CDQ feed

Alaska community development quota companies are throwing a big seafood dinner in conjunction with this week's North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Juneau.

Here's the invitation. Notice anything curious?

Fishing for favor in Juneau

Now that we're well into the legislative session, Deckboss thought it would be interesting to check the Alaska Public Offices Commission lobbyist directory to see who has fishy business in the state capital.

My search turned up quite a few seafood interests employing lobbyists this year. Here's the list:

• Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers
• APICDA Joint Ventures
• Armstrong-Keta Inc.
• Bristol Bay Economic Development Corp.
• Coastal Villages Region Fund
• Cordova District Fishermen United
• Groundfish Forum
• Kenai Peninsula Fishermen's Association
• Northwest Farm Credit Services
• Ocean Beauty Seafoods LLC
• Pacific Seafood Processors Association
• Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corp.
• Purse Seine Vessel Owners' Association
• Southeast Alaska Seiners Association
• Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association
• United Southeast Alaska Gillnetters
• Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association

Some of these interests evidently see a strong need for a Juneau lobbyist, based on the sums they're spending.

For example, APICDA Joint Ventures is paying its lobbyist, Jerry Reinwand, a $60,000 annual fee.

The Purse Seine Vessel Owners' Association is paying Kent Dawson $50,000, and Ocean Beauty Seafoods is paying Reed Stoops $45,000.

Bob Thorstenson Jr. remains the king crab of Juneau fish lobbyists. He's pulling down a total of $155,000 from four clients — Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers, Armstrong-Keta, the Kenai Peninsula Fishermen's Association and the Southeast Alaska Seiners Association.

Troopers confirm identity of man overboard

Here's a press release from the Alaska State Troopers on yesterday's man overboard incident north of Juneau:

Location: Juneau
Type: Search and rescue — presumed drowning
On 7/4/12 at approximately 0735 hours, the U.S. Coast Guard contacted the Alaska State Troopers in Ketchikan to report they were actively searching for a male who fell overboard off the F/V Eleanor S. It was reported that the man went in the water near Mab Island, approximately 25 miles north of Juneau, at about 0500 hours. The man has been identified as 63-year-old Richard Boyce of Haines. It was reported that Boyce tripped and fell in the water while attempting to undo a fishing net stuck in the boat's prop. The USCG conducted a search of the area using vessels and a helicopter. Boyce was not wearing a PFD when he fell into the water. Boyce was not recovered and the search effort was suspended for the evening pending new leads.

Search ends for man overboard

The U.S. Coast Guard said late Wednesday it had suspended the search for a fisherman who fell overboard south of Berners Bay in Southeast Alaska.

The Coast Guard didn't identify the victim, but said the fishing vessel involved was the 39-foot Eleanor S.

State records list the boat's owner as Richard B. Boyce, of Haines.

Man overboard reported north of Juneau

This just in from the U.S. Coast Guard:

July 4, 2012

Coast Guard searching for man overboard near Juneau

The Coast Guard is searching for a crewman reported overboard off a fishing vessel near Mab Island about 25 miles north of Juneau.

The Coast Guard received a report at 5:10 a.m. that the crewman fell overboard while trying to remove fishing gear from the propeller.

Coast Guard Station Juneau launched a 25-foot response boat and Air Station Sitka launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. Both Coast Guard assets are on scene.

"The Coast Guard would like to ask that all mariners in the area south of Berners Bay keep an eye out for the missing person," said Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Harkins.

The crewman reportedly is wearing green rain gear but no flotation device.

State looks at financing seafood real estate deal

A state lending agency, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, is weighing whether to team with a bank on a $7.5 million loan to a Juneau seafood processor.

Here's an AIDEA staff memo with all the details.

The AIDEA board meets Friday. Here's the agenda.

Juneau restaurant owners to pay $18,000 penalty

The case concerns illegal purchases of subsistence-caught halibut, says this press release from the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement.

