Commercial Fisheries
RSSCommercial fishing industry: Bristol Bay sockeye, BSAI pollock and crab, halibut and sablefish IFQ, Board of Fisheries rulings, NPFMC allocation
Chignik King Salmon Meets Escapement Goal After Six-Year Drought
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago6 min read
Board restricts Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishery to protect coho salmon
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago4 min read
Board Chair Survives Ethics Challenge Over Village Corporation Ties
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago3 min read
Fish and Game closes Malina Bay herring fishery for season
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.
by Alaska News5mo ago3 min readAlaska Fishery Debates Reflect Broader Tensions Over Mixed-Stock Management
Alaska Peninsula fishery discussions mirror national struggles to balance commercial harvest with conservation in mixed-stock corridors where multiple salmon populations overlap.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago6 min read
Board Restricts Fishing Gear to Protect Chinook in Chignik, Area M
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago4 min read
Board Cuts Area M June Salmon Fishing Time 30% to Protect Yukon-Bound Chum
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago4 min read
Board of Fisheries Opens Statewide Meeting With Stock Concern Action Plans
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago6 min read
House panel hears bill to let small Alaska fishermen process, sell catch directly
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago3 min read
Board considers trawl gear restrictions in Aleutian Islands state waters
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago3 min readBoard of Fish Defers Trawl Gear Restrictions, Opts for Federal Coordination
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago3 min read
Alaska Board Rejects 25% Hatchery Production Cut After Heated Debate
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago3 min read
Fish and Game sets cleanup rules for herring pound structures
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.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
Senate panel advances fishing co-op bill with electronic monitoring
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.
by Alaska News5mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances fishing cooperative bill with electronic monitoring
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.
by Alaska News5mo ago3 min read
Senate panel hears setnet cooperative bill, sets aside land transfer
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago7 min read
State Opens Two-Day Geoduck Fishery in Kaigani Strait
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.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min readAlaska Fishermen Report Salmon Declines Amid Bycatch, Management Concerns
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min readAre You Kitten Me? Alaska’s Fish “Waste” Just Found Its Second Life
by CamilleSutherland5mo ago2 min read
Alaska Native Groups Push for Fishing Permit Reform After $7.5B Exodus
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago2 min readState seeks public comment on Yukon River salmon fishing rules by April 30
The Alaska Board of Fisheries is seeking public comment by April 30 on adding traditional knowledge to Yukon River salmon management regulations.
by Alaska News5mo ago1 min readHouse Faces Russian Seafood Ban, Spending Limits, and Healthcare Access Bills
The Alaska House conducted routine business and recognized notable guests including longtime sexual assault reform advocate Katie Boats.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago2 min readAlaska Senate Passes Russian Seafood Import Ban Extension Resolution
The Alaska Senate unanimously approved a resolution supporting continued federal prohibition on Russian seafood imports to protect the state's fishing industry.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago2 min read