Nature & Outdoors
RSSNature and Outdoors in Alaska is the state's wildlife, public lands and waters, and the activities Alaskans pursue in them. It tracks hunting and fishing seasons, wildlife management decisions, and access to trails, parks, refuges and fisheries statewide.
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Week of May 4
Board of Fish Nominees Face Questions on Public Process Erosion
Three Board of Fisheries nominees pledged Tuesday to restore public trust after the board made an out-of-cycle Cook Inlet salmon gear decision despite 280 opposing comments.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readChignik King Salmon Meets Escapement Goal After Six-Year Drought
Chignik River king salmon hit the escapement goal in 2025 for the first time since 2019, but the state is still weighing whether to ease the fishing restrictions that helped the recovery.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago6 min read
Week of Apr 27
Board restricts Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishery to protect coho salmon
Alaska's Board of Fisheries voted Friday to restrict Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishing to protect coho salmon, limiting the fleet to two 12-hour windows per week and a 2-mile buffer from shore.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Board Chair Survives Ethics Challenge Over Village Corporation Ties
The Board of Fisheries voted 6-0 to let Chair Marit Carlson-Van Dort vote on Area M proposals despite questions about her corporate ties.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Fish and Game closes Malina Bay herring fishery for season
Alaska Fish and Game closed Malina Bay herring fishing Wednesday evening after the section hit its 100-ton spring quota, shutting down sac roe harvest near Kodiak for the rest of the season.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAlaska Fishery Debates Reflect Broader Tensions Over Mixed-Stock Management
Alaska fishery managers debated how to protect struggling salmon stocks when healthy and depleted fish migrate together, with proposals ranging from gear restrictions to area closures.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago6 min read
Board Restricts Fishing Gear to Protect Chinook in Chignik, Area M
Alaska Board of Fisheries restricted seine net depth in Chignik to protect struggling Chinook salmon, effective 2027, after the local fleet voluntarily requested the limits.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Board Cuts Area M June Salmon Fishing Time 30% to Protect Yukon-Bound Chum
Alaska's Board of Fisheries voted 4-3 to cut June salmon fishing time in Area M by 30 to 39 percent, removing industry catch limits to protect chum and kings bound for Western Alaska rivers.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
More from Nature & Outdoors
Board of Fisheries Opens Statewide Meeting With Stock Concern Action Plans
The Alaska Board of Fisheries met March 17 to weigh management plans for struggling Western Alaska salmon stocks.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago6 min read
House Passes Polystyrene Ban for Restaurants Despite Business Concerns
Alaska House passed a statewide ban on polystyrene foam food containers in restaurants, taking effect in over two years, despite business groups warning of higher costs.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Federal Subsistence Board adopts 52 wildlife proposals for Alaska
The Federal Subsistence Board approved 52 new hunting rules for federal lands. • Rules take effect July 1 and govern subsistence access through June 2028. • Changes include a new Kodiak brown bear hunt and tighter limits in Southeast.
by Melinda Communities.Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
House panel hears bill to let small Alaska fishermen process, sell catch directly
House Bill 356 would let small Alaska fishermen process and sell catch directly without industrial processor rules, if they harvest under 10,000 pounds annually.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Board considers trawl gear restrictions in Aleutian Islands state waters
The Alaska Board of Fisheries delayed a decision on banning large trawlers from Aleutian state waters to weigh habitat concerns against a potential 7 million dollar processing deal.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min readFish and Game Opens Two-Week King Salmon Fishery at Gunnuk Creek
Fish and Game opens Gunnuk Creek to king salmon fishing June 1-14, allowing residents two fish per day from hatchery surplus while most Southeast Alaska waters stay closed.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readBoard of Fish Defers Trawl Gear Restrictions, Opts for Federal Coordination
Alaska Board of Fisheries unanimously deferred trawl restrictions, opting to coordinate with federal managers on gear standards instead.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska Board Rejects 25% Hatchery Production Cut After Heated Debate
Alaska Board of Fisheries rejected a 25% hatchery production cut, voting 6-1 against the measure after debate over wild salmon impacts and coastal fishing jobs.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
About Nature & Outdoors
Nature and Outdoors in Alaska takes in the state's wildlife, public lands and waters, and the hunting, fishing and recreation Alaskans pursue in them. It spans sport, subsistence and commercial fishing, hunts for moose, caribou, elk and sheep, and access to parks, refuges and trails.
