Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing harms both consumers and fishermen by undermining the seafood industry’s integrity. For fishermen, IUU fishing causes economic losses by flooding markets with illegal seafood, depletes fish stocks through overfishing, and creates unfair competition as illicit operators bypass regulations and compliance costs. Tackling IUU fishing…
A recent legal battle between the Groundfish Forum, representing the interests of Alaska’s flatfish fishing sector, and the U.S. government over new halibut bycatch regulations ended in favor of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). In a ruling delivered by U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason, the court upheld Amendment 123,…
The European green crab, a small but vicious predator, has been making its presence known on the West Coast of North America and wreaking havoc on native ecosystems. Native to the coastlines of Europe and northern Africa, the green crab has spread to coastlines around the world, from Australia to…
Kodiak’s fishing community is preparing for the 2025 Tanner crab season, a staple of Alaska’s crab fisheries. In a press release, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has set the start date for the Tanner crab fishing season in the Kodiak District and South Peninsula for January 15,…
The recent bycatch incident involving the Alaskan pollock trawl fishery has cast a spotlight on the challenges of balancing economic survival for fishermen and coastal communities with environmental sustainability. Following a significant bycatch of Chinook salmon, the pollock fishing season was closed early, leading to economic hardships that have prompted debate…
Alaska’s seafood industry, a cornerstone of the state’s economy and U.S. fisheries, is facing significant hurdles, as revealed in NOAA’s 2024 report. Economic conditions, workforce challenges, and climate impacts are driving this once-thriving sector into a difficult period, resulting in substantial declines in profits and industry-wide layoffs. Economic Downturn and…
The U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector Honolulu command center received a medevac request at 4:57 p.m. on Monday, October 21, 2024, after notification that a 35-year-old crew member was experiencing severe abdominal pain. The F/V PACIFIC DRAGON II, was located approximately 78 miles northeast of Kahului, Maui at the time of…
A dramatic maritime rescue took place off the coast of La Push, Washington, on Friday, October 18th, 2024, as U.S. Coast Guard and commercial tug crews worked urgently to prevent the 130-foot tug LUTHER from running aground after it lost steering in stormy seas. At approximately 4:10 p.m. the tug…
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced that the Bering Sea snow crab fishery will reopen after being closed for two years, allowing fishermen to harvest approximately 4.7 million pounds of snow crab. This decision follows an assessment that the population of mature male crabs has increased above…
Trident Seafoods and Pacific Seafood have reached a preliminary agreement for Pacific Seafood to acquire Trident’s processing operations in Kodiak, Alaska. While the transaction is still subject to completion of the due diligence process, both firms expect to finalize the agreement by November. In a joint statement, the companies emphasized…