Blog.HaulingGear.com ComFish News #Alaska

#05-23-2013 - ComFish News Roundup

2013-05-23T09:10:00.001-08:00

Anchorage defendant takes stand in final day of Kuskokwim king fishing trial

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Craig Medred
May 22, 2013
BETHEL -- As the last of the trials from last June’s Rumble on the River wound to a close here Wednesday, with defense attorneys gone back to the comfort of Anchorage and some defendants missing as well, things got a little weird. The final defendant turned out to be from a village far, far away. Court began at 9 a.m., with black-haired Tom Carl from Tuluksak, population 373, left to sit alone at the defense table in handcuffs and a blue prison jumpsuit while the.... http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130522/anchorage-defendant-takes-stand-final-day-kuskokwim-king-fishing-trial

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130521/cultures-collide-bethel-court-future-kuskokwim-kings-hanging-balance

Coast Guard lays out its Arctic vision for the next decade
Jill Burke
May 22, 2013
Earlier this week, the U.S. Coast Guard revealed its Arctic Strategy, a document that describes how the agency intends to contribute to the National Strategy for the Arctic Region signed by President Barack Obama earlier this month. Soon after the Coast Guard released its plan, U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, announced his own contribution to the... http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130522/coast-guard-lays-out-its-arctic-vision-next-decade

Copper River: Commercial salmon opener likely on May 27
Posted 05/22/2013
by - Cordova Times Staff
Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists say the next commercial opening of the Copper River District for wild salmon harvests is anticipated to be on Monday, May 27, with the time and area to be announced on Saturday, May 25..... http://www.thecordovatimes.com/article/1321commercial-salmon-opener-likely-on-may-27

4:27 PM WED MAY 22, 2013
Small Seafood Processors Thriving on the East Side of Bristol Bay
By MIKE MASON
A women involved in the seafood processing industry is trying to shed some light on why one area of Bristol Bay has a thriving small seafood processing industry while another area has no small processors at all. KDLG’s Mike Mason has the story..... http://kdlg.org/post/small-seafood-processors-thriving-east-side-bristol-bay

Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Many Factors Will Affect 2013 Wild Salmon Prices
About this time every year, the big question on the minds of commercial harvesters is what price per pound they will get for their investment of time and effort in Alaska’s commercial wild salmon fishery. The only certainty is that in 2013, as in other years, the price will depend on the exchange rate on the Japanese yen and the Euro, the harvest of other wild fish producers, particularly in Russia and Japan, and the shape of farmed salmon markets. People need to be aware of what’s happening with farmed salmon prices, how much canned salmon is... http://fnonlinenews.blogspot.com/2013/05/many-factors-will-affect-2013-wild.html

Wells Denied Bail in ComSta Shootings
May 22, 2013
Jay Barrett/KMXT
A federal judge in Anchorage has denied bail to the accused killer of two men at Coast Guard Communications Station Kodiak last year. Presiding Judge John D. Roberts said Monday afternoon he was not convinced that bail for Jim Wells was appropriate. Wells’ public defender Richard Curtner argued their client has been a suspect for some time and did not attempt to flee the island before his arrest. “As we filed this motion we’ve pointed out to the court that Mr. Wells was identified as a suspect – his vehicles were published in the newspapers in Kodiak from the very beginning of the investigation, yet the FBI would tell the community of Kodiak that there was not a risk.... http://www.kmxt.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4703

Offshore orcas surprise whale researcher
Posted: May 22, 2013 - 5:47pm
By Staff report
A rare subspecies of killer whales, also known as orcas, that prey on sharks was seen on Monday in Kachemak Bay. Dave Lyon of Ashore Water Taxi first reported the pod of about 25 whales, and.... http://homernews.com/homer-news/2013-05-22/offshore-orcas-surprise-whale-researcher

Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Cusack is Icicle Seafoods’ New Sales and Marketing Executive
Michael Cusack is Icicle Seafoods’ new executive vice president for sales and marketing, the company has announced. Cusack most recently served as vice president of sales and marketing for Nissui USA FW Bryce Inc., where he oversaw commodity seafood sales for North America..... http://fnonlinenews.blogspot.com/2013/05/cusack-is-icicle-seafoods-new-sales-and.html

Did Shell's Kulluk cross Gulf of Alaska too hastily?
Suzanna Caldwell
May 21, 2013
A window of good weather and a bid to ensure Royal Dutch Shell had more time to prepare for the 2013 drilling season was the major reason an ill-fated drilling rig was moved across the Gulf of Alaska in midwinter, the company testified Tuesday. Norman “Buddy” Custard, Shell Alaska's emergency response team leader, testified before the Coast Guard's marine casualty investigation hearing that while there was... http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130521/did-shells-kulluk-cross-gulf-alaska-too-hastily

5/23: Son Josh signs 'Captain Phil Harris' in Scottsdale
'Deadliest Catch's' Capt. Phil remembered in book
By Kevin Downey
The Republic | azcentral.com
Wed May 22, 2013 5:12 PM
For seven seasons on Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch,” Josh Harris has experienced some of life’s highest highs — fame and money — in front of millions of people. And since the death of his father and co-star in February 2010, he has experienced some of the lowest lows. Now, Josh Harris, 30, is on a book tour for the biography “The Legendary Crab Fisherman, Our Hero, Our Dad: Captain Phil Harris.” He co-wrote the book with his younger brother, Jake, and Steve Springer and Blake Chavez. This book tour is a first for Harris, who, like his dad, fishes for crab in .... http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/arts/articles/20130522josh-harris-captain-phil-book-scottsdale.html

Wednesday May 22, 2013
Trevor Taylor on aquaculture
Former Fisheries Minister Trevor Taylor has some words of advice for fisheries critic Jim Bennettt... stick to the facts. You're doing a disservice to the aquaculture industry when you throw around words like 'Frankenfish". Speaking of aquaculture... the industry's fees have gone up. Some by 400 perecent..... http://www.cbc.ca/fisheriesbroadcast/2013/05/22/trevor-taylor-on-aquaculture/

Alaska CG - Safe Boating Week from May 18 through May 24, 2013youtu.be/lwkJmtZQmBQ Great info for all. (video montage from District 17)
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 23, 2013

Want to find @copperriverwild Salmon? Trust me, you do. Here's the locator bit.ly/1846pQb
— Paula (@bellalimento) May 22, 2013

ALEC: Rich States, Poor States - AK Performance#8/Outlook#21 alec.org/publications/r… AKData >alec.org/wp-content/upl… twitter.com/haulinggear/st…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 23, 2013

Circle, Alaska, after being flooded by the Yukon River youtu.be/Li8MER7rSZw via @youtube
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 23, 2013

Great fish seminar from @wildfoodboy @westking - amazing array of seafood & delicious tasters of wild Alaska salmon twitter.com/AlaskaSeafoodU…
— AlaskaSeafoodUK (@AlaskaSeafoodUK) May 23, 2013

The CG in Alaska continues to observe National Safe Boating Week! Read more:goo.gl/6S6ZN #NSBW2013 twitter.com/USCGAlaska/sta…
— USCGAlaska (@USCGAlaska) May 23, 2013

Superman Goes Crabbing in the Bering Sea!!youtu.be/rtcEtDDqvu8Film in theaters 06-14-2013 twitter.com/haulinggear/st…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 23, 2013

Astronauts on International Space Station Snag Dramatic Photographs of Pavlof Volcano theatlantic.com/technology/arc… Gmap > maps.google.com/maps?q=Mt+Pavl…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 23, 2013

Obama's Energy Secretary Says Climate Change Not Debatable breitbart.com/Big-Government…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 23, 2013

FIS - Worldnews - Algae biofuel ventures flying high in the Tokyo stock market fis.com/fis/worldnews/…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 23, 2013

Breaking: Tokyo stocks tumbled to their sharpest loss in over two years, closing 7.3% lower. wsj.com
— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) May 23, 2013

That electric car could be free. How incentives are dropping out-of-pocket costs to nearly $0: on.wsj.com/10mxgj4
— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) May 23, 2013

CAT Phone : Hands-On & First Look at CTIA 2013 (Yes. It's the same CAT that goes into the engine room.) youtu.be/CBR-E6HDPDY
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 23, 2013

Three eagles, fighting over a fish (Alaska, USA) twitter.com/traveIing/stat…
— Traveling (@traveIing) May 23, 2013

Finisterre - A cold water surf company youtu.be/qVbCvbMcBe8 via @youtube
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 23, 2013

NASA Releases hi-res photos of Pavlof Volcano taken from space

2013-05-23T07:05:00.002-08:00

Photos taken May 18, 2013
Source > http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=81205

OtterBox Buys LifeProof (iPhone/iPad waterproof casemaker)

2013-05-23T06:20:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 4:00 pm MDT

FORT COLLINS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE) -- OtterBox®, the global leader in protection for handheld technology, today announced the acquisition of TreeFrog Developments Inc., DBA LifeProof®. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Diego, LifeProof is an award-winning maker of protective cases and complementary accessories for smartphones and tablets.

Much like OtterBox, LifeProof is a rapidly growing, multi-million dollar business with a strong global brand, comprehensive product offering, impressive intellectual property and thriving company culture. Over the next 30 days, OtterBox will begin incorporating the LifeProof brand into the OtterBox family. More information about product availability and alignment will be determined at the completion of the integration.

