Wednesday, February 18, 2026
- Feb 18
- 3 min read
Alaska
Mariculture workshop in Juneau highlights growth potential for Alaska oyster farms
KTOO by Alix Soliman - February 17, 2026
At the end of a dock in Auke Bay, an oyster farmer lifted a creaky hatch door on an unassuming floating platform. Inside were bins holding thousands of young oysters, called spat.
ASMI leverages federal dollars to push US sales of Alaska seafood
'I think our moat that we have around the US domestic market should be really cherished and will be a big part of how we focus' -- Allen Kimball, ASMI board member
Undercurrent News by Jacob Resneck - February 18, 2026
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) continues to lean on US government funding for about half of its $26 million budget as the US state's support remains uncertain.
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Southeast Alaska Tanner, king crab harvests delayed by storm
US meteorologists forecast winds in excess of 35 knots and freezing spray that can be hazardous to mariners
Undercurrent News by Jacob Resneck - February 17, 2026
Crabbers in Alaska are on a weather hold for the Tanner and golden king crab harvests in southeast waters, US state fishery managers announced Monday (Feb. 16).
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Coast Guard National Security ship docks in Juneau before Bering Sea fisheries mission
KTUU by Wil Courtney - February 12, 2026
With cruise ships months away from docking into Juneau’s now-rainy harbor, the port welcomed a new visitor Wednesday: the USCGC Waesche, a national security cutter stopping in Alaska’s capital before heading into the Bering Sea.
Environment/Science
'Smart Buoys' track ghost fishing gear
National Fisherman by NF Staff - February 17, 2026
Blue Ocean Gear, a California-based company, has developed intelligent, connected fishing buoys that allow users to track the exact location and movement of their fishing gear.
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Northern Fur Seal Deaths on St. George Island, Alaska, Linked to Harmful Algal Bloom
Research confirms saxitoxin exposure in seals and the presence of harmful algal species.
NOAA Fisheries - February 17, 2026
In August 2025, two biologists from NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Region Protected Resources Division traveled to St. George Island to conduct routine maintenance on NOAA facilities.
Labeling and Marketing
Arctic blast sent US consumers rushing for canned seafood in January
January’s sales patterns were impacted by an arctic blast with snow, ice and extreme cold across much of the country.
Intrafish by Rachel Sapin - February 17, 2026
Arctic cold weather that swept across much of the United States in January triggered a surge in shelf-stable seafood sales, pushing cans and pouches sharply higher even as fresh and frozen seafood categories posted mixed results.
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Federal Register
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Less Than 50 Feet Length Overall Using Hook-and-Line Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska
A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 02/18/2026
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 50 feet (15.2 meters (m)) length overall using hook-and-line (HAL) gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA).
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Vessels Using Pot Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska
A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 02/18/2026
NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA).
Petition To List the Washington Coast Chinook Salmon As Threatened or Endangered Under the ESA
NOAA Fisheries - February 18, 2026
In December 2023, we, NOAA Fisheries, announced a 90-day finding on a petition to list spring-run Chinook salmon on the Washington Coast (WC) or, alternatively, list the existing WC Chinook salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) as threatened or endangered under the ESA.
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