There are 48 active permit holders in the 2016 fishery. Owning a herring permit is a little like owning a silver mine.
Fisheries
Push to label GE food, including salmon, has staunch opponents
Food manufacturers and agribusiness fiercely oppose labeling laws for genetically modified food. They say the label would suggest the food is unsafe.
Tribal council wants pre-mine ecosystem study
Southeast Alaska’s largest tribal government is pressing for an intensive environmental analysis of the region’s health as part of a larger push for protection of transboundary rivers.
Warm water Blob could impact Alaska’s $1 billion pollock fishery
Latest surveys indicate that new, young pollock may not have survived warmer ocean temperatures around Kodiak Island.
Warm water Blob is prime suspect in marine mortality, habitat changes
Biologists and marine researchers are investigating whether warm ocean water is contributing to whale and seabird mortality, marine mammal strandings, sea star wasting disease, paralytic shellfish poisoning and demoic acid.
Fishing interests question fairness of governor’s fish tax proposal
The committee mostly heard from fishing interests who said they know the state needs new revenue, but didn’t understand or support the exact tax increase proposed.
How to salvage a huge tugboat without spilling 9,500 gallons of fuel and oil
State and federal agencies are readying boom and preparing to haze birds as the 96-foot Challenger is raised as early as Sunday.
Governor orders reorganization of commercial fisheries commission
The governor’s office said the reorganization will save the state more than $1.3 million a year.
Fish & Game plans to cut 30 positions in upcoming budget
“Our goal was to not have anybody laid off. I don’t know that we’ll make that,” said Deputy Commissioner Kevin Brooks.
Feds fight fish fraud with new recordkeeping rules
The new rule won’t go into effect until late 2016 at the earliest, but importers would have to track where fish were caught, the type of gear used and where it was landed.