salmon

Crew members adjust the net as it releases fish aboard the Northern Hawk factory trawler on Saturday, Aug. 5 in the Bering Sea. (Photo by Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News)

With little movement on salmon bycatch, Alaska advocates look to Biden administration for action

Amid catastrophic shortfalls in salmon harvests in some of Alaska’s rural, Indigenous communities, advocates have pleaded for a crackdown on unintentional catch of those same… Continue reading

Crew members adjust the net as it releases fish aboard the Northern Hawk factory trawler on Saturday, Aug. 5 in the Bering Sea. (Photo by Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News)
A Chinook salmon is seen in an undated photo. (Photo by Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)

Salmon drift gillnet season ends with a hint at final numbers

King goals expected to be met in six of 11 index locations

A Chinook salmon is seen in an undated photo. (Photo by Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)
Alaska salmon troller Bay of Pillars in Chatham Strait. (Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries)

Dispute about salmon and whales between Alaska and Washington again before federal regulators

NMFS seeks input for environmental impact statement in wake of court rulings.

Alaska salmon troller Bay of Pillars in Chatham Strait. (Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries)
Author Tele Aadsen performing at her first FisherPoets Gathering in 2012. Her book, “What Water Holds,” is a collection of essays she wrote for the annual festival over the next 12 years. (Photo courtesy Pat Dixon)

A commercial fisherman who knows her way around salmon and essays

Author Tele Aadsen signing book of essays at Hearthside downtown

Author Tele Aadsen performing at her first FisherPoets Gathering in 2012. Her book, “What Water Holds,” is a collection of essays she wrote for the annual festival over the next 12 years. (Photo courtesy Pat Dixon)
Norval Nelson, owner and operator of Star of the Sea, and his wife, Barbara Cadiente, clean and prep the boat in Aurora Harbor on Wednesday, the same day the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced commercial crab fisheries would remain closed again this year. (Meredith Jordan/Juneau Empire)

Commercial crab fishery closed for 2023-2024 season

News comes atop plummeting prices for chum and pink salmon for professional fishers

Norval Nelson, owner and operator of Star of the Sea, and his wife, Barbara Cadiente, clean and prep the boat in Aurora Harbor on Wednesday, the same day the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced commercial crab fisheries would remain closed again this year. (Meredith Jordan/Juneau Empire)
Allison Lihou, John Diamond and Brian Thomason (aboard boat) turn in five salmon, including four scholarship fish, to dock volunteers Jason Bailey (orange jacket) and Bobby Dilg at the Douglas Harbor station during the 77th annual Golden North Salmon Derby on Sunday. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)

Updates from the 77th Annual Golden North Salmon Derby

24.4-pound king is top catch at 6 p.m. Sunday deadline, more than 3 pounds heavier than runner-up.

Allison Lihou, John Diamond and Brian Thomason (aboard boat) turn in five salmon, including four scholarship fish, to dock volunteers Jason Bailey (orange jacket) and Bobby Dilg at the Douglas Harbor station during the 77th annual Golden North Salmon Derby on Sunday. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)
Bjorn Dihle stands in front of acid mine drainage at British Columbia’s Tulsequah Chief mine, which has been abandoned and leaching acid mine drainage into the transboundary Taku River watershed for more than 65 years. The Taku, a wild salmon river, flows into Alaska and empties into the ocean just south of Juneau. (Photo by Chris Miller/csmphotos.com)

Opinion: Powerful interests should stop targeting Alaska hook and line fishing

They should start targeting the real threat to wild salmon: habitat destruction

Bjorn Dihle stands in front of acid mine drainage at British Columbia’s Tulsequah Chief mine, which has been abandoned and leaching acid mine drainage into the transboundary Taku River watershed for more than 65 years. The Taku, a wild salmon river, flows into Alaska and empties into the ocean just south of Juneau. (Photo by Chris Miller/csmphotos.com)
The Golden North Salmon Derby returns this weekend for the 77th edition as the same charitable event, with bigger prizes. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)

Salmon Derby expects to bring on the coho and some king

Popular charitable competition swims off starting Friday

The Golden North Salmon Derby returns this weekend for the 77th edition as the same charitable event, with bigger prizes. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)
A king salmon is laid out for inspection by Alaska Department of Fish and Game at the Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor during the Golden North Salmon Derby on Aug. 25, 2019. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

My Turn: Decline of king salmon fishing in Southeast Alaska started many decade ago

From the reports I’ve heard about the July 1-14 commercial troll opening, the king salmon for some of the fishermen averaged only 10 to 11… Continue reading

A king salmon is laid out for inspection by Alaska Department of Fish and Game at the Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor during the Golden North Salmon Derby on Aug. 25, 2019. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Captain Joe Emerson catches a salmon aboard his boat the TommyL II using a line-caught method, also known as trolling for his co-owned Southeast business Shoreline Wild Salmon. Shoreline was recently recognized by Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab as one of the best seafood delivery services currently in business. (Courtesy Photo / Joe Emerson)

Southeast salmon business hooks national attention

Shoreline Wild Salmon delivery service feted by Good Housekeeping.

