National Fisherman

Salmon

The Bristol Bay sockeye season is short and intense; aboard a Northline boat, a four-man crew picks fish and does all it can to preserve quality, bleeding and chilling fish in RSW tanks. Photo courtesy of Asher Molyneaux

Getting wild salmon onto the plate

Paul Molyneaux

ALFA says intact Tongass watersheds are critical to Southeast Alaska’s commercial salmon fisheries. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Tongass roadless plan raises salmon concerns

NF Staff

Shutterstock photo.

Mediocre Bristol Bay catch offset by soaring sockeye prices

Scott Atkinson

The F/V Element at the dock in Homer, Alaska, ready to make the trip across Cook Inlet to Westport, from there by land to Lake Iliamna and then down the Kvichak River to Bristol Bay just in time for the sockeye salmon season.

Boat of the Month: Element

Paul Molyneaux

Sitka seiners set two single-day pink salmon harvest records in August. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Record-breaking pink run surges into Sitka

NF Staff

Rising costs and tightening constraints are reshaping who can remain in the commercial fishing business. Shutterstock photo.

Jerry_Fraser

Common cause: Maine, Alaska share challenges, if not history

Jerry Fraser

Brian and Lisa Gabriel hope the new administrative district will improve management of their setnet fishery. Photo courtesy of Lisa Gabriel

Sorting out the new administrative district in Cook Inlet

Paul Molyneaux

Seiners are still waiting for the pinks to show in Prince William Sound. Some surges have buoyed hopes, but people involved report that skippers and boat owners are already talking about the possibility of disaster relief. Photo courtesy of Henry Bell

Pink salmon surge offers late hope for Prince William Sound seiners

Paul Molyneaux

California fishermen could face another difficult season as a strengthening El Niño threatens warmer waters, shifting fish distributions and harmful algal blooms along the West Coast. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

‘Super’ El Niño could bring challenges for fishing fleets

NF Staff

Sam Froines, Taylor Tomblin, and Malachi Church pumping a nice set of pink salmon in Valdez, Alaska. Photo courtesy of NF Crew Shots / Nick Crump

Late pink salmon arrival offers hope for Southeast Alaska fleet

NF Staff

Finn Furth strips nets while the rest of the crew winterizes the boat, sorting lines for next season and sending clean monofilament to Net Your Problem for recycling. Photo courtesy of Finn Furth

Putting a Bristol Bay boat to bed

Paul Molyneaux