OPINION: For Alaska, federal fisheries updates can’t come soon enough
In Anchorage Daily News
By Brooke Woods, Linda Behnken and Nanci Morris Lyon
October 20, 2023
Two salmon species have all but disappeared from Alaska's Yukon River this year, prompting the state to shut down fishing in an effort to save them. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)
It was another heartbreaking summer on the Yukon River. Smokehouses and fish camps stood empty, leaving Alaska Native peoples unable to practice ways of life that have been in place for millennia. Community-based commercial fishing operations were shut down and sport and charter fisheries were shuttered or drastically reduced. This long, grim, list of reductions and closures has affected nearly everyone who fishes in Alaska — except the biggest and most wasteful ones.
The Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea trawl fleets have bycaught and largely discarded dead more than 28,570 chinook salmon, 119,859 chum salmon, 3,897,205 pounds of halibut, 7,298,550 pounds of herring and 694,826 crabs so far this year.
Federal fisheries off Alaska are managed via the dictates of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which has done little to address the trawl fleet’s enormous bycatch of species immeasurably important to Alaskans. This is despite years of requests for positive change from Indigenous peoples, stakeholders, and the public. In particular, bycatch of king and chum is unconscionable, especially since recent years have seen limited or no subsistence salmon fishing in the Yukon and limited harvest on the Kuskokwim. This stark inequity must be addressed.
There is no denying that climate change is driving rapid, dramatic shifts in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska ecosystems. The council’s lack of action means Alaska’s historic fisheries and fishing communities are paying the environmental price of those changes, while the most concrete action on the table — the meaningful reduction of trawl bycatch — is consistently rejected as not “practicable.” Clearly the council system is not serving Alaskans and it’s time to take key issues to a higher authority.
That’s why, this summer, we were gratified to see NOAA Fisheries ask for input on changes that could help fix some of what is broken about this system. Specifically, updating important guidance language for three of 10 national standards that, under the Magnuson Stevens Act, govern federal fisheries and guide decisions made by the council.
Under the status quo, the council is allowed to prioritize short-term economic gains over ecosystem and community needs. It perpetuates inequity and environmental injustice, pushing the burden of conservation from industrial trawlers onto everyday Alaskans. Updated language for these guidelines could turn this around. Thousands of Alaskans and Americans recently weighed in advocating for these changes.
For years now, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council has siphoned off the time and energy of many hundreds of Alaskans for little positive benefit. We sign up to testify at council meetings. We wait for hours — sometimes days — for our turn to speak. When we are finally allotted our three to five minutes, we tell the council our stories: of families who are leaving small remote communities, driven out by the lack of job opportunity, access to fisheries, available affordable food, and ability to practice traditional ways of life. We speak of shuttered traditional, commercial, charter and sport fisheries in the Bering Sea and Western Alaska. We explain how in some locations one ship’s “acceptable” chinook bycatch can wipe out an entire age class of salmon. And we tell the sad stories of elders and loved ones who have passed without one last taste of king salmon, and of families unable to share their first catch.
Instead of acting on these concerns, the council, which contains zero tribal representatives and a voting majority of people with ties to the trawl industry, has largely upheld the status quo.
In recent years, the council has refused to stop “midwater” trawls that are estimated to drag the bottom between 70 and 90% of the time in the Bering Sea during crab molting, including in areas that are closed to crabbers in order to conserve and rebuild the crab population. The council has yet to institute a cap on chum salmon bycatch, meaning trawlers can bycatch and discard an unlimited number of chum — including years chum returns to the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim are devastating, leaving families with no salmon for the long winter.
Overall, the council continues to shift the conservation responsibility from trawlers — which on average each year bycatch and largely discard dead 141 million pounds of marine life — to Alaska families, rural residents, businesses and directed fishermen.