Diver dies prior to sea cucumber opener

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Juneau
Type: Death investigation
On 10/24/11 at 0530 hours, John Robert Pugh Jr., 35, of Juneau, was in the vicinity of Funter Bay on the west coast of Admiralty Island on a 21-foot skiff working as a deckhand in a sea cucumber fishery opener that was scheduled to start at 0800. Pugh was on his second recreational scuba dive of the morning and diving alone at 0630 when the boat operator and permit holder noticed that Pugh's activity in the water had stopped. The skiff moved closer to Pugh's location where a diver entered the water and contacted Pugh, who was unresponsive near the bottom in 20 feet of water with his regulator out of his mouth. Pugh was brought to the surface and hoisted on the boat where CPR was initiated and Pugh remained unresponsive. Pugh was immediately transported back to Auke Bay and the U.S. Coast Guard was notified via marine radio. Upon arrival at the Auke Bay boat launch the skiff was met by the Juneau fire and rescue squad who determined that Pugh was deceased. Based upon the scene investigation and the interview with the witness, the medical examiner's office was contacted and ordered the deceased sent to Anchorage for an autopsy. There were no signs of trauma to the body detected and the cause of death is unknown. The Juneau Police Department assisted with the notification of next of kin. The deceased was an experienced and certified PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) diver and owner of a local dive business for the past year.

Lloyd, former commissioner, pleads guilty to DUI

Here's the story from the Associated Press.

Coming ashore

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Hamilton approaches the Juneau pier Friday after a three-month patrol of the Bering Sea. Commissioned in 1967, the Hamilton is homeported at San Diego. USCG photo

Fish and game commissioner charged with DUI

Here's the story from the Associated Press.

Balsiger's back

Here's personnel news from the National Marine Fisheries Service:

March 29, 2010

Balsiger Returns as Regional Administrator for Alaska

Dr. Jim Balsiger is back in Juneau to again serve as administrator for NOAA Fisheries' Alaska Region.

He has been working at NOAA Fisheries headquarters in Silver Spring, Md., for more than four years, first overseeing all of the agency's regulatory programs and then, for the past two years, serving as acting administrator for NOAA Fisheries.

Doug Mecum, who has been the acting regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries' Alaska Region, has returned to his post as deputy regional administrator.

"It was an honor to lead NOAA Fisheries for the last two years. Now it's good to be home where I can be part of managing Alaska's world-class fisheries and of conserving Alaska's species and habitat," Balsiger said.

Dr. Balsiger's background includes time as the science and research director at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, where he also served as deputy director from 1991 through 1995 and program leader for the status of stocks task within the Center's resource ecology and fisheries management division from 1977 to 1991.

Dr. Balsiger holds a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich.; a Master of Science degree in forest silviculture from Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind.; and a Ph.D in quantitative ecology and natural resource management from the University of Washington in Seattle. He has authored or co-authored more than 33 publications in scientific journals and technical memoranda on fisheries subjects.

Wishing I was there

Deckboss is bummed to be in Anchorage tonight rather than Juneau, where United Fishermen of Alaska is holding its annual seafood reception at the Twisted Fish restaurant.

This is a magnet for politicians, sometimes even the governor, who come to shake hands with a still formidable commercial fishing constituency — and to grab a free crab leg or two.

If anything big or scandalous happens, I'll surely hear about it and let you know.

Running again

I see Stephanie Madsen, executive director of the At-sea Processors Association and past chair of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, is trying again for political office.

Madsen is a candidate for an open seat on the Juneau Assembly. The election is Oct. 6.

You'll recall Madsen, running in the Republican primary, lost a bid last year for the state House of Representatives.

All hands safe

The fishing vessel Patty J ran aground early today in Square Cove southwest of Juneau, the U.S. Coast Guard reports. All five crewmen managed to get into a skiff and another fishing vessel rescued them. The Coast Guard launched a helicopter and a response boat after receiving a 4:30 a.m. mayday call that the vessel was taking on water. The Patty J had been traveling from Auke Bay to Excursion Inlet when it grounded, the Coast Guard said. USCG photo

Halibut subsistence scheme draws indictments

Check out our companion blog, The Brig, for details of an alleged scheme where two men illegally sold subsistence-caught halibut through a Juneau eatery called Doc Waters Pub.

Possible help if you're hurt fishing

One interesting piece of legislation now pending in Juneau would boost from $2,500 to $10,000 the claim amount readily available to injured or ill fishermen under a state insurance plan called the Fishermen's Fund.

House Bill 207 cleared the House Special Committee on Fisheries today.

The prime sponsor is state Rep. John Harris, R-Valdez.

Countdown in Juneau

Only about two weeks left in the session. Wesley Loy photo

Lawmakers are considering a range of fish-related bills, plus some political appointments, as the 2009 session winds down.

Let's see what they come up with, shall we?