Saving Seafood

ALASKA: Alaska Board of Fisheries votes to reduce Area M salmon fishing times

February 27, 2026 — The Alaska Board of Fisheries has approved some of the most severe restrictions on salmon fishing in the Area M fishery in decades.

On Feb. 25, the board approved a proposal to reduce June salmon fishing times in the area along the western Alaska Peninsula and Eastern Aleutians in a 4-3 vote. It pencils out to a loss of 136 hours for the drift fleet and 94 hours for the seine fleet. The reductions come during periods when vulnerable chum salmon stocks are present, but also when commercial fishermen are busy scooping up sockeye.

It’s a move welcomed by Western Alaska tribes and stakeholders who have faced years of record-low chum salmon returns on the Kuskokwim River, and complete salmon fishing closures on the Yukon River.

But they also say the reductions don’t go far enough. The original version of the approved proposal was submitted by Bethel’s tribe, and it called for a 10-day consecutive closure in the June fishery.

Read the full article at KYUK

Chris Oliver Was Offered and Accepted Top NOAA Position – Now Vetting Process Begins

May 11, 2017 — The following was written by Peggy Parker and published today by Seafoodnews.com:

Chris Oliver, Executive Director director of the Alaska-based North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, has been offered and has accepted the position of Assistant Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A tentative start date is Monday, June 19, 2017.

Oliver notified members of the NPFMC and staff by email yesterday, explained that “this appointment is still subject to the White House vetting and approval process, which may take a few weeks, so it is NOT final yet.”  

He said that recent industry rumors, plus the need for transition planning, led to his email.

Only the Commerce Department or the White House can make any official announcement on the position, and that cannot happen until the process is complete.

“I, and Commerce, would have preferred to keep this information close until the full appointment process is indeed finalized, but given the timing involved, and the necessary transitional aspects involved, I feel it is incumbent upon me to let everyone know the status of this,” Oliver wrote.

It is widely believed that Oliver’s appointment will give NMFS needed stability and deep experience at a time of significant budget and regulatory review.

There were two other contenders for the job — Robert Barham, who served as wildlife and fisheries secretary under former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R),  and LaDon Swann who heads up the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium.

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.