Alaska
Alaska pollock quota to remain flat in 2024, despite industry push for higher catch
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which oversees the quota of the Alaskan pollock industry, decided to maintain the same quota for the species in 2024 at its recent meeting on 9 December – despite industry calls for a higher catch.
The council’s latest meeting decided that the total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock for the Eastern Bering Sea would be 1.3 million metric tons (MT), the same quota that it had last year. The flat quota is in spite of increases in biomass, which has increased the allowable biological catch (ABC) to 2.31 million MT – up from 1.9 million MT last year.
The Eastern Bering Sea pollock stock assessment, overviewed during the meeting by Alaska Fishery Science Center Senior Scientist Jim Ianelli, highlights that current statistical modeling indicates maintaining the TAC of 1.3 million MT adds more certainty to future catch volumes, whereas increasing the fishing pressure significantly could lead to significant drop-offs in the near future.
“If you went with a Tier 3 maximum permissible, the catch would jump to something like 2.3 million MT in that year, but you would have pretty quick declines in spawning biomass,” Ianelli said. “As a contrast, if you instead say we just fish at the average fishing mortality rate that we’ve been pursuing, you’d still get a fairly high level of catch … but you’d get relatively low occurrences of where the spawning biomass would drop.”
The stock assessment also shows that there was a huge recruitment event in 2018 into 2019, and the 2022 catch indicates that fact as the overwhelming majority of pollock caught was four years old. Then, in 2023, the majority was 5 years old.
At-Sea Processors Association Executive Director Stephanie Madsen, addressing the council during its meetings, said her group has invested heavily in understanding the science and stock – and that its board supports a higher TAC given the large 2018 year class and the status of the stock. The APA put forward a proposal for a 1.32 million MT quota – which the council ultimately shut down.
“Our science supports that, and really 1.32 was a compromise in our group, and it was a unanimous view,” she said.
Madsen said the significantly higher ABC seems to say the quota could be higher without any negative consequences to the overall pollock biomass.
“That’s a 2 percent increase in the ABC, and some are suggesting that there be no increase in total allowable catch,” she said.
The 2018-2019 year class, which made up a significant portion of the fleets catch in 2022 and 2023, is also a reason to up the TAC.
“The 2018 year class is probably going to prove up to be one of the largest year-classes in the time series,” Madsen said. “They are aging out of the system. We can’t bank them like some fish species. They will age out of the system, and they will be not available to the fishery.”
The poor fish condition, she said, is a concern of the entire fishery – but leaving fish in the water “is not going to make them fatter.”
“There’s enough difference between the ABC and the TAC for the ecosystem considerations, there’s a lot of fish out there for the birds and the fur seals and the other species that need pollock, so we’re not in a conservation concern for pollock,” she said. “If there is not an increase in pollock in this scenario, in this environment, when can the pollock industry ever expect to see any kind of an increase?”
Photo courtesy of Glacier Fish
Alaska
Alaska Airlines faces heat after UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov gets removed from flight: 'Shame on you'
Alaska Airlines is getting called out on social media after a clip surfaced showing a famous UFC fighter get into a dispute on-board until he was escorted off his flight. The video shows Russian hall of fame athlete Khabib Nurmgomedov debating airline staff in the U.S. while he was sitting in the exit row on the plane.
The video of the incident, which reportedly took place at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Saturday, shows an employee telling the 36-year-old mixed martial artist he either has to switch seats or get off the plane. “They’re not comfortable with you sitting in the exit row,” the worker added.
“It’s not fair,” said Nurmgomedov, who was reportedly flying to Los Angeles, to which the worker replied, “It is fair. Yes, it is.”
Nurmgomedov explained that when he was checking in for the flight, he was asked he if knew English, to which he said he did. The airline worker responded, “I understand that, but it’s also off of their judgement. I’m not going to do this back-and-forth. I will call a supervisor.”
The employee reiterated the athlete could either take a different seat on the plane, or staff could “go ahead and escort” him off the flight. She asked “which one are we doing?” and then replied to Nurmgomedov saying they were going to have to rebook him on a different flight.
Across social media, people have been calling out Alaska Airlines asking why they had him removed from the plane. Many called for others to boycott the airline, and some claimed the staff were profiling Nurmgomedov, who is Muslim.
“Why did you remove Khabib from your plane? His fans need to know! I hope he sues you,” an Instagram user wrote on the airline’s most recent post.