“The joining of OtterBox and LifeProof is a way to combine two great brands and..... http://media.otterbox.com/press-release/company/otterbox-acquires-lifeproof

News of the acquisition comes one day after a lawsuit filed by OtterBox against LifeProof for patent infringement was dismissed > http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/22/otterbox-acquires-rival-protective-case-maker-lifeproof/

#05-22-2013 - ComFish News Roundup

2013-05-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

11:30 AM TUE MAY 21, 2013

English: Annotated aerial photograph of (FAA: TOG) in Togiak, Alaska, United States (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Togiak Herring Update... Purse Seine Fishery Closed... 96.3% of the Quota Caught
By MIKE MASON
The Togiak Sac Roe Herring Fishery is still ongoing but one of the 2 gear groups has been closed down. KDLG’s Mike Mason has the details..... http://www.kdlg.org/post/togiak-herring-update-purse-seine-fishery-closed-963-percent-quota-caught

Captain: Winter transit of Kulluk across Gulf of Alaska was possible
Published: May 21, 2013 Updated 14 hours ago
By LISA DEMER
A vessel captain in charge of towing Shell's troubled oil drilling rig, the Kulluk, when it left a Seattle shipyard back in June said Tuesday that the gear was more than strong enough, the crews were qualified and that under the right conditions, a winter transit through the Gulf of Alaska could have been done safely.... http://www.adn.com/2013/05/21/2910615/captain-winter-transit-of-kulluk.html

Panel collects details of Shell towing procedures http://ap.peninsulaclarion.com/pstories/state/ak/20130521/1138591738.shtml
Shell Feared Disaster Days Before Alaska Rig Grounding.... http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/Shell-Feared-Disaster-Days-Before-Alaska-Rig-Grounding-2013-05-22/

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2013

American Seafoods Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Feds and American Seafoods are talking
Last week brought news of some big enforcement actions against American Seafoods, the top operator of pollock factory trawlers in the Bering Sea. The company is facing more than $2.7 million in fines for allegedly shorting catch weights, or "essentially stealing fish," in the words of... http://deckboss.blogspot.com/2013/05/feds-and-american-seafoods-are-talking.html

TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013
Four fishy items in the new state budget (Deckboss picks out the ComFish goods..) http://deckboss.blogspot.com/2013/05/four-fishy-items-in-new-state-budget.html

Date: May 21, 2013
D13 Staff PA
Coast Guard continues response to vessel fire off Grays Harbor, Wash. (photo)
ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard continues to respond to an extinguished vessel fire approximately 30 miles west of Grays Harbor, Wash., Monday. Crewmembers aboard the fishing vessel Arctic Storm successfully put out the fire using the Halon chemical firefighting system aboard the ship..... http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/1779931/Coast-Guard-continues-response-to-vessel-fire-off-Grays-Harbor-Wash-

Alaska Roulette: AK has some of the world’s highest PSP levels
Fish Radio
May 22, 2013
It’s that time of year when lots of clam diggers head to sand flats. Be sure and pay attention to shellfish advisories, like for PSP. Paralytic shellfish poisoning is caused by tiny marine organisms in algae blooms often referred to incorrectly as red tides. PSP is commonly found in all kinds of clams. Neither cooking nor freezing neutralizes the toxin, which attacks the nervous system and can be a quick killer..... http://www.alaskafishradio.com/alaska-roulette-ak-has-some-of-the-worlds-highest-psp-levels/

Begich Welcomes Coast Guard’s New Arctic Strategy, Calls for Additional Action

Mark Begich speaks to reporters at the Fairbanks Labor Day Picnic. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

May 21 2013
senate.gov - U.S. Senator Mark Begich today welcomed the U.S. Coast Guard’s new Arctic strategy, which focuses on improving coordination of maritime activity in the Arctic, but he called on the administration to do more to support the service’s capital and operational needs.

“The Coast Guard should be applauded for developing new strategies for their Arctic duties while maintaining a commitment to their other missions,” said Begich. “With the increase of oil and gas exploration, shipping, tourism and fishing activity in the region, Alaskans rely upon the Coast Guard to ensure safe, secure and responsible maritime activity in the Arctic. I expect the administration to ensure the Coast Guard has the resources necessary to execute their duties.”

The Coast Guard’s new strategy focuses on improving Arctic maritime domain awareness and shipping safety, which are issues of particular concern to Senator Begich. The strategy also calls for increased federal, state and local government partnerships as well as increased engagement with international partners.

“The Coast Guard recognizes what Alaskans have known for a long time—to do anything in the Arctic requires creativity, close cooperation and sharing of limited resources,” said Begich. “However, even innovative strategies have their limits. The Coast Guard cannot be expected to ensure protection in this new maritime frontier without additional resources. Though the White House recently rolled out a new national Arctic strategy, they neglected to include any funding for critical Arctic infrastructure and assets.

Recognizing this gap, Begich presented one possible solution in a letter today to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. In the letter, Begich called upon Napolitano to transfer underutilized U.S. Air Force (USAF) C-27J cargo aircraft to the Coast Guard. This transfer would relieve the Coast Guard of the need to buy new maritime patrol aircraft and would result in approximately $800 million in savings. Begich noted the amount of savings was close to the projected cost of a new heavy icebreaker. He called on Napolitano to apply the savings achieved from the transfer of the surplus aircraft toward the building of a new icebreaker.

English: Leona Aglukkaq, Canadian MP for Nunavut, Canadian Health Minister, cutting the ribbon at the Terry Fox Run in Ottawa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Canada Takes Helm of Arctic Council With First Indigenous Leader
ICTMN Staff
May 22, 2013
With prospectors set to descend upon the Arctic faster than its ice is melting, Canada took the helm of the Arctic Council on May 15 as Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq became the first indigenous person to chair the eight-member intergovernmental forum...... link

Kevin Stokesbury testifies at Magnuson hearing
WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) May 21, 2013 — Dr. Kevin Stokesbury, associate professor and chair of the Department of Fisheries Oceanography at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth's School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) testified on fisheries data collection before a House subcommittee on Capitol Hill today...... http://www.nationalfisherman.com/news-events/top-news/1281-kevin-stokesbury-testifies-at-magnuson-hearing

TV's Most Dangerous Jobs: Is the Risk Worth the Reward?
Cynthia Boris, PayScale
May 21, 2013
Since the golden age of television, we've been watching firemen and police officers put their lives on the line in order to protect the innocent. But those are just actors and although a few have been known to get hurt in the performance of their duties, acting isn't usually a dangerous profession. On the other hand, the stars of these four reality shows are truly risking life and limb every time the cameras roll. Why do they do it? Because with big risks, come big rewards..... http://www.payscale.com/career-news/2013/05/tvs-most-dangerous-jobs-is-the-risk-worth-the-reward-

Washington State Tackles Seafood Fraud
WEBWIRE – Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Governor Jay Inslee Signs Seafood Mislabeling Bill into Law
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee today signed into law House Bill (HB) 1200, which begins to tackle seafood fraud in the state. Oceana commends Governor Inslee as our recent seafood fraud testing found not only that 18 percent of fish sampled and sold in Seattle was mislabeled, but that seafood fraud is rampant across the nation..... http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=174963

Maersk CEO: United States to Surpass China as Biggest Driver of Growth

Logo of A.P. Moller – Maersk Group (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

BY BLOOMBERG ON MAY 22, 2013
May 22 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. will overtake Asia as the biggest driver of global growth this year while Europe’s turmoil is hurting trade flows, said Nils Smedegaard Andersen, chief executive officer of A.P. Moeller-Maersk A/S. The owner of the world’s biggest container line can tell from tracking.... http://gcaptain.com/maersk-ceo-united-states-surpass/

Apple’s Made-in-USA Mac Will Be Built in Texas
MAY 22, 2013 AT 6:00 AM PT
Walt Mossberg: Will there be an Apple product ever made again in the United States?
Tim Cook: I want there to be.
Walt: You what?
Tim: I want there to be.
Walt: You want there to be.
– Apple CEO Tim Cook and Walt Mossberg at D10, May 2012..... http://allthingsd.com/20130522/apples-made-in-usa-mac-will-be-built-in-texas/

Congratulations to the @uscg graduates who are graduating today! Praying for you all! Thank you so much for your willingness to serve. #SOT
— Ashley Paskill (@AshleyFlute) May 22, 2013

Simple comparison between a Wild Sockeye and farmed Atlantic.Wild! twitter.com/pFvK/status/33…
— macgregors seafood(@pFvK) May 21, 2013

Junk science? A Vancouver-based journalist says the lobby against salmon farming uses too much junk science cbc.ca/fisheriesbroad…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 22, 2013

#Aquaculture has helped the world's commercial #salmon catch attain record highs. wp.me/pmNpF-cx
— Salmon Ranching (@Alaska_Salmon) May 22, 2013

Need to replace a custom part that broke on the boat? No prob. If you scanned it first then click print. news.yahoo.com/3-d-printing-c… #3Dprinting
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 22, 2013

Printable Food To End Hunger? No.: wp.me/p1RmvN-sD via @uncrunched
— Michael Arrington (@arrington) May 22, 2013

AJK continues Frost Advisory forCape Fairweather to Cape Suckling Coastal Area [AK] nwschat.weather.gov/vtec/#2013-X-C…
— NWS Juneau (@NWSJuneau) May 22, 2013

