Wednesday, May 13, 2026
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Alaska
Alaska seafood delegation wraps up Baltics fact-finding mission
'These meetings strengthened relationships, increased visibility for Alaska species, and identified new avenues for collaboration' -- Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
Undercurrent News by Jacob Resneck - May 12, 2026
Alaska seafood sector representatives are expanding exports to Baltic countries as the US state seeks to gain additional footholds in the European Union (EU) market...
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US Supreme Court declines to hear case brought by Alaska commercial fishers
SeafoodSource by Nathan Strout - May 12, 2026
The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a petition brought by Alaska commercial fishers challenging federal management of the Upper Cook Inlet (UCI) salmon fishery.
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Federal agency reviews 90,000 public comments on Alaska seabed mining proposal
KUCB by Sofia Stuart-Rasi - May 12, 2026
The public had many opinions about mining minerals on the seabed off Alaska’s coast. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management closed its public comment period on April 1, and now the agency is reviewing roughly 90,000 submissions.
Kodiak’s Early Season Salmon Fishing Curtailed to Protect Expected Low Return of Reds and Kings
SeafoodNews by Peggy Parker - May 12, 2026
Projected extremely low returns of both sockeye (red) and king (Chinook) salmon to the Karluk River on Kodiak Island's west side are expected to keep the area closed from June 1 to July 5, 2026.
“The Karluk River early-run sockeye salmon forecast is estimated to be 115,000 fish, which falls significantly below the established Biological Escapement Goal (BEG) of 150,000 to 250,000 fish,” noted the May 6 announcement by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).
“Additionally, Karluk River Chinook salmon escapements have experienced record lows over the past three seasons: only 379 fish in 2023, 76 fish in 2024, and 93 fish in 2025. These escapements are far below the BEG range of 3,000 to 6,000 Chinook salmon.”
The state agency will keep a close eye on early returns of both salmon species, but if the return is as weak as projected, the Northwest Kodiak District and the Inner and Outer Karluk Sections of the Southwest Kodiak District will be closed from June 1 through July 5, 2026. ADF&G will also close two 33-hour fishing periods scheduled from June 1 to June 15 in the Northwest Kodiak District.
This strands some 150 seiners, mostly Kodiak-based, and 80 west-side setnetters, who would otherwise be fishing those stocks through June and into July, reported the Kodiak Mirror last week.
Management biologist Geoff Spalinger told the Kodiak Mirror that warm ocean conditions in the Gulf of Alaska have led to the Chinook's near-collapse in recent years.
"We've seen low king returns to most king systems in the Gulf of Alaska. We're experiencing low returns and the recent seasons in 2024 and 2025 can be tied back to the warm water conditions that we had in 2019 and 2020. Those are years where the temperatures were basically at lethal levels for kings," Spalinger said.
Spaliinger noted that the Karluk River sockeye run “… drives the whole West Side fishery … this is going to put a dent in everybody's early season.”
The situation for the Ayakulik River salmon run is different, but because of low expected Chinook return, the early sockeye season will also be curtailed.
The Ayakulik River total run (early run and late run) sockeye salmon forecast is estimated to be 1.02 million salmon, well above the combined early- and late-run escapement goals of 200,000 to 400,000 fish. But the Ayakulik Chinook salmon escapements have been dismal over the past three seasons:
590 fish in 2023, 354 fish in 2024, and 444 fish in 2025, compared to BEG of 4,800-8,400 Chinook salmon.
To get as many Chinook as possible up to the spawning ground, ADF&G will close the Inner Ayakulik Section throughout the entire early-run period of June 1 through July 15.
The Outer Ayakulik Section of the Southwest Kodiak District will open to commercial salmon fishing only if the department determines that the upper end of the early-run sockeye salmon Sustainable Escapement Goal (SEG) of 140,000 to 280,000 fish will be exceeded. The department will continue monitoring the salmon runs throughout June and early July to determine if a commercial salmon fishing period is justified.
The department said it will continue evaluating salmon returns through June and early July before making additional fisheries decisions.
Chinook Not to Be Listed Under the Endangered Species Act, Alaska Agrees
Department of Fish and Game by Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang - May 13, 2026
NMFS, the National Marine Fisheries Service, has decided that listing Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Chinook salmon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in not warranted. This decision follows an extensive review of data on salmon abundance, habitat quality, harvest, fishery management, and other factors.
The State emphasizes that Gulf of Alaska Chinook do not come close to meeting the definition for listing under the ESA. If the listing had occurred, oversight of Chinook management would have transferred to the federal government.
“This decision by NMFS Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñeiro Soler indicates strong support for Alaska’s management of natural resources,” said Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang.
“Alaska became a state, in large part, to hold authority over our own natural resources such as fisheries. Since then, the sound science and fisheries management by our department has been recognized globally.”
Commissioner Vincent-Lang emphasized that biological indicators cited in the petition were grossly inadequate to support an ESA listing.
“Failing to meet an escapement goal is not evidence that a stock is at risk of extinction; rather it is a proactive management trigger to ensure stocks are not overfished,” Commissioner Vincent-Lang said.
“Alaska takes the decline in Chinook abundance very seriously. That is why we have taken significant management actions to reduce harvest and have invested heavily in research to better understand the causes of reduced productivity of these stocks.”
While changing ocean conditions have reduced Chinook productivity statewide since 2007, trends vary by river system, and some stocks have recently improved.
For more information:
Communications Director Patty Sullivan, Desk (907) 465-6436, Cell (907) 331-9100 or patty.sullivan@alaska.gov
West Coast
Harvest Control Rules update
Kodiak Daily Mirror by Terry Haines - May 12, 2026
The North Pacific Management Council (NPFMC) will review its Climate Work Plan as well as a discussion paper on alternative Harvest Control Rules, or HCRs, at its next meeting in early June. Both the Climate Work Plan and the proposed new HCRs are an effort to fold ecosystem level information into the management process.
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National
Trump’s NOAA grant cuts undermine US seafood competitiveness, ASMI warns
'To align with the president's directive, the S-K program should be receiving more funding than ever' -- Jeremy Woodrow, ASMI
Undercurrent News by Amanda Buckle - May 11, 2026
US president Donald Trump earlier issued an executive order (EO) intended to make the US seafood industry more competitive and reduce the reliance on imports.
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Labeling and Marketing
Alaska seafood sees Lent lift from strong promos at Burger King, McDonald's
Burger King, a new partner, pushed broad reach this year, according to ASMI.
Intrafish by Rachel Sapin - May 12, 2026
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) reported strong brand visibility and sales gains during the 2026 Lenten season as major U.S. quick‑service and fast‑casual chains expanded Alaska seafood offerings and featured the Alaska seafood logo across national campaigns.
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Federal Register
North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 05/13/2026
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory committees will meet June 1, 2026, through June 9, 2026.
IB 26-22: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Hook-and-Line Catcher/Processors in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf Alaska
NOAA Fisheries - May 11, 2026
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/processors using hook-and-line gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), effective 12 noon, Alaska local time, May 12, 2026, according to Jonathan M. Kurland, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.
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