Tag Archives: North Pacific Fishery Management Council

To Release, or not to Release. That is the Question. Click to Listen. https://www.npfmc.org/upcoming-council-meetings/

Observer fees are going up for Alaska fishermen and processors. In Kodiak, fishermen aren’t too worried about the modest increase, but some would like to see improvements made to the decades-old program. Jake Everich looks up at one of the electronic monitoring cameras installed on the winch of his trawler, the Alaskan. (Photo by Kavitha George/Alaska’s Energy Desk) In Kodiak’s …

Panel at convention center. (Photo by Kayla Desroches / KMXT) Kayla Desroches/KMXT Easing entry into the fishing industry is one strand of conversation that’s been continuing after hours while the North Pacific Fishery Management Council is in town. Members of the council spoke with the public at a community outreach and listening session yesterday to discuss the halibut and sablefish …

King Salmon can cause some commercial fisheries to close early if too many are caught. (Photo by Ingrid Taylar/Flickr) Mitch Borden/KMXT King salmon are causing some trouble for Kodiak’s trawl fleet. The problem, too many are being caught as by-catch. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is currently looking at changing the chinook prohibited species caps for the Gulf of …

One of the cameras on board Frank Miles’ vessel. (Photo by Kayla Desroches / KMXT) Kayla Desroches/KMXT More and more commercial fishing vessels are using cameras for catch accounting. The cameras record activity that human reviewers then look over and analyze later. Starting in January, electronic monitoring, or EM, became an official option for small fixed gear vessels in the …

Vessel in Kodiak. (Photo by Gruscana / Flickr) Kayla Desroches/KMXT The Gulf of Alaska is seeing a Pacific cod decline just a year after a disastrous pink salmon season, and it has Kodiak representatives looking at the next steps for the community. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council recently decided to reduce the Gulf of Alaska cod quota by 80 …

On today’s Talk of the Rock, we feature an excerpt of one of the presentations at this year’s ComFish. The ComFish trade show brought with it a series of forums from Wednesday to Friday last week. On Thursday, members of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council spoke before an audience about the electronic monitoring program they’re developing.

Kayla Desroches/KMXT The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is trying to figure out the best way to use video and camera technology for catch monitoring, and it’s on the brink of transitioning into a regulated program. Members of the council spoke at ComFish last week and elaborated on its efforts. Bill Tweit, council vice chair, explained they’ve been working on …

Kayla Desroches/KMXT At its regular meeting this week, the Kodiak Fisheries Work Group consulted its fisheries analyst, Heather McCarty, about what effect it could have in the North Pacific Fishery Management Council process. Assemblyman Larry LeDoux said he wanted to know how the work group could make a difference instead of playing a reactionary role. Based on McCarty’s feedback, members …

Kayla Desroches/KMXT The Kodiak Fisheries Work Group, which has been active in decisions related to fisheries management affecting the island community, now wants the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to acknowledge the Kodiak community’s rural status. Being considered “rural” under federal law comes with certain benefits regarding priority for subsistence use of fish and wildlife. Though no change in designation …