So cool! MT @noaa_omao: Watch in real time as @noaa #Ship @okeanosexplorer dives into the Atlantic with an ROV cam! 1.usa.gov/GZa85i
— NOAA Habitat (@NOAAHabitat) May 22, 2013

Telstra (OZ Carrier) : Machine to Machine - M2M Telemetry youtu.be/Qj-fQ2Vh7Jo via @youtube #Internet2 #SupplyChain
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 22, 2013

Frigid mid-May temperatures leave Denali Park businesses struggling to open alaskadispatch.com/article/201305… #GlobalCooling
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 22, 2013

Kudos to Alaska Pacific University... plans to cut tuition, bucking national trend@alaskapacificu adn.com/2013/05/21/291…
— Alaska Business(@AKBusinessMonth) May 22, 2013

NYT/SF Sen. Begich: 'privacy concerns slowing the integration of unmanned vehicles into the firefighters' tool kit' nytimes.com/2013/05/22/us/…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 22, 2013

ADF&G: How to Dipnet for Salmon at Chitina vimeo.com/66607845 vimeo.com/66683197 vimeo.com/66683195 vimeo.com/66683196
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 22, 2013

Message in a bottle: AK resident finds our ocean drifter from 1966.nwfsc.noaa.gov/news/features/… @noaafisheries
— NOAA Fisheries NWFSC (@NOAAFish_NWFSC) May 22, 2013

Somehow @haulinggear just sent out it's 16,000th tweet w/o scaring everyone away. How far do we have to go till the next string? ;-)
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 22, 2013

Ash plume from Pavlof, Alaska (afternoon overpass) 05/19/2013 23:55 UTC

2013-05-22T06:38:00.002-08:00

Aqua/MODIS 2013/139 05/19/2013 23:55 UTC

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Winter at Sea: Shot by @TravisArket

2013-05-22T04:52:00.000-08:00

** Watch in HD full screen for best experience **
"Please rate/share/tell your mom. Enjoy! Learn more or reach out!"

http://travisarket.comfacebook.com/travisarketlives
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/deadliest-catch
https://twitter.com/TravisArket

Togiak 2013 - Mission Accomplished = #20,256 tons

2013-05-21T09:19:00.002-08:00

Good job guys!
Download attached (Download official numbers)

#05-21-2013 - ComFish News Roundup

2013-05-21T08:40:00.000-08:00

Judge: Salmon run's survival trumps religious rights of Alaska Native fishermen

Map of the Kuskokwim River watershed. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Craig Medred
May 20, 2013
BETHEL -- One by one, Yupik fishermen from along the Kuskokwim River appeared before an Alaska District Court judge here Monday to be judged guilty of violating a state salmon closure nearly a year ago. What began as a hot protest beneath a warm sun last June had 11 months later, with ice still clinging to the Kusko, become a legalistic ritual in which some decided they no longer wanted to take part. Fisherman Yago Evan bailed completely. He told the defense attorney trying to make a religious case out of the citations issued against 25 fishermen that he didn't want to play anymore. No one in court quite knew how to handle that. Judge Bruce G. Ward finally had his clerk call Evan at home to see what he wanted to do about the.... http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130520/judge-religion-no-defense-alaska-native-fishermen-break-laws-protecting-salmon-run

http://www.alaskapublic.org/2013/05/20/fishermen-found-guilty-although-court-agrees-subsistence-salmon-fishing-is-religious/

12:00 AM TUE MAY 21, 2013
Togiak Herring Update... Purse Seine Fleet Approaching Their Quota
By MIKE MASON
The harvest of herring as part of the Togiak Sac-Roe Herring Fishery picked up on Saturday and Sunday. As KDLG’s Mike Mason reports… the purse seine fleet is approaching their quota of herring..... http://kdlg.org/post/togiak-herring-update-purse-seine-fleet-approaching-their-quota

Radio Weather Service Restored in St. Paul
By Lauren Rosenthal
Monday, May 20 2013
After a month-long outage, St. Paul’s federal radio weather service is finally back up and running.... http://kucb.org/news/article/radio-weather-service-restored-in-st-paul/

Homer group receives grant for electronic monitoring

English: Aerial view of Homer Spit and Homer Harbor, Homer Alaska, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Posted: May 15, 2013 - 10:46am | Updated: May 15, 2013 - 10:48am
By Cristy Fry
Homer-based North Pacific Fisheries Association has received a $147,400 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Fisheries Innovation Fund grant for a two-year project to use electronic monitoring in the pot and longline cod fisheries. National Marine Fisheries Ser-vice is providing another $120,000 in matching funds. NPFA president Buck Laukitis said the focus would be on the small boat cod fleet. The grant was awarded while NPFA was wrapping up a similar grant project for smaller halibut boats. Laukitis expressed optimism the technology would work for everyone working with pots, including... http://homernews.com/homer-features/seawatch/2013-05-15/homer-group-receives-grant-for-electronic-monitoring

May 21, 2013, 05.33 PM IST

Adak-City, Adak Island, Alaska (USA). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Adak Seafood processing equipment to be sold at auction
Hilco Industrial, a world leader in industrial machinery and equipment auctions, will conduct the sale of over 500 lots of seafood processing equipment formerly owned by a very large seafood company..... http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/adak-seafood-processing-equipment-to-be-sold-at-auction_876465.html

Fishing with Duke
Extreme sourcing with the man behind Duke's Chowder House
By: Roddy Scheer | May 2013
As the wheels touch down in Cordova, a little fishing town on Prince William Sound in southcentral Alaska, Duke Moscrip already has his coat on and his finger on the latch of his seat belt. Outside, dozens of black 10-by-10-foot crates filled with freshly caught, flash-frozen Copper River salmon—what many consider to be the tastiest fish in the world—sit on the side of the tarmac waiting to be loaded onto the plane for the return trip to Seattle. While the unassuming airport consists of only one runway and a single corrugated metal terminal building, the place is buzzing with activity. It’s the tail end of the salmon season, and Cordova’s fishermen are working hard to get their catches out. Moscrip, the 60-something proprietor of Duke’s Chowder House, a chain of six Puget Sound–area.... http://www.seattlemag.com/article/fishing-duke

Ketchikan Breaks World Rainboot Race Record

Water Street Tunnel in Ketchikan, Alaska. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Leila Kheiry, KRBD - Ketchikan | May 20, 2013 - 5:26 pm
And now for some breaking news. Record-breaking, that is. Nearly 2,000 people turned out in Ketchikan Saturday afternoon to break the Guinness World Record for the largest rainboot race..... http://www.alaskapublic.org/2013/05/20/ketchikan-breaks-world-rainboot-race-record/

MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013
WA: All safe after fire on the Arctic Storm
The U.S. Coast Guard today responded to a report of an uncontrolled engine room fire aboard the factory trawler Arctic Storm.... http://deckboss.blogspot.com/2013/05/trouble-on-arctic-storm.html

Coast Guard begins drill barge grounding inquiry
DAN JOLING
Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The grounding of a Royal Dutch Shell PLC drill barge off a remote Alaska island began with a bracket connected to a tow line being ripped off the vessel in heavy Gulf of Alaska weather, a Shell official testified Monday. Norman "Buddy" Custard, Shell Alaska's emergency response coordinator, was the first witness at a Coast Guard marine casualty investigation hearing that will review the grounding of the Kulluk, a 266-foot diameter drilling barge that Shell used last year to drill in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska's north coast. Damage to the ship from the grounding was a factor in Shell's decision not to drill in Arctic waters in 2013. The vessel is now undergoing repairs in.... http://ap.peninsulaclarion.com/pstories/state/ak/20130520/1138054670.shtml

March Against Monsanto planned in Sitka
May 20, 2013
(SitNews) Sitka, Alaska - Tens of thousands of people around the world will gather on May 25, in more than 300 cities in protest of the agrochemical giant, Monsanto. One of those cities where a march is scheduled to take place is in Sitka, Alaska, on Castle Hill, the location where Russia sold the vast territory of Alaska to the United States....... http://www.sitnews.us/0513News/052013/052013_march.html

Maersk building 20 mega-ships despite 'challenging' conditions
DENMARK
Monday, May 20, 2013, 23:20 (GMT + 9)
Danish shipping firm Maersk is going ahead with a plan to build 20 ships stretching almost a quarter of a mile long. These new ships -- which will be some of the largest in the world -- are expected to give the company a better competitive edge on the Asia to Europe routes thanks to these vessels' ability to save on fuel and operational costs...... http://fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=0&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=60926

@haulinggear Southeast trollers see few kings, high prices over season; take just over 50% of quota @seafoodcomnews seafood.com
— Michael Ramsingh (@MichaelRamsingh) May 20, 2013

Ready for #lunch? Try an #Alaska canned salmon and avocado baguette with a tomato and cucumber salsa twitter.com/AlaskaSeafoodU…
— AlaskaSeafoodUK (@AlaskaSeafoodUK) May 21, 2013

After Dick Powell sold his #crab quotas, Kodiak crab festival has no crab @haulinggear seafood.com @seafoodcomnews
— Seafood.com News (@SeafoodcomNews) May 20, 2013

Seattle: Greenpeace goes airborne to bring attention to Bering Sea | KING5.com Seattle king5.com/news/Greenpeac…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 21, 2013

