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.


New man to helm fish committee - 1/8/2009 5:25 pm

Redeeming the American Way - 1/8/2009 4:52 pm

Bristol Bay’s processor problem - 1/8/2009 9:54 am

Relax, Ketchikan - 1/7/2009 2:42 pm

Update on lost crabber - 1/7/2009 1:54 pm

Ketchikan on alert - 1/7/2009 10:24 am

Man overboard update - 1/6/2009 9:16 pm

Man overboard in crab fishery - 1/6/2009 2:01 pm

Forecast for 2009 - 1/6/2009 12:43 am

Top 10 Alaska fish stories of 2008 - 1/2/2009 3:42 pm

Cook Inlet salmon report could be delayed - 12/26/2008 6:43 pm

Feds again seek one-fish limit on halibut - 12/22/2008 11:20 am

Storm hits American Seafoods - 12/20/2008 9:23 pm

Crab ratz update - 12/19/2008 2:36 pm

Go online for permit, vessel license renewals - 12/19/2008 12:32 pm

Obama names NOAA boss - 12/18/2008 4:28 pm

Rat cops raid Seward - 12/17/2008 8:35 pm

Greenpeace keeps fighting - 12/17/2008 3:45 pm

A day for crab ratz - 12/15/2008 11:57 pm

More on next year’s catch limits - 12/15/2008 11:37 pm

Full report on pollock - 12/13/2008 9:45 pm

Council endorses big cut in pollock catch - 12/13/2008 4:43 pm

High drama on the high seas?

Alaska Wildlife Troopers yesterday provided this report on a strange incident out toward Dutch Harbor:


Location: Unimak Pass

Case Number: 08-74687

Type: Assault 3, Criminal Mischief 3

On 9-5-08, Dutch Harbor AWT responded to a complaint regarding criminal mischief and an assault aboard the fishing vessel Alpine Cove. Investigation revealed Geoffrey R. Edwards, age 33 of Mountlake Terrace, Wash., drained approximately $21,000 worth of free-on (Freon) from a refrigeration system in an attempt to disable the ship’s freezers. Edwards further threatened the skipper of the Alpine Cove with a deadly weapon and forced the skipper to sail back to Dutch Harbor. Edwards was arrested, transported and remanded to the Unalaska Jail pending arraignment in Unalaska District Court.