Captain Joe Emerson catches a salmon aboard his boat the TommyL II using a line-caught method, also known as trolling for his co-owned Southeast business Shoreline Wild Salmon. Shoreline was recently recognized by Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab as one of the best seafood delivery services currently in business. (Courtesy Photo / Joe Emerson)
Waterways in Southeast Alaska are seen from the air in this 2021 photo by a member of the Central Council Tlingit Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. The Native tribe is among many in the U.S. and Canada seeking faster and more definitive action by the two countries to cleanup polluted mining sites and safeguard areas against harm from future industrial activity. Complaints about contaminated sites in some border areas, including the Tulsequah Chief mine in British Columbia about 20 miles from Alaska near Juneau, have gone largely unaddressed for many years. (Courtesy Photo / CCTHITA)

U.S.-Canada summit leads to renewed calls for transboundary mining cleanups

Indigenous leaders — including Rep. Peltola, U.S. and Canadian tribes — seek joint oversight of areas

Waterways in Southeast Alaska are seen from the air in this 2021 photo by a member of the Central Council Tlingit Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. The Native tribe is among many in the U.S. and Canada seeking faster and more definitive action by the two countries to cleanup polluted mining sites and safeguard areas against harm from future industrial activity. Complaints about contaminated sites in some border areas, including the Tulsequah Chief mine in British Columbia about 20 miles from Alaska near Juneau, have gone largely unaddressed for many years. (Courtesy Photo / CCTHITA)
Smoked salmon and salmon spread, Mickey’s Fishcamp, Wrangell Alaska. (Courtesy Photo / Vivian Faith Prescott)

Planet Alaska: Salmon gratitudes

What are we grateful for today? Is it our heritage, our homes, our art, elders, our food?

Smoked salmon and salmon spread, Mickey’s Fishcamp, Wrangell Alaska. (Courtesy Photo / Vivian Faith Prescott)
Sockeye salmon return to Steep Creek to spawn. Alaska’s overall commercial salmon harvest across all species is currently up 15% from 2021 (2020 for pinks) with Bristol Bay and the Prince William Sound largely carrying the weight while other regions lag, according to data from the most recent Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute weekly salmon harvest update. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Statewide salmon harvest on the upswing compared to last year, species vary in harvest success

See the salmon stats here.

Sockeye salmon return to Steep Creek to spawn. Alaska’s overall commercial salmon harvest across all species is currently up 15% from 2021 (2020 for pinks) with Bristol Bay and the Prince William Sound largely carrying the weight while other regions lag, according to data from the most recent Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute weekly salmon harvest update. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
2022 marks the 76th year the Goldern North Salmon Derby has existed in Juneau. The derby, which also doubles as a fundraiser, has raised nearly $2 million and given scholarships to more than 300 local high school and graduate students. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

A dawdling derby

This year’s salmon derby seemed to lack numbers, participants according to officials

2022 marks the 76th year the Goldern North Salmon Derby has existed in Juneau. The derby, which also doubles as a fundraiser, has raised nearly $2 million and given scholarships to more than 300 local high school and graduate students. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Colby Nelson throw one of the 11 fish he and Patrick Willis caught on Saturday for the derby. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

A slow derby doesn’t stop local fishermen

Slow and steady wins the… salmon derby.

Colby Nelson throw one of the 11 fish he and Patrick Willis caught on Saturday for the derby. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
In this Jan. 18, 2014, file photo, endangered orcas swim in Puget Sound and in view of the Olympic Mountains just west of Seattle, as seen from a federal research vessel that has been tracking the whales. A federal court ruling this week has thrown into doubt the future of a valuable commercial king salmon fishery in Southeast Alaska, after a conservation group challenged the government's approval of the harvest as a threat to protected fish and the endangered killer whales that eat them. (AP Photo / Elaine Thompson)

Ruling clouds future of southeast Alaska king salmon fishery

Court ruling casts doubt future of a valuable commercial king salmon fishery in Southeast Alaska

  • Aug 12, 2022
  • By Gene Johnson Associated Press
  • Newssalmon
In this Jan. 18, 2014, file photo, endangered orcas swim in Puget Sound and in view of the Olympic Mountains just west of Seattle, as seen from a federal research vessel that has been tracking the whales. A federal court ruling this week has thrown into doubt the future of a valuable commercial king salmon fishery in Southeast Alaska, after a conservation group challenged the government's approval of the harvest as a threat to protected fish and the endangered killer whales that eat them. (AP Photo / Elaine Thompson)
This is a photo of a young Gabrielle Shaawatgoox George-Frank smiling as she holds a fish caught near Angoon, Alaska where her family originates from. George-Frank is one of the five students who received this year’s Golden North Salmon Derby’s annual scholarships. (Courtesy Photo / Gabrielle Shaawatgoox George-Frank)

Salmon derby scholarship helps local student reach longtime goal

She shares what the upcoming event’s scholarship means to her.

This is a photo of a young Gabrielle Shaawatgoox George-Frank smiling as she holds a fish caught near Angoon, Alaska where her family originates from. George-Frank is one of the five students who received this year’s Golden North Salmon Derby’s annual scholarships. (Courtesy Photo / Gabrielle Shaawatgoox George-Frank)
Two male sockeye salmon battle for territory in Steep Creek near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Sockeye harvest numbers soaring, other species see decline

See the salmon stats here.

Two male sockeye salmon battle for territory in Steep Creek near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Chignik Lake is the first of two lakes in the Chignik River system; it is longer and deeper than the second lake, Black Lake, which is wide and shallow. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

The Salmon State: A tale of two salmon

Chignik has two genetically distinct runs of sockey

Chignik Lake is the first of two lakes in the Chignik River system; it is longer and deeper than the second lake, Black Lake, which is wide and shallow. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)
Glacial retreat will create thousands of miles of new salmon habitat by 2100 — which means, scientists say, that managers need to be thinking proactively about how to manage that land. Pictured is a king salmon on a Southeast Alaska shore. (Mary Catharine Martin / SalmonState)

The Salmon State: Glacier retreat means new habitat — and challenges — for wild salmon

Alaska is about to get thousands of miles of new salmon habitat….

Glacial retreat will create thousands of miles of new salmon habitat by 2100 — which means, scientists say, that managers need to be thinking proactively about how to manage that land. Pictured is a king salmon on a Southeast Alaska shore. (Mary Catharine Martin / SalmonState)