Greenpeace accused of 'presenting myths to the public over benefits of wind power. Fishing industry is used to this. blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdeli…
— Cormac Burke (@Cormacburke) May 21, 2013

Respected science proves climate change affect fish stocks but greens refuse to see truth + prefer to blame fishermen publicaffairs.ubc.ca/2013/05/15/fis…
— Cormac Burke (@Cormacburke) May 21, 2013

Democratic Sen. Whitehouse blames Republicans for Oklahoma tornado (global warming) | The Daily Caller dailycaller.com/2013/05/20/dem…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 21, 2013

$800 million fish processing complex to be built in Primorye, to anchor Russian #pollock processing @seafoodcomnews seafood.com
— Seafood.com News (@SeafoodcomNews) May 20, 2013

@engadget finally discovers the new Globalstar SPOT SatPhone . (Better late than never. How about a review?)engadget.com/2013/05/20/spo…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

Sneak Peek: Video of the waterproof Samsung Galaxy S4 youtu.be/CxkQavIz9wA
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 21, 2013

U.S. Senator Mark Begich gives two thumbs up for for Seismic Testing in ANWR begich.senate.gov/public/index.c…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

Alaska pushes D.C. on ANWR drilling - Talia Buford - POLITICO.com politico.com/story/2013/05/…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 21, 2013

Alaska is the only state that can be typed using one row of keys.
— UberFacts (@UberFacts) May 20, 2013

The audacious plan to end hunger with 3-D printed food qz.com/86685 via @qz
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 21, 2013

Want to print out a new prop? Here you go >rapidproductdevelopment.biz/2013/05/21/slm…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 21, 2013

U.S. Coast Guard Releases 'Arctic Strategy'

2013-05-21T07:32:00.000-08:00

Download

ADF&G 2013 Norton Sound Subdistricts 5 And 6 Chinook Salmon Outlook And Management Strategies

2013-05-21T05:26:00.002-08:00

Download
Norton Sound Area Office
Date Issued: May 20, 2013 Time: 2:00 p.m

DC: Live Tomorrow: Hearing on data collection issues in relation to the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act

2013-05-20T14:10:00.002-08:00

DC: Live Tomorrow:Hearing on data collection issues in relation to the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act fisherynation.com/archives/9046
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

Togiak Herring (9:00 a.m) Announcement #11 (EO 7 and 8)

2013-05-20T09:26:00.001-08:00

Download

#05-20-2013 - ComFish News Roundup

2013-05-20T08:29:00.003-08:00

Togiak Data - QuickView

Blockbuster herring harvest takes shape at Togiak
MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013
http://deckboss.blogspot.com/2013/05/blockbuster-herring-harvest-takes-shape.html

Download official adf&g release

Dock prices for first Copper River salmon- meh
May 20, 2013 by AdminFish
Report from the grounds after the first opener at Copper River, May 16 .... http://www.alaskafishradio.com/dock-prices-for-first-copper-river-salmon-meh/

Judge to decide Alaska Native religious defense in fishing trials
Jill Burke
May 19, 2013
With salmon beginning their annual migration back from the sea into Alaska waterways, nearly two dozen fisherman from Western Alaska return to a Bethel courtroom Monday, still caught up in a legal net that entangled them last summer. The Alaska Native fisherman say they had a religious right to be on the water with their nets, and a judge must now decide whether they can use that argument as a defense at trial. This new posture has been backed by passionate supporters and become increasingly politicized as Alaska Natives continue to define their relationship with the state of Alaska. In summer 2012, the fishermen defied river closures enacted by state.... http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130519/judge-decide-alaska-native-religious-defense-fishing-trials

Chefs pair Alaska grown produce with famous state seafood
Posted: May 19, 2013 - 8:07pm
By Molly Dischner
Morris News Service - AlaskaAlaska Journal of Commerce
Officially, the Great Alaska Seafood Cook Off was a chance to showcase Alaskan seafood. But chefs also put other Alaska grown products on display such as sprouts, seabeans and rhubarb paired with the state’s well-known........ http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2013-05-19/chefs-pair-alaska-grown-produce-with-famous-state-seafood

Sustainable Salmon Fund panel to meet
Posted 05/20/2013
by - Cordova Times Staff
The Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund expert panel will meet in Anchorage May 29 to assist in development of a call for proposals planned for this summer. The amount of funding available is not yet known..... http://www.thecordovatimes.com/article/1321sustainable-salmon-fund-panel-to-meet

Alaska Among Five States to Receive Money For Tsunami Relief
May 19, 2013|By Blake Essig | Channel 2 News
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — After months of waiting, the State of Alaska and four other west coast states will soon receive $250,000 to help with tsunami relief. Last fall, the Japanese government issued a $5 million grant to the United States to help with the monitoring, recovery and cleanup of an estimated 1.5 billion tons of marine debris after the 2011 tsunami...... http://articles.ktuu.com/2013-05-19/tsunami-debris_39375648

Interactive fishing exhibit coming to Seward Sealife Center
Posted 05/20/2013
by - Cordova Times Staff
A new interactive fishing exhibit aimed at teaching the importance of managing the state's fisheries sustainably opens at the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward on June 8, as part of the celebration of World Oceans Day..... http://www.thecordovatimes.com/article/1321interactive-fishing-exhibit-coming-to-seward

Blue North to Build First-of-Its-Kind Low-Impact Sustainable Fishing Vessel
Blue North's vessels are focused on quality, as opposed to quantity, and each fish is individually hooked and handled
UNITED STATES, 5/20/2013
Blue North, a sustainable natural resource company, has announced that it has signed a contract with Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Washington, to build one of the most environmentally friendly and technologically advanced fishing vessels in the world. The innovative “green” boat – which will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2014 – was specifically developed for the Alaska cod hook-and-line fishery, and was designed by Skipsteknisk AS, a Norwegian ship design firm. Blue North holds an option to build a second vessel starting late in 2013..... http://fis.com/fis/techno/newtechno.asp?id=60923

HG Archive > ('Moon Pool') (video). Picture of a 'Moon Pool' #LongLining #MoonPool http://www.blog.haulinggear.com/2013/05/blue-north-fisheries-orders-up-advanced.html

UAS miner training program prompted by industry demand
State has supported UAS Center for Mine Training
Posted: May 19, 2013 - 7:51pm | Updated: May 20, 2013 - 12:04am
By MARK D. MILLER
JUNEAU EMPIRE
“Introduction to Mining Occupations and Operatings” students had an opportunity to see a mine firsthand in March, when the Southeast Alaska cohort of the University of Alaska Southeast class for high school seniors toured the Coeur Alaska Kensington Gold Mine..... http://juneauempire.com/state/2013-05-19/uas-miner-training-program-prompted-industry-demand

Synthethic Genomics, ExxonMobil to develop algae biofuels
UNITED STATES
Monday, May 20, 2013, 02:10 (GMT + 9)
Synthetic Genomics Inc (SGI) announced a new co-funded research agreement with ExxonMobil to develop algae biofuels. The new agreement is a basic science research programme that focuses on developing algal strains with significantly improved production characteristics by employing synthetic genomic science and technology. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed...... http://fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=0&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=60888

Trace volcano ash from Pavlof Volcano lands on Sand Point newsminer.com/news/alaska_ne… OpenStreetmap openstreetmap.org/?lat=55.48&lon… twitter.com/haulinggear/st…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 19, 2013

Geoff Huston: A Royal Opinion on Carrier Grade NATs circleid.com/posts/20130519… #.co.uk #IPv6 #SupplyChain #Mobile #InternetOfThings
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

WordPress’ Mullenweg Claims 72,000 Blog Posts Imported From Tumblr in Just One Hour on Sunday allthingsd.com/20130520/wordp…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

Extreme global warming seen further away than previously thought - Yahoo! News news.yahoo.com/extreme-global… #GrabYourWallet
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

AJK extends area of Frost Advisory forHaines Borough and Lynn Canal [AK] nwschat.weather.gov/vtec/#2013-X-E…
— NWS Juneau (@NWSJuneau) May 20, 2013

Need to see some informative Facebook posts?Search for US National Weather Service Alaska. #akwx #akbreakup twitter.com/NWSAPRFC/statu…
— NWS APRFC (@NWSAPRFC) May 20, 2013

Opinion: Time to shed light on Murkowski/Wyden disclosure bill - David Keating and Eric Wang - POLITICO.com politico.com/story/2013/05/…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

For lawmakers who cross the NRA, it's one strike - you're out - dailymail.com/News/201305190… #RogerThat
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

Alaska Legislature needs new system to address conflicts of interest - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Dermot Cole newsminer.com/news/dermot_co…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

Chilling report: Obama’s DOJ spied on Fox News’ James Rosen; Criminalizes reporting | Twitchy twitchy.com/2013/05/20/chi…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

AP's Attempt At DRM'ing The News Shuts Down | Techdirt bit.ly/13Ft7L2
— Scott McMurren (@alaskatravelgrm) May 20, 2013

WTF?? @google Hangouts 'upgrade' removes the ability to call phones or receive calls in Gmail theverge.com/2013/5/19/4346… twitter.com/haulinggear/st…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 20, 2013

In #Bethel, where nachos are $22, gas is $7/gal and cigarettes are $12/pack. Good thing I don't need any of those things
— lorenholmes (@lorenholmes) May 20, 2013

Media Advisory: Coast Guard updates Kulluk hearing schedule in Anchorage

2013-05-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

News > http://www.adn.com/2013/05/19/2907834/coast-guard-to-take-testimony.html
PR: Date: May 20, 2013

Coast Guard District 17

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard has updated its schedule for the formal marine casualty investigation hearing into the Kulluk grounding, scheduled to take place at the Anchorage Loussac Library, Assembly Hall Chambers, beginning Monday at noon.

