The Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF) announced the winners of the 2024 Alaska Symphony of Seafood competition! Products include smoked sockeye nuggets, IPA beer battered pollock fillets, wild fish and sea cucumber crunchies, smoked black cod paté and more! 

With a goal of generating $200 million within 20 years, oysters are at the heart of a push to expand Alaska's mariculture operations. 

Another side of mariculture is kelp farming, which has enormous environmental benefits, as well as the potential to bring jobs and revenue to the state. But, there are no processors for kelp here, and that's a pretty big problem. One Cordova scientist is trying to change that in a pretty ingenious way.

Nordic Halibut has secured a $21 million loan for the construction of a new land-based farmed halibut facility in Tingvoll, Norway, which the company says puts it on track to produce 10,350mt of halibut annually by 2031. Super cool 

The infamous Pebble Mine dispute is moving up the food chain. The state, which is led by Gov. Dunleavy and firmly pro-Pebble, is looking for the US Supreme Court to take up the case. SCOTUS could decide whether or not to do so as early as January. In the meantime, supporters from both sides are filing amicus briefs (which is essentially a fancy term for "friendly input" given to the court from interested parties outside of the suit itself). 

Two of the four US Coast Guardsmen injured in a helicopter crash earlier this week are improving, but still hospitalized. The helicopter crashed en route to assist the Lydia Marie, a crabber that was taking on water near Petersburg. Instead, the Lydia Marie crew ended up helping the injured Guardsmen.

This week's Alaska Fisheries Report: Cordova kelp farms, the Tanana Chiefs Conference on salmon hatcheries, and a somber meeting of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

A few time-sensitive reminders:

The Alaska Bycatch Advisory Council's bycatch utilization subcommittee is holding a Zoom meeting on November 20. If you have thoughts to share, be sure to join in. If you can't comment live, submit your thoughts to dfg.dcf.bycatchreview@alaska.gov any time.

On November 27, ADFG commissioner Doug Vincent Lang will host a bycatch town hall in Homer. See ya there!

AMSEA has Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor classes coming up in Bellingham on Dec 1, Juneau on Dec 2, Newport Dec 5-6, and Anchorage Dec 8. 

Registration fees are increasing after TOMORROW for the 2023 Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit, held December 5-7 in Anchorage. Sign up now!

Be sure to check out the dates below for other upcoming deadlines and events!