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Brawl in Dutch Harbor: Weapons? Frozen hamburger
UNALASKA – Two warehouse employees sustained minor injuries after attacking each other with a five-pound tube of frozen hamburger last week.Both men received minor welts after hitting each other in the head with the frozen hamburger during the fight, which stemmed from an argument at the Peterkin Distributors warehouse that afternoon, according to the Department of Public Safety. Officers responded to the incident and reconciled the two parties, neither of whom pressed charges.
– KIAL
Port commissioners fire manager
In an effort to regain the public's trust, Port of Astoria commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to dismiss Executive Director Peter Gearin.The commission voted to appoint Operations Director Ron Larsen to the interim executive director position. He will also act as the agency's budget officer, as did Gearin. Port Administration Services Manager Rita Fahrney will assume Larsen's duties in his absence.
"As a result of both real and perceived mistakes made in the past, many within our community have lost confidence in the ability of the port to carry out its mission in a responsible manner," Commission President Don McDaniel read from a news release during a special meeting. "It is the hope of the commissioners that the Port can once again gain the trust and support of the community."
Aside from the reading of the prepared news release—which credits Gearin, Larsen and former Deputy Director Bill Cook for creating jobs and boosting assets at the Port—the only other comment from commissioners before voting to approve a termination agreement with Gearin came from Commissioner Hess.
"I think it sucks," he said.
– The Daily Astorian
Fisherman puts family up for adoption
EUREKA – What started out as an unusual effort to get people talking about the peril of North Coast fishing families erupted into a significant story in the state's biggest newspaper.After struggling through a year with essentially no commercial salmon season and a weak Dungeness crab season, Ronnie Pellegrini put her family up for adoption on eBay. The ad only got 184 hits while it was up.
But the ad—which offered to update the winning bidder on the progress of the Pellegrini family's efforts to keep the history of Eureka fishing alive—caught the attention of the Los Angeles Times when Pellegrini's mother e-mailed a reporter there.
The Times has a circulation of 775,000 and a major presence on the Web.
“When I started, I didn't know if anybody would see it,” said Pellegrini, a Humboldt Bay Harbor District commissioner.
Even as eBay management pulled the ad because it bucked a policy against soliciting donations, the Times reported, the paper was going to press. Pellegrini told the Times she wasn't looking for money, but rather to inform people about the state of fishermen in Eureka.
– The Times Standard
Port McNeill considers harbor improvements
PORT McNEILL – Making room for more is the hope behind a new plan for facilities in Port McNeill Harbour.“The boating community wants more moorage in all areas,” explains Port McNeill Councillor Doug Anweiler, liaison for the Harbour Commission. “It is crowded in the summer and the breakwater is inadequate. Also a calm water off-loading area is needed for smaller boats.”
The harbor area has four distinct areas: the ferry terminal, the government commercial docks, the municipal marina and the privately-owned fuel dock. The town and Small Craft Harbours worked together to develop a proposal for the areas they manage—the marina and commercial dock.
“In conjunction with Small Craft Habours, we are sharing the cost of an engineer to come up with a master plan for the areas we manage,” says Anweiler.
More moorage would be realized by changing the way the docks are currently configured, allowing for additional fingers and mooring space for larger vessels.
– North Island Gazette
Crabbers looking for help from Legislature
OLYMPIA -- For years, Washington crabbers have struggled with competition and the long-term sustainability of their livelihood. Last week, they presented their proposed remedy to the Senate Natural Resources, Ocean and Recreation Committee."The coastal Dungeness crab fishery provides an important economic foundation for our coastal communities," said Sen. Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, "but commercial crabbing is competing with sports fishing and Native American treaty rights, and the overcapitalized fleet is feeling economic pressure."
Hatfield and coastal crabbers produced the Dungeness Crab-Coastal Fishery Buyback Program, which was considered by the Senate Natural Resources, Ocean and Recreation Committee. A contingent of 19th District fishermen testified and responded to questions.
