For over 20 years, Laine Welch has covered the Alaska "fish beat" for print and broadcast. Before coming to Alaska in 1986, Laine was well known in New England for her daily radio broadcasts of fish prices and landings at auctions in Boston and New Bedford, MA. She also has worked in seafood processing, and "behind the counter" in retail and wholesale seafood businesses. This fishing column began in 1991 at the request of the Anchorage Daily News and now appears weekly in 20 newspapers and web sites. A spin off - Fish Radio - airs weekdays on 30 radio stations in Alaska. The goal of both is to make all people aware of the economic and social importance of Alaska's fishing industry to our state, the nation and the world. Thanks for your continued interest in Alaska's most fascinating industry! Laine lives in Kodiak. She can be reached at msfishATalaska.com

Salmon catch blows past pre-season predictions By LAINE WELCH - Alaska's salmon catch has blown past pre-season predictions and there is still a lot of fishing left to go. The 2010 statewide harvest was pegged at 137 million salmon, down by 15% from last year due to anticipated low returns of pinks. - More...
Monday - August 30, 2010

Biggest assists from RTCP program aimed at high fuel costs By LAINE WELCH - Alaska farmers - and that includes shellfish growers - are eligible for reimbursements from the federal government for getting their goods both to and from the farm. - More...
Monday - August 23, 2010

Remembering the Senator By LAINE WELCH - One thing that can be said about Ted Stevens - you always got a straight answer and knew exactly where he stood on fish issues. And he didn't give a damn if his views were unpopular or who he ticked off. - More...
Monday - August 16, 2010

Permit bank encourages fishermen & coastal communities By LAINE WELCH - Catch share programs can cause consolidation, trimming the number of vessels and stakeholders in a fishery. After all, that's a primary goal: to rein in too many boats going after too few fish. Too often, rights to the fish get bought, sold or leased away from small, fishing dependent fishing towns. - More...
Monday - August 09, 2010

Alaska's most dangerous fishery isn't Bering Sea crabbing By LAINE WELCH - Surprise! It turns out that salmon fishing is the most dangerous fishery in Alaska and crabbing in the Bering Sea is the safest. - More...
Friday - July 30, 2010

World's biggest red salmon fishery wraps up By LAINE WELCH - Fishermen are happy as they wrap up the world's biggest red salmon fishery at Bristol Bay. Even though the catch of 28 million sockeye salmon came up a bit short, they will get a better payday than they've had in over two decades. - More...
Saturday - July 24, 2010

Two-year time out allows fishermen & boaters to rest easier By LAINE WELCH - Fishermen and other boaters can rest easier knowing they won't need a federal permit to hose off their decks. A bill that just passed the Senate extends the moratoria on discharge permit requirements for commercial and charter fishing vessels beyond the July 31 deadline. - More...
Monday - July 19, 2010

Early salmon prices at levels not seen in two decades By LAINE WELCH - 'Uncertainty' and 'high prices' are the terms that best sum up Alaska's salmon season so far. There's lots of fishing left to go, but runs to most regions are late and low. That has buyers scrambling to fill orders from eager customers, especially for scanty sockeye salmon. The demand has boosted early prices to levels not seen in two decades. - More...
Monday - July 12, 2010

Bristol Bay catch tops 1 million fish By MAGGIE WALL - As of June 25, Bristol Bay sockeye salmon catch totals exceeded 1 million fish. The actual number almost looked faked given its numerical configuration 1-2-3-4. The total catch as reported on the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Commercial Fisheries page for June 25 was 1,234,405. - More...
Monday - June 28, 2010

Gubernatorial candidates comment on challenges facing Alaska's seafood industry By LAINE WELCH - What are the biggest opportunities and challenges facing Alaska's seafood industry? Jobs, adding value and high energy costs were common themes given by five major candidates for governor during the famed fisheries debate at Kodiak. Here's a sampler of the candidates' responses:

Project underway to count sea otters throughout Southeast Alaska By LAINE WELCH - A project that gets underway next month aims to count sea otters throughout Southeast Alaska, where the animals pose a growing threat to several important fisheries. - More...
Tuesday - June 15, 2010

Ocean chemistry doesn't lie; To better monitor the ocean chemistry "Citizens Science Program" planned By LAINE WELCH - No matter what you believe about climate change, ocean chemistry doesn't lie. Even toy store chemistry tests will show that the seas are becoming more acidic, and the off kilter levels can have a scary impact on sea creatures: it dissolves them. - More...
Monday - June 07, 2010

Gubernatorial candidates talk fish in famed fisheries debate By LAINE WELCH - "I can't get no respect," was a famous go-to line for comedian Don Rickles. Candidates for governor gave their take on how Alaska's seafood industry can get more respect at Kodiak's famed fisheries debate last Friday, an election year tradition for two decades. - More...
Tuesday - June 01, 2010

For seafood, world currencies are topsy turvy By LAINE WELCH - Alaska seafood competes in a tough global market, and currency values in other countries play a big role in customer sales. Whether it is fish or timber, oil or minerals, people around the world are producing competing products, and aggressively selling into the same markets as Alaska. And for seafood, world currencies are topsy turvy from one year ago. - More...
Monday - May 24, 2010

Ticked off; Nasty weather, nice price; Go for Local-vores; & Gut fish By LAINE WELCH - Trollers are ticked off that the arrival of fish to Copper River always makes headlines claiming "it's the start of Alaska's salmon fishery" and "the first fresh fish of the season." - More...
Tuesday - May 18, 2010

Wild Yukon River salmon claim top honors By LAINE WELCH - And the Oscar goes toYukon River salmon! - More...
Tuesday - May 11, 2010

Alaska's 2010 salmon season By LAINE WELCH - It's hard to believe, but Alaska's 2010 salmon season officially begins in less than two weeks with the May 13 opener for kings and reds at Copper River! - More...
Tuesday AM - May 04, 2010

Southeast Alaskans Investing in Future Generations By LAINE WELCH - Sitka is doing something that a lot of fishing communities spend a lot of time talking about - investing directly in future generations of both fishermen and fish. - More...
Tuesday - April 27, 2010

Time to comment on new aquaculture policy By LAINE WELCH - Federal fishery managers began accepting public comments last week on a new aquaculture policy in waters from three to 200 miles offshore. The input will guide NOAA Fisheries as it creates a regulatory framework for open ocean fish farms. - More...
Friday - April 23, 2010

Another "best" for Alaska fish By LAINE WELCH - Alaska fish can now claim another "best" on the health front - it is the easiest protein on your tummy. That is the finding of the first comparative study ever done on digestibility of America's most popular proteins. - More...
Saturday - April 10, 2010

Wild salmon sales boosted; Nation's fish basket is safe for now; Seismic testing and fish; Boom Boom 101; & Salmon spawns skin cream By LAINE WELCH - Continued misfortunes by Chilean salmon farmers should give an added boost to sales of wild salmon again this year. - More...
Monday - April 05, 2010

Tracking deckhand workforce; Processors can take it; & AK's biggest crops drop By LAINE WELCH - It's tough to track a workforce when you don't know where it is. But that will remain the case for more than 20,000 Alaska deckhands, at least for the immediate future. - More...
Monday - Monday 29, 2010

Catch share loan program held up in bottom of the bureaucratic in- box By LAINE WELCH - Alaska's halibut and sablefish fisheries include a built in, low interest federal loan opportunity to help new entrants buy shares of the fish. The loans are funded by a fee of up to 3% of the dockside value of the catch. Seventy-five percent of the total goes to recover management and enforcement costs; 25% supports the loan program. Fishermen are eligible for 80% of the purchase price of quota shares, paid back for up to 25 years at a low interest rate, currently 6.5%. - More...
Tuesday - March 16, 2010

Skimpy landings of season's first fresh halibut By LAINE WELCH - Blustery winds and high seas were set to put a damper on Alaska's March 6 halibut opener, and prices were expected to be artificially high for skimpy landings of the season's first fresh fish. - More...
Saturday - March 06, 2010

Catch Share Programs; Marine Spatial Planning; Steller Sea Lions & Herring haul By LAINE WELCH - Many of the big decisions that affect our fishing industry are made by people who are far away and have never set foot in Alaska. The following are a few that fishing-dependent families and communities should have on their radars. - More...
Saturday AM - February 27, 2010

Predictions say salmon season will produce fewer fish By LAINE WELCH - Alaska's 2010 salmon season will produce 15 percent fewer fish, if predictions by state fishery managers hold true. - More...
Monday - February 22, 2010

Icing on fish pays off By LAINE WELCH - Salmon fishermen at Bristol Bay are putting the icing on their fish and it is starting to pay off. - More...
Tuesday - February 16, 2010

Less Pacific halibut for seafood buyers this year By LAINE WELCH - There will be a bit less Pacific halibut for seafood buyers this year, but the bite isn't as bad as the industry expected. The coast wide catch limit of 50.67 million pounds is nearly two million more than anticipated, although it is still a 6.4% decrease from 2009. The International Pacific Halibut Commission - which oversees fisheries on the west coast, British Columbia and Alaska - set the catch limits at its annual meeting last week in Seattle. - More...
Monday - February 08, 2010

