National Fisherman

Charlie Ess

Contributor

Charlie Ess is the North Pacific Bureau Chief for National Fisherman.

Author Archive

Lawyers representing the Cook Inlet drift fleet fired off the latest in a volley of court actions. Photo courtesy of UCIDA

Cook Inlet drift fleet battles on in court

Kinematics Bristol Bay Gillnetter — Kevin Wilson, deckhand on the F/V Curragh, standing on the back deck of a 32-foot salmon gillnetter on his first day of the season in Alaska’s Bristol Bay Naknek River fishing district. Kinematics Marine Equipment

Bristol Bay data show widening gap in fishermen’s earnings

Leonard Leach of Alaska is one of the 2024 National Fisherman Highliners of the Year. Photo by the Leach family

2024 Highliner of the year: Leonard Leach

Fishermen felt a mood swing reminiscent of last season regarding what went into their wallets toward the end of the Bay's sockeye season. Photo by Nick Hall / Save Bristol Bay

Bristol Bay fishermen faced 'more stagger than swagger' this season

A Cook Inlet gillnetter runs north on a fish call, with Mt. ReDoubt volcano off to the west. Pat Dixon photo

For Cook Inlet gillnetters, life's not easy in the EEZ

NMFS's finding agrees that listing chinook stocks under the Endangered Species Act could be the best approach to preserving the runs. Photo by Heather Ray on Shutterstock

Navigating the implications of Chinook listing under the ESA

Alaska Native groups and others hope two new bills by Rep. Peltola, will reduce salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea. Photo by Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (KRITFC)

Peltola introduces bills to address salmon bycatch battle

Kinematics Bristol Bay Gillnetter — Kevin Wilson, deckhand on the F/V Curragh, standing on the back deck of a 32-foot salmon gillnetter on his first day of the season in Alaska’s Bristol Bay Naknek River fishing district. Kinematics Marine Equipment

Salmon processors set incentives for Bristol Bay season

Longlining Alaska Halibut aboard the Dues Payer II. Peter Thompson photo. — Longlining Alaska Halibut aboard the Dues Payer II in Kodiak. Peter Thompson photo.

Processing capacity may slow early halibut, blackcod harvests

Alaska's Bristol Bay salmon industry on the brink. As overstuffed markets and looming high-volume harvests loom, the financial solvency of the industry hangs by a thread. Justin Del Boulter photo.

Bristol Bay salmon fishermen face uncertain 2024