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…
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…
Five years have passed since the tragic loss of the F/V SCANDIES ROSE, and seven years since the sinking of the F/V DESTINATION. Both vessels were burdened with crab pots that exceeded the estimated weights in their stability reports, and both vessels capsized during severe weather conditions. The attorneys at…
The recent trial of innovative ropeless crab fishing gear off the California coast has ignited controversy among the Dungeness crab fishing community. The trial, which ran from April 9 to June 30, 2024, allowed a limited number of commercial crabbers to use ropeless gear to harvest during a time typically…
Nearly 20,000 Chinook salmon were accidentally caught as bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska’s pollock fishery, forcing an early closure and igniting outrage among scientists studying endangered southern resident orcas and advocates for wild salmon. Chinook salmon, highly prized for their size and nutritional value, are a critical food source…