E-Stop puts the brakes on if fisherman entangled in winch By LAINE WELCH - The most common piece of equipment on a fishing boat is also the most dangerous: the winch. - More....
Tuesday AM - February 02, 2010

Fish Bills; IFQ survey; and Seafood indicators By LAINE WELCH - As the Alaska legislature gets underway, two fish bills held over from last year are poised to pass early in the session. - More...
Monday - January 25, 2010

Fishermen participate in life-saving project By LAINE WELCH - Alaska fishermen have embraced a project that will result in many saved lives. - More...
Tuesday - January 19, 2010

Crew labor data; Cod goes green; Credit where it's due By LAINE WELCH - The project that aims to collect labor data on Alaska deckhands is on track to come before the legislature this session. - More...
Tuesday - January 12, 2010

2009 retrospective By LAINE WELCH - As we look back at Alaska's seafood industry over the past year, consider this: 62% of our nation's seafood landings come from Alaska, as does 96% of all U.S. wild salmon. Globally, Alaska ranks ninth in the world in terms of seafood production. The seafood industry is second only to Big Oil in revenues it generates to state coffers, and it provides more Alaska jobs than oil/gas, mining, tourism and timber combined. Alaska's abundant and sustainable fishery resources are the envy of all other seafood producers, and its fishery management is regarded as a model around the world. - More...
Monday - January 04, 2010

Brokers say sales of fishing permits and catch shares good way to gauge confidence in economy By LAINE WELCH - Sales of fishing permits and catch shares is a good way to gauge how confident people feel about the economy, and brokers say the past year has been a mixed bag in their business. - More...
Wednesday - December 23, 2009

Catch share programs; Halibut dip; How's our salmon selling?; & Alaska seafood at the Olympics By LAINE WELCH - Federal managers have officially come out in support of catch share programs as the best tool for managing U.S. fisheries. - More...
Monday - December 14, 2009

More fish for lunch in schools; Get smart! ; & Fish jobs By LAINE WELCH - More of America's school kids will be eating fish for lunch now that top quality pollock has been added to the government's Commodity Processing Program. Under the program, states and recipient agencies can contract with commercial food processors to convert raw bulk USDA commodities into more convenient, ready-to-use products, such as fish sticks, nuggets and portions. - More...
Monday - December 07, 2009

Global recession takes a bite out of wild salmon prices By LAINE WELCH - The global recession took a bite out of wild salmon prices this summer for both fishermen and processors. Although the coast wide supply increased by 16.8% over last year, the average dock price of $.51/lb. was a drop of 20.3% - but still an improvement over the $.44/lb. average in 2007. - More...
Monday PM - November 30, 2009

Halibut Fishery Ends; Salmon Wrap; & Pups up! By LAINE WELCH - Alaska's halibut fishery ended on Nov. 15 amidst little fanfare. Brutal winter weather wreaked havoc on deliveries the final week, and bumped up prices as buyers scrambled for the last fresh fish of the year. - More...
Saturday - November 21, 2009

Employment in Alaska's Seafood Industry By LAINE WELCH - What is the average age of Alaska deck hands and where do they all live? - More...
Monday PM - November 16, 2009

Good news for crabbers By LAINE WELCH - Kodiak and Alaska Peninsula crabbers got some good news last week - bigger catch quotas for bairdi Tanner crab, a mid-January fishery that is important to local economies. Bairdi are the larger cousins of the better known opilio Tanners, or snow crab. - More...
Monday PM - November 09, 2009

Pollutants could potentially disrupt all major fisheries in Alaska By LAINE WELCH - Fish and shellfish will soon get more protection from mercury and other toxins in the atmosphere that end up in US waters. The Environmental Protection Agency announced last week that for the first time, it is putting the brakes on fossil fuel emissions from U.S. power plants. About half of the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels is absorbed by the oceans; the resulting off kilter chemistry is beginning to wreak havoc on sea creatures. - More...
Monday PM - November 02, 2009

More restrictions for the fishing industry? By LAINE WELCH - Alaska's fishing industry will soon know if more restrictions might be imposed to protect sea lions in prime fishing grounds. In mid-November federal fishery scientists will unveil a draft biological opinion (BiOp) on proposed changes to existing rules for fishing fleets in portions of the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea. - More...
Monday - October 26, 2009

Bering Sea crab fisheries underway; Salmon ups and downs; & Share the bounty By LAINE WELCH - Bering Sea crab fisheries got underway on Oct. 15 with the eastern waters at Bristol Bay seeing the most action right off the bat. - More...
Monday - October 19, 2009

Alaska fishing industry begins a big fall fisheries line up By LAINE WELCH - After the summer salmon season wraps up, Alaska's fishing industry begins a big line up of fall fisheries that can last through the winter. - More...
Wednesday - October 07, 2009

Factors driving fish prices By LAINE WELCH - Alaska's abundant fisheries can prompt people to forget that our seafood industry is just one relatively small player in a very competitive world market. And factors driving fish prices occur far beyond the docks. - More....
Saturday AM - September 26, 2009

Salmon harvest will approach respectable number; Pinks trounced and Get steamed! By LAINE WELCH - Well, it won't be one for the record books, but Alaska's 2009 salmon harvest will approach a respectable 160 million fish. - More...
Monday - September 21, 2009

Alaska Hosts First International Salmon Soccer Tournament By LAINE WELCH - Alaska can now lay claim to hosting the farthest north global soccer competition. - More...
Thursday - September 10, 2009

Danger posed to fisheries in Southeast by sea otters By LAINE WELCH - Several things pose dangers to various fisheries in Alaska, but there is one big threat in the Panhandle that is seldom mentioned: sea otters. - More...
Monday - August 31, 2009

Alaska's deckhands work force largely unaccounted for By LAINE WELCH - A project that aims to collect labor data on Alaska's deckhands will be on the agenda when state lawmakers convene in January. - More...
Monday - August 17, 2009

Alaska's 2009 salmon season short of forecast By LAINE WELCH - There's still quite a bit of fishing to go, but it appears likely that Alaska's 2009 salmon season will come up way short of the forecast. - More...
Thursday - August 13, 2009

Kodiak now home to Alaska's biggest boat lift By LAINE WELCH - Kodiak is now home to one of the biggest boat lifts in the world - and with it comes the promise of plenty of new jobs. - More...
Monday - August 03, 2009

Dutch Harbor retains title as the nation's top fishing port By LAINE WELCH - For 20 years running, Dutch Harbor has retained the title as the nation's top fishing port. According to NOAA Fisheries' popular annual report, Alaska fishermen delivered 612.7 million pounds of fish and shellfish at Dutch Harbor last year, mostly Alaska pollock. The landings were down from 777 million pounds in 2007. - More....
Sunday - July 26, 2009

No" to self-tax to fund Rainforest Wild By LAINE WELCH - Salmon fishermen in Southeast Alaska again voted "no" to bankrolling their own Regional Seafood Development Association, already widely known as Rainforest Wild. - More...
Monday - July 20, 2009

Trip Limits? Safety laws looming? & Real glimpse of the fishing life By LAINE WELCH - Salmon fishermen at Bristol Bay were bracing for another surge of reds over the July 4 weekend - and likely more trip limits. More...
Monday - July 06, 2009

$50 million in stimulus funds for fish feed By LAINE WELCH - The U.S. is about to spend $50 million in stimulus money on fish food to help fish farmers hit by a 50% increase in feed prices last year. According to the Associated Press, the money could "provide algae to nourish clam and oyster larvae along the Pacific coast, fill the bellies of tilapia in Arizona and feed catfish, trout and game fish in the Midwest and South." - More...
Friday - June 26, 2009

Summer snow crab survey will dictate catch this winter By LAINE WELCH - The summer survey of Bering Sea crab stocks just got underway ­ and a lot is riding on the results. Notably, the data collected over the next two months will dictate if Alaska's snow crab catch will be slashed this winter. - More...
Monday - June 08, 2009

Plan aims to put the brakes on commercial fishing in the Arctic By LAINE WELCH - A plan by Alaska fishery 'overseers' aims to put the brakes on commercial fishing in the Arctic until more is known about the region's fish stocks and marine environment. Now it's time for the public to weigh in.- More...
Sunday - May 31, 2009

Recycling old fishing nets for energy By LAINE WELCH - Recycling old fishing nets gets underway this summer at several Alaska fishing ports. The communities of Naknek, Dillingham, Petersburg and Cordova received funding via the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission for two years to jump start net recycling projects. The pool of money comes from the US Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which has committed $2 million to the 'Fishing for Energy' program over the next five years. - More...
Saturday - May 23, 2009

