Alaska Fisheries

35th Fish Expo Headed To Seattle

Fish Expo and WorkBoat Northwest Trade Show is slated to deliver its standard level of excellence in exhibitors and conference topics, bringing the most complete resources for commercial fishing to the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, November 15-17. Leon E. Panetta, Pew Oceans Commission chairman, is invited to deliver the keynote address and field questions on fisheries and environmental issues. Dr. Rebecca Lent, the newly appointed Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations' National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), is also scheduled to deliver a keynote to address current efforts to streamline the regulatory processes and improve relations between the agency, its constituents and the general public. Spike Walker, critically acclaimed author, will hold a book signing for his new novel entitled Coming Back Alive: The True Story of the Most Harrowing Search and Rescue Mission Ever Attempted on Alaska's High Seas. Fish Expo is touted as the largest commercial fishing show in the world. More than 600 manufacturers and distributors will display the latest technologies and products for commercial fishing vessels, shore side fish handlers, seafood-processing plants, tugs, barges, boat building, marine construction, passenger vessels, aquaculturists and more

Halter Marine Starts $38.3 Million Project

Halter Marine, Inc, a subsidiary of Friede Goldman Halter, has started construction of NOAA’s (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) newest vessel the M/V Oscar Dyson. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 36 months at a price of $38.3 million. It is anticipated that options for additional vessels will be exercised as Congress incrementally appropriates funds. NOAA may build up to three additional Fishing Research Vessels (RFV) under the terms of the contract

FRV's Get Advanced Noise Control

The engineering consulting firm, Noise Control Engineering has just received a subcontract from Friede-Goldman Halter for the engineering and acoustical design services on NOAA's new Fisheries Research Vessel, the FRV-40. The ship will be designed to quietly perform fish stock assessment studies in the open ocean. According to Mr. William Michaels, NOAA Fisheries Biologist at the National Marine Fisheries Service in Woods Hole, Massachusetts

Court Orders Alaska to Fix Cruise Ship Discharge Permit

The Superior Court issued an “Order to Compel” to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. The court order issued to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is for failing to address challenges brought by Campaign to Safeguard America’s Waters and Friends of the Earth to the Cruise Ship Discharge Permit that allows cruise ships to dump their wastewater into Alaska’s waterways.

Alaskan Stabicraft Fleet Covers 18,000 Nautical Miles

The fleet of nine Stabicraft 659 Wheelhouse vessels delivered to Alaska at the beginning of the year have just completed their first 6 months of service. The vessel orders came at a special request from Saltwater Inc, a private organization that gathers data on wild life and fish stocks for the Alaskan Department of Fish and Game and by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The boats were sent to the US in semi assembled form from Stabicraft Marine’s Invercargill factory in New

Arctic Integrated Management & Planning Advocated

A US interagency working group calls for an integrated management strategy for the rapidly changing Arctic. The recently issued report of the inter-agency working group, chaired by Interior Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes, highlights the need for a coordinated approach that uses the best available science to integrate cultural, environmental and economic factors in decision-making about development and conservation.

Fisherman Fined for Violating Magnuson

A Florida fisherman was fined by an administrative law judge Tuesday, for illegal fishing within a secured area 120 miles south of Panama City, Fla. The violation occurred Dec. 17, 2002, when the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Stingray, homeported in Mobile, Ala., stopped and boarded the fishing vessel, The Shadow, for allegedly illegally fishing within the Madison-Swanson closed area. Jerry Eugene Key, operator of The Shadow, set approximately 2

Congress Updated on Status of Marine Fisheries

In its second report to Congress on the status of marine fish stocks, the National Marine Fisheries Service said 100 species reviewed are overfished or approaching an overfished condition, while another 200 species are not overfished. Data from the report will be used by national and regional fishery managers as they finalize plans to end overfishing and rebuild the depleted fisheries, officials of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

Kvichak Increases Presence in Cat Patrol Boat Market

Kvichak Marine Industries has furthered its presence in the catamaran and patrol boat markets by combining the two to construct patrol catamarans. The company's newest delivery is an add-on to its 54-ft. (16.4 m) patrol catamaran that was built for California Fish and Game (CAF&G). Named Thresher, the vessel will be joined by a sistership, Marlin, this coming spring. In addition, the company said the Alaska Fish & Wildlife Protection (AF&WP) - that has ordered a new cat for fisheries patrol

Fishing Vessel Major Refit Completed by Jensen

US-based Jensen Maritime, completes a major redesign of the Global Sea-managed fishing vessel 'Bering Defender'. The project, which improved the vessel’s efficiency and hold capacity, outfitted it for pollock fishing in the challenging waters of Alaska’s Bering Sea. The refurbished fishing boat, formerly named Dona Martita, recently arrived in Seattle after departing the East Coast and transiting the Panama Canal