May 20 - Shell
May 21 - Offshore Rig Mover’s International*, Shell
May 22 - Noble, Crowley
May 23 - Edison Chouest Offshore
May 24 - Shell Marine, Edison Chouest Offshore Alaska Operations
May 25 - Shell Alaska Operations, Nobel*
May 28 - Delmar*, Offshore Rig Mover’s International
May 29 - Offshore Rig Mover’s International, U.S. Coast Guard
May 30 - Shell*, Edison Chouest Offshore
May 31 - Edison Chouest Offshore

* Testimony is scheduled to be conducted via telephone. All scheduled testimonies are subject to change at the needs of the investigating officer.

Hearings beginning on Tuesday will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. These are closed-door hearings, and attendees will not be authorized to leave during testimony unless in an emergency situation.

Throughout the hearings, only one photographer, one video camera operator and one audio technician will be allowed in the proceedings at a time so pooling of photographs, video and audio may be necessary.

Media members are solely responsible for designating pool representatives and will be required to follow all ground rules for attending the hearing.

Blue North Fisheries - Longlining (video)

2013-05-20T05:14:00.000-08:00

Good one!

#05-19-2013 - ComFish News Roundup

2013-05-19T07:52:00.004-08:00

Shore of Bristol Bay (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3:06 PM SAT MAY 18, 2013
Togiak Herring Update... Slower Fishing on Friday
By MIKE MASON
The herring harvest in the ongoing Togiak Sac Roe fishery slowed down a little on Friday. Friday’s total harvest was just over 820-tons with the purse seine fleet hauling in 475-tons and the gillnetters harvesting 346-tons of herring. The purse seine fleet only had 6-deliveries while the gillnetters managed 60-deliveries. The roe percentage of the purse seine harvest came in at 9-percent while.... http://kdlg.org/post/togiak-herring-update-slower-fishing-friday

Penning some revisionist history about Kenai king salmon
Craig Medred
May 18, 2013
Let us all hope that the scholarship of Emilie Springer, in her doctoral studies of the culture and policy of state fisheries, is better than her research into the history of Kenai River salmon, because the woman posing behind the imprimatur of the National Science Foundation has a seriously flawed perspective on how that river came to be one of the most carefully monitored streams in the state. Here is what Springer wrote in the Homer News last week.... http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130518/penning-some-revisionist-history-about-kenai-king-salmon

Lower Cook Inlet opens for salmon Monday, May 20 ; Hatchery cost recovery prices posted
May 19, 2013
From ADF&G in Homer:
The Eastern District excluding waters outside of the Bear Lake Special Harvest Area (SHA) will open for the 2013 season on Monday, May 20 with a fishing period from 6:00 AM that morning... http://www.alaskafishradio.com/lower-cook-inlet-opens-for-salmon-monday-may-20-hatchery-cost-recovery-prices-posted/

Beyond Pebble: Bristol Bay Native looks at other mining prospects
Carey Restino | Bristol Bay Times
May 18, 2013

Bristol Bay Native Corp. recently signed an agreement with an exploration company to look more closely at the mineral prospects on the Alaska Peninsula in the Chigniks. The move might catch the attention of some in an area where the Pebble Mine prospect has generated significant controversy and concern over the need to protect the salmon resource of Bristol Bay.... http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130518/beyond-pebble-bristol-bay-native-looks-other-mining-prospects

As mining booms in Southeast, so does mine training program

University of Alaska Southeast (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Intro course at UAS grew in 2nd year; likely to expand in 3rd
Posted: May 18, 2013 - 3:25pm | Updated: May 19, 2013 - 12:08am
By MARK D. MILLER
JUNEAU EMPIRE
The mining industry in Southeast Alaska has taken off in recent years. And as mining has grown as a sector of the local, regional and state economy, the University of Alaska Southeast has embarked on a mission to meet the demand for new mine workers. That’s where the Center for Mine Training comes in. The UAS Center for Mine Training is a vocational education program created to teach students what they need to know in order to.... http://juneauempire.com/state/2013-05-18/mining-booms-southeast-so-does-mine-training-program

Petersburg locals find lost canoe paddles
By Shelly Pope
May 16, 2013
Members of the One People Canoe Society lost several of their canoe paddles, along with other equipment, as they made their way to Wrangell to participate in the rededication of Chief Shakes House. The canoers ran into bad weather in the Seymour Canal area and were forced to move from the canoes to a larger vessel. During this move, several of the canoes were overturned in the.... http://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2013/05/16/about-town/petersburg-locals-find-lost-canoe-paddles/1313.html

Sea turtle comeback in a corner of the Caribbean
By DAVID McFADDEN | Associated Press – 20 hrs ago
GRANDE RIVIERE, Trinidad (AP) — Giant leatherback turtles, some weighing half as much as a small car, drag themselves out of the ocean and up the sloping shore on the northeastern coast of Trinidad while villagers await wearing dimmed headlamps in the dark. Their black carapaces glistening, the turtles inch along the moonlit beach, using their powerful front flippers to move their bulky frames onto the sand...... http://news.yahoo.com/sea-turtle-comeback-corner-caribbean-145258910.html

Chinese boat owner says NKoreans detained his crew
May 19, 2013 10:49 GMT
BEIJING (AP) -- A Chinese state media report and a boat owner say unidentified North Koreans have taken one of his fishing boats and its crew and are demanding a ransom.... http://ktvl.com/template/inews_wire/wires.international/29f03a1c-www.ktvl.com.shtml

Pebble, foes play high-dollar hardball ADN.com (be aware of occasional browser choking paywall at adn) adn.com/2013/05/18/290…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 19, 2013

Players in the Pebble wars | State News | ADN.com (possible paywall) adn.com/2013/05/18/290…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 19, 2013

The judging panel for the Copper River Chef competition. Jay Buhner & Mike from @deadliestcatch! twitter.com/cjohnsonking5/…
— Christie Johnson (@cjohnsonking5) May 17, 2013

Comments due on EPA Bristol Bay/Pebble assessment Thursday, May 30, 2013 haulinggear.com/calendar
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 19, 2013

Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund (AKSSF) Expert Panel Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Anchorage, AK haulinggear.com/calendar
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 19, 2013

Anchorage Sets New Record for Longest Snow Season - ktuu.com ktuu.com/news/anchorage…#GlobalCooling
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 19, 2013

Frost Advisory in Juneau and SE Alaska google.org/publicalerts/a… #GlobalCooling
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 19, 2013

Heavy snow slams Interior Alaska highways (Record lowtemps measured at nine Interior sites 05-18-2013) newsminer.com/news/local_new… #GlobalCooling
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 19, 2013

Snow listed as 'free' on Craigslist in Palmer. ;) #akwx instagram.com/p/ZdlN1VKoNx/
— Angela Gonzalez (@ayatlin) May 18, 2013

#Anchorage broke the record today for longest #snow season. Congratulations just doesn't seem right for this milestone.
— Gov. Sean Parnell (@AKGovParnell) May 19, 2013

Sarah Palin Posts Pic of Alaska Snow: ‘Global Warming My Gluteus Maximus’ | TheBlaze.com theblaze.com/stories/2013/0…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

USCG Station Maui, Hawaii | View of a RB-M survivor’s compartment with seating for five flickr.com/photos/coast_g…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 19, 2013

Fake bomb found at Homer High School | Peninsula Clarion peninsulaclarion.com/news/2013-05-1…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 19, 2013

Ketchikan breaks Guinness World Record for the Largest Rain Boot Race EVER!! #1,976

2013-05-19T07:06:00.002-08:00

Click image to view thread...

We're going for a world record: largest rain boot race! #ketchikan #alaska #dayoff #guinnessbookofworldrecords twitter.com/jackfinnegan/s…
— Jack Finnegan (@jackfinnegan) May 18, 2013

Crossing the finish line at the Worlds Largest Rain Boot Race in Ketchikan, Alaska twitter.com/daveinseak/sta…
— Dave Owings (@daveinseak) May 19, 2012

Awesome video of Pavlof Volcano erupting (Near Cold Bay, Alaska)

2013-05-19T04:31:00.000-08:00

AlaskaDispatch Youtube: On May 17, 2013, Chris Owens, who runs Conundrum Ventures, flew by Pavlof Volcano in Alaska.... News > http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130518/video-alaska-volcano-angry
View Larger Map

Togiak Herring Announcement #10 (EO 5 and 6)

2013-05-18T10:24:00.001-08:00

Download

#05-18-2013 - ComFish News Roundup

2013-05-18T07:45:00.003-08:00

Copper River opener yields 82,000 reds, 700 kings

Oblique-East aerial photograph of (FAA: CDV) in Cordova, Alaska, United States. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Posted 05/17/2013
by - Margaret Bauman
Some 330 harvesters, undaunted by nasty weather, with strong winds, whipping up to 40 knots and more, delivered about 82,000 sockeyes and 700 kings as the famed Copper River salmon fishery got under way May 17. The Chinook harvest was less than half of what was anticipated, while the red salmon harvest was more than double of what was expected, said Jeremy Botz, a biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game at Cordova. Kings were..... http://www.thecordovatimes.com/article/1320copper-river-opener-yields-82000-reds-700