Salmon season officially underway; Fish counts; & Halibut hits By LAINE WELCH - Alaska's salmon season officially got underway on May 14 with the first 12 hour opener at Copper River. A fleet of more than 500 gillnetters were competing for the first catches of the reds and kings, along with the usual media swirl surrounding the famous fish.- More...
Sunday - May 17, 2009

Wounded Warriors be treated to Alaskan seafood buffet and high honors - Several hundred Wounded Warriors and their families will be treated to an Alaskan seafood buffet and high flying honors next month in Olympia, Washington. - More...
Monday - May 11, 2009

Last chance to get Rainforest Wild off the ground By LAINE WELCH - Seafood Development Association. RSDA's were approved by the state in 2004 as a way to help harvesters promote the distinctive attributes of their region's seafoods, much like fine wine makers do with their varietal grapes. The unique RSDA concept allows fishing permit holders to vote to tax themselves, based on the value of their catch, and use the money for whatever projects they choose. - More...
Monday - May 04, 2009

50 Years of Alaska's Seafood Industry Celebrated By LAINE WELCH - When it comes to taking pride in Alaska's fisheries, differences are set aside. - More...
Saturday - April 25, 2009

50 Years of Alaska's Seafood Industry Celebrated By LAINE WELCH - When it comes to taking pride in Alaska's fisheries, differences are set aside. - More...
Saturday - April 25, 2009

Grow West! By LAINE WELCH - Aquatic farming could give a boost to Western Alaska economies, but no one has ever applied. Every two years the state accepts applications for aquatic farm sites from January through April. Currently 66 farms have permits (not all are active), dotting Southeast and South central waters. Oysters are the main crop, valued at about a half million dollars each year.

Hearing on offshore energy development scheduled By LAINE WELCH - Alaskans have a rare chance next week to tell top decision makers that when it comes to the nation's "fish basket", oil and water don't mix. - More...
Monday - April 06, 2009

Alaska's 2009 salmon harvest is projected to increase By LAINE WELCH - Reduced supplies of salmon from other regions could benefit Alaskan producers this year. - More...
Monday - March 30, 2009

Salmon harvest could be the 11th largest since statehood By LAINE WELCH - A bumper run of pinks could provide a 20 percent boost to Alaska's total salmon catch this year to 175 million fish. If the forecast holds true, Alaska's salmon harvest this year will be the 11th largest since statehood. - More...
Wednesday - March 25, 2009

New program seeks help from Alaskans By LAINE WELCH - Alaskans are being asked to help shape a new program aimed at tracking the economic importance of deckhands to the fishing industry. - More...
Monday - March 16, 2009

Sliding economy can be worrisome for the state's seafood industry By LAINE WELCH - Japan is Alaska's most important seafood customer, and a sliding economy there can be worrisome for the state's seafood industry. But it is important not to jump to conclusions when it comes to predicting how it will affect fish prices. - More...
Saturday - February 28, 2009

The Seafood Industry in Alaska's Economy By LAINE WELCH - Alaska's seafood industry puts more people to work than the tourism, forestry, mining and oil/gas industries combined. Unfortunately, most of the money made in the seafood industry continues to flow Outside. - More...
Monday - February 23, 2009

Cost cutting idea, buy local By LAINE WELCH - Here's a cost cutting idea for the State to consider as it starts to trim the budget: Buy local. - More...
Monday - February 23, 2009

Labor data project; Less halibut, later start; & Oil spill commemorative By LAINE WELCH - A project aimed at compiling labor data on Alaska's fishing crews is gaining traction as a mix of state and federal agencies get down to business this week. - More...
Wednesday - January 21, 2009

Catch limits for this year's upcoming fishery to be decided By LAINE WELCH - Halibut managers and industry stakeholders meet this week in Vancouver, B.C. to decide on catch limits for this year's upcoming fishery, which usually begins in early March. Harvesters are bracing for a 10 percent coast-wide reduction to 54 million pounds, covering fishing grounds from the West Coast and British Columbia to the farthest reaches Bering Sea. - More...
Monday - January 12, 2009

Alaska seafood industry highlights from 2008 By LAINE WELCH - Commercial fishing in Alaska remains a vibrant industry that each year provides more than half our nation's wild caught seafood. Alaska's fishery resources are the envy of other countries around the world, and its management programs are regarded as a model for sustainability. The seafood industry also provides more jobs than the oil/gas, mining, agriculture, forestry and tourism industries combined. - More...
Tuesday - January 06, 2009

Seafood forecasters predict rough ride By LAINE WELCH - It's tough to make business plans when the economy is being buffeted by forces beyond your control. And most forecasters predict the rough ride will last at least through the rest of the coming year. - More...
Monday - December 29, 2008

Economic chaos on Wall Street trickles down to docks By LAINE WELCH - Cod prices dropped 20-cents in Kodiak last week, from 65- to 45-cents a pound. It's a sure sign that the economic chaos on Wall Street has trickled down to the docks. The global credit crunch is stalling or stopping seafood commerce, and cod is piling up in local freezers. - More...
Monday - December 22, 2008

Crab fishery "uneventful" By LAINE WELCH - By the time you read this, Alaska's premier king crab fishery at Bristol Bay will be nearly done for the year, with just a handful of holdouts still pulling pots. Last Friday 11 crab boats were still out on the grounds, out of a total fleet of 77, three more than last year said Forrest Bowers, area manager at Dutch Harbor. - More...
Tuesday - December 16, 2008

Findings Revealed for Alaska fishing industry By LAINE WELCH - On any given month in Alaska 7,260 fishermen are out on the water plying their trade. That number jumps to 20,137 per month at the peak of salmon season each summer. Add in jobs in seafood processing, transportation, management and other support services and it brings the number of fishing industry related jobs to at least 54,000 a month. - More...
Monday - December 08, 2008

Pacific coast salmon harvest decreased in 2008 By LAINE WELCH - 'Reduced supply' summed up all of the Pacific coast salmon fisheries this year, and Alaska was no exception. Despite the lower catch, wild salmon is still holding its own in world markets. - More...
Sunday - November 30, 2008

TV Search Underway For Sea Star By LAINE WELCH - Do you have what it takes to be the next seagoing reality TV star? - - More...
Monday AM - November 10, 2008

Legal wrangling could set back Exxon payments for years - After waiting nearly 20 years, thousands of 'oiled' Alaskans are now set to get checks from Exxon before Christmas. The money - $507 million - comes from damage awards stemming from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. More than 32,000 Alaskans are eligible for settlement checks; 80% are fishermen. - More...
Monday - November 03, 2008

Alaska's coastline one million pounds cleaner By LAINE WELCH - Marine debris clean up efforts in Alaska reached a milestone this year. - More...
Wednesday AM - October 29, 2008

Candidates hook endorsements - Alaska fishing groups came out strongly in an endorsement of Sen. Ted Stevens. United Fishermen of Alaska is the nation's largest fishing group, and its 37 membership groups represent nearly every fishery, from small salmon setnetters to huge Bering Sea catcher/processors and crabbers. UFA gave its endorsement last week to candidates vying for seats in nearly all of Alaska's house and senate districts, as well as national offices. The votes are made via roll call and a two-thirds majority must prevail, said UFA executive director Mark Vinsel. - More...
Tuesday - October 21, 2008

Fleet of Alaska crabbers on way for startup of crab fisheries - An eager market will be competing for reduced supplies of king crab this winter and that is likely to boost prices for fishermen. - More...
Monday - October 06, 2008

Fishermen work together to promote seafood harvests - More Alaska fishermen are proving that it pays to work together to enhance and promote their own seafood harvests.- More...
Monday - September 29, 2008

Alaska's premier king crab fishery underway October 15th - Fall signals the start of Alaska's premier king crab fishery at Bristol Bay, and reduced supplies mean crabbers are betting on higher prices. - More...
Monday - September 22, 2008

Lawsuit filed to stop discharges of pollutants into Cook Inlet - Fishing groups, Alaska natives and concerned citizens have joined in a lawsuit to stop discharges of pollutants into Cook Inlet. The case challenges the Environmental Protection Agency for issuing a permit that will almost triple the amount of oil and gas discharges each year into Inlet waters. - More...
Tuesday - September 16, 2008

New program helps fishermen replace or retool engines to boost energy efficiency - A new low interest loan program will help fishermen replace or retool their engines to boost energy efficiency. It is packaged in the state's new energy plan and is available through the existing commercial fisheries loan program. - More...
Monday PM - September 08, 2008

Alaska's salmon catch will come in on target - It's been a nail biter all summer, but latest counts indicate that Alaska's salmon catch will indeed come in on target. By August 29 the statewide harvest topped 134 million fish, just shy of the preseason projection of 137 million salmon. And there is a still lot of fishing left to go.- More...
Tuesday PM - September 02, 2008

Offshore oil and gas leases in fishing grounds warily eyed - As Alaska gets primed for more oil and gas development on land and at sea, seafood industry stakeholders are warily eyeing exploration plans amidst the world's most abundant fishing grounds. - More...
August 24, 2008

