Unalaska Bay will remain open to pollock trawling, but only during the months of September and October. On Thursday, the Alaska Board of Fisheries rejected the total ban proposed by the Unalaska Native Fishermen’s Association, and instead voted to open the season a month later than current regulation specifies.
Historically, most of the trawlers’ landings in the bay have been in August. So, several Board members reasoned that closing the bay to fishing for that month would reduce the overall harvest from the bay.
Icicle Seafoods’ Adak plant won’t be processing fish this summer.
Icicle didn’t respond to multiple interview requests, but the company’s plant manager told the Adak city council last month that the plant wouldn’t be operating because generating power is too expensive during the slower fishing months.
That’s disappointing news for Pat Davis. He owns the 48-foot F/V Cascade, and fishes for halibut and black cod near Adak. He says being able to deliver to the Icicle plant saved him a 450-mile run each way to Unalaska.
After considerable public testimony and internal deliberation, city council voted Tuesday night to support a proposed trawl ban in Unalaska Bay. The vote was 4-1, with Councilor Roger Rowland dissenting, and Councilor Dennis Robinson absent.
During public testimony, half a dozen people spoke in favor of the ban, most of them pointing to declining fish stocks in the bay as a sign that the trawlers are having a negative impact. Unalaska Native Fishermen’s Association vice president Dustan Dickerson told the council that even though the evidence is anecdotal, they should err on the side of caution.
With both of Shell Oil’s Arctic drill rigs headed to drydock for repairs, the company says it’s suspending its 2013 drilling season.
Spokesperson Curtis Smith says the New Year’s Eve grounding of the Kulluk drill rig prompted Shell to reassess its plans.
"This was our decision, and our decision alone," Smith says. "[It was] based on, among other things, our strong desire to incorporate learning from our 2012 operations, and to ensure that our assets and our employees are really prepared to work again in the Arctic in the future."
Last year’s drilling season was plagued with problems. The company had trouble getting its oil spill containment barge certified. Then the Noble Discoverer nearly ran aground in Unalaska. The year ended with the grounding of the Kulluk in shallow offshore waters near Kodiak.
City Council will decide whether to support a proposal by the Unalaska Native Fisherman’s Association to ban pollock trawling in Unalaska Bay at its Tuesday night meeting.
This isn’t be the first time the issue has come up. In 2008, the council voted unanimously to support a similar proposal. But this time around, the vote could be different. Councilor Roger Rowland, who also sits on Unalaska’s Fish and Game Advisory Committee, voted against the ban during that committee’s meeting last month, citing a lack of data.
Nick Golodoff, author of the book Attu Boy, passed away earlier this month at the age of 77. His memoir about the World War II internment of the Aleut village by the Japanese brought attention to one of the most obscure corners of American history.
He was born on the western Aleutian island of Agattu in December 1935, while his parents were fox trapping.
The Unalaska School Board has appointed Abner Hoage to fill a vacant seat. Tonya Miller served on the board for nearly five years, but recently moved to Georgia.
Hoage is Unalaska’s fire chief. He moved to the community last June, and says he’s excited about the prospect of being more involved.
“After 20 years in the military, with the constant moves around, during that time, I wasn’t available to do this kind of service.”
City councilor Zac Schasteen will be stepping down from his post next week in order to take a job with the city.
Schasteen accepted the position of senior fire captain with the Department of Public Safety earlier this week, and will start in mid-March. Because city employees are banned from holding office, he'll officially resign his council seat at the February 26 meeting.
Schasteen says it was a tough trade-off, but that he feels he’s accomplished a lot during his three and a half years on council.
The 72-hour track of the M/V Bangkok Bridge, starting Tuesday. Image courtesy of Rick Sypeck/Marine Exchange of Alaska
For the second time this month, a vessel transiting the Great Circle shipping route has sought safe harbor in Unalaska. The 876-ft Bangkok Bridge was drifting in Unimak Pass Wednesday after losing power to its engines.
Coast Guard Lieutenant Jim Fothergill says the cutter Munro had already loaded up Unalaska’s emergency towing system before the operation was called off.
“They were able to refire their engines probably around 11 o’clock [Wednesday] night.”
