National Fisherman

West Coast & Pacific

Russ Mullins brought his whale rope to the 2025 PME in Seattle. Mullins launched Pacific Rope Works in 2025 as regulations began to kick in requiring Dungeness crab fishermen to use colored rope specific to their particular state. Photo courtesy of Paul M

Pacific Ropeworks helps fishermen save whales and money

Paul Molyneaux

From the ashes of the 2024 Ilwaco Landing fire, FishHer Columbia Pacific Community Alliance has grown into a force for safety, training, and community along the West Coast waterfront. Photo courtesy of FishHer

From Ilwaco strong to FishHer

Carli Stewart

A fishing vessel operates in Alaska waters. Shutterstock photo.

Legislation would expand representation on NPFMC

Margaret Bauman

Wild steelhead like these are among the species Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund dollars are designed to protect, with NOAA Fisheries announcing up to $99 million in grants for West Coast and Alaska conservation projects. NOAA Fisheries photo.

NOAA opens $99 million in Salmon recovery funds for West Coast and Alaska

NF Staff

CDFW expands the use of alternative/pop-up gear but closes traditional fishing season in additional zones. Photo courtesy of CDFW

Calif. expands pop-up gear, closes Zone 3 crab fishery

NF Staff

Turning the former tuna boat Anela into a salmon tender turned out to be a much bigger undertaking than Kris Mullan expected. But for Mullan, who saw the boat launched in Tacoma in 1971, it’s been a labor of love. Angel Marine photo.

Boat of the Month: Anela

Paul Molyneaux

A renewed push to reopen Pacific marine monuments to commercial fishing is reigniting tensions between access, conservation, and cultural protections in some of the world’s most remote waters. Photo courtesy of NOAA

Pacific monuments reopening push fights over fishing, culture

Carli Stewart

Calif. ocean salmon fishery opens for the first time in three years. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Calif. salmon season reopens, bringing cautious optimism

NF Staff

Gene Mafucci bought the Vivian in 1985 and made repairs and replaced the engine with help from his father, Gene, seen with the boat in front of their home on Tomales Bay, California. They used the tide to do things like paint the bottom. Photo courtesy of

At Marshall Boat Works, Gene Maffucci keeps his wooden boat afloat

Paul Molyneaux

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife coastal shellfish team member samples pink shrimp to determine size, sex, and age. Photo courtesy of WDFW

Washington pink shrimp season lands 22.2M pounds

NF Staff

The Honolulu-based tuna longliner, Pacific Sun, hauled out at Ventura Harbor Boatyard. “She was a little too big for another yard I sometimes use, so I brought her to Ventura for a shave and a haircut,” says owner Peter Webster.

Ventura Harbor Boatyard eyes growth for West Coast fleet

Paul Molyneaux