisheries
Plunging fish tax payments raise concerns for coming years, Southeast officials say
Both Wrangell and Petersburg officials say the shared fish tax doesn’t represent a massive piece of the budget, but it’s an indicator of plummeting fish revenue at a time when communities are hurting.
Focus on fish: Alaska fisheries outlook for 2021
Their fisheries reports are heard on radio stations all over the state, so it’s not surprising that in many fishing families, Laine Welch and Terry Haines are household names. They joined KTOO’s Rhonda McBride on Juneau Afternoon to take a look at how fishermen are faring in these times of COVID. And that includes some…
Unalaska fish processing plant reopens after COVID-19 outbreak forces monthlong shutdown
The reopening is a bright spot for the Bering Sea fishing industry, which has been hampered by COVID-19 outbreaks at multiple boats and onshore plants.
Southeast Alaska’s commercial Dungeness crab harvest is the 2nd largest on record
The fall harvest is down slightly from recent years, but the summer harvest was so large — 5.87 million pounds — that it still makes the total season the second largest ever.
COVID-19 hits second Trident plant in Aleutians as original outbreak grows to 266 cases
COVID-19 has hit another processing plant operated by fishing giant Trident Seafoods — this time aboard one of the corporation’s massive factory trawlers, the Island Enterprise.
COVID-19 outbreak at Aleutian processing plant grows to 135
A COVID-19 outbreak at one of Alaska’s largest fish processing plants has infected nearly 20% of workers, with testing only partially finished, officials said Tuesday.
Another poor sockeye season predicted for Cook Inlet
Last year’s sockeye run was the lowest since 1971, at 4.36 million fish. Commercial fishermen saw a harvest of 700,000 salmon in 2020, over 1 million short of the preseason projections.
Biden reinstates northern Bering Sea climate plan
The Bering Sea Elders Group called the plan a “milestone” for including Indigenous people in federal conversations and policy on climate change.
COVID-19 closes a third Aleutian plant, stranding Bering Sea fishermen at the dock
In the Aleutian port town of Unalaska, at least five local boats are stuck at the dock with nowhere to deliver their cod after the shutdown of the Alyeska Seafoods processing plant