Maritime News

Published on: September 5, 2023

Commercial Crab Fishery Closed

Due to disappointing population surveys once again this year, the commercial harvests of red and blue king crab in Southeast Alaska will remain closed during the 2023–24 season. Stock assessment models have revealed a biomass of just 188,899 pounds, falling short of the 200,000-pound threshold required to authorize the fisheries.

The closure of the fishery, due to insufficient biomass, is not unexpected for those overseeing stocks. Insufficient biomass has prevented the fleet from deploying pots since 2017.

On a positive note, the outlook is promising for the fishery in the upcoming year.

Published on: August 8, 2023

Trident Seafoods begins construction at Captains Bay

by Joseph Stacey

Trident Seafoods is in the process of constructing the initial bunkhouses for their upcoming processing plant located in Captains Bay, Unalaska. The company hopes to have the plant operational by 2027.

The Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea are known for some of the most productive fishing grounds globally. The region is famous for harvesting Alaska pollock, the whitefish commonly used in products like fish sticks and McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwiches.

A sizable portion of the harvested pollock is currently processed at the expansive Trident Seafoods facility in Akutan. However, due to aging infrastructure and years of wear and tear, the seafood company has elected to construct a new facility.

Published on: July 18, 2023

Roger Fitzgerald, National Fisherman Columnist Passes

by Joseph Stacey

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Roger Fitzgerald, an 85-year-old maritime writer. He was best known for his column titled “In Search of the Simple Life”. His column brought joy and amusement to commercial fishermen spanning from Seattle to the Bering Sea and beyond. The cause of his death was heart failure.

Over the course of 25 years, his writings in the Alaska Fisherman’s Journal and National Fisherman chronicled the remarkable transformation within the Alaska fishing industry. This evolution witnessed the shift from traditional wooden boats and iced fish to the advent of state-of-the-art factory trawlers.

Fitzgerald skillfully blended humor and admiration as he showcased a diverse cast of maritime characters. Among them were the Samuelsons and the Knutsens, skilled captains of historic halibut schooners that had been sailing the seas since the 1920s, and Sea Lion Murphy, a seasoned seinerman hailing from Cordova, Alaska.

Published on: April 18, 2023

2023 Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial Service

by Joseph Stacey

The 2023 Fishermen’s Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, May 7^th at 2 p.m. at Fishermen’s Terminal. Please mark your calendar for this special event to honor those who have been lost at sea.

The Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial is a charitable organization dedicated to promoting safety in the fishing fleets and easing the emotional pain and financial burden of education for surviving family members of fishermen lost at sea. Professional grief support is available to grieving families.

This event is an opportunity for the community to gather for a dedication, remembrances, and the installation of tiles at the Memory Wall.

Published on: September 13, 2022

Coast Guard Rescues F/V Lodestar Crew

by Nigel Stacey

The 66-foot F/V LODESTAR was located about 180 miles off the coast of Coos Bay, Oregon when the vessel lost propulsion and required assistance. Winds were reported as approximately 40-knots with 8-to-10 foot waves while crewmembers were stranded in the stormy seas aboard the disabled vessel.

Watchstanders at the 13^th U.S. Coast Guard District command center in Seattle received the call for help at 9:21 p.m. on Friday, September 9^th.The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter STRATTON and crew were diverted, and the cutter arrived on the scene of the disabled fishing vessel at 1 p.m. on Saturday September 10^th.

The F/V LODESTAR was placed in tow, then rendezvoused with a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew from Coast Guard Station Coos Bay about 45 miles off the Oregon coast. The tow was transferred to the Motor Lifeboat, and the fishing vessel and rescued fishermen were safely transported to Charleston, Oregon.

Published on: August 2, 2022

Washington Ferry Cathlamet Crashes into Pilings

by Joseph Stacey

The U.S. Coast Guard from the Puget Sound sector was deployed on Thursday morning, July 28^th at about 8:20 a.m. after the Washington State Ferry CATHLAMET crashed into the pilings near the West Seattle Fauntleroy dock. It is reported that the vessel had veered off course and was coming in too fast at the time of the crash. One car was reported to be pinned inside the ferry after the top side section of the ferry crumpled from the impact.

