Fisheries

The Western Mariner was towing an Alaska Marine Lines barge in Neva Strait early on the morning of March 21 when a steering failure caused the two vessels to collide, pushing the tugboat onto the shore.

Biologists are forecasting another massive run of sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay this summer, raising questions in commercial fishing circles about whether the industry will be able to keep up.

Proponents of the ban argued that spearfishing was inefficient, dangerous and disruptive to schooling sockeye — and likely illegal in any case.

According to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, a light diesel sheen remained in the area where the boat was grounded.

He says he’s interested in making sure residents of coastal communities have the resources to participate in local commercial fishing.

The state is advising against harvesting herring eggs in some areas where fuel has been seen.

Fishery managers supported the change because of its potential to boost shrimp numbers.

The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery opened on Saturday along Kruzof Island and continued Sunday in Hayward Strait.

Subsistence harvesters are trying to figure out how the diesel spill could affect their harvest season, which typically happens a little later in the spring.

Some stocks are forecast to be at their lowest levels on record this year and others have rebounded a little under fishery closures.