Ultimately, federal fisheries that focus on equity, community, climate adaptivity and sustainability will lead to a more positive outcome for wild salmon, halibut, crab, herring and those of us who care deeply about them. As it now stands, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s management practices are doing little to address the collapse of some of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. That isn’t good for anyone, Seattle-based industrial trawlers included. For those of us who live here, it’s devastating.
Change can’t come soon enough.
Brooke Woods is a lifelong traditional fisherman and a resident of Rampart, on the Yukon River. She is the former chair of the Yukon River Intertribal Fish Commission, is a Woodwell Climate Research Center climate adaptation specialist, and is pursuing a degree in fisheries science from the University of Alaska.
Nanci Morris Lyon is the owner of Bear Trail Lodge and a resident of Bristol Bay. She is on the Federal Subsistence Board Regional Advisory Committee and has participated in the Nushagak/Mulchatna king salmon committee for the past four years.
Linda Behnken is the executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, a fisherman, and a resident of Sitka. Her work played a key role in getting trawling banned in the federal waters off Southeast Alaska’s shores.
National Sea Grant awards funding for training new Alaska fishermen
By Alaska Sea Grant | October 23, 2023
Alaska Sea Grant and partners were recently awarded over $240,000 from NOAA Sea Grant for a project to train and support new commercial fishermen in Alaska. The two-year project AK On-Board: Young Fishermen Training and Apprenticeship Program will draw upon program strengths from each project partner, including the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and the Alaska Marine Conservation Council, to assist with crew training, apprenticeships, and network-building that will help new crewmembers be successful on the water.
“Young people are the future of our fishing industry, but the challenges to entry are considerable,” explained Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association Director Linda Behnken. “This funding will allow us to expand and coordinate the existing programs of project partners to offer Alaska’s young fishermen a springboard to success.”
This project, supported by results from an Alaska Sea Grant-led scoping effort, will take a broad approach to fisherman training. The scoping effort identified six priority learning areas for beginning commercial fishermen, and the AK On-Board project will incorporate two areas of need—marine safety and crew skills—while addressing other areas based on local needs. The program will include events in rural communities in the Southeast, Southcentral, Bristol Bay, and Bering Strait regions.
Funding for this project is part of the Young Fishermen’s Development Act sponsored by the late Alaska Representative Don Young. More information about Alaska Sea Grant’s support for commercial fishermen in Alaska is available on our website.
The Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association selected by the Department of Energy Vehicle Technology Office for a $700,000 Award to propel energy transition in the commercial fishing fleet
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Sitka, October 3, 2023] - The Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association (ALFA) is thrilled to announce a $700,000 award from the Department of Energy to drive energy transition forward in the commercial fishing fleet. The project, known as ALFA BETA (ALFA Boat Energy Transition Accelerator), aims to pioneer hybrid and full electric propulsion in the small boat fishing and mariculture industries. The ALFA BETA project aligns with ALFA’s mission to address climate change and decarbonize the seafood industry.
With generous support from the Department of Energy, ALFA is poised to play a leading role in revolutionizing energy usage within the small boat commercial fishing sector. The ALFA BETA project will serve as a catalyst for developing and implementing hybrid and full electric propulsion systems, addressing the unique challenges faced by small boat fishing and mariculture operations. By embracing clean and efficient technologies, ALFA aims to reduce the fleet's carbon footprint, safeguard marine ecosystems, and promote a sustainable future for Alaska's seafood industry.
"We are honored to receive this award from the Department of Energy," said Linda Behnken, Executive Director of ALFA. "This project will allow us to pilot test hybrid and full electric propulsion in small boat fishing and mariculture operations. We will build on our work with the National Renewable Energy Labs to transition our fishing fleet toward clean energy, mitigate climate change, and ensure the long-term viability of Alaska's small boat fisheries."
The ALFA BETA project will not only contribute to decarbonization but also offer economic benefits to fishermen and mariculturists. The adoption of advanced propulsion technologies will reduce operational costs and increase fleet performance. Additionally, ALFA will collaborate with local businesses and academic institutions to create new jobs and promote technological innovation within Alaska's maritime sector.
