Notorious Alaska fish pirate Arne Fuglvog doesn't appear to have cast much of a shadow. Not a year has passed since the man once close to taking the job as the nation's top fisheries manager went to jail for his illegal fishing, and his cronies in the 49th state are lining up in to try to block federal rules aimed at more closely monitoring commercial fisheries that work the empty ocean off the wild coast of the 49th state.
The Petersburg Vessel Owners Association, of which Fuglvog was once president; the Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association; the Alaska Trollers Association; the North Pacific Fishermen's Association; Southeast Alaska Fishermen's Alliance; United Cook Inlet Drift Association; the United Fishermen's Marketing Association; and a bunch of others say federal plans to put fishery observers on some of the small boats working the high seas off Alaska are onerous.
"I'd have thought this whole Arne Fuglvog thing would have highlighted this (illegal fishing), and sort of been in their face like this could be a problem," said Elizabeth Mitchell of the Association for Professional Observers. But apparently not.
Read the full story at Alaska Dispatch>>
Callifornia crabbing: Here's a fun video shot on the decks of the Majestik while catching Dungeness crab off the coast of northern California.
Alaska fisherman and commercial fisheries activist Kevin Adams was elected chairman at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors meeting on May 9 in Anchorage.
The governor-appointed board consists of seven members: five seafood processors and two industry representatives actively engaged in commercial fishing. Adams was appointed to fill a harvester seat by Gov. Frank Murkowski in 2004.
With 38 years of fishing experience in Bristol Bay, Adams has long been an active member in the Alaska fishing industry, ASMI says. He has worked for both the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation and the Bering Sea Fisherman's Association, and represents Alaska fishermen on numerous boards.
The Northeast Regional Planning Body, a group of state, tribal and federal representatives from New England who are working to implement the National Ocean Policy and address critical New England ocean issues, is holding a series of public meetings in May and June.
The meetings are being held to discuss draft regional ocean planning goals and associated potential actions. The planning body seeks input on these goals and actions. Additional information on the group's progress can be found here.
The meetings will also provide an opportunity to review draft maps and products from initial efforts to gather information on the natural resources and diverse uses of the ocean, including fishing, transportation, energy and infrastructure, aquaculture, and recreation.
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