ALFA Staff
Why Are Alaska’s Rivers Turning Orange?
Why Are Alaska’s Rivers Turning Orange?
ALFA Staff
Halibut Catch Sharing Plan Update
Halibut Catch Sharing Plan Update

Alaska Longline Fisherman’s Association launches hybrid electric fishing vessel

Seafood Source
Haley Jones
April 16, 2026

Jeff Turner has owned and operated his commercial fishing vessel Mirage since 2010 in Sitka, Alaska, U.S.A.

This year, thanks to a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant awarded to the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA), his boat was rebuilt to have hybrid diesel-electric capabilities.

“This electrification project came up through ALFA, and I applied. They sized the boat, it had space for the project, and they motivated me to be the crash test dummy, if you will, to see if we could put it to use,” Turner said. “It’s been pretty exciting; the team was excellent. Everyone involved from all the vendors, every person, every craftsman throughout was extremely motivated and excited to work on it. I’ve never suffered so enjoyably.”

Read the article here.

Alaska Board of Fisheries tackle trawlers

Kodiak Daily Mirror
Terry Haines
March 24, 2026

The Alaska Board of Fisheries considered four proposals at its meeting last week that sought to significantly change how trawl fisheries are conducted in state waters. Trawlers have been under a great deal of scrutiny of late for bycatch issues and because it has become common knowledge that mid-water nets do in fact sometimes contact the bottom. All four proposals would have imposed significant requirements and restrictions on trawlers, especially pelagic, or mid-water trawlers. 

Read the full article here.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski christens Alaska’s “transformational” hybrid commercial fishing vessel

KCAW
Ryan Cotter
April 9, 2026

Crouched down in the engine room of the 50-foot vessel, Ben Matthys is showcasing the completed hybrid engine to Senator Lisa Murkowski, answering any follow-up questions she has. He’s the lead technician who joined the project four years ago. The project was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of a pilot program to make commercial engines cheaper and more environmentally friendly.


Read the full article here.

Southeast’s seafood industry needs to be part of the revised Tongass management plan

Juneau Independent

March 21, 2026

By Linda Behnken and Norm Pillen

You cannot talk about Southeast Alaska’s seafood industry without also talking about the Tongass National Forest. The productivity of our region’s sustainable fisheries is heavily dependent on the health of Southeast’s forests and watersheds — the two are inseparable. That’s why it’s alarming to see no mention of Southeast’s commercial fisheries in the U.S. Forest Service’s Notice of Intent to revise its management plan for the Tongass National Forest. Given the Trump Administration’s Executive Order 14276 to restore America’s seafood competitiveness, the Forest Service should align its management of the Tongass with the Administration’s goal to promote our domestic fisheries, including an America First Seafood Strategy.

We’d like to remind state and federal policymakers that the Tongass National Forest produces some of the healthiest protein on the planet, most notably nutrient-dense, high-value wild Pacific salmon. Southeast’s seafood production supports more full-time fishery workers than any other region in Alaska besides the Bering Sea. One-third of Alaska’s fishing fleet is based in Southeast, with residents owning 2,655 fishing vessels. Commercial fishing and seafood processing are among the top employers in the Tongass, in recent years accounting for 15% of regional employment and contributing more than $800 million to Southeast Alaska’s economy. Meanwhile, the timber industry accounts for less than one percent of regional jobs and costs U.S. taxpayers $20.5 million to $33.8 million annually. 

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Young Fishermen’s Development Act renewed

National Fisherman
March 4, 2026

U.S. fishing organizations are applauding the passage of legislation renewing a key workforce training program for the commercial fishing industry.

The Fishing Communities Coalition (FCC) announced March 3 that H.R. 3692 has passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, reauthorizing the Young Fishermen’s Development Program (YFDP) through fiscal year 2031.

Administered through NOAA’s Sea Grant Program, the YFDP supports training opportunities for early-career commercial fishermen, focusing on marine safety, business management, and navigating the fishery management process.

Read the full article in National Fisherman here.

Leveling the playing field for U.S. fishermen

Linda Behnken
Alaska Beacon
February 3, 2026

As a longtime salmon, halibut and sablefish fisherman, I begin this year with some hope and gratitude. With admirable bipartisan effort, Congress and federal agencies have taken important steps to make seafood more sustainable and to ensure the hardworking men and women who harvest it can earn a fair living.

Read the article here.

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