“The ALFA BETA project embodies ALFA's commitment to decarbonizing the seafood industry and building resilience into Alaska’s small boat fishing fleet and fishing communities,” said Chandler Kemp, Technical Director for the ALFA BETA project. “By leveraging this financial support from the Department of Energy, ALFA will bring together fishermen, mariculturists, and experts in energy transition to develop cutting-edge solutions that accelerate the maritime sector's path towards a greener future.”
For more information about ALFA or the ALFA BETA project, please contact Linda Behnken at alfafishak@gmail.com or Chandler Kemp at ckemp@kempyenergetics.com.
About Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association (ALFA): The Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association (ALFA) is a non-profit organization of community-based commercial fishermen dedicated to sustainable fisheries and vibrant fishing communities. On the web at: alfafish.org
Press Contact: Linda Behnken, Executive Director, ALFA
907-738-3615 or alfafishak@gmail.com
As climate change and high costs plague Alaska’s fisheries, fewer young people take up the trade
See article on Associated Press
BY JOSHUA A. BICKEL
September 26, 2023
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — Lane Bolich first came to work in Alaska for the freedom and excitement that comes with being a fisher.
A self-described adrenaline junkie, Bolich moved from his hometown in rural Washington state because he loves being on the ocean even in cold winter weather and it gave him the chance to make more money than back home. After working as a deckhand for two years on a family friend’s boat, Harmony, he took the wheel as captain this year at just 20 years old.
Bolich is a rarity in an aging industry with high barriers to entry — equipment and access rights are costly — and increasing unpredictability as human-caused climate change alters marine habitats. As some fish populations dwindle and fewer people pursue the trade, fishers and conservation groups are actively working to bring in and retain the next generation of fishers through grants and training even as the industry continues to shrink in Alaska.
Follow Joshua A. Bickel on X, formerly known as Twitter: @joshuabickel
Senator Murkowski urges President Biden to significantly change U.S. policy toward Canadian mining and “critical” minerals until protections established for threatened wild salmon rivers
Alaska’s senior senator’s letter elevates requests made by Southeast Alaska Tribes, municipalities, fishermen and the public directly to the President
CONTACTS
Breanna Walker, Director, Salmon Beyond Borders, breanna@salmonstate.org, 218-244-2723
Linda Behnken, Executive Director, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, alfafishak@gmail.com, 907-738-3615
Amy Daugherty, Executive Director, Alaska Trollers Association, alaskatrollers@gmail.com, 907-723-2244
September 26, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNEAU, ALASKA — Salmon Beyond Borders, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and Alaska Trollers Association commend Senator Lisa Murkowski for urging President Joe Biden to deny U.S. subsidies to Canadian mining operations until long-standing, existential Canadian mining threats to rivers flowing into Alaska are adequately addressed. In a letter to President Biden dated Sept. 15 and only now made public, Senator Murkowski urges President Biden: “not to allocate any U.S. funding to Canadian projects in the transboundary watershed in general, and to withhold all U.S. support for [mining] projects within Canada until… conditions are met.”
The request, if heeded by the Biden Administration, would amount to a significant change to articulated U.S. critical minerals strategy in an attempt to address the fact that at least 30 abandoned, exploratory, proposed, developing, and operating B.C. gold-copper mines already pollute and/or threaten to further contaminate the Taku, Stikine-Iskut, Unuk, and Nass rivers, as well as the transboundary Portland Canal, with acid mine drainage, selenium, and other toxicants.
“The United States should be fighting, not funding, the destruction of our wild salmon rivers, which are biodiversity hotspots and natural climate solutions,” said Breanna Walker, Salmon Beyond Borders director. “British Columbia, Canada’s push to build gold mines along our transboundary rivers without our consent poses a looming threat to all of us downstream. We offer our heartfelt appreciation to Senator Murkowski for ensuring that President Biden knows it and we urge the President to listen to Senator Murkowski, Tribes, municipalities, Representative Mary Peltola, Alaska State legislators, and thousands of concerned citizens, and establish a binding, international framework through which Tribes, municipalities, fishermen and others can ensure a sustainable future.”