Copper River Salmon Arrives for Consumers in Anchorage http://articles.ktuu.com/2013-05-17/river-salmon_39343247
Plucky Alaska fishermen don't let nasty weather stop Copper River salmon opener http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130517/plucky-alaska-fishermen-dont-let-nasty-weather-stop-copper-river-salmon-opener
First Copper River salmon is delivered for a fast, heated cook-off http://www.latimes.com/features/food/dailydish/la-dd-copper-river-salmon-cookoff-20130517,0,6008460.story

Bristol Bay fisheries can benefit from industry cluster model

Seal of Bristol Bay Borough, Alaska (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

May 17th 4:15 pm | Izetta Chambers
An interesting thing has been happening in the Bristol Bay region, and something that I have had the privilege to participate in first-hand over the past eight years or so. The east side of the Bristol Bay region (Naknek, King Salmon) is witnessing a flourishing of small seafood processors. Since about 2007, there have been a proliferation of small mom-and-pop type operations forming over there, some of them owned by direct market fishermen, some owned by locals, and some of them set up to provide industry.... http://www.thebristolbaytimes.com/article/1320bristol_bay_fisheries_can_benefit_from

Tax cap on large vessels floated in Dillingham

Aerial view of Dillingham, Alaska. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

May 17th 4:30 pm | Carey Restino
Dillingham's location as well as its long ice-free season make it an attractive place for large vessels to haul out for the winter. But thus far, two things have stood in the way of large barges and other vessels wintering over in town - the lack of large vessel haul out equipment and the lack of a tax cap. "Dillingham is situated in a strategically beneficial location for storing large marine vessels such as tugs and barges, landing craft, tenders, ice barges and the like," said Yeganeh Ataian, president and CEO of Bristol Alliance Fuels, one of the major fuel suppliers in the Bristol Bay region, in a statement read to the Dillingham City Council last week. Ataian cited the areas regular tides, its proximity to primary shipping channels, and a longer ice-free season as... http://www.thebristolbaytimes.com/article/1320tax_cap_on_large_vessels_floated_in

OPINION: Stardust unnecessary addition to releases on important Alaska issues
May 17th 3:53 pm | Carey Restino

Bristol Bay (near Ugashik Bay), Alaska (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the course of any given week, thousands of emails come through the news office, many of them press releases promoting this event or that. It's how we get a good portion of our story ideas, and I'm certainly going to be the last one to find fault in the service the PR engine provides to news agencies. The squeaky wheel gets grease, after all. But once in a while, it feels like the engine has gone into hyperdrive. Such was the case when a press release came across from the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association that headlined "Deadliest Catch Captain Joins the Call to Protect the World's Most Valuable Wild Salmon Fishery - Bristol Bay, Alaska.".... http://www.thebristolbaytimes.com/article/1320stardust_unnecessary_addition_to_releases_on

Whaler Band performs in Washington, D.C.
May 17th 3:27 pm | Ronnie Stanford

Barrow High School, Barrow Alaska (in the dark of winter) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last spring, after receiving a superior rating and selected as the top overall band at the Dallas Heritage Music Festival, the Barrow High School Band received a special invitation to play at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Playing on stage at the Kennedy Center is extremely rare as it is one of the finest concert halls in the world and typically reserved for professional musicians. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. On April 15, the Barrow High School Band, under the direction of Ronnie Stanford, took the stage at the Kennedy Center as part of Heritage Music Festival of Gold. To be invited to this prestigious music festival; bands, choirs and orchestras were selected based on ratings at previous national... http://www.thearcticsounder.com/article/1320whaler_band_performs_in_washington_dc

Aquaculture - workers harvest
catfish from the Delta Pride Catfish farms
in Mississippi. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

House Committee votes to repeal USDA catfish inspections
UNITED STATES
Friday, May 17, 2013, 23:50 (GMT + 9)
The House Agriculture Committee this week voted to repeal a catfish inspection programme at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which could mean the programme may soon be scrapped. This programme was mandated by the 2008 farm bill to help protect US catfish farmers from cheap imports by keeping domestic fish competitive. A year ago, the Senate moved to repeal it, but the House of Representatives version had sought to renew the programme, even though both the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the White House deemed it wasteful and duplicative and.... http://fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=0&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=60895

17 May 2013
The Moscow Times
U.S. satellite phone company Iridium has re-entered the Russian market after a 13-year hiatus, Vedomosti reported Thursday
The operator received all the necessary licenses from the authorities, Iridium Russia CEO Viktor Glushko said. Iridium plans to invest tens of millions of dollars in Russia.... http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/iridium-satellite-network-comes-back-to-russia/480081.html

Iridium satellite, constructed entirely from spares and donated by Motorola to the National Air and Space Museum. Română: Satelit Iridium, construit exclusiv din materiale reutilizate şi donat de Motorola unui muzeu. Македонски: Сателитот Иридиум, составен од резервни делови и дониран на музеј од Моторола (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Russia to test drones to track wildlife, poachers
Moscow, May 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti): In a bid to track its wildlife and hunt down poachers, Russia is all set to test unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at a nature reserve on the country's Pacific coast this summer. The drones in question, weigh about two kilogramme each and have a range of 60 km. They would..... http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=174113

Ketchikan takes a new stab at rain boot Guinness World Record today ketchikandailynews.com/free/local-edi… twitter.com/haulinggear/st…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

Seward: Lemonade Day gives kids the business - The Seward Phoenix Log thesewardphoenixlog.com/story/2013/05/…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

Unusually cold spring keeps Denali Highway closed (Drivers: visit 511.alaska.gov or call 511 before driving) newsminer.com/news/local_new…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

AJK issues UNUSUAL LATE SEASON COLD WEATHER till 4:00 PM AKDT nwschat.weather.gov/p.php?pid=2013…
— NWS Juneau (@NWSJuneau) May 18, 2013

The cold, hard facts: New century frigid for Alaska (Ice cancelled 2012 Norton Sound herring now2013?) alaskadispatch.com/article/201305… #GlobalCooling
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

SitNews: Predicting the future: where do climate projections come from? By Molly Rettig sitnews.us/0513News/05161…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

SitNews: University of the Arctic report urges quick action on arctic policies By Marmian Grimes sitnews.us/0513News/05161…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

Want to see Pavlof Volcano Live? Goto the FAA Pilot WX Cam 'Cold Bay NorthEast Camera' avcams.faa.gov/viewsite.php?b…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

Little Norway Parade 2013! | KFSK (photos) kfsk.org/2013/05/17/lit…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

Southwest Alaska Continues to Have Double Digit Unemploymentbit.ly/108oHIw / Alaska improves to 6% businessweek.com/ap/2013-05-17/…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

Vidyo for Rural Medicine Enhancing Alaska's Statewide Medical Communications youtu.be/Okj8OS8gCQA via @youtube
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

Yahoo Japan suspects 22 million user IDs leaked: Kyodo | Reuters reuters.com/article/2013/0…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 18, 2013

2013 Kuskokwim Bay-Cape Romanzof Herring News Release #3 (Open today at 11am but heavy ice)

2013-05-18T06:50:00.001-08:00

Download

NOAA Office of Coast Survey releases new nautical chart for Bering Strait North / Gateway to the Arctic

2013-05-18T06:04:00.001-08:00

Diomede (Inalik) village on the west coast of Little Diomede Island, Alaska (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NOAA Chart 16190
Click image to view full

@NauticalCharts 5-17-2013

NOAA Office of Coast Survey has released a new nautical chart for the Arctic, which will help mariners navigate the Bering Strait. Chart 16190 (Bering Strait North) incorporates precise depth measurements acquired recently by NOAA Ship Fairweather hydrographic surveys.

Coast Survey has also released a new edition of Chart 16220 (St Lawrence Island to Bering Strait).

“Our Arctic Nautical Charting Plan identified the need for 14 new charts in the Arctic,” explains Commander Shep Smith, chief of Coast Survey’s Marine Chart Division. “Chart 16190 was high on our list of priorities, since the Bering Strait is the maritime gateway from the Bering Sea in the Pacific Ocean to the Chukchi Sea in the Arctic Ocean.”

“Charting the gateway is absolutely vital for safe navigation, but it is more than that,” Smith says. “In addition to the very practical aspects, this chart also symbolizes an opening to the growing opportunities for maritime transportation in the Arctic.”

Charts 16190 and 16220 include recent hydrographic information in U.S. waters between Cape Prince of Wales and the immediate waters surrounding Little Diomede Island. They also include recent NOAA shoreline surveys of the Diomede Islands and Cape Prince of Wales.

English: Image of the NOAA Ship Fairweather (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chart 16190 provides 1:100,000 scale coverage, including a 1:40,000 scale inset of Little Diomede Island. Chart 16220 provides 1:315,350 scale coverage. Prior to these charts, the best available information was from Chart 16005, at a scale of 1:700,000. At that scale, every charted depth was separated by about two nautical miles and the chart depicted only a handful of depths. Most of the old charted depths were from 1950 and provided incomplete information about the depths or possible hazards on the sea floor.

