Fish News – May 18, 2012

Fish News
May 18, 2012

Copper River Salmon Season in Full Swing

Commercial fishermen are busy trying to net a healthy chunk of change as they haul in the well-known Copper River salmon. The season began yesterday morning. However, some fishermen reported that the run was off to a slow start.
According to a MSNBC/KTUU news story, a fisherman reported hearing someone on the radio quote the price of king salmon at $6.50 per pound. The salmon caught yesterday was processed in Cordova later that day and then shipped off to Seattle at 2 a.m. this morning.

FREE Safety Training Scheduled for Commercial Fishermen in King Cove and Sand Point

Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA) will offer a fishing vessel safety and drill conductor course in King Cove on Sunday, May 27th, and a second course at the Sand Point School on Tuesday, May 29th. These courses are 1-day, 10-hour training sessions focusing on the U.S Coast Guard training requirements for commercial fishing vessels. They are available FREE to commercial fishermen, thanks to funding from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Alaska Department of Commerce and Community Development and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Please register in advance by contacting AMSEA in Sitka at 888-508-3287, toll-free. More information and online registration is available at www.amsea.org.

Council to Take Final Action on GOA Halibut PSC during June Meeting

Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Halibut PSC (Prohibited Species Catch) will be one of the major issues during the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s meeting in Kodiak next month. The Council is planning to take final action during its meeting, scheduled for June 6th – 12th in Kodiak. The Council is scheduling 20 hours on this topic. Visit the following link for more information: GOA Halibut PSC . Other items:

ï‚· Final Action on Pribilof BKC Rebuilding Plan.
ï‚· The Council amended the agenda earlier this week, removing the BSAI crab
management issues.

Visit the following link for more information: June 2012 Council Agenda

AEB’s Natural Resource Director Nominated to NPFMC’s Steller Sea Lion Mitigation Committee Aleutians East Borough Natural Resources Director Ernie Weiss has been appointed to serve on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Steller Sea Lion Mitigation Committee. Ernie was notified earlier this month that Council Chairman Eric Olson approved his nomination to the Committee. Ernie is also a member of the Council’s Advisory Panel.

The Council recently reconvened the Steller Sea Lion Mitigation Committee (SSLMC). The Committee’s objective is to develop an alternative or alternatives for consideration in the environmental impact statement (EIS) for
Steller sea lion mitigation measures in the western and central Aleutian Islands. The first meeting of the SSLMC will be held at 9 – 11 a.m. on May 31, 2012 via teleconference. Larry Cotter will serve as chairman.