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Fish Factor: Values of Alaska Permits & Quota Shares Vary By LAINE WELCH - The values of Alaska salmon permits are on a downward slide, while prices for quota shares of other catches continue to skyrocket. 

Despite an optimistic outlook this year for Alaska salmon catches and markets, buyers and sellers are still feeling a hangover from last year’s tough fishing season.

“If you were involved in salmon last year, you probably didn’t have a great year, unless you were in Bristol Bay. There wasn’t a lot of extra money to pick up an extra permit or move into a different fishery, and I think we’re seeing that,” said Doug Bowen of Alaska Boats and Permits in Homer.

“Overall for salmon permits it’s a slower market this year,” agreed Jeff Osborn of Dock Street brokers in Seattle.

At the bellwether sockeye salmon fishery at Bristol Bay, drift permits have slumped below $135,000 since last fall. 

“We’ve had several sales at $129,000 and listings at $125,000. So, for whatever reason, those have slipped by about $10,000 in the last few weeks,” Bowen said. 

Southeast drift permits have dropped slightly to the $83,000 range. Prince William Sound drift ‘cards’ topped $165,000 but now are trading closer to $150,000. PWS seine permits also come in at the range or slightly above. 

“It’s supposed to be a great year there, but we’re not seeing it reflected in those prices,” Bowen said. “They’re certainly not going up very far, very fast.”

Cook Inlet drift gillnetters have had several lousy fishing years and this year is looking bleak. However, a new rule to allow permit stacking has boosted interest in permits there. A Cook Inlet drifter can now hold two permits in his name and fish the extra gear. It is the first drift gillnet fleet in the state to be able to do so.

“That propped up that value from a low of $33,000 and they are trading right now for around $45,000,” Bowen said, adding that the permit price is still down considerably from $90,000 just a few years ago.

The lowest value seine card is at Kodiak, reflecting a steady slide from $50,000 not long ago. 

“We’ve sold a few at $25,000. That’s the lowest salmon seine permit price anywhere in the state,” Bowen said. “People can make good money there, but Kodiak is a tough salmon fishery.” 

Both brokers agreed that a good salmon season this year will help buoy all boats along with the value of salmon permits. The forecast for Alaska’s 2017 salmon catch is 204 million fish, nearly one million more salmon over last year.

Quota share highs

Prices for quota shares of Alaska halibut are jaw dropping. 

“They’re in the $70 per pound range in Southeast and the $60 range in the Central Gulf,” said Doug Bowen. 

Quota prices are approaching the $45 mark in the Western Gulf, the $30 range for the Aleutian Islands fishery and in the teens for Bering Sea regions.  

“Even small pieces of Delta class for smaller boats are trading for $51, $52 and $53 a pound.  It’s just unheard of,” he added.

Halibut quota share prices have gone up about $5 a year for several years as the fish stocks appear to have stabilized and increased slightly. Dock prices for halibut also have remained high, often at $6 to $7 per pound at major ports. 

The halibut quota shares are not flying off the shelves at those prices, but Bowen points to more movement in small batches. 

“It’s almost a retail market for fishing quotas, where if a fella holds a fair amount, he will cut away a chunk of 1,000 pounds to be able to complete his boat projects or retire some debt,” Bowen said.

The quota share prices for one of Alaska’s most lucrative catches -black cod, or sablefish - also are on an upswing. Shares in the Central Gulf region are at $29 per pound, an increase of $8 over last year. Black cod quota in Southeast Alaska has jumped to $35 per pound.

The increase is due in part to dock prices nearing $10 a pound for large black cod over seven pounds.  

“There is a really strong grounds price, and there was an increase in the TAC (total allowable catch), which was somewhat unexpected,” said Dock Street’s Osborn. “And, of course, pots.”

Starting this year, fishermen can use large pots in the Gulf of Alaska to keep whales from robbing their pricey black cod catches. ‘Getting whaled’ can sometimes cost a boat up to half of its catch on hook and line gear. 

Nearly 2,000 fishermen hold quota shares of halibut and black cod in Alaska. - More...
Wednesday PM - May 03, 2017

Internet: Fake news and filters aren't fooling internet users - Despite what some politicians argue, fake news and biased search algorithms aren't swaying public opinion, finds a Michigan State University researcher.

Commissioned and funded by Google, William Dutton, director of MSU's James and Mary Quello Center in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences, and researchers from Oxford University and the University of Ottawa, conducted a survey of 14,000 internet users in seven nations: United States, Britain, France, Poland, Germany, Italy and Spain.

"The role of search in the political arena is of particular significance as it holds the potential to support or undermine democratic processes," Dutton said. "For example, does online search enable citizens to obtain better information about candidates for political office and issues in elections and public affairs, or do the processes underlying search bias what citizens know in ways that could distort democratic choice?" - More...
Wednesday PM - May 03, 2017

Social Media: Facebook likes don't make you feel better; Getting 'likes' on social media posts doesn't lift your mood - Receiving 'likes' on social media posts doesn't make people feel better about themselves or improve their mood if they are down.

These are the findings of a preliminary study presented at the British Psychological Society's Annual Conference in Brighton on Wednesday 3 May 2017, by Dr Martin Graff from University of South Wales.

A total of 340 participants recruited via Twitter and Facebook completed personality questionnaires. They were also asked to say how much they agreed or disagreed with 25 statements relating to the ways people appreciate being valued on social media. For example 'the attention I get from social media makes me feel good' or 'I consider someone popular based on the amount of likes they get'.

Analysis revealed that participants who said they went out of their way to get more likes (such as asking others or paying) were more likely to have low self-esteem and be less trusting. The same was true of those who admitted deleting posts or making a picture their profile picture on account of the number of likes it received.  - More...
Wednesday pM - May 03, 2017

Human Interest: Dunkin Butterbeans and Little Booty Ham Sandwich crowned the wackiest pet names of 2017 - The votes have been tallied and the results are in – Dunkin Butterbeans nosed out Farrah Pawcett and Fiona Penny Pickles in the dog division, while Little Booty Ham Sandwich purred past Obi Wan Catnobi and Winston Purrchill in the cat category to earn the distinction of the Wackiest Pet Names of 2017.

Each year, Nationwide, the nation's first and largest provider of pet health insurance, recognizes the most clever, creative and quirky pet names across the nation. After a thorough selection process, the top 10 dog and 10 cat monikers were chosen from Nationwide's database of more than 600,000 insured pets and put to a public vote, where Dunkin Butterbeans and Little Booty Ham Sandwich were crowned the wackiest.

Dunkin Butterbean: Nicole DePalma of Boston, Massachusetts (Nationwide member since 2012) wanted a dog her entire life, and when her wish was finally granted in the form of a 2-month-old Golden retriever, she wanted to give him the most memorable moniker possible.

"I think pet names should not only reflect the personality of the pet, but also represent the owner as well," said Nicole. "I put together elements from my own life and with the help of his veterinary office, I think we created the perfect name."

The first element of Dunkin Butterbean's name stands for one of Nicole’s favorite hometown treats – donuts. Specifically, "Dunkin" represents the name of Nicole's favorite Boston based donut shop. The second part of his name originated from the puppy's first trip to the veterinary office. When the staff laid eyes on the new puppy, they immediately remarked that the he looked like a little slab of butter sitting on the table. The last part of his extensive moniker stands for the city of Boston's nickname – Bean Town. 

Since joining the family, Dunkin Butterbeans and Nicole have become inseparable companions. The goofy Golden is by Nicole's side for all of her adventures, which includes hiking, swimming, and cross country road trips. Nicole signed Dunkin Butterbeans up for pet insurance from Nationwide after the puppy suffered from a major medical mishap just two days post adoption.

"The day after I got Dunkin, he somehow got his paws on a BBQ skewer and attempted to eat it," said Nicole. "It was a terrifying experience and after that, I knew I had to get him covered. You never know what kind of accidents can happen with pets and it's nice to know that we're covered if something does occur."

Little Booty Ham Sandwich: Newlyweds Yessenia and Sean Savage of San Lorenzo, California (Nationwide member since 2017) had no plans of adopting a kitten the day after returning from their honeymoon. But when a stray kitten literally jumped into Yessenia's arms outside their house, they were left with little choice. After agreeing to keep the kitten, the duo brainstormed different monikers, but had trouble finding the right fit. - More...
Wednesday PM - May 03, 2017

He married Elaine Leno on December 29, 1947, and they had five children, cared for two foster children, and dozens more called him ‘Uncle Murray.’

A loving husband, son, brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, uncle and friend, Murray loved everyone with the tender, compassionate heart of a Christian and prayed for each one daily.

A true "pioneer," Murray loved his life in southeast Alaska. In 1953, he came to Alaska with his brother, J.R., to go into the logging business. In 1956, they formed Gildersleeve Logging, and had one of the first logging contracts with Ketchikan Pulp Co. They operated several camps on Prince of Wales Island.

Though Murray and his wife retired to Maui, Alaska called them home every summer where they continued to enjoy the outdoors. - More...
Wednesday PM - May 03, 2017

COLUMNS - COMMENTARY

Frankly, I've never understood people who harrumph about canceling their subscriptions after reading one thing they didn't like. Most newspapers are veritable menus offering a wide range of meals catering to a wide range of tastes. In my years at The Philadelphia Inquirer, whenever a ticked-off conservative phoned me to command that I cancel his subscription, I'd simply say, "Skip my column, keep the subscription." And one time, when a liberal phoned with the same command (he said his elderly dad was sick in bed because I was too easy that day on George W. Bush), I told him that canceling would be silly because dad might miss the crossword puzzle.

No journalistic outlet will ever please all of the people all of the time. When a sizable number of Times readers - mostly liberals and environmentalists - phoned this weekend to nix their subscriptions after reading Stephens' inaugural column, they basically embraced the notion that a single opinion piece on climate change cancelled out the acres of space that Times reporters have devoted to detailing the perils of climate change. What a foolish boycott. - More..
Wednesday PM - May 03, 2017