The Alaska Fisheries Report

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Coming up this week, fisheries in the far west may see less restrictions after another look at what’s causing the Steller sea lion decline in the Aleutians, they’re going to give seining for pollock a try around Kodiak, and what it’s like smack in the middle of the barely controlled frenzy that is a Sitka Sound sac roe herring opening, all coming up on the Alaska Fisheries Report. We had help from KUCB’s Lauren Rosenthal in Unalaska, KCAW’s Rachel Waldholz in Sitka and KDLG’s Mike Mason in Dillingham.

The Alaska Fisheries Report

Coming up this week, the fleet is on two-hour notice for Sitka herring, the halibut quota for CDQ fisheries are down this year, an explosion aboard a factory trawler takes the life of one crewman, and going for geoduck. We had help from KYUK’s Ben Matheson in Bethel, KUCB’s Lauren Rosenthal in Unalaska, KDLG’s Mike Mason in Dillingham, KRBD’s Leila Kheiry in Ketchikan and KFSK’s Joe Viechnicki in Petersburg.

The Alaska Fisheries Report

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Coming up this week, millions of salmon eggs are destroyed in a Southeast hatchery fire, as fishermen start thinking about herring, we’ve got the pre-season forecast for Togiak, and you’ve heard of the Law of the Sea, well, we’ve got Fish Law, all coming up on the Alaska Fisheries Report. We had help this week from KFSK’s Joe Viechnicki in Petersburg, KDLG’s Mike Mason in Dillingham, KUCB’s Lauren Rosenthal in Unalaska and APRN’s Liz Ruskin in Washington DC.

The Alaska Fisheries Report

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Coming up this week, reaction is still coming in from the Alaska Board of Fisheries decisions made earlier this month in Anchorage, fines are levied for mishandling fish waste, and Alaska sockeye turns out to be a popular whole food. We had help from KTNA’s Phillip Manning in Talkeetna, KUCB’s Lauren Rosenthal in Unalaska, and KDLG’s Mike Mason in Dillingham.

Alaska Fisheries Report

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Coming up this week, bad news for Cook Inlet commercial fishermen is coming out of the Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting, the stormy weather caused a number of injuries on a factory trawler out west, and, wait for it: Magnetic Salmon. We had help from KDLL’s Shaylon Cochran in Kenai, KUCB’s Lauren Rosenthal and Annie Ropeik in Unalaska, and KMXT’s Brianna Gibbs in Kodiak.

Bad Weather Doesn’t Hamper Bering Sea Medevac

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Jay Barrett/KMXT and Annie Ropeik/KUCB
A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew medevac’d an ailing mariner from a vessel in the Bering Sea near Cold Bay Monday evening.
The Coast Guard received the medevac request from the 158-foot fishing vessel Arica after a crewman came down with severe abdominal pain, said Coast Guard petty officer Grant DeVuyst.
“The hoist is what happens when we don’t have a surface asset, or if there’s not time for a fishing vessel or whatever kind of vessel to make it into port. So it’s the only practical way to get someone who needs to be evacuated into the helicopter.”
The helicopter and crew were stationed in Cold Bay for the fishing season. They’ve been there for the past couple of months. DeVuyst says the Coast Guard deploys groups from Air Station Kodiak to be on hand for rescues during the peak fishing times.
“The Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska — very huge bodies of water, but that’s why the helicopter’s already there, because there’s such an increase in the number of fishing vessels out there, you’re more likely to see accidents happening with more vessels, of course, so we’re able to get on-scene quickly and get them back to care.”
He said Monday night’s medevac was done by about 7:30 p.m. The Jayhawk crew returned the mariner to Cold Bay for a commercial flight to Anchorage. His current condition is unknown. The Coast Guard did not release his name.
Eight-to-10-foot seas with winds to 35 mph were reported at the scene of the rescue, with visibility down to a half-mile. DeVuyst says it was typical rough weather that didn’t hamper the operation.