Decisions come from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Board of Fisheries, the Board of Game, federal fishery managers and the National Park Service. Seasons open and close as harvest limits fill, and stocks of concern, salmon limits in contested fisheries and halibut shares between charter and commercial fleets are recurring questions. Fishing fleets and seafood plants also depend on federal relief and loan programs and on export paperwork that NOAA explains to sellers.
More from Nature & Outdoors
Fish and Game sets cleanup rules for herring pound structures
Fish and Game issued cleanup rules April 28 for herring pound structures in Prince William Sound, requiring commercial operators to remove them after harvest to prevent disease spread.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Week of Apr 20
Wild ice skating grows from isolated hobby to organized Alaska community
Wild ice skating has grown from solo hobby to organized Alaska community with nearly 12,700 members, drawing international media attention and spawning winter tours and equipment manufacturing.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Senate panel hears setnet cooperative bill, sets aside land transfer
Senate panel advanced a bill allowing setnet fishermen to work cooperatively, addressing enforcement conflicts, while postponing a land transfer proposal pending more details.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago7 min read
Senate Resources advances three bills on agriculture, evacuations, invasive species
Senate Resources advanced three bills Friday: one speeds up agricultural land leases for farmers, one standardizes evacuation color codes statewide, and one creates an invasive species council to coordinate control efforts. • All three passed without objection.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Wild ice skating draws global attention as Alaska outdoor recreation scene grows
Wild ice skating has grown into an organized Alaska movement with nearly 12,700 club members, drawing global media attention and international visitors to natural ice formations across the state.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Senate panel advances fishing co-op bill with electronic monitoring
The Senate Resources Committee advanced a bill to legalize set gillnet cooperatives and mandate electronic monitoring on trawl vessels.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances fishing cooperative bill with electronic monitoring
Alaska Senate panel unanimously advanced a bill legalizing fishing cooperatives for set gillnet permit holders, with a five-permit cap and electronic monitoring for trawl vessels.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
State Opens Two-Day Geoduck Fishery in Kaigani Strait
Alaska opened a two-day commercial geoduck fishery in Kaigani Strait this week to harvest the final 7,000 pounds of the season's quota south of Ketchikan.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readWeek of Apr 13
Alaska Fishermen Report Salmon Declines Amid Bycatch, Management Concerns
Alaska fishermen and subsistence harvesters report salmon declines they blame on bottom trawler bycatch, though federal managers say bycatch stays within sustainable limits.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readInterior hunters report early black bear harvests as spring season begins
Interior hunters are reporting early black bear harvests as spring season opens, with the state tracking kills to manage predator populations and protect moose herds.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAlaska residents share bear and moose encounters as spring wildlife season begins
Alaskans are posting spring bear and moose sightings on social media as animals emerge from winter across the Kenai Peninsula and Interior, following typical seasonal patterns.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readWeek of Apr 6
Are You Kitten Me? Alaska’s Fish “Waste” Just Found Its Second Life
Alaska fish processors are turning salmon skins and other byproducts into pet food, converting waste that once cost money to dispose of into a new revenue stream.
by CamilleSutherland7mo ago2 min read
Alaska Native Groups Push for Fishing Permit Reform After $7.5B Exodus
Alaska Federation of Natives told legislators that non-resident permit holders took $7.5 billion in salmon earnings since 1975, leaving rural villages with fishing participation down to 12%.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago2 min readWeek of Mar 30
State seeks public comment on Yukon River salmon fishing rules by April 30
Alaska is taking public comments through April 30 on adding traditional knowledge to Yukon River fall chum salmon fishing rules, with a decision vote May 1.
by Alaska News7mo ago1 min readHouse Faces Russian Seafood Ban, Spending Limits, and Healthcare Access Bills
House advanced bills to keep Russian seafood out of U.S. markets, require a supermajority vote for large state savings withdrawals, and expand rural healthcare access through telehealth reimbursement and physician assistant authority. • Representative Stutes recognized Juneau advocate Katie Boats for a decade of work on sexual assault law reform.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago2 min readAlaska Senate Passes Russian Seafood Import Ban Extension Resolution
Alaska Senate unanimously backed extending the federal ban on Russian seafood imports to protect the state's 44,000 fishing workers from subsidized foreign competition.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago2 min readWildlife refuge bill faces pushback over jet ski ban, firearm restrictions
House Bill 321 would simplify wildlife refuge designations and add 688 acres to Creamer's Field. • Alaska Department of Fish and Game opposes a jet ski ban in Kachemak Bay, but public testimony supports it. • Legislators want more time to review the complex 80-plus page bill with 20-plus maps.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago3 min read
