KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska

Jay Barrett/KMXT Seafood bycatch has long been a hot button topic in coastal Alaska, but knowledge of – and outrage over – has spread statewide in recent years with increased awareness of the sheer number of salmon taken on the high seas. The Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium in May will be exclusively dedicated to fisheries bycatch; the theme will be …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT The government shutdown earlier this month threw a wrench into many federal proceedings, including statewide subsistence criteria hearings. Back in September Federal Subsistence Board members held a public hearing in Kodiak to get input on how communities should be classified as rural or non rural. Basically, those living in rural areas are allowed access to federal lands for …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT Kodiak’s all over TV these days. If it isn’t Coast Guard crews or daring fishermen, it’s ladies looking for love. And if you thought the hype over Alaska’s Emerald Isle was dying down, you’re wrong. Discovery Channel recently announced a new four-part documentary series about Kodiak that will debut next year. The show, which is called “Kodiak,” will …

Coming up this week, 2012 seafood landings and value were both down slightly from the record set in 2011, the Denny M recovery has been delayed, and we learn of the rise and fall of the fish trap. We had help from CoastAlaska’s Ed Schoenfeld and KCAW’s Robert Woolsey, both in Sitka, KFSK’s Matt Lichtenstein in Petersburg, and KSKA’s Ellen …

Jay Barrett/KMXT Everyone who lives on Kodiak Island knows what a varied and interesting place it is. Untouched wilderness, majestic animals on the land, in the air or under the sea, and of course the interesting people and the things they do. No wonder so many TV shows want to film here. But now there’s a long-time local behind the …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT Earlier this summer a number of Kodiak health professionals attempted to take the pulse of the community by conducting an online health survey. It asked a number of questions about participants’ current health and experiences with local services. Karen Leatherman, the communications and public relations coordinator for Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center, told KMXT in June that the …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT There have been some staff shuffles in Alaska’s D.C. delegation recently. After three years as Senator Lisa Murkowski’s press secretary, Matthew Shuckerow will join now join Congressman Don Young’s team in the same capacity. Shuckerow was born in Kodiak, raised in Anchorage and graduated from Dimond High School. He replaces Mike Anderson, who will be joining the Dan …

Jay Barrett/KMXT U.S. commercial fishermen landed 9.6 billion pounds of seafood in 2012, valued at $5.1 billion. That averages out across all fisheries to about 53-cents per pound. Those figures were released by NOAA Fisheries today (Wednesday). The figures for 2012 represent a 2.3-percent decrease in poundage and a 3.2-percent decrease in value over 2011, which saw the highest figures …