industry

Russian And American Scientists Say Warming Water Is Pushing Bering Sea Pollock Into New Territory

By • Nov 18, 2020
NOAA FishWatch

In a new study, scientists have linked warming Arctic temperatures, changing wind patterns, and shifting currents to movement of commercially valuable Alaska pollock in the Bering Sea.

The Bering Sea has seen the loss of a summer cold water barrier in recent years, which used to keep pollock from spreading out and moving north.

But while scientists are seeing drastic shifts in pollock movement patterns, further research needs to be conducted to know what the changes mean for communities like Unalaska/Dutch Harbor and the billion-dollar pollock industry.

Alaska Supreme Court Hears Challenge To Fish Landing Tax

By Jacob Resneck/CoastAlaska • Oct 22, 2020
Jacob Resneck/CoastAlaska

Alaska’s Supreme Court is weighing the legality of a raw fish tax that’s pumped at least $25 million into coastal communities over the past five years. But a lawsuit filed by a Washington state catcher/processor could change that.

Five Years In The Making: Unalaska Awaits Infrastructure Report Card From IRT

By • Sep 2, 2020
Courtesy Rep. Josh Revak

Unalaska is waiting on a free infrastructure report card, courtesy of the U.S. military. 

 

That report will be compiled by civil affairs officers, including U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. 

 

Gabbard, a former Democratic presidential candidate, visited the island as part of a team last week in her capacity as an Army Reserve major, for meetings and an assessment of Unalaska's future infrastructure needs.

 

Unalaska's COVID-19 Case Count Rises As City Reports Third Positive Case Related To UniSea

By • Aug 28, 2020
Hope McKenney/KUCB

 

City officials reported a new positive case of COVID-19 in Unalaska Friday, bringing the positive local case count to 101.

The individual testing positive is a UniSea employee and has been in quarantine since arriving on the island on Aug. 23, the city said in a statement. 

In compliance with the company's COVID-19 mitigation plan, the employee received a negative COVID-19 test before traveling to Unalaska, and the positive result was received at the mid-point of their quarantine period.

'Move Out Of The Way:' Bering Sea Fishing Boats Report Close Encounter With Russian Military

By Nathaniel Herz - Alaska Public Media • Aug 28, 2020
Courtesy Brent Paine

 

Bering Sea pollock fishermen had a close encounter Wednesday with Russian military vessels conducting pre-planned exercises, according to industry officials and a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman.

"They are telling American fishing vessels to move out of the way," said Brent Paine, executive director of United Catcher Boats, an industry trade group. "They've got some submarines and destroyers and nobody knows anything about it."

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