The goal of the program established by SB 5447 is to maximize the sustainability of the crab resource and the crab fleet by purchasing and permanently retiring between 80 and 100 coastal Dungeness crab licenses.
– Chinook Observer
Alaska: Fishing boat sinks, Coast Guard saves three
KODIAK – Three men were in satisfactory condition after abandoning ship earlier this week in the Shelikof Straight. A Coast Guard helicopter plucked the three from a life raft after their boat sank on the south end of the Strait, said Coast Guard spokesman Christopher McLaughlin.The three-man crew of the 121-foot Jade Alaska, a Kodiak-based tender, suffered mild hypothermia but no injuries. The three were identified as Ralph Henderson, Jesse Cox and John Turnbow.
McLaughlin said emergency medical personnel were waiting for the men when the helicopter returned to Kodiak and took them to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center.
Air Station Kodiak launched an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter after getting a call from another boat at 5:40 a.m. that the Jade Alaska was taking on water west of Kodiak Island. There were 18-foot seas and 50-knot winds reported at the time. The Jade Alaska had sunk by the time the Jayhawk arrived.
– KMXT
Washington: Washington state tax called offensive
JUNEAU – It's been called obnoxious and offensive, even described as "an act of aggression from our southern neighbors."Alaska lawmakers are spouting off about a Washington state senator's proposal to impose a fee of $100 or more on shipping containers carrying freight in and out of that state – a proposal that is meeting with some turbulence on its home front, as well.
The Alaska House on Wednesday unanimously passed a joint resolution opposing the measure. The Senate was expected to weigh in with a similarly resounding message to the Washington Legislature.
Ninety-seven percent of goods shipped to Alaska arrive via shipping containers - almost all of them from Washington state.
– Kodiak Daily Mirror
Oregon: Coos Bay fishermen worried about seizures
CHARLESTON -- A meeting that started out as salmon trollers discussing the upcoming season led to discussion about moorage and vessel seizures.About 25 fishermen and two Oregon International Port of Coos Bay officials, Deputy Director Mike Gaul and Communications Director Martin Callery, spent much of Tuesday morning talking about moorage payments, the latest incidences of vessel seizures and the resignation of Harbormaster Don Yost.
Earlier this month, the port seized some vessels that were way behind on their moorage and storage locker payments -- in arrears prior to last year's deferment program – and about half a dozen more were on the list to be impounded when Yost turned in his resignation.
Further impounds have stopped and fishermen are working with the port to make payments, Callery said.
Port staff are already putting together ideas in anticipation of another year of diminished commercial salmon opportunity. One idea is to forgive the interest on past-due moorages, Callery said, or maybe another deferral program for 2007.
– Coos Bay World
California: Stumps to aid salmon habitat
EUREKA – Some of the byproduct from the Confusion Hill bypass project is being put to good use by helping to preserve fish habitat around the North Coast.Caltrans District 1 said it has donated stumps and logs to a number of organizations to use in fish habitat restoration projects. Recipients included Sproul and Elk creeks in Southern Humboldt County; Hollow Tree Creek in Mendocino County; Richardson Grove and Standish Hickey state parks; and Bull Creek in Humboldt County.
“These logs are going to help protect some of California's most valued resources within state parks,” said Liz Burko, Eel River sector superintendent for state parks.
– The Times-Standard
In Pacific Fishing magazine: March 2007
Four souls stranded in the Gulf of Alaska suffered glacial temps plunging to six degrees below zero and winds raging at 50+ knots.They should have died.
They didn’t.
Theses men are breathing today because they did nearly everything correctly before their vessel sank. That the Coast Guard was able to find an infinitesimally small piece of orange plastic in the fury of the Gulf of Alaska wasn’t an accident. It was the legacy of good decisions made months before by F/V Hunter skipper Ron Blake and his crew.
As for the Coast Guard’s appearance out of the gray skies, that wasn’t an accident either. It was the result of planning, training, and just plain bravery.
See the full story in the next issue!