Bering strait, image taken by MISR sattelite. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chart 16190 is the second new chart resulting from the Arctic Nautical Charting Plan. Coast Survey created the first of the new Arctic charts, Chart 16161 (Kotzebue and Approaches), in April 2012. (See New Alaska navigational chart makes increased Arctic shipping safer.) Chart 16220 had previously been maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, but Coast Survey assumed responsibility for it in 2010.

The equivalent NOAA electronic navigational charts (NOAA ENC®) for 16190 will be available this summer. Watch for US4AK8D (Bering Strait North), and US5AK8D (Little Diomede Island
). The 16220 ENC equivalent — US3AK89M — was created in 2012 and included the new Fairweather hydro.

Coast Survey’s Marine Chart Division is responsible for updating the nation’s 1,023 nautical charts. Chart 16190 was compiled by Kieumy Dinh and reviewed by Eric Wallner, under the management of Andew Kampia. Chart 16220 was updated by Pravin Shrestha (compiler) and Yan Xu (reviewer).

Despite lacking FTA, Japan to get U.S. LNG

2013-05-18T05:59:00.003-08:00

US Navy barge transports approx. 1 million liters of water to aid cooling efforts at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant following tsunami damage. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Decision to export from Texas praised, criticized

KYODO, THE WASHINGTON POST

NEW YORK – The United States said Friday it will allow exports of domestically produced liquefied natural gas to Japan and other countries to which it is not bound by free-trade agreements, authorizing a plan to deliver shale and other gases from Texas.

Japan has been asking the United States to lift a ban on LNG exports to meet its energy needs after most of its nuclear reactors were suspended because of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster as well as rising prices of energy imports..... http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/05/18/national/despite-lacking-fta-japan-to-get-u-s-lng/

More > Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the top Republican on Energy and Natural Resources, praised the department's ruling.

"This decision is a victory for those who believe free trade is good for the American economy. It’s my hope that Freeport is the first of many projects that will be approved in the coming weeks and months, not years," she said in a statement....... http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/300459-doe-green-lights-controversial-natural-gas-exports

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2013 : Year of the endless winter in Alaska?

2013-05-17T17:04:00.001-08:00

A 'flurry' of related tweets this afternoon..

Snow, cold has delayed opening of Denali Highwayon.adn.com/10KRP8z
— Anchorage Daily News (@adndotcom) May 18, 2013

It's snowing and sticking in #Anchorage. That's #akwx for you. instagram.com/p/ZbvMPRqoDB/
— Angela Gonzalez (@ayatlin) May 18, 2013

From Begich's FB feed: 'I hear it's snowing in Southcentral. Sorry, Alaska. If I could write legislation for sunny summer weather I would.'
— Becky Bohrer (@beckybohrerap) May 18, 2013

AJK issues UNUSUAL LATE SEASON COLD WEATHER till 5:00 AM AKDT nwschat.weather.gov/p.php?pid=2013…
— NWS Juneau (@NWSJuneau) May 17, 2013

We need a little global warming to fix this stupid climate change thing we got going on in Alaska.
— Jason Brune (@jasonbrune) May 17, 2013

Ice on the Yukon River near Eagle broke up early this morning, causing an ice jam and some flooding.
— suzannacaldwell (@suzannacaldwell) May 17, 2013

Video of ice moving in front in front of Eagle, AK this morning! #akbreakup @nwsaprfc youtu.be/zWZxX0KnbMA
— NWS Alaska Region (@NWSAlaska) May 17, 2013

#GlobalCooling

#05-17-2013 - ComFish News Roundup

2013-05-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

Click for 9am update today

Togiak Sac Roe Herring Update... Good Weather and Lots of Fish
2:32 PM THU MAY 16, 2013
By MIKE MASON
The massive Togiak Sac Roe Herring Fishery is rolling right along with nearly half of the total quota already harvested. KDLG's Mike Mason has the details..... http://kdlg.org/post/togiak-sac-roe-herring-update-good-weather-and-lots-fish .......Update today at 9am 15,245 tons harvested

4:45 PM THU MAY 16, 2013
BBEDC and the Bristol Bay Borough Mayor Support Fritz Johnson for the Board of Fish
By MIKE MASON
A campaign is underway to drum up support for a local Bristol Bay fishermen to be appointed to the Alaska Board of Fisheries. KDLG's Mike Mason has the story.... http://www.kdlg.org/post/bbedc-and-bristol-bay-borough-mayor-support-fritz-johnson-board-fish

Non-pelagic trawlers hit halibut limit in Gulf, BSAI plaice TAC achieved
MOLLY DISCHNER
May 16, 2013 - 04:48 PM
Vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska cannot target deep-water species from May 18 to July 1. The National Marine Fisheries Service, or NMFS, announced today that the directed trawl fishery for deep-water species had reached its second seasonal apportionment of halibut. The deep-water species fisheries include sablefish (or black cod), rockfish, deep-water flatfish, rex sole and arrowtooth flounder, but does not apply to the rationalized rockfish program.... http://www.alaskajournal.com/Blog-Fish-Bytes/Blogs-2013/Non-pelagic-trawlers-hit-halibut-limit-in-Gulf-BSAI-plaice-TAC-achieved/

Alaska Air Cargo Delivers Season's First Copper River Salmon to Seattle
Joint Base Lewis-McChord reservist to battle Seattle chefs in annual 'Copper Chef Cook-off'
5/17/2013 6:21:22 AM
SEATTLE — Alaska Air Cargo delivered the season's first shipment of Copper River salmon today to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The arrival of the coveted Copper River salmon marks the start of the summer salmon season and is anticipated by seafood lovers throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The Alaska Airlines plane arrived early this morning with Copper River king and sockeye salmon from three seafood processors: Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Trident Seafoods and Copper River Seafoods. At least four more Alaska Airlines flights today will transport salmon from Cordova, Alaska, to Anchorage, Alaska, Seattle and across the United States.... http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/1028847/f74b964322/ARCHIVE

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130516/alaska-fishermen-flood-copper-river-salmon-season-opener

The ceremonial first Copper River King Salmon was caught by Ocean Beauty fisherman Michael Glason. Congratulations, Michael!
— OceanBeautySeafoods (@OceanBeautySfd) May 17, 2013

And we're here! twitter.com/MikeFourtner/s…
— Mike Fourtner (@MikeFourtner) May 17, 2013

The first Copper River King has landed! twitter.com/OceanBeautySfd…
— OceanBeautySeafoods (@OceanBeautySfd) May 17, 2013

twitter.com/OceanBeautySfd…
— OceanBeautySeafoods (@OceanBeautySfd) May 17, 2013

twitter.com/MikeFourtner/s…
— Mike Fourtner (@MikeFourtner) May 17, 2013

Ocean Beauty's Frank Ragusa speaks to the press with the first Copper River salmon. twitter.com/OceanBeautySfd…
— OceanBeautySeafoods (@OceanBeautySfd) May 17, 2013

twitter.com/MikeFourtner/s…
— Mike Fourtner (@MikeFourtner) May 17, 2013

Chef John Howie prepares the first Copper River salmon as part of the Copper Chef competition. twitter.com/OceanBeautySfd…
— OceanBeautySeafoods (@OceanBeautySfd) May 17, 2013

The remains....amazing salmon!!!! twitter.com/MikeFourtner/s…
— Mike Fourtner (@MikeFourtner) May 17, 2013

First Copper River salmon of season has arrived in Seattle twitter.com/adndotcom/stat…
— Anchorage Daily News (@adndotcom) May 17, 2013

NOAA Will Look at an ESA Listing for the Iliamna Lake Seals
By MIKE MASON
The Federal Government is starting the process to determine if the harbor seals that call Iliamna Lake home should be listed under the Endangered Species Act. On Thursday NOAA Fisheries announced that a status review will be undertaken to determine if the Iliamna Lake seals are a distinct population segment of the Pacific harbor seal. The review will also look at whether or not the seals should be listed as threatened or endangered. The status review is in response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity to list the seals under the Endangered Species Act. Estimates vary but the Center for.... http://kdlg.org/post/noaa-will-look-esa-listing-iliamna-lake-seals

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20130516/freshwater-seals-lake-iliamna-enlisted-pebble-mine-clash

Fishing regulations change for Yukon River
May 16, 2013
...........A permit is no longer required when using a drift gillnet to harvest chinook salmon in portions of the Yukon River waters adjacent to federal management units within Subdistricts 4B and 4C..... http://www.thetundradrums.com/story/2013/05/16/fishing/fishing-regulations-change-for-yukon-river/671.html

Feds oppose smaller Sealaska land bill
By Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska News
Posted on May 16, 2013 at 4:23 pm
A new, smaller Sealaska land-selection measure faces opposition from the federal government. The legislation would transfer 3,600 acres of the Tongass National Forest to the Southeast-based regional Native corporation. Sealaska’s timberlands have been logged of much of their harvestable trees. Officials say the acreage will keep timber operations going. At a Congressional hearing Thursday, U.S. Forest Service official Jim Peña objected to a....... http://www.ktoo.org/2013/05/16/feds-oppose-smaller-sealaska-land-bill/

Interior Department Releases Draft Rules on 'Fracking'
May 16, 2013|By Chris Klint | Channel 2 News
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced new draft rules governing hydraulic fracturing during oil drilling on federal and Indian lands Thursday, calling them part of a pro-energy Obama administration policy. The new rules, establishing safety standards over “fracking,” which involve injecting water and chemicals into wells to release otherwise inaccessible oil, received more... http://articles.ktuu.com/2013-05-16/hydraulic-fracturing_39317757

