Fisheries

This week on the Alaska Fisheries Report with Terry Haines: Alaska Public media’s Kavitha George reports on Yukon youth without salmon, and CoastAlaska’s Angela Denning on selecting hatchery chinook salmon to preserve wild stocks. Kenzie Englishoe stands by an idle fish wheel once used by her community in Gwichyaa Zhee on Aug. 31, 2023. (Matt Faubion/Alaska Public Media)

This week on the Alaska Fisheries Report with Terry Haines: The Alaska Department of Fish and Game kicks off its traveling bycatch roadshow, story from Brian Venua of KMXT (plus audio postcard!), and Kavitha George delves into the Yukon salmon collapse for Alaska Public Media. The Kodiak bycatch meeting was standing-room only.  September 19, 2023. (Brian Venua/KMXT)

This week on the Alaska Fisheries Report with Terry Haines: A Bristol Bay two-way with KDLG’s Christina McDermot and economist Gunnar Knapp. Not to be outdone, CoastAlaska’s Angela Denning sits down with biologist Bo Meredith to break down SE salmon. F/V Sounder gillnetting in Lynn Canal, Southeast Alaska. Photo: Joe McCabe

Tension was high as fishers were eager to share their questions, stories, and even demands for controlling bycatch, which is the incidental harvest of a non-targeted species.   Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang said the goal is to hear fishers’ ideas about what regulations could help curb bycatch.  “People are passionate about bycatch, they want tools to address bycatch,” he …

The Okeanos Explorer, an exploratory vessel operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, discovered an unidentifiable, golden orb deep in the Gulf of Alaska late last month. The orb ended up making national headlines for stumping the ship’s scientists.  The attention came as a surprise, said expedition coordinator Sam Candio. “I’m not even sure that that was the most …

This week on the Alaska Fisheries Report with Terry Haines: Anna Canny reports on salmon suffocation for KTOO, Cross-border salmon cooperation as told by Alaska Public Media’s Kavitha George, and the National Marine Fisheries Service has closed its comment period for MSA guidelines. Chum salmon migration. (USFWS/Togiak National Wildlife Refuge)

This week on the Alaska Fisheries Report with Terry Haines: The National Transportation Safety Board issues its report on the sinking of the Challenger, story and setup by Brian Venua, of KMXT, who also contributes a report about a forty year old salmon hatchery in Kodiak.

Some areas in Alaska have entirely wild salmon runs. But there’s also 28 hatcheries around the state. Two of those facilities are based in Kodiak, including one near the mouth of Pillar Creek, just outside of town.  It all starts with egg takes. Hatchery staff and volunteers take four wheelers or fly out to remote lakes to catch fish that …

This week on the Alaska Fisheries Report with Terry Haines: Brian Venua’s report on the salmon market, from KMXT, Desiree Hagen’s spot on the Kotzebue salmon closure, and a stroll around a noisy Kodiak boat harbor.

The National Transportation Safety Board released its findings on August 30 for a Kodiak fishing boat that capsized northeast of the village of Karluk on August 7, last year.  ​​​The Challenger capsizing after striking a submerged rock off the coast of Alaska. (Alward Fisheries, via the NTSB’s website) The Challenger was a total loss and damages  exceeded $600,000, although no …