Salmon spawned push to statehood; "High-libut" prices; & Chemicals and fish don't mix - Next year marks Alaska's 50th anniversary of becoming a state, and amidst all the hoopla, people are surprised to learn that it was salmon that spawned the push to statehood. - More...
Sunday - August 17, 2008

Disinterest in dock side fish sales; Ketchikan fish school scores funds; and Fish watch - Buying locally produced foods is becoming a national trend ­ but it hasn't made a dent at the local docks. At Kodiak, for example, fishermen seldom sell their catch directly to customers. - More...
Wednesday - August 13, 2008

Americans ate slightly less seafood; Discharge and Exxon Tax updates; and Coastie kudos by LAINE WELCH - Americans ate slightly less seafood last year, and their favorites have remained largely the same for nearly a decade. - More...
Monday - August 04, 2008

"Lackluster" salmon season & Law of the Sea Treaty & Arctic Claims By LAINE WELCH - 'Lackluster' best describes Alaska's salmon season so far, and catches are likely to come up short when it is all over. - More...
Sunday - July 27, 2008

For 19 Years, Dutch Harbor Nation's Top Fishing Port By LAINE WELCH - Dutch Harbor/Unalaska easily remained the nation's top fishing port, for the 19th year in a row. Nearly 780 million pounds of seafood, powered by Alaska pollock, were offloaded at the Dutch Harbor docks in 2007. - More...
Sunday - July 20, 2008

Fishermen Seeing Red Flags as Congress Retools Rules; & Hosing off recreational or fishing boats could be subject to EPA regulation and permitting By LAINE WELCH - Fishermen are seeing red flags as Congress retools the rules that will govern the U.S. Coast Guard through 2012. - More...
Monday - July 14, 2008

Fishermen say high fuel costs forcing them out of business By Laine Welch - Alaska fishermen are hoping to catch tax breaks on two fronts: high fuel costs, and oil spill payouts (if any) from Exxon. - More...
Monday - July 07, 2008

Anger and frustration expressed over Supreme Court's Exxon decision By MAGGIE WALL - Kodiak fishermen woke Wednesday to a raining, howling storm outside. Ends up it was the perfect background for the howling storm of anger and frustration that would be expressed over the U.S. Supreme Court's Exxon decision. - More...
Saturday - June 28, 2008

Alaska's unwanted visitors By LAINE WELCH - Atlantic salmon no longer top Alaska's list of unwanted visitors. - More...
Sunday - June 08, 2008

Health care coverage for fishing families could stall - An innovative new plan to provide health care coverage for fishing families could stall due to the sudden illness of Senator Ted Kennedy. - More...
Sunday - May 25, 2008

Fishing communities hurting from high fuel costs - A petition is circulating through Alaska's fishing communities in hopes of catching some breaks at the fuel pump. The price of diesel fuel has topped $5 a gallon in several Alaska ports and in many cases, the price of fish is simply not enough to cover the costs of tying loose. - More...
Friday - May 16, 2008

First spring kings pulled from Stikine River - Salmon fishermen are already pulling the first spring kings from the Stikine River near Wrangell amidst little fan fare. All the headlines and hubbub await the 'official' start of Alaska's 2008 salmon season this week when reds and kings return to Copper River. - More...
Monday - May 12, 2008

Ambitious new project to collect labor data - It's hard to account for a work force if you don't know who or where it is. - More...
Monday - May 5, 2008

Laws 'R' Us! - The 2008 Alaska legislative session might be a (near) wrap, but several new "fish laws" are still moving at a good clip through Congress. - More...
Sunday - April 27, 2008

High fuel prices idles fleet - High fuel prices have idled 20 percent of Kodiak's trawl fleet - and hundreds of local seafood workers. - More...
Friday - April 18, 2008

King salmon crunch By LAINE WELCH - Chinook salmon lovers will face huge shortages due to big cut backs in catches. West Coast fisheries have been called off; and, driven by abundance based dictates of the U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty, chinook catches in Southeast Alaska will be cut in half to just 170,000 fish. Southeast hatcheries will add an additional 20,000-40,000 kings to the harvest.- More...
Monday - April 14, 2008

'Graying of the Fleet' - The 'graying of the fleet' has been at the forefront in meetings around Alaska, where stakeholders strategize ways to secure future generations of Alaskan fishermen. - More...
Monday - April 07, 2008

Greenpeace launches assault against U.S. seafood retailers - Greenpeace is launching an assault against U.S. seafood retailers - and Alaska pollock tops the list of fish the environmental group wants removed from the marketplace. Alaska pollock is the largest food fishery in the world, and is regarded as a model for sustainable management. Pollock is most popular in fish sandwiches, fish sticks and seafood flavored surimi products such as 'seafood salad." - More...
Tuesday PM - April 01, 2008

Possible closure of West Coast fisheries could boost Alaska salmon - Alaska salmon could get a boost if West Coast fisheries are called off this summer. Federal managers will decide next month if salmon fisheries in Oregon and California should be shut down completely. Washington might dodge the bullet, but that remains to be seen. It would mark the first time ever that the traditional salmon season - which runs from April through mid-November - was canceled. - More...
Monday - March 17, 2008

Halibut season gets underway; Dock prices devalue salmon fishery, Pink salmon medevacs & more... - Alaska halibut fishermen are likely to fetch high prices again as the season gets underway on March 8. - More...
Sunday - March 09, 2008

Candidates To Debate Fisheries By LAINE WELCH - It takes guts to talk fish - but five candidates hoping to snag Alaska's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives will take on the challenge next month in Kodiak. - More...
Wednesday - February 27, 2008

Barents Sea snow crab could foil market, Deadliest Catch?, & Labels are misleading By LAINE WELCH - It's an invasive species problem that Alaska would love to have. Millions of snow crab are on the march in the Barents Sea and no one knows how they got there or what to do with them - yet. - More...
Sunday PM - February 10, 2008

Busiest day for seafood sales, Laws' tells all , Clones coming, & Grant give aways By LAINE WELCH - This week will mark the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, a time of fasting and soul searching for hundreds of millions of Christians around the world. - More...
Sunday - February 03, 2008

Alaska fisheries and related jobs big losers if $7M in federal funding cut By Laine Welch - Alaska fisheries and related jobs from Ketchikan to the Yukon will be big losers if more than $7 million in federal funding is cut by Congress. - More...
Friday - January 25, 2008

Lower Alaska halibut catch limit set; Fish futures; & Seafood fete By LAINE WELCH - As expected, less halibut will be crossing the Alaska docks this year. The International Pacific Halibut Commission last week followed the recommendations of its scientists and set a lower Alaska catch limit at just over 50 million pounds, a drop of two million pounds from 2007. - More...
Tuesday - January 22, 2008

Quota share program, Fish and the Farm Bill, and Halibut catches comin' up By LAINE WELCH - Bering Sea crabbers who came up empty in the new quota share program will soon have a chance to own some of the catch.- More...
Monday - January 14, 2008

Alaska's largest fisheries get underway in winter - Because salmon is at the heart of Alaska's fisheries, many people regard summer as "the fishing season." - More...
Tuesday PM - January 08, 2008

Seafood industry highlights from 2007 By LAINE WELCH - Looking back at past 'fish retrospectives' I found it striking that the same introduction written five years ago still applies today: - More...
Monday - December 31, 2007

Gifts from the sea By LAINE WELCH - At this time of gift giving, let's not overlook the gifts from the sea. - More...
Monday AM - December 24, 2007

Breathing a sigh of relief, Crabbers want more and Fish skin fashions By LAINE WELCH - Fishermen are breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that the latest sea lion counts won't force more fishing closures - at least for the near future. - More...
Monday AM - December 17, 2007

Higher prices for halibut, Favorite fish folks, Fish Watch By LAINE WELCH - Buyers will likely be paying higher prices for halibut next year if proposed cuts get the nod from fish managers. - More....
Monday AM - December 10, 2007

Magic bullet, Money time! and Pay up time ... By LAINE WELCH - Fishermen believe they have a magic bullet to help turn Bristol Bay sockeye salmon into a more profitable fishery. It's called ice. - More...
Monday AM - December 03, 2007

1,000th seafood item earns eco-distinction, Go Argo!, and Maggot mix makes fish meal By LAINE WELCH - Green Hot Alaska Pollock Roe by Trident Seafoods is the latest product to merit an eco-label by the international Marine Stewardship Council. The roe item, set to hit supermarket shelves throughout Japan, also marks an amazing milestone - it is the 1,000th seafood item to earn that eco-distinction. - More...
Tuesday AM - November 27, 2007

Extra cash, Bye to 'but, Famous salmon becomes compost, & Smart Gear winners - Alaska fishermen could be getting some nice retro payments for their 2007 salmon catches. The prices advanced this summer at the docks were for the most part disappointing, but fishermen who receive bonuses based on salmon sales should soon see some extra cash. - More...
Monday AM - November 19, 2007

Nation's biggest food bill leaves America's fishermen off list By LAINE WELCH - America's fishermen are getting the brush off from federal lawmakers as they retool the nation's biggest food bill. - More...
Monday AM - November 12, 2007

Alaska salmon price and permit values ticking upwards by LAINE WELCH - Alaska salmon permit values are ticking upwards, along with the price of fish. - More...
Monday AM - November 05, 2007

Omega 3's, Selenium nixes mercury scares & Slurp and learn By LAINE WELCH - Two terms have become tops in the English vocabulary and both benefit Alaska seafood. - More...
Tuesday AM - October 30, 2007

U.S. Supreme court decides today if it will hear Exxon's final appeal - Today, thousands of Alaska fishermen will know if they are going to be getting checks in the mail from Exxon. - More...
Monday AM - October 29, 2007

Alaska seafood a better deal when dollar is down By LAINE WELCH - A nosedive in the value of the U.S. dollar has Canadians streaming across the border to shop at American malls and supermarkets. The same shopping interest holds true for customers of Alaska seafood, who are finding good bargains at current exchange rates. - More...
Wednesday - October 24, 2007

Ultra modern, multi-use marine facility; Man overboard!; and Seafood Month By LAINE WELCH - An ultra modern, multi-use marine facility will soon bring a new way of doing business to Dutch Harbor. - More...
Sunday - October 07, 2007

Mussels are first line of defense for detecting water toxins - anaries are credited with alerting coal miners when their air is becoming unsafe. Can you guess what sea creatures provide the same service with our nation's waters? - More...
Wednesday AM - October 03, 2007

Get some class, Final link and Foods less traveled - Congress is retooling the U.S. Coast Guard Authorization Act, and proposed changes could drastically affect commercial fishing operations. - More...
Monday PM - September 24, 2007

Halibut continues to defy market expectations By LAINE WELCH - "They're in the nose bleed range," is how one industry expert described the high prices for Alaska halibut. - More...
Monday - September 17, 2007

2007 salmon harvest already one for the record books - Catches are still trickling in but Alaska's 2007 salmon harvest is already one for the record books. - More...
Monday AM - September 10, 2007

'Deadliest Catch' show boosts crab industry - It comes as a surprise to learn that some of Alaska's most popular seafoods are 'small fish in a big pond' when it comes to supermarket shelves. - More...
Tuesday AM - September 04, 2007

Wild caught fish are not likely to get the organic nod By LAINE WELCH - What comes to mind when you hear the word 'organic'? Most Americans say it's foods that contain no additives or chemicals, grown only with the help of nature. - More...
Saturday - August 25, 2007

Getting fish in nation's school lunch programs By LAINE WELCH - Getting fish into the nation's school lunch program is tough enough - making sure it is top quality and tasty is an even bigger challenge. A few Alaska schools and seafood companies are showing the rest of America how it's done. - More...
Tuesday - August 21, 2007

If it comes from Alaska... By LAINE WELCH - Sarah Palin could soon be the "poster-gov" of Alaska seafood on national TV. - More....
Saturday - August 11, 2007

'Alaska Wild', Dredge drag & Crab boat to show boat By LAINE WELCH - 'Alaska Wild' is the now the official name of salmon sandwiches being served by an expanded number of Subway restaurants throughout the state. - More...
Saturday - August 04, 2007

Recruiting young Alaskans for Careers in Fisheries and Marine Science - A movement is afoot among Alaska educators and agencies to connect more young people from rural regions with careers in fisheries science and management. - More...
Monday - July 30, 2007

Seafood industry workforce stats, Grant give aways, and Permit surprise! By LAINE WELCH - What is the average age of Alaska commercial fishermen? 47.1 years, compared to 38.3 for other state industries. - More...
Saturday - July 21, 2007

Dutch Harbor/Unalaska nation's #1 port for seafood deliveries for 18th year; Ketchikan's deliveries drop by more than half - Dutch Harbor/Unalaska broke its own record for seafood landings last year, and held onto its ranking as the nation's #1 port for the 18th year in a row. - More...
Friday - July 13, 2007

Seafood processing workers needed in coastal communities - Hundreds of seafood processing workers are still needed in coastal communities all across Alaska. Most of the jobs are entry level but many demand skills that go far beyond the slime line. - More....
Friday - July 06, 2007

Seafood industry insiders predict a bright future - Increasing worldwide demand combined with higher seafood prices has boosted the bottom line of major suppliers. Industry insiders predict a bright future, saying seafood companies are more efficient, better capitalized and more liquid than five to 10 years ago. - More....
Monday - June 25, 2007

Alaska salmon fishermen now officially classified as agricultural producers - Alaska salmon fishermen are now officially classified by the federal government as agricultural producers. As 'farmers of the sea,' they can be included in various programs under the US Dept. of Agriculture's Farm Bill, The bill is revised every five years and policies established in this latest version will last through 2012. With a budget of nearly $95 billion the USDA is the nations' premier food agency, and as the many measures in the Farm Bill are tweaked this year by Congress, fishermen need to make sure their ideas and needs are included. - More...
Friday PM - June 15, 2007

Halibut prices start out higher than ever before - It used to be that Alaska halibut prices would plummet when summer salmon fisheries got underway - but that's not the case anymore. - More...
Saturday - June 09, 2007

"Food miles" track how far food travels to reach consumer - As people around the world ponder ways to protect our planet from the impacts of global warming, "food miles" are being used as a measure of how far food travels before it reaches the consumer. The logic is the fewer miles foods are transported the less fuel is used, thereby reducing the "carbon footprint" on the environment. - More...
Sunday - June 03, 2007

Program tracks fish from deck to dinner plate By LAINE WELCH - Contaminants and chemicals... antibiotics and additives... growth hormones and genetic modifications - if "you are what you eat, " headlines connecting these phrases with foods have people more concerned than ever about what they are putting into their mouths. - More...
Monday - May 28, 2007

Alaska fishermen hope to end more appeals by Exxon - Alaska fishermen are taking their message to the streets of San Francisco in hopes of putting an end to more appeals cases by Exxon. It is up to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to decide if Exxon merits another day in court to contest a $2.5 billion punitive damages award ruled in December. The money is compensation for fishermen's losses stemming from the 1989 oil spill, when a drunken skipper ran the Exxon Valdez tanker aground on a well marked reef, spilling 11 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound. - More....
Tuesday - May 22, 2007

Alaska's salmon season is officially underway - Alaska's 2007 salmon season is officially underway and it promises to be another good one. The statewide catch is projected to come in at 171 million fish, up more than 21 percent from the 2006 season. The fish will go to an expanding mix of global markets that have a growing appreciation for the superior taste and health benefits of wild salmon. - More...
Tuesday AM - May 15, 2007

New law would protect deckhands from unscrupulous skippers - Deckhands will no longer be able to get stiffed by unscrupulous skippers if a new law gets the nod from Alaska lawmakers. - More...
Saturday - May 05, 2007

Official Salmon Season, Poll Peek and Mermaid Day- Alaska's 2007 salmon season officially gets underway in May and major processors say they can handle the projected salmon runs, with a few possible exceptions. - More...
Monday - April 30, 2007

Big push to expand aquaculture By LAINE WELCH - Offshore fish farms could be down in the deep within two years if legislation authorizing the new industry gets the go ahead from Congress - and according to industry insiders, it is expected to pass easily. - More...
Saturday - April 21, 2007

Maritime superstitions, Fast Catamaran, and Workers wanted By LAINE WELCH - Since 1991 this weekly column has been written on Friday­ and this week it happened to occur on April 13th. Friday the 13th --what better time to search out sea going superstitions! - More...
Saturday - April 14, 2007

Home grown fishes, Salmon sales slip, Funds for injured fishermen By LAINE WELCH - Don't ever refer to it as farming - but home grown fishes are the Alaska's largest agricultural crop. Instead, call it 'ocean ranching.' - More...
Tuesday - April 10, 2007

Elections, blogs, fish watch & more... - Twenty two Bristol Bay salmon fishermen are vying for seven seats on the region's new Regional Seafood Development Association, which many claim will "give fishermen control over their destiny." The region's approximately 1,000 set netters voted against participating in the new association, at least for now. - More...
Monday - April 02, 2007

Ketchikan counts on shellfish By LAINE WELCH - Construction is set to begin this summer on the Oceans Alaska Marine Science Center near Ketchikan. The new non profit was created last year when the state and the Ketchikan Gateway Borough donated 28 acres to build the facility, which aims to be the hub for building a global shellfish industry for Alaska shellfish. - More...
Sunday AM - March 25, 2007

Distribution, abundance and behavior of fish stock changing - Global warming is changing the distribution, abundance and behavior of important fish stocks, and it is occurring faster at northern latitudes. In recent years, fishermen and researchers have reported that Bering Sea boats must search farther north for pollock, and snow crab stocks are also on a steady march to colder waters. - More...
Monday AM - March 19, 2007