“Alaska has a deep commitment to maintaining healthy fish habitat,” said Linda Behnken, executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. “But our hands are tied when the habitat threat is outside our boundaries. We deeply appreciate Senator Murkowski and Representative Peltola’s advocacy for our fish and fisheries and we urge President Biden to listen to those calling for strong enforceable international protection for this valuable, sustainable resource.”
“Clean, cold, clear, connected freshwater habitat is essential to the health of wild salmon anywhere they’re found,” said Alaska Trollers Association Executive Director Amy Daughterty. “The Alaska Trollers Association thanks Senator Murkowski for urging President Biden to stand behind our, Representative Mary Peltola, and others’ requests that we ensure a healthy, sustainable, wild-salmon-rich future for the Taku, Stikine and Unuk — some of the most pristine wild salmon rivers left on the planet.”
Senator Murkowski’s two conditions are, first, that Canada immediately clean up its abandoned Tulsequah Chief mine, which has been polluting the transboundary Taku River near Juneau for more than 65 years. Second, “The U.S. must support the request of Alaska Tribes, municipalities, business owners, and residents to establish a robust international framework that strengthens governance while preventing and resolving disputes over the use of shared waters,” Murkowski wrote. “The Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 and the International Joint Commission offer both authorities and mechanisms that can be used for a binding bilateral agreement, which should include best practices as well as clear requirements for financial assurances and liability.”
Almost two dozen Southeast Alaska Tribes and municipalities, as well as Tribes and First Nations across the Pacific Northwest, have passed resolutions and sent letters urging President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to demand a temporary pause on new mining activity and a permanent ban on B.C.’s failure-prone mine waste dams in transboundary systems. Fishing organizations, businesses, and thousands of individual citizens have made the same requests.
Representative Mary Peltola announced her support for an International Watershed Board in April.
Find additional information and images available for media use.
For b-roll and further visual resources for the transboundary region, please contact mc@salmonstate.org.
Salmon Beyond Borders is an Alaska-based campaign working with fishermen, business owners, community leaders, and concerned citizens, alongside Tribes and First Nations on both sides of the Alaska-B.C. border, to defend and sustain our transboundary wild salmon rivers, jobs, and way of life.
Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association is an alliance of small boat commercial fishermen committed to sustainable fisheries and thriving coastal communities.
Alaska Trollers Association works to promote and protect the Alaska troll fishery and to support sound management and conservation.
ADN: OPINION: Alaska’s Farm Bill promises to safeguard our oceans and fishing families
Anchorage Daily News
OPINION: Alaska’s Farm Bill promises to safeguard our oceans and fishing families
9.14.2023
I first came to Sitka in 1982, driven by a love for wildness. I took up fishing to earn college money, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that the well-being of Alaska’s wild, pristine environment is directly tied to the stewardship of local fishing communities.
My passion for Alaska’s oceans led me to become an advocate for sustainable fisheries. I still earn my living fishing, and I am now the executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. My family’s livelihood, and that of others in our fishing community, is entwined with the long-term health of our oceans. We fish and live with deep respect for the natural world and our unique place on this earth.
It is with this connection to our state’s natural bounty and coastal families that I applaud Sen. Lisa Murkowski for introducing the Improving Agriculture, Research, Cultivation, Timber, and Indigenous Commodities (ARCTIC) Act for inclusion in the Farm Bill, to ensure Alaska is represented in this pivotal federal legislation. This bill is a win for local fishing communities, which is a win for Alaska’s environment.
The Improving ARCTIC Act enhances food sovereignty and housing security in rural areas; bolsters Tribal self-determination; establishes stronger safeguards against oil spills in the Arctic; and protects our marine ecosystems from floating factory fish farms. It also allocates major resources for local and regional supply chains, fortifying the fishing industry that is the lifeblood of our state.
