Commercial fishing industry: Bristol Bay sockeye, BSAI pollock and crab, halibut and sablefish IFQ, Board of Fisheries rulings, NPFMC allocation
Alaska Department of Fish and Game has established a Wednesday-to-Monday subsistence fishing schedule and 25-fish household limits for Norton Sound salmon fisheries in 2026, prioritizing escapement and subsistence needs over commercial harvest.
NMFS ruled that Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon do not warrant ESA listing, preserving Alaska's state control over fisheries management after a court-ordered review deadline.
Alaska's halibut fishery has landed only 3.5 million pounds against a 19 million pound quota by early May 2026, an unusually slow pace despite strong $6 to $7 per pound dock prices across major ports.
The Senate Resources Committee advanced Paul Cyr's nomination to the Alaska Board of Fisheries, which would give Southeast Alaska its first seat on the influential regulatory board in years.
The Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee advanced a compromise bill Thursday that limits paid sick leave for seasonal fish processors to 12 hours per month, capped at 48 hours annually, modifying voter-approved sick leave requirements.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries voted 6-0 that Chair Marit Carlson-Van Dort has no conflict of interest despite her role as CEO of Far West Inc., a Chignik Bay village corporation that took a position on Area M fisheries in 2018.
The Alaska Commercial Fishermen's Fund Advisory and Appeals Council will meet in May to review benefit claims and fund policies, with a public session on May 21.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game opened a two-day commercial geoduck fishery in Kaigani Strait for April 22-23 to harvest the remaining 7,000 pounds of quota in Subdistrict 103-30-001.
The House Special Committee on Fisheries heard House Bill 356, which would create a 'microfisheries' pathway allowing small-scale commercial fishermen to process up to 5,000 pounds of fish onboard and sell directly to consumers with streamlined permitting.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued rules for removing herring pound structures in Prince William Sound after spawn-on-kelp harvest to prevent disease and ensure orderly fishery closure.
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute will hold a public virtual meeting of its technical committee on May 12, 2026.
Three Board of Fisheries nominees pledged commitment to transparent public process during legislative questioning focused on recent out-of-cycle decisions that changed Cook Inlet gear types despite overwhelming public opposition.
The Alaska House conducted routine business and recognized notable guests including longtime sexual assault reform advocate Katie Boats.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries approved multiple gear restrictions to conserve Chinook salmon stocks in the Chignik Management Area and South Alaska Peninsula, including reduced seine net depth and area closures.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries convened its statewide finfish and supplemental issues meeting on March 17, 2026, beginning with introductions, ethics disclosures, and presentations on action plans for Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim stocks of management concern.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries voted 4-2 to significantly restrict the Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishery through new fishing windows, area closures, and a 2-mile shoreline buffer to protect struggling northern Cook Inlet coho salmon populations.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game closed the Malina Bay herring fishery in the North Afognak District on April 29, 2026, for the remainder of the sac roe season.
Alaska Peninsula fishery discussions mirror national struggles to balance commercial harvest with conservation in mixed-stock corridors where multiple salmon populations overlap.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries voted 4-3 to reduce June commercial fishing time in Area M by approximately 30 percent and eliminate chum salmon harvest caps, shifting management authority to the department to protect Yukon and Kuskokwim River-bound salmon.
The Senate Resources Committee heard House Bill 117, which would allow commercial setnet fishermen to continue operating cooperatively, and Senate Bill 255, which would transfer state land to the Mat-Su Borough without surveys.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries voted 6-1 to reject a proposal to reduce pink and chum salmon hatchery production by 25%, despite concerns about impacts on wild stocks, after extensive debate about scientific uncertainty and economic consequences.
Chignik River king salmon reached the biological escapement goal in 2025 for the first time since 2019, raising questions about whether aggressive conservation measures should continue.
The Senate Resources Committee unanimously advanced House Bill 117, which legalizes set gillnet fishing cooperatives and adds electronic monitoring authority for trawl vessels, after adopting two amendments including a five-permit cap.
The state is selling a repossessed commercial fishing vessel through an ongoing online sales program managed by the Division of Investments.
Alaska Federation of Natives presented research showing $7.5 billion in salmon earnings have left the state through non-resident permit holders since 1975, devastating rural fishing communities.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries is seeking public comment by April 30 on adding traditional knowledge to Yukon River salmon management regulations.
The Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund is accepting grant proposals for salmon research and conservation projects, with $3-10 million available and a June 24 deadline.
The Senate Resources Committee unanimously advanced House Bill 117, which legalizes set gillnet fishing cooperatives and adds electronic monitoring authority for trawl vessels, after adopting two amendments including a five-permit cap.
The Alaska Senate unanimously approved a resolution supporting continued federal prohibition on Russian seafood imports to protect the state's fishing industry.
The state is holding a public meeting to review salmon hatchery management plans for the Cook Inlet region.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries voted 7-0 to take no action on four trawl-related proposals, instead choosing to work with federal fishery managers through a Joint Protocol Committee to address habitat and bycatch concerns.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries heard testimony on a proposal to close state waters west of 170° W. longitude to trawl vessels over 100 feet, with golden king crab fishermen reporting dramatic catch declines since 2014 while community development groups and processors opposed the closure.
Alaska renewed a 25-year lease for a salmon hatchery operation near Ketchikan, with an appeal deadline of April 27 for eligible parties.