Alaska/Pacific Coast Citing Low Numbers, ADFG Closes Small Tanner Crab Fishery In Eastern Aleutians KUCB by Laura Kraegel - February 3, 2020 The Eastern Aleutian District tanner crab fishery is closed this winter. The small commercial fishery often opens in January, with two or three local boats harvesting bairdi in state waters around Unalaska and Akutan islands. https://www.kucb.org/post/citing-low-numbers-adfg-closes-small-tanner-crab-fishery-eastern-aleutians 2019 was highest value year on record for Dungeness crab in Southeast Alaska KFSK by Angela Denning - February 3, 2020 The 2019 commercial Dungeness crab season in Southeast Alaska was the most valuable on record. The summer and fall fisheries brought in $16.3 million at the docks. https://www.alaskapublic.org/2020/02/03/2019-was-highest-value-year-on-record-for-dungeness-crab-in-southeast-alaska/ Alaska gets a good return on investment from its commercial fisheries Anchorage Daily News by Laine Welch - February 4, 2020 Alaska gets a good return on investment from its commercial fisheries. And surprise! Commercial fisheries expertise also sustains Alaska’s subsistence and most of the personal-use fisheries. https://www.adn.com/opinions/2020/02/04/alaska-gets-a-good-return-on-investment-from-its-commercial-fisheries/ Board of Fish sets aside groundfish issues KMXT by Maggie Wall - February 4, 2020 The Alaska Board of Fisheries handled more than just salmon issues while in Kodiak for its finfish meeting last month. Today we look at some groundfish issues, and on Wednesday we’ll look at sports fishing regulation changes. http://kmxt.org/2020/02/board-of-fish-sets-aside-groundfish-issues/ Environment/Science NOAA warns of impact of rising temperatures in GOA Cod fishery disaster in the Gulf could well be a trend of the future Cordova Times by Margaret Bauman - February 4, 2020 A top federal fisheries biologist has both bad news and good about the dilemma of Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska. Sea temperatures are expected to rise and marine heat waves become more common, NOAA Fisheries research biologist Steven Barbeaux told participants in the 2020 Alaska Marine Science Symposium in Anchorage on Tuesday, Jan. 28. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2020/02/04/noaa-warns-of-impact-of-rising-temperatures-in-goa/ Federal Register Fisheries Off West Coast States; West Coast Salmon Fisheries; Rebuilding Chinook Salmon Stocks A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 02/04/2020 NMFS proposes to approve and implement rebuilding plans recommended by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) for two overfished stocks: Klamath River fall-run Chinook salmon (KRFC) and Sacramento River fall-run Chinook salmon (SRFC). NMFS determined in June 2018 that these stocks were overfished. This document also announces the availability for public review and comment of a draft environmental assessment (EA) analyzing the environmental impacts of implementing these rebuilding plans. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/02/04/2020-01908/fisheries-off-west-coast-states-west-coast-salmon-fisheries-rebuilding-chinook-salmon-stocks FYI’s Dr. Kruse receives first Terry Quinn Scientist Award North Pacific Fishery Management Council - January 31, 2020 Dr. Kruse receiving the Terry Quinn award from Bill Tweit Dr. Terry Quinn II was a very active member of the North Pacific Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee from 1986 until his death in 2019. Terry was dedicated to the Council process, and valued the complementary roles of the SSC and Council in achieving sustainable management. He was well known for his expertise in population dynamics, knowledge and history of groundfish stock assessments, and his ability to develop practical and useful scientific advice and recommendations to the Council. As a professor at the University of Alaska, he provided guidance and encouragement to many students who have gone on to be successful scientists and fishery managers in the North Pacific. https://www.npfmc.org/quinn/
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