Wednesday, August 5, 2026
- Aug 5
- 4 min read
Alaska
Golden king crab season opens in the Aleutian Islands
KUCB by Katie Reuther - August 4, 2026
Golden king crab season opened on Saturday in the Aleutian Islands. The total allowable catch this year is 13% higher than it was last season.
Salmon fishing to close in Cook Inlet EEZ to protect coho quota
National Fisherman by NF Staff - August 4, 2026
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will prohibit commercial salmon fishing in the Cook Inlet Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) beginning at 7 a.m. Alaska time on Aug. 5, according to an Alaska Region information bulletin.
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Inside the overlooked world of Bristol Bay’s salmon tenders
National Fisherman by Carli Clancy - August 4, 2026
When Bristol Bay’s salmon run reaches its peak, the spotlight usually falls on the fishermen hauling sockeye over the rails.
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West Coast
Washington black cod landings climb as domestic demand grows
National Fisherman by NF Staff - August 5, 2026
Washington's commercial black cod fishery continues its upward trajectory, with landings rising every year since 2019 as growing domestic demand helps make sablefish one of the Pacific Northwest's fastest-rising seafood products.
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Oregon's $3B Tariff Bill Hits Seafood-Dependent Coast Hard, New State Report Finds
SeafoodNews by Ryan Doyle - August 5, 2026
Oregon importers paid nearly $3 billion in tariffs between March and December 2025 as the state's effective tariff rate surged from roughly 2% to multiples of that figure, according to a new analysis released August 3 by Governor Tina Kotek's office.
The report — co-authored by the Office of Economic Analysis, the Oregon Employment Department, and Business Oregon — found that Oregon was hit harder than most US states, a direct consequence of its coastal geography and port-dependent trade flows. The seafood industry, which relies heavily on both imported inputs and access to export markets, has been among the sectors absorbing the sharpest disruptions.
West Coast fishing and processing operations reported canceled international orders throughout 2025, with ripple effects reaching workers at docks and processing plants statewide. Oregon's shrimp industry pursued a federal tariff exclusion to blunt the impact, but the application was denied, leaving producers without relief and facing elevated input costs with no clear timeline for resolution.
Oregon's entire Democratic congressional delegation rallied behind the seafood sector earlier this year, characterizing the trade environment as "devastating" to an industry that underpins the state's coastal economy. Seafood processing and commercial fishing support thousands of jobs along the Oregon coast, with the sector tied closely to both Asian export lanes and domestic distribution channels — both of which have been disrupted by the ongoing tariff environment.
The broader economic context is notable.
Tariffs did not originate Oregon's economic slowdown, but the state report found they have significantly compounded existing pressures. As a coastal state with major active ports, Oregon moves billions of dollars in goods annually, exposing it to tariff-related cost increases at a greater rate than inland states.
The Kotek report represents the state's third formal policy challenge to federal tariff measures and is designed to build a documented record of economic damage as trade disputes with major partners — including China, a key destination for West Coast seafood — remain unresolved.
Politics
Chamber fisheries debate scheduled in Sept.
Kodiak Daily Mirror by Steve Williams - August 3, 2026
Candidates for U.S. House and Senate and Alaska governor will once again make their case in Kodiak this fall as the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce revives its long-running fisheries debates.
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Environment/Science
Researchers journey into Pacific for clues about disappearance of old, female rockfish
Alaska Beacon by Alex Baumhardt - July 31, 2026
Off the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, Canada and Alaska, three species of female rockfish have largely disappeared in the last 40 years.
Labeling and Marketing
ASMI Adds New “Seafood Sustains Alaska” Videos to Alaska Airport Rotation
SeafoodNews by Natasha Estremera - August 5, 2026
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is featuring a series of short videos in airports across Alaska as part of its multi‑year Seafood Sustains Alaska campaign.
ASMI recently added a new video to the rotation at the Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau airports. The video highlights the commercial seafood sector’s value to Alaska and the many ways residents are connected to the industry. It uses striking imagery of Alaska and its fishermen to show how Alaska seafood supports communities, families and the state’s economy.
The airport videos are one element of a broader campaign that engages Alaskans through several initiatives, including the recently revitalized Fisherman Ambassador Program, which encourages harvesters to share the Alaska seafood message in their home communities. The campaign also includes retail and tourism outreach, with window clings and in‑store support.
Watch the video on YouTube here.
Federal Register
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area; Cost Recovery Fee Notice for the Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative Program
A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 08/05/2026
NMFS publishes the fee percentage for cost recovery for the Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative (PCTC) Program. The fee percentage for 2026 is 2.09 percent. This notice is intended to provide the 2026 fee percentage to calculate the required payment for cost recovery fees due by August 31, 2026.
FYI’s
IB 26-28: NMFS Prohibits Commercial Fishing for Salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area
NOAA Fisheries - August 3, 2026
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is prohibiting commercial fishing for salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area, effective 0700 hours Alaska local time, August 5, 2026, according to Jonathan M. Kurland, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.
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