Alaskans rely on robust fisheries for subsistence, jobs, and our way of life. Yet, in addition to warming waters and shifting fish populations, our fishing communities must contend with the ever-present threat of corporate exploitation of Alaska’s water, land, and people.
Many Alaskans are familiar with the staggering bycatch of salmon, halibut, crab, sablefish and other fish species taken by the industrial trawl fleet: approximately 141 million pounds caught, killed, and mostly discarded each year for the past decade. While fishing communities struggle to address this travesty, many are also working to stop agribusiness giants from imposing industrial fish farming on U.S. federal waters, including those off Alaska’s coasts. These massive operations threaten ocean ecosystems and the wild fish populations that sustain our coastal communities.
Responsible mariculture that is community-based and appropriately scaled can and should be an integral part of local food systems. Alaska has tremendous opportunities for sustainable and community-led mariculture. But we must not allow a few corporations to steer the ship with disregard for the health of our communities and the planet.
The Improving ARCTIC Act prevents the federal government from allowing industrial-scale, offshore fish farms in federal waters. Alaska has already protected state waters by banning fish farms within three miles, but at just 3.1 miles, waters shift to federal jurisdiction. We need the robust provisions included in the Improving ARCTIC Act to ensure states such as Alaska, which has wisely protected wild fish populations, aren’t subject to the havoc of factory fish farms.
Moreover, Murkowski’s legislation sharpens the USDA’s vision when it comes to seafood, expanding federal assistance for commercial fishermen and processors, and requiring the labeling of genetically engineered fish (aka “frankenfish”) to help consumers make informed decisions. For too long, seafood has been on the sidelines of the USDA’s Farm Bill, but the Improving Arctic Act reminds decision-makers that investments in America’s fishing communities are investments in our nation’s food security, cultural heritage, and ocean stewardship.
Alaskans care deeply about seafood. In recognizing the challenges facing our fisheries and taking proactive steps to address them, Murkowski has demonstrated her commitment to Alaska’s people and place.
Linda Behnken lives in Sitka and divides her time between catching fish and advocating for healthy oceans and sustainable fisheries.
NOAA selects members to new advisory committee to advance area-based conservation
The committee will advance coastal and marine conservation conservation and management, advise NOAA leadership
Contact
Kate Silverstein and Tyler Wittkofsky, NOAA's National Ocean Service, oceanservicepress@noaa.gov
September 14, 2023
Today, NOAA announced the selection of 20 members to serve on the inaugural Marine and Coastal Area-based Management Advisory Committee that will advise agency leadership on science-based approaches to area-based protection, conservation, restoration and management of coastal, Great Lakes and marine places.
NOAA has a wide range of responsibilities and authorities related to area-based management, including through the national marine sanctuary and national estuarine research reserve systems, and through fishery management areas.
“Area-based management is a critical tool in the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to combat the climate crisis and invest in our coastal communities and industries,” said U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves. “These 20 members will lend essential perspectives and expertise to Commerce’s conservation and restoration efforts as we work towards achieving sustainable development, environmental justice and a clean energy future for America’s ocean and coasts.”
A view of Fagatele Bay in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. Credit: Matt McIntosh, NOAA.
The committee will provide valuable advice on how NOAA’s area-based management activities can enhance biodiversity, build climate resilience and expand access to nature and the outdoors for underserved communities. The committee will also advise NOAA on implementation of the America the Beautiful initiative, which aims to conserve and restore the nation's public lands and waters.
The committee's unique scope will help NOAA address all types of area-based management in coastal and marine areas, including sites that are managed under different authorities and for different purposes, such as national marine sanctuaries, national estuarine research reserves and areas for fisheries management.
Committee members reflect diverse perspectives and expertise in key areas, including:
Resource management for coastal, marine and Great Lakes areas.Commercial and recreational fishing, marine industries, recreation and tourism.Study of the structure, function, human use and management of coastal and ocean ecosystