News

Governor’s bill would cut CFEC commissioners’ pay

Gov. Bill Walker has introduced a bill to trim the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission. The CFEC, the state agency that manages commercial fishing limited entry… Continue reading

In this undated photo, crew members haul scallops up onto the deck of a fishing vessel from a dredge. Alaska Department of Fish and Game staff have been researching the increasing incidence of a condition called “weak meats” in Alaska scallops, which makes the product unmarketable. (Photo courtesy the Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

Researchers identify widespread parasite in Alaska scallops

A lot of Alaska’s scallops are sick, and scientists are trying to figure out why. Alaska’s scallop fishery is a small one — in recent… Continue reading

In this undated photo, crew members haul scallops up onto the deck of a fishing vessel from a dredge. Alaska Department of Fish and Game staff have been researching the increasing incidence of a condition called “weak meats” in Alaska scallops, which makes the product unmarketable. (Photo courtesy the Alaska Department of Fish and Game)
In this July 2016 photo, the Russian River rushes under a bridge along the Russian River Trail near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

HB 199 gets hearing, won’t pass this year

The push a group of fisheries activists made to get a section of Alaska law overhauled is making its way through the Legislature, but won’t… Continue reading

In this July 2016 photo, the Russian River rushes under a bridge along the Russian River Trail near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
Daniel Reynolds, an environmental technician with the Ninilchik Traditional Council, prepares to place the buoy marking the tribe’s subsistence gillnet on the Kenai River on Aug. 14, 2016 near Soldotna. On April 3, the Federal Subsistence Board granted the Ninilchik Traditional Council’s special action request for the gillnet to operate again in 2017. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Ninilchik gets approval for Kenai gillnet in 2017

The Ninilchik Traditional Council officially has permission to put a gillnet in the Kenai and Kasilof rivers again this summer, but with a few changes.… Continue reading

Daniel Reynolds, an environmental technician with the Ninilchik Traditional Council, prepares to place the buoy marking the tribe’s subsistence gillnet on the Kenai River on Aug. 14, 2016 near Soldotna. On April 3, the Federal Subsistence Board granted the Ninilchik Traditional Council’s special action request for the gillnet to operate again in 2017. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

North Pacific council eases into salmon FMP

A lot of new faces are coming to the table at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and not a lot of them are happy… Continue reading

North Pacific council to take up Cook Inlet salmon plan

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to show that UCIDA is no longer asking the court to vacate Amendment 12 and that the group… Continue reading

In this August 2016 photo, an angler lands a pink salmon on the docks at Centennial Park in Soldotna, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Pink salmon forecasts look up for 2017

After last year’s disastrously low pink salmon runs to drainages all across the Gulf of Alaska, the forecasts offer a little more hope for the… Continue reading

In this August 2016 photo, an angler lands a pink salmon on the docks at Centennial Park in Soldotna, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Without both commercial and sport funding, UAF declines research donation

The University of Alaska Fairbanks turned down an offer for funding for research on Kenai River king salmon because it would only come from one… Continue reading

In this May 2016 photo, harvested eulachon float in a personal use fisherman’s bucket on the north bank of the Kenai River in Kenai, Alaska. Eulachon, also called hooligan, are a type of smelt that returns in schools to rivers all over Southcentral Alaska each spring. The state Board of Fisheries recently approved a measure doubling the quota a small comercial fishery in Upper Cook Inlet takes from 100 tons to 200 tons each year, a small fraction of the total estimated biomass of about 48,000 tons, according to a Feb. 9 memo from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Board of Fisheries doubles commercial smelt quota

Every spring, a few commercial fishermen jump out of their boats and net for eulachon by hand in the lower Susitna River. Eulachon, a type… Continue reading

In this May 2016 photo, harvested eulachon float in a personal use fisherman’s bucket on the north bank of the Kenai River in Kenai, Alaska. Eulachon, also called hooligan, are a type of smelt that returns in schools to rivers all over Southcentral Alaska each spring. The state Board of Fisheries recently approved a measure doubling the quota a small comercial fishery in Upper Cook Inlet takes from 100 tons to 200 tons each year, a small fraction of the total estimated biomass of about 48,000 tons, according to a Feb. 9 memo from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Path forward after Kodiak sockeye genetic study unclear

A revelation that a large portion of sockeye harvested by Kodiak commercial seine fishermen originate in Cook Inlet may change the way the fisheries are… Continue reading

Sockeye salmon caught in a set gillnet wait to be set to the a processor on July 11, 2016 near Kenai. On Tuesday, the Alaska Board of Fisheries discussed proposals for Northern District setnetters. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

No change for northern district setnets

Despite a suite of requests for both further restriction or liberalization of the commercial set gillnet fishery in the northern district of Upper Cook Inlet,… Continue reading

Sockeye salmon caught in a set gillnet wait to be set to the a processor on July 11, 2016 near Kenai. On Tuesday, the Alaska Board of Fisheries discussed proposals for Northern District setnetters. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Board passes sweeping change for early run kings

Early run Kenai River king salmon will now have more protection in the middle river and management will be more conservative after the Board of… Continue reading

Matthew Dollick, of Wasilla, untangles a sockeye from his dipnet on July 11, 2015 in Kenai. The state Board of Fisheries discussed proposals affecting the Kenai and Kasilof personal-use fisheries over the weekend. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)

On Kenai dipnet, a call for cooperation

Although people debate the value of the Kenai and Kasilof personal-use dipnet fisheries, they all find at least one thing that could be or is… Continue reading

Matthew Dollick, of Wasilla, untangles a sockeye from his dipnet on July 11, 2015 in Kenai. The state Board of Fisheries discussed proposals affecting the Kenai and Kasilof personal-use fisheries over the weekend. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)

Lack of coho data complicates fish board discussions

Although coho salmon populations have played an important role in many of the decisions made at the Board of Fisheries’ Upper Cook Inlet meeting so… Continue reading

A commercial drift gillnetting boat leaves the mouth of the Kasilof River at about 1 a.m. July 17, 2014 during an overnight fishing period in Kasilof, Alaska. (Clarion file photo)

Board of Fish adds 1 district-wide opener for drifters

Editor's note: This article has been updated to clarify that the Board of Fisheries did not add an additional period, but added the option for… Continue reading

A commercial drift gillnetting boat leaves the mouth of the Kasilof River at about 1 a.m. July 17, 2014 during an overnight fishing period in Kasilof, Alaska. (Clarion file photo)

Most agree time to help early-run Kenai kings

Although fisheries users differ on technicalities, most of them agreed that the Kenai River’s early run of king salmon needs long-term help. The early run,… Continue reading

Board of Fish takes steps to prevent Kasilof terminal harvest area use

Managers, Board of Fisheries members and the public agree on at least one thing about the Kasilof River commercial fisheries management: Stay out of the… Continue reading

Attendees of various user groups crowd near the front of the room during a break at the Board of Fisheries’ Upper Cook Inlet meeting Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017 in Anchorage, Alaska. (DJ Summers/Alaska Journal of Commerce)

Board loosens some season restrictions on setnetters

Upper Cook Inlet’s east side setnetters may get more fishing time next season. The Board of Fisheries passed two proposals Tuesday that relaxed some of… Continue reading

Attendees of various user groups crowd near the front of the room during a break at the Board of Fisheries’ Upper Cook Inlet meeting Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017 in Anchorage, Alaska. (DJ Summers/Alaska Journal of Commerce)

Board rewrites Kenai late-run king plan

After a day of heavy clashes and divided votes, the Board of Fisheries reformed late-run king salmon management on the Kenai River to loosen restrictions… Continue reading

A group of commercial east side setnetters gather to discuss proposals at the Upper Cook Inlet Board of Fisheries meeting on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017 in Anchorage, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Truth in numbers: Board of Fisheries debates sockeye escapement, increases inriver goal

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to reflect that the Board of Fisheries changed the upper tier of the inriver goal from 1.3 million… Continue reading

A group of commercial east side setnetters gather to discuss proposals at the Upper Cook Inlet Board of Fisheries meeting on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017 in Anchorage, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

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