“Are you aware of who Khabib is? His legacy surpasses that of the entire airline,” another chimed in.
“Shame on you, Alaska Airline. We all boycotting them,” a TikTok user added.
“What is the reason!? Because they don’t feel comfortable he’s sitting by a window?” another questioned.
Neither Nurmgomedov or Alaska Airlines have yet commented on the situation.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – With a storm approaching and high winds in the forecast for a portion of Southcentral Alaska, experts recommend preparing for potential power outages and taking safety precautions.
Experts with the State of Alaska, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management recommended taking the initiative early in case of power outages due to strong weather.
Julie Hasquet with Chugach Electric in Anchorage said Saturday the utility company has 24/7 operators in case of outages.
“We watch the weather forecast, and absolutely, if there are power outages, we will send crews out into the field to respond,” Hasquet said.
She echoed others, saying it’s best to prepare prior to a storm and not need supplies rather than the other way around.
“With the winds that are forecast for tonight and perhaps into Sunday, people should just be ready that it could be some challenging times, and to be aware and cautious and kind of have your radar up,” Hasquet said.
For the latest weather updates and alerts, download the Alaska’s Weather Source app.
See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com
Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – More than 100 music professionals and music makers from Anchorage and across the state signed up to visit ‘The Nave’ in Spenard on Saturday for the annual Alaska Music Summit.
Organized by MusicAlaska and the Alaska Independent Musicians Initiative, the event began at 10 a.m. and invited anyone with interest or involvement in the music industry.
“The musicians did the work, right,” Marian Call, MusicAlaska program director said. “The DJ’s who are getting people out, the music teachers working at home who have tons of students a week for $80 an hour, that is real activity, real economic activity and real cultural activity that makes Alaska what it is.”
Many of the attendees on Saturday were not just musicians but venue owners, audio engineers, promoters and more, hence why organizers prefer to use the term “music makers.”
The theme for the summit was “Level Up Together” a focus on upgrading professionalism within the musicmaking space. Topics included things like studio production, promotion, stagecraft, music education policy.
“We’re kind of invisible if we don’t stand up for ourselves and say, ‘Hey, we’re doing amazing stuff,‘” Call said.
On Sunday, participants in the summit will be holding “office hours” at the Organic Oasis in Spenard. It is a time for music professionals to network, ask questions and share ideas on music and music making.
“You could add us to the list of Alaskan cultural pride,” Call said. “You could add us to your conception of being Alaskan. That being Alaskan means you wear Carhartts, and you have the great earrings by the local artisan, and you know how to do the hand geography and also you listen to Alaskan music proudly.”
The event runs through Sunday and will also be hosted in February in Juneau and Fairbanks.
See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com
Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner play tennis. Their Australian Open rivals see a different sport
Chargers’ Justin Herbert falls short to remain winless in postseason: ‘I let the team down’
It’s Time for a Fashion Revolution
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25822588/STK169_ZUCKERBERG_MAGA_STKS491_CVIRGINIA_B.jpg "What does Mark Zuckerberg want from Donald Trump?")
What does Mark Zuckerberg want from Donald Trump?
Ukraine has captured 2 North Korean soldiers, South Korea's intelligence service says
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Trump tasks blue state Republicans with 'homework' as GOP plots massive conservative policy overhaul
Three people killed in an avalanche in Italy's Leopontine Alps
On the way out: Transportation Sec. Buttigieg looks back on achievements, challenges : Consider This from NPR
Trump Calls Officials Handling Los Angeles Wildfires ‘Incompetent’
Trump says Jack Smith is a 'disgrace' after special counsel resigned from DOJ: 'He left town empty handed!'
-
Politics1 week agoCarter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country
-
Politics1 week agoWho Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
-
Health1 week agoOzempic ‘microdosing’ is the new weight-loss trend: Should you try it?
-
World1 week agoSouth Korea extends Boeing 737-800 inspections as Jeju Air wreckage lifted
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25822586/STK169_ZUCKERBERG_MAGA_STKS491_CVIRGINIA_A.jpg "Meta is highlighting a splintering global approach to online speech")
Technology4 days agoMeta is highlighting a splintering global approach to online speech
-
News1 week agoSeeking to heal the country, Jimmy Carter pardoned men who evaded the Vietnam War draft
-
News1 week agoTrump Has Reeled in More Than $200 Million Since Election Day
-
News1 week agoThe U.S. Surgeon General wants cancer warnings on alcohol. Here's why