May 16, 2013 - 11:25 AM AKST
Japanese group offers fast-track on LNG
TIM BRADNER, ALASKA JOURNAL OF COMMERCE
A Japanese consortium working on an independent Alaska liquefied natural gas project has completed a feasibility study and given it to state officials. North Slope producers and TransCanada, who are pursuing their own LNG plant, have also been briefed on the proposal by officials with Japanese-owned Resources Energy Inc., or REI. Gov. Sean Parnell’s support for the plan is critical to its success, said Shun-ichi Shimizu, president and CEO of REI in a May 13 interview with the Journal. Parnell has so far supported a proposal by major North Slope producers and TransCanada, a pipeline company, for a gas pipeline and LNG project. REI brings something new, however: Customers for LNG....... http://www.alaskajournal.com/Alaska-Journal-of-Commerce/May-Issue-3-2013/Japanese-group-offers-fast-track-on-LNG/

KMXT's Alaska Fisheries Report
May 16, 2013
Coming up this week, Copper River opens, Togiak opens, Kodiak is a little slow and they’re done in Seymour Canal. Plus, why does the largest CDQ group want to get even bigger? The Alaska Fisheries Report was made possible with contributions from KCHU’s Tony Gorman in Valdez, KSKA’s Ellen Lockyer in Anchorage, KDLG’s Mike Mason in Dillingham, KFSK’s Matt Lichtenstein in Petersburg, and KUCB’s Stephanie Joyce in Unalaska.... http://www.kmxt.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4688

Petersburg celebrates 55th Little Norway Festival
By Shelly Pope
The 55th Little Norway Festival begins today and Petersburg is ready to celebrate. This festival celebrates Syttende Mai or May 17, the signing of Norway's Constitution in 1814. Over the more than 50 years since its beginning, the Little Norway Festival has expanded to celebrate, not only, Norway's Constitution but also U.S. Armed Forces Day and the coming of spring and the beginning of the fishing season. The activities for this celebration run from Thursday to Sunday. The Little Norway Festival is a grand event that comes together with the cooperation of hundreds. Both visitors and locals alike enjoy Petersburg’s rich heritage through music, dance, art..... http://www.petersburgpilot.com/story/2013/05/16/about-town/petersburg-celebrates-55th-little-norway-festival/1311.html

http://www.kfsk.org/2013/05/16/preview-fridays-little-norway-festival-schedule/

MTAB Talks Tustumena Replacement
May 16, 2013
Brianna Gibbs/KMXT
After almost 50 years in service, Alaska will say “goodbye” to the M/V Tustumena. But frequent farers of the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry won’t have to say those goodbyes just yet. KMXT’s Brianna Gibbs has more. During the Marine Transportation Advisory Board meeting on Tuesday in Juneau, board members discussed the lengthy process of replacing the ship. AMHS General Manager Captain John Falvey said a new ferry is still five years out. “September of 2015 hopefully we’re building, if everything is perfect. And we talk about how long it takes to construct a ship, probably 2-3 years to construct a 325-foot ship..... http://www.kmxt.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4690

Alaska ferry system considers raising rates
Published: May 16, 2013 Updated 10 hours ago
The Associated Press
KODIAK, ALASKA — The Alaska Marine Highway System is considering raising its rates for traveling aboard the state's ferries in order to deal with a pared down operating budget approved by lawmakers this spring. Officials informed the state's public advisory board this week that the ferry system will end its discount program, according to a story in Thursday's Kodiak Daily Mirror...... http://www.adn.com/2013/05/16/2904543/alaska-ferry-system-considers.html

Chinooks wins Alaska Seafood Contest
By Heidi Zemach
May 16, 2013
Chinooks Restaurant of Seward took first place at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute’s second annual Great Alaska Seafood Cook-off. The win was an improvement from last year when the restaurant’s team placed second in the same competition. The live competition featured finalists from around the state of Alaska culled from around 20 entrants at the Bill Sheffield Railroad Depot on May 8. Chinook’s Chef Kevin Lane and Lori LeMaster, who owns Chinooks with her husband Dan Butts, were the winning team from a field of competitors that included Anchorage chefs..... http://www.thesewardphoenixlog.com/story/2013/05/16/local/chinooks-wins-alaska-seafood-contest/1440.html

Sablefish entrée is a winner for Seward chef
Posted 05/17/2013
by - Margaret Bauman
A seafood chef from Seward will be representing Alaska in the Great American Seafood Cook-off in New Orleans in August, thanks to his creativity in an entrée spotlighting sourdough-crusted sablefish. Chef Kevin Lane of Chinooks Waterfront, with restaurant owner Katherine LeMaster as his assistant, took first prize May 8 at the 2013 Great Alaska Seafood Cook Off in Anchorage. Lane also competed in 2012, placing second...... http://www.thecordovatimes.com/article/1320sablefish-entree-is-a-winner-for-seward-chef

SEAPA Study – Waste of Ratepayers’ Money
By Bob Sivertsen
May 16, 2013
The Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA) is a nonprofit wholesale power provider, not a monopoly as recently alleged. As a nonprofit, revenues are invested back into the Agency's operations and maintenance, and most years, rebates are given back to the member communities, all of which benefit our communities. Revenues are not pocketed by owners or stockholders. Working through contracts with the member communities, including the Power Sales....... http://www.sitnews.us/0513Viewpoints/051613_bob_sivertsen.html

Arctic states open council to China, India, SKorea
Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013 10:29 am
Associated Press | 2 comments
KIRUNA, Sweden - Arctic states agreed Wednesday to let nations that are located nowhere near the Earth's north to become observers to their diplomatic council, boosting rising economic powers China, India and South Korea, which are seeking to mine the region for its untapped energy and other natural resources..... http://www.newsminer.com/news/alaska_news/arctic-states-open-council-to-china-india-skorea/article_7d318398-be56-11e2-acd4-0019bb30f31a.html

http://www.alaskapublic.org/2013/05/16/arctic-council-adds-six-observer-seats/

Deckboss: Feds moving to tighten regulations on hired IFQ skippers deckboss.blogspot.com/2013/05/about-…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

Is #BP kidding - appeals to UK for help in limiting payments to US businesses after oil spill @seafoodcomnews bit.ly/N3jrr
— Seafood.com News (@SeafoodcomNews) May 17, 2013

Try this stunning #Alaska salmon recipe from @normanfu @westking full recipe on the website bit.ly/mYjoiO twitter.com/AlaskaSeafoodU…
— AlaskaSeafoodUK (@AlaskaSeafoodUK) May 17, 2013

NMFS List of Fisheries for 2013 - comment period that ends in 5 days (05/22/2013) federalregister.gov/articles/2013/…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

Got a cooking question? Just ask our Wild Chef: bit.ly/15QnSvG.
— Field & Stream (@FieldandStream) May 16, 2013

Seafood Investment Forum, New York Wednesday, May 22, 2013 haulinggear.com/calendar
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

For those interested, @google+ Video Hangouts do work on at&t's cellular network on iOS but not @android theverge.com/2013/5/15/4335… #WhataCrock
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 16, 2013

nycmloc (Instagram) I guess there's no tmobile up here in Alaska it's called GCI and it's on a 3G network instagram.com/p/ZaC1HQP3Q4/
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

Carbon in Alaskan soils stays stored despite warming | Ars Technica arstechnica.com/science/2013/0… #GrabYourWallet
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 16, 2013

New US Energy Secretary confirmed, supports nuclear energy and natural gas | The Verge theverge.com/2013/5/16/4338…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

Earth's Mantle Affects Sea Level Rise Estimates 'questions re: height of the shoreline vs. water in the oceans' news.yahoo.com/earths-mantle-…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

From Alaska Wilderness League: Arctic Ocean Acidification. fb.me/32D3pWzrd
— NorthernCenter(NAEC) (@NorthernCenter) May 16, 2013

Ocean science lags behind climate change - National Fisherman nationalfisherman.com/news-events/to…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

Canada: Escaped farmed salmon have turned up along side wild salmon in the Garnish River on the Burin Peninsulacbc.ca/fisheriesbroad…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

Whitehouse/Youtube Google+ HangoutWe The Geeks: Grand Challenges youtu.be/7MdtV2TRtC8 via @youtube
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

Seward: Lego robotics builds tech skills - The Seward Phoenix Log thesewardphoenixlog.com/story/2013/05/…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly goes digital - The Seward Phoenix Log thesewardphoenixlog.com/story/2013/05/…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

How underwater @google Street View works gearthblog.com/blog/archives/… twitter.com/haulinggear/st…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

'The "Deadliest Catch" fishermen have got nothing on New York City's Coast Guard unit, Sector New York.'goo.gl/nA6Ba@uscg #SecNY
— USCG_New_York_City (@USCG_NYC) May 17, 2013

NewYorkers furious over photos taken through windows ap.peninsulaclarion.com/pstories/20130…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

Rain gear and plastic baggies help kids in Unalaska weather the storm (photo)dutchharbortelegraph.com/homegrown-hell…
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) May 17, 2013

Credit card reader companies discriminate against gun buyers and sellers examiner.com/article/credit… via @examinercom
— Alaska Outdoors TV (@AKODTV) May 17, 2013