First solar powered samon fishery soon to go into operation By LAINE WELCH - The first ever solar powered salmon fishery will be operating this summer at Lummi Island, home to the world's only remaining reefnet fishery. It's located at the northeast tip of the San Juan archipelago in Washington, near Bellingham. - More...
Monday AM - March 12, 2007

Pre-season Halibut Prices Raise Eyebrows - Prices paid for halibut prior to the March 10 start of the fishing season have raised eyebrows among both buyers and fishermen. - More...
Sunday - March 04, 2007

Reporting of Alaska's Seafood Harvesting Labor Data Could Be Improved - Alaska's seafood industry provides more jobs than oil and gas, mining, agriculture and forestry combined. However, a lack of harvesting labor data means there is no way to realistically estimate the number of crew members who work in any given community or census area.- More...
Sunday AM - February 25, 2007

Alaska Lawmakers Say 'No Way' to Hefty WA Shipping Tax - Alaska lawmakers and the seafood industry are saying 'no way' to Washington senators who aim to put a hefty new tax on shipping containers. - More...
Monday - February 19, 2007

Annual "score card" for the 2006 salmon fishery ready for release By LAINE WELCH - Industry watchers will soon have a more complete picture of how Alaska salmon is playing out in world markets. The state Dept. of Revenue is expected to release its annual "score card" for the 2006 salmon fishery any day. - More...
Tuesday Pm - February 12, 2007

For 17th Year, Alaska fishing port #1 for seafood landings By LAINE WELCH - For the 17th year in a row, Dutch Harbor remained the nation's #1 fishing port for seafood landings. The (belated) annual report just released by NOAA Fisheries showed that commercial fishermen offloaded 887.6 million pounds of fish and shellfish at Dutch Harbor in 2005, the latest figures available. The catch represents a 1.2 million pound increase from the previous year. - More...
Saturday AM - February 03, 2007

UFA Addresses Slate of Fish Issues At Annual Meeting By LAINE WELCH - Citing concerns that "fish and minerals don't mix," the United Fishermen of Alaska this week voted unanimously to oppose the Pebble Mine project being proposed near Bristol Bay. Pebble would be the largest open pit copper and gold mine in North America. - More...
Friday PM - January 26, 2007

Alaska will see a reduced take of Pacific halibut - Pacific halibut will make it to market a bit later this year, there will be less of it, and bag limits will cut charter boat catches by half. - More...
Monday - January 22, 2007

Policy makers charge forward with plans to expand U.S. aquaculture - Like it or not, policy makers are charging forward with plans to expand U.S. aquaculture output five fold by 2020. Last week the Marine Aquaculture Task Force unveiled recommendations to help guide development of the new industry, which will let offshore fish farmers lay claim to vast parcels of the sea. - More...
Saturday - January 13, 2007

Summer isn't Alaska's only "fishing season"- Salmon will always be the heart of Alaska's fisheries, and that is why many people think of summer as "the fishing season." - More..
Saturday PM - January 06, 2007

2006 Alaska Fish Picks & Highlights - Commercial fishing in Alaska remains a vibrant industry that is the envy of other countries around the world. Managers and industry stakeholders are protective stewards of Alaska's robust marine resources - especially while the fisheries are being retooled to conform to the tough realities of changing times. - More...
Sunday - December 31, 2006

2007 crab fishery will be in full swing by mid-January - With almost no snow crab carry-overs in the nation's freezers and crimped catch quotas in competing countries, Bering Sea crabbers are hoping for a bigger paycheck for Alaska's largest crab fishery. The 2007 season will be in full swing by mid-January, and while most crab markets are feeling the pinch of over supply, that's not the case for snow crab. - More...
Monday - December 18, 2006

Halibut Catches In SE Could Drop in 2007 - Halibut catches in Southeast could drop by 29 percent next year, while harvesters in other regions might enjoy a bit of a boost. Biologists with the International Pacific Halibut Commission are recommending a 2007 coast-wide catch of 66.56 half million pounds, which includes California, Oregon, Washington, B.C. and Alaska. That's down from a catch limit of 69.86 million pounds this year. - More...
Saturday - December 09, 2006

Crabbers Pull up last pots, ASMI takes aim at organic, & Jellyfish cookies... By LAINE WELCH - Crabbers are pulling up their last pots as the red king crab fishery at Bristol Bay draws to a close. By all accounts, the industry deserves high praise for the way in which participants worked together this season to stop the unsavory practice of high grading, or sorting out less valuable crabs with darkened or barnacle covered shells. - More...
Saturday - December 02, 2006

Icebreaker's mission is to get them in and out By MAGGIE WALL - What is it about the cold Arctic regions that resonates so much with us here in Alaska? We could move somewhere warmer, but we stay here and even fantasize about going to someplace colder and whiter-the Antarctic. - More...
Monday - November 27, 2006

Feedback on fisheries management and other marine issues sought By LAINE WELCH - It seems likely that Alaskans have more opportunity to give their two cents about fisheries management and other marine issues than any other people in the world. - More...
Tuesday AM - November 21, 2006

Salmon markets, sealion counts, & fish vs. global warming... By LAINE WELCH - It used to be that the Alaska salmon industry was criticized for "putting all its eggs into one basket," meaning, selling all of its big money fish - sockeye - to one customer, Japan. - More...
Monday - October 30, 2006

First of its kind fish refuge proposed By Laine Welch - A first of its kind fish refuge is being proposed to state policy makers as a way to protect fish habitat in headwaters of Bristol Bay. It includes lower and upper Talarik Creek and the Koktuli River, waters that are adjacent to the site of the open pit gold and copper mine being proposed by Northern Dynasty of Canada. - More...
Friday - October 20, 2006

Alaska's fishing season lasts into the winter By LAINE WELCH - It's amazing how many people think Alaska's fisheries end when salmon season is over. In fact, October launches a whole line of fishing seasons that last long into the winter. - More...
Monday AM - October 16, 2006

2006 Alaska's salmon catches to top $300 million By LAINE WELCH - Headlines so far have heralded how Alaska's salmon catches will come up short for the 2006 season. The statewide harvest for all species is projected "at best" to approach 140 million salmon, down 37 percent from last year's record haul of 221 million fish. Regardless, the fishery should ring in at a respectable $304 million at the docks, compared to $334 million last year. - More...
Monday - October 09, 2006

American consumers are eating more fish By Maggie Wall - October is a great month for seafood lovers. It's National Seafood Month so expect your favorite consumer magazines to be running lots of snippets on the glories of seafood along with tempting recipes to help celebrate the month. - More...
Monday - October 02, 2006

Crab brokers, Busting belly fat with brown seaweed & more... By LAINE WELCH - Rob George has had a long love affair with king crab and he is sharing it in an unconventional way. George is co-owner of the Anchorage-based Crab Broker, Inc. which sells all kinds of crab from around the world. But his specialty is fresh cooked Alaska king crab. - More...
Monday PM - September 25, 2006

No reliable word yet on value of Alaska's 2006 salmon harvest - There are still a few stragglers out on the grounds, but by now most salmon fishermen have stowed their gear until next season. While catch numbers are still being calculated, it's clear that Alaska's 2006 salmon harvest will fall short of expectations. Managers predicted that the 2006 harvest for all species would be 160 million fish (well below last year's record catch of 221 million salmon), but the reality will add up to far less. - More...
Monday - September 18, 2006

Steller Sea Lions: How much would you be willing to pay? - How much do Americans living in say, Iowa, care about endangered populations of Steller sea lions in Alaska - and how much would they be willing to pay, perhaps in higher taxes, to protect them? A survey by federal fisheries economists aims to find out, and it could be used to help shape future protective measures for the marine mammals. - More...
Friday - September 15, 2006

Fish blog buzz - Just about anyone who follows fish news on the Internet now turns daily to the Alaska Report, a web site by techno whiz Dennis Zaki of Juneau. The former Hotel Captain Cook chef, who now makes his living with a booming web design business, ventured into the fish news front about six months ago. - More...
Wednesday - September 06, 2006

Crab industry fed up with being pinched - Alaska's Bering Sea crab industry is fed up with being pinched by Russian poachers who are flooding U.S. markets with illegally caught king crab from the Barents Sea. Industry leaders are joining international efforts to crackdown on the illegal fishing, and also are asking for help from Congress. - More...
Tuesday - September 05, 2006

Frozen seafoods becoming a popular favorite By LAINE WELCH - Frozen seafoods are becoming a popular favorite for America's health conscious, time crunched families. According to the market research publication Packaged Facts, nearly half of the nation's 110 million households now eat frozen fish and shellfish, and frozen has become the fastest growing industry sector since 2000. - More...
Wednesday - August 30, 2006

International interest in canned pinks growing fast - World food aid programs can be huge customers for our nation's home grown commodities, but until recently canned Alaska salmon wasn't even included on the shopping list. One year ago a single ton of canned Alaska pink salmon had made its way into global food programs. Today that number has jumped to 1,400 tons in shipments to Cambodia, Guatemala and Guinea ­ and international interest in canned pinks is growing fast. - More...
Monday PM - August 21, 2006