The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the investigation along with the National Transportation Safety Board to find the cause of the crash. As is standard procedure in cases like this, all crew members were tested for drugs and alcohol. It is reported that those tests came back negative.

A narrow steel deck on the vessel called a “pickle fork” was destroyed during the crash. This is the part of the vessel that extends over the car deck, the place where many walk-on passengers stand for a great view, or to exit the vessel via an elevated walkway.

Published on: June 28, 2022

Search for Missing Washington Diver Suspended

by Joseph Stacey

It is with great sadness that we report a 33-year-old diver from Edmonds, Washington is missing and presumed deceased. The diver has been identified as Hans Korompis, a talented young chef known for combining the flavors of his native Singapore with those of Central America and the Pacific Northwest.

Mr. Korompis and his diving partner entered the waters of Puget Sound near Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo, Washington on the morning of June 17^th. Mukilteo police and fire departments were summoned by a “diver-in-distress” call at about 9:15am. Visibility and conditions at the time of the disappearance were reported as poor.

Units from the U.S. Coast Guard, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, Everett Police, Everett Fire, Mountlake Terrace Police, Marysville Police and Washington State Ferries began searching, using search and rescue boats, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, and several drones. The weeklong search proved unsuccessful and has been called off.

Published on: April 12, 2022

Biologists Forecast Massive Sockeye Salmon Run

by Joseph Stacey

Alaska biologists have forecasted another massive run of sockeye salmon this summer in Bristol Bay. Processors are being urged by the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association to gear up for the surge. It has been found that boosting capacity helps returns on future runs.

According to state records, 66 million salmon returned to Bristol Bay last year and approximately 40 million were harvested and processed. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has predicted that more than 75 million salmon will return to Bristol Bay rivers this summer. According to the agency, about 60 million fish will be harvested by commercial fisheries, about 20 million more than last year.

The industry concern is that fishers and processors may not be able to keep up. Harvesting and delivering this large quantity of fish means gearing up with workers, and companies have been short staffed. Finding enough workers has been complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic and challenges with the federal H-2B visa program, which is often the source of commercial fishing workers. Last month, the U.S. Departments of Labor and Homeland security committed to adding 35,000 nonagricultural worker visas, in an effort to ease the shortage of tourism and fishing workers.

Published on: February 15, 2022

Two Fishermen Rescued from Sinking F/V Glory

by Joseph Stacey

Two fishermen were rescued by the US Coast Guard on Monday February 7^th near Sitka, Alaska after the 40-foot F/V GLORY began taking on water.

Sector Juneau Command Center watchstanders received a call from the distressed vessel at about 8 p.m. An Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and crew were launched and directed to the vessel at Islet Passage, approximately nine miles south of Sitka.

The US Coast Guard aircrew lowered a rescue swimmer onto the vessel to evaluate the situation. Crewmembers were unable to locate the source of the flooding, so it was advised that the fishermen abandon ship. US Coast Guard aircrew successfully hoisted the two fishermen at about 9 p.m.

Published on: February 1, 2022

Alaska Fisheries Disaster Declaration Approved

by Joseph Stacey

On January 21^st, 2022, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced that her office has approved Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s request for an official disaster determination.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) funds will be available to fishermen and crew members, seafood processors, and researchers who have felt the impact of this difficult season. The amount of the relief package will be determined at a later date. It is possible that some fishery related businesses will also be eligible for aid from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“Helping communities to bounce back from the impacts of fishery disasters is essential, and we are working to ensure there is relief coming for impacted Alaskans,” Raimondo said in a statement. “Disasters like these, which impact multiple fisheries across Alaska, illustrate how vital sustainable fisheries are to our economy at not only the local level, but for the economic health of our nation’s blue economy.”