The commercial fishing industry in Alaska is no stranger to change, whether due to shifting fish populations, evolving regulations, or the increasing impacts of climate change. However, the proposed federal budget cuts targeting NOAA present a new and alarming challenge. A leaked memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) indicates plans […]
NOAA Fisheries works with communities, harvesters, and processors to navigate solutions in a pinch. The Alaska Bering Sea snow crab fishery is open for the first time in 2 years after a sharp decline in the crab population caused fishery closures. Participants have banded together with NOAA Fisheries to use regulatory flexibilities to help the […]
Dear Friends and Collegues, I am writing in response to this week’s news that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects a 10% cut to its workforce, starting Thursday, February 27, with the termination of all probationary employees. This news will likely have significant impacts on Alaskans, and seafood harvesters in particular. I wanted […]
NOAA Fisheries releases their annual Ecosystem Status Reports including a new report card for the northern Bering Sea which shares some promising news about sea ice conditions The Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Island waters were on the warm side for a good part of the year. In fact, winter sea surface temperatures in 2023–2024 […]