Alaska seafood a favorite in Great American Seafood Cook Off - The Great American Seafood Cook Off is designed to feature local specialties from across the nation, but Alaska seafood is a favorite in every state. That was the response of the 20 chefs who competed in last week's event in New Orleans. - More...
Wednesday AM - August 16, 2006

Alaska has what it takes to create more seafood offerings - Food scientists from the mid-west believe the time is right for customers to accept salmon-based baby foods. Two leading researchers from the University of Illinois/College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences recently visited several Alaska processing plants in Kodiak and Seward. Both have backgrounds in the meat industry, and they were amazed and impressed with seafood production and procedures. - More...
Monday AM - August 07, 2006

Salmon handling practices, a reality check - A statewide "reality check" has been occurring every five years since 1991 to monitor salmon handling practices among Alaska harvesters, processors and tender operators. The project, which includes surveys and extensive site visits, reveals some interesting attitudes and trends. - More....
Monday - July 31, 2006

King Crab Season Officially Underway August 15th - Alaska's crab season in the Bering Sea will officially get underway with the August 15 start of the golden king crab fishery. Just 14 crabbers own rights to that deep water fishery under the new quota share system that began last year, although only eight boats usually participate. Golden king crab, which is slightly smaller than red kings and has a more delicate, sweet flavor, is one of Alaska's most stable stocks and for years has maintained a catch of 5.7 million pounds. - More...
Monday PM - July 24, 2006

Crewmen making sure they are included in groundfish quota share program - Access without ownership is at the core of a novel plan that Alaska fishermen will present to fishery managers later this year. - More...
Monday - July 17, 2006

Alaska's Wild Seafood Star Attraction of NY Media Road Show - Alaska's wild seafood will be a star attraction when more than 50 travel/tourism businesses make local pitches at the fast paced Media Road Show in New York City. - More...
Monday - July 10, 2006

Campaign to get seafood into the mouths school kids - Alaska's pollock producers are leading the charge to get more seafood into the mouths of America's school kids. And they're out to prove that children will choose fish items from lunch menus if they are tasty and appealing. - More...
Monday - July 03, 2006

Key to buying fish is deciphering seafood lingo By MAGGIE WALL - When you buy fish at the market - and I do hope you buy lots of Alaska fish products - you may notice unfamiliar words and numbers on the package. Deciphering those fish hieroglyphics is the key to getting the best buy and the best product for your particular use. - More....
Sunday - June 25, 2006

HALIBUT, COD & SEAFOOD TRENDS By MAGGIE WALL - It used to be that halibut prices would drop each summer when other fisheries got underway. But no longer - prices for halibut started off in early March well over three dollars a pound in most ports - and there they've remained. - More...
Monday - June 19, 2006

Whirlwind of emotion centers around Gulf of Alaska rationalization - "Gulf Ratz" wasn't even on the overloaded agenda for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's June meeting in Kodiak. But in an unprecedented attempt to "hear what you like and don't like about what the council is up to," more than one full day was set aside last week to allow people to have their say on one of Alaska's most controversial fish issues. - More...
Monday - June 12, 2006

Salmon baby food, an idea whose time has come? - Cruise the baby food aisles of any American supermarket and you'll see jars of beef, chicken, lamb, eggs - every kind of protein except fish. That could soon change if an initiative by Alaska food scientists and the seafood industry is successful. - More...
Sunday - June 04, 2006

Watch out Copper River... Watch out Copper River ­ here comes Kodiak!"

That's the rallying cry of a small but passionate group that is intent on creating the kind of excitement for Kodiak salmon that Cordova has cornered for its famous Copper River fish. - More...
Friday - May 26, 2006

Largest salmon fishery at Bristol Bay votes to tax themselves By LAINE WELCH - With a tally of 410 'yeas' and 297 'nays', fishermen from Alaska's largest salmon fishery at Bristol Bay voted to tax themselves to fund their own regional marketing group. - More...
Monday - May 22, 2006

Crab rationalization program's first report troubling By LAINE WELCH - By design, the slower pace of a "rationalized" fishery is supposed to help preserve and protect the stocks. But that was not the case for the first fishery that operated under the new Bering Sea crab plan. - More...
Monday - May 15, 2006

Larval crab from the laboratory to the wild By LAINE WELCH - Batches of baby king crab could soon be growing in Kodiak Island waters, and scientists will be carefully nurturing their growth and progress. - More...
Tuesday AM - May 09, 2006

Alaska salmon shifts slowly towards pricier product forms - Alaska salmon is making a slow but steady shift towards pricier product forms.

Canned salmon, primarily pinks and sockeye (reds), will always be an important component of each year's catch, but it's the lowest valued commodity. In recent years, more of the fish are being frozen as well as going into the fresh market. - More...
Monday - May 01, 2006

Pacific halibut gets MSC's stamp of approval - After a three year wait, Pacific halibut has finally gotten the stamp of approval by the international Marine Stewardship Council. It means that halibut can now boast the coveted blue MSC logo in world markets, telling customers that it comes from a fishery that is well managed and friendly to the environment. So far, only 15 fisheries from around the world have merited the MSC label. - More...
Tuesday - April 25, 2006

Proposed Measure Would Provide Affordable Health Insurance For Fishermen By Laine Welch - Fishermen and their families could soon have access to affordable health insurance if a proposed measure gets the nod from Congress. - More...
Wednesday - April 19, 2006

Alaskans Participate in International Smart Gear Competition - Fishermen from around the world appear more interested than ever in sharing ways to become more selective with their fishing gear. - More...
Wednesday - April 12, 2006

World's foremost crab scientists share home grown crab findings - People are already growing crops of king crab in several countries around the world. But tracking how well the home grown crabs might survive in the wild remains one of the biggest mysteries. That was just one of the fascinating findings shared by the world's foremost crab scientists future at a first of its kind gathering two weeks ago in Kodiak. - More...
Monday - April 03, 2006

Alaska economy sees more than $5 billion return on ADFG's budget - Anyone interested in the values of some of Alaska's most important industries will find answers from a snazzy presentation that's making the rounds in Juneau. - More...
Saturday - March 25, 2006

Snow crab catches double; prices creeping upward - Catches of snow crab have doubled recently in pots being pulled from the Bering Sea, and prices are also creeping upward. - More...
Saturday - March 11, 2006

Alaska's halibut fishery starts - Sunday marked the start of Alaska's halibut fishery and fresh fish was on its way to eager buyers by Monday night. Managers selected the March 5 start date so the fish could be on supermarket shelves early in the week; it also coincides with the beginning of Lent. - More...
Monday - March 06, 2006

Growing crops of king crab? - Can crops of king crab be grown in Alaska? That question will be tackled by the world's foremost crab scientists when they gather next month in Kodiak. - More...
Monday - February 27, 2006

Decline in commercial salmon catches projected By LAINE WELCH - State fishery managers are projecting a significant decline in commercial salmon catches this year. The 2006 harvest for all species is pegged at 160 million fish, well below last year's record catch of 221 million salmon. That harvest topped the previous record of 218 million fish set in 1995. At a glance, look for drops in this year's pink and sockeye salmon harvests compared to the 2005 season, a slight increase for chinook, similar catches for coho salmon, and higher chum harvests due to increasing runs in Western Alaska. - More...
Monday AM - February 20, 2006

Alaska Fishermen's Wheel of Fortune By LAINE WELCH - Wheel of Fortune may take on a whole new meaning for Alaska fishermen. Federal managers are set to decide in April if small lots of halibut quota shares will be made available to crewmembers by a lottery system. - More...
Wednesday - February 15, 2006

A Symphony of Seafood - Yukon king salmon from two small companies in tiny, far away Alaska villages were the favorites at the Symphony of Seafood event last weekend in Anchorage. - More...
Monday - February 06, 2006

Opening date for halibut announced - Halibut fishermen will hit the water on March 5 this year - a Sunday opening date that will get the fish to market early during the first week of Lent. Harvesters will also take home a slightly lower catch during the halibut fishery which will last through mid-November. - More...
Monday - January 23, 2006

How do fishermen make risky decisions? - How do fishermen make risky decisions out on the water? Researchers are hoping Alaska halibut skippers will help them find out. - More...
Monday AM - January 16, 2006

Major Fisheries Changes Can Affect Whole Communities By LAINE WELCH - The Bering Sea crab fishery, now newly operating under a quota share plan, has been in place for just a few months, starting in August with golden king crab along the Aleutian chain, followed in mid- October by the red king crab fishery at Bristol Bay. As intended, the "rationalization" program (referred to as crab ratz) has ended the race for fish. At the same time, it has changed the traditional pace, pricing and patterns of the crab fisheries, and drastically reduced the number of players. - More...
Monday PM - January 09, 2006

