Great year for sockeye fishers
Harvesters with 43 million sockeyes caught from
a 56-million-fish run. The initial ex-vessel value estimate (what fishermen are paid) is $306.5 mil- lion, but this is based on a “base” sockeye price of $1.35 per pound. This will increase later in the fall as supplemental bonus payments are made, such as for iced fish. A final figure will be published next spring by state fish and game officials.

The total sockeye harvest is now estimated at 55 million statewide, the fourth largest on record. Bristol Bay accounted for 78 percent of this.

Cruise ship, gillnet fleet conflict
An unusual conflict between commercial fishing and a large cruise ship happened in mid-September near Haines. The cruise ship Norwegian Joy was en route and encountered about 25 salmon gillnet vessels who, due to communications mishaps, didn’t get the word that the big ship was in the area. The ship’s pilot slowed the vessel to 10 knots but harvesters had to scramble to pull nets and other gear, and to get out of the way. The result was still some lost gear. Reportedly the ship came within 20 feet of a 28-foot boat. The Coast Guard says its rules give large vessels the right-of-way, however.

Kelp farming: Niche industry
A new application for an offshore kelp farm has been filed near Haines by locally-owned Alaska Salty Greens. The location is just off Battery Point. The Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game says there are now 18 aquatic farms in Alaska rang- ing in size from one acre to 127 acres that grow different kinds of kelp. Kelp grows in the fall and winter and is harvested in the spring. It’s a new niche industry.