The Highliner

Commercial fishing is a bedrock industry in Alaska, and has been for more than a century. Every year scores of fishermen net millions of migrating salmon, challenge the icy Bering Sea to trap king crabs, lay miles and miles of baited hooks for halibut, and scoop up enough pollock for a zillion fish sticks. And when fishermen aren't out fishing, they're usually talking about fishing. That's what this blog is all about. Cast your net here for commercial fishing news and notes. And if you've got a bone to pick, post a comment.

About me:
I've pounded the commercial fishing beat for the Anchorage Daily News since 1999. I hail originally from Tennessee. I've never fished commercially, but I've spent much time as a journalist aboard boats and inside fish-processing plants. Of course, I'm a big consumer of Alaska seafood. One of my favorites: canned sockeye.

Contact Wesley Loy at wloy@adn.com.


Archive

Madsen loses bid for state House - 8/27/2008 3:12 pm

EPA fines another processor - 8/27/2008 10:24 am

Breaking news: Partial settlement in Exxon case - 8/26/2008 6:44 pm

Homer man charged with sablefish violation - 8/25/2008 10:00 am

Kodiak cutter crew boards Japanese vessel - 8/23/2008 5:17 pm

Salmon eaters, beware tapeworms - 8/22/2008 7:51 pm

American Seafoods lets catfish go - 8/22/2008 6:04 pm

Pebble and Bristol Bay’s salmon defenders - 8/22/2008 10:24 am

American Seafoods gets bigger - 8/18/2008 7:38 pm

MSC replies to state on 'client' status - 8/13/2008 1:16 am

Scale scandal - 8/13/2008 12:22 am

Court commands more delay in Exxon case - 8/12/2008 11:49 pm

Skipper accepts plea in vessel grounding - 8/7/2008 5:01 pm

Southeast seiners reduce their ranks - 8/6/2008 2:58 pm

Young defenders - 8/6/2008 2:16 pm

UFA: Stevens ‘innocent until proven guilty’ - 8/1/2008 3:45 pm

‘The tragedy of Sen. Stevens’ - 7/30/2008 1:49 pm

What’s fishy about Stevens indictment - 7/29/2008 11:58 am

A bit more on Aleutians king crab - 7/27/2008 12:29 am

Aleutians king crab deal announced - 7/27/2008 12:00 am

Brothers lose liberty, boat for halibut scheme - 7/25/2008 10:56 am

State, MSC parting ways on salmon? - 7/23/2008 12:34 am

full archive »

Young defenders

Posted by The Highliner

Posted: August 6, 2008 - 2:16 pm

U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, has filed a report disclosing contributions to The Congressman Don Young Legal Expense Trust.

The total is $54,000, with some prominent commercial fishing players accounting for a big chunk of the contributions.

Young, who is seeking re-election, reputedly is under federal investigation, though we’re not exactly sure for what and Young isn’t saying. He has reported spending big money on lawyers in recent months.

Here’s a rundown of the fishing contributors to the legal expense trust:

• Aleutian Spray Fisheries Inc. of Seattle, $5,000. Aleutian Spray has a fleet of freezer longliners plus the factory trawler Starbound. Cary Swasand heads the company.

• Starbound LLC of Seattle, $5,000.

• Trident Seafoods Corp. of Seattle, $5,000. This is one of the nation’s largest seafood companies, headed by the legendary Chuck Bundrant.

For a more thorough report on the trust, check out my colleague Erika Bolstad’s story.


login or register to post comments

  1     August 19, 2008 - 1:43am | hippie_dave

Young Defenders..

For 1.3 million in legal fees there must be some out there somewhere.

login or register to post comments | flag this »

Search Jobs | Place an employment ad