Fishing Industry Highlights from 2005 - Going into the New Year, commercial fishing in Alaska remains a vibrant industry that is the envy of every other fish producing country in the world.  Alaska's fisheries abundance is guarded with protective zeal by those entrusted with its care, and its management is regarded as a model for conservation and sustainability.  The robust stocks will continue to provide a solid foundation far into the future - even as Alaska's fisheries are being retooled to conform to the tough realities of changing times. - More...
Monday AM - January 02, 2006

Year-end Brings Glimpse of New Crab Management Results - As the year draws to a close, it gives us a first glimpse at how the crab rationalization plan is starting to play out in the Bering Sea.  The new management system began this fall with golden king crab in mid-August, followed by red king crab and snow crab on October 15. - More...
Tuesday - December 27, 2005

Gubernatorial Candidates Better Start Boning Up On Fish - Invitations are going out this week to all those who have so far thrown their hats into the 2006 gubernatorial ring. The candidates are being invited to come to Kodiak in mid-March to participate in the popular "goober debate," which has been held every four years since 1990 as part of the ComFish trade show. - More...
Sunday - December 18, 2005

Halibut catches could drop in 2006 - Halibut catches could drop by about five percent next year if fishery managers follow the recommendations of their scientific advisors. Staff for the International Pacific Halibut Commission, which sets halibut harvest levels for fisheries in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Oregon and Alaska, is recommending a 2006 coast wide catch of 69.86 million pounds, down from 73.82 million pounds this year. For Alaska, which always claims the lion's share of the halibut haul, that would mean a statewide drop of about 1.7 million pounds - from 56.97 million pounds in 2005 to 55.26 million pounds next year. IPHC staff said the lower numbers reflect population declines and lack of recruitment in some areas of Alaska. Following are the recommendations for Alaska: - More...
Monday - December 12, 2005

Second International Smart Gear Competition Begins - Alaska might boast the world's most abundant and best managed fisheries, but it was glaringly absent last year when it came to offering good ideas for cleaner fishing. The World Wildlife Fund hopes to lure Alaskans as well as others from around the world to participate in its second International Smart Gear competition which began recently.  The best idea will net the winner $25,000; two runners up each will receive $5,000 cash prizes. - More...
Monday - December 05, 2005

Amazing Gifts From the Sea - Almost everyone knows that eating fish is good for your health. But there's so much more to seafood than just putting it in your mouth. At this time of giving thanks, let us appreciate the many amazing gifts from the sea. - More...
Monday - November 28, 2005

New plant will shuck and show oysters - Visitors to the Homer Spit will soon learn a lot about local oysters, and have a chance to slurp a few. - More...
Monday - November 21, 2005

Americans Eating More Seafood - Americans are eating more seafood than ever before - and they want more seafood choices at their favorite fast food restaurants. - More...
Monday - November 14, 2005

King crab detectives digging deep to find answers - King crab detectives are digging deep to find answers to Kodiak's disappearing crab stocks.

More than 100 million pounds of king crab crossed the Kodiak docks in the 1960's. The catch dwindled to a few million pounds a year in the early 1970's, and by 1983 the King Crab Capitol of the World was no more. Now, crab researchers will leave no stone unturned as they try to solve one of Alaska's most enduring fishery mysteries. - More...
Monday - November 07, 2005

UFA Gives Thumbs Down To Plan To Dole Out DAP's For Groundfish - United Fishermen of Alaska - now one of the nation's largest fisheries groups - gave a big thumbs down to a plan that would dole out DAP's for groundfish to what many feel is a privileged few. - More...
Monday - October 31, 2005

Merchant Marines Offers Careers To Displaced Workers - Crabbers who find themselves without jobs can avail themselves of better careers in the merchant marine shipping industry - and get trained for free. In fact, the opportunity is open for displaced salmon fishermen, loggers, or almost anyone who has been run out of business by the economics of free trade. - More...
Monday - October 24, 2005

"SOS: U.S. Coast Guard Rescue" New Discovery Channel Series - Discovery Channel film crews braved crab fishing in the Bering sea with their huge hit series "Deadliest Catch." Now they are taking viewers along with rescue missions by the U.S. Coast Guard - including teams from Kodiak. - More...
Monday AM - October 17, 2005

Alaska Produces Over Half Of All U.S. Seafood - October is National Seafood Month - a distinction proclaimed by Congress 20 years ago to recognize one of the nation's oldest and most important industries. Nationwide, the seafood industry directly employs more than 250,000 people and contributes roughly $62 billion each year to the U.S. economy. - More...
Tuesday - October 11, 2005

Fish Aid Concert Aids Fishing Industry Relief - Long after the world's eye turns away from the immediate drama of devastation caused by natural disasters, the people left behind face the toughest task of rebuilding their lives. That reality has spawned a long term effort by Alaska's fishing industry to help their hurricane ravaged counterparts in the Gulf of Mexico get back out on the water. - More...
Monday - October 03, 2005

What's ahead for the seafood industry - Look 20 years into the future and here is what's ahead for the seafood industry: more "convenience" foods in more varied forms, more outsourcing of seafood processing to other countries, and more aquaculture competing with wild fisheries. - More...
Thursday - September 29, 2005

Fish and shellfish farming quest - The new Marine Aquaculture Task Force is on a quest to learn everything it can about one of our nation's industries du jour: aquaculture. Farming fish and shellfish is one of the fastest growing segments of food production on the planet, and already accounts for one-third of seafood consumed worldwide. The task force will make recommendations to policy makers on national aquaculture standards in U.S. marine waters. - More...
Monday - September 12, 2005

Katrina: Alaska seafood groups rally to help counterparts - Seafood groups all across the nation are rallying to help their counterparts in areas ravaged by hurricane Katrina. In Alaska, efforts began almost immediately when more than 30 major seafood processors began donating canned and pouched products via Sea Share, the "bycatch to food banks" network formed by Bering Sea fishing companies in 1993. Sea Share coordinates distribution through America's Second Harvest food bank network directly where relief is needed most. The Sea Share companies include members of the At-sea Processors Association, Pacific Seafood Processors Association and others throughout Alaska and the North Pacific, said director Tuck Donnelly. - More...
Monday - September 12, 2005

Seafood pops, winner of the best new product - An award winning new seafood product got its inspiration from ice cream push ups, also known as rocket pops. - More...
Tuesday - September 06, 2005

Alaska's salmon season one of the best ever - Alaska's salmon harvest has already topped 200 million fish, making it one of the best seasons ever. And, for the third year in a row, the fishery will show an increase in value. - More...
Friday - August 26, 2005

New courses about seafood business - Making people more savvy about the seafood business is the focus of new courses starting this fall at the University of Alaska/Anchorage. And students won't even have to travel to Anchorage for a semester to attend them. Interestingly, the need for college courses that teach the "business of seafood" prompted lively discussion during the last legislative session. Obviously, it was not lost on state educators. - More...
Monday - August 22, 2005

Clock is ticking on ban on mixing zones in fish spawning streams - Alaskans will soon know if the state intends to lift its ban on mixing zones in fish spawning streams. - More...
Saturday - August 13, 2005

Pollock donated for sea lion research - Few people know that many of the sea creatures residing at the Alaska Sea Life Center (ASLC) at Seward are fed on fish that is donated by Bering Sea boats, and delivered free of charge by Unalaska shipping companies. - More...
Monday - August 08, 2005

Video cameras new addition to monitoring catches - Video cameras are a new addition to Kodiak's trawl fleet. It is one part of an experiment to see how well the cameras can monitor their catches, and perhaps help relieve some of the high costs the fishermen must pay for observer coverage.  - More...
Friday - July 29, 2005

Alaska's king crab harvests - Alaska's biggest king crab catch might come from Bristol Bay, but many crab lovers are enjoying the prized crustacean long before that fishery opens in the fall. - More...
Sunday - July 24, 2005

Alaska is the model in how to manage a fishery - "I want to tell the people of Alaska that they can be proud of their fishermen, their fishery management council, and their scientists. In my view, Alaska is the model for the rest of the country in how to manage a fishery." - More...
Monday - July 18, 2005

Salmon fishermen take more maketing control over catches - More Alaska salmon fishermen are organizing in order to take more marketing control over their catches.

Bristol Bay has just become the second of twelve potential Alaska regions to form a state sanctioned marketing entity to promote its own seafood. "The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association has been officially certified by the state," said acting director Bob Waldrop. - More...
Friday - July 08, 2005

Tinkering begins with biggest fish law on the books - Kodiak and Ketchikan are preparing to roll out the red carpet as some of the most notable names in fisheries converge on those communities later this week. The business at hand is a big deal - what visiting law makers hear will be used to shape U.S. fisheries policy for years to come. - More...
Sunday - July 03, 2005

Guaranteeing Younger Fishermen A Future - Younger fishermen will be guaranteed a future thanks to a new program being crafted in Bristol Bay that will keep fishing permits in the hands of local residents. The effort stems from a unique regional, state and federal partnership that will provide permit loans to the next generation of salmon fishermen. - More...
Saturday - June 25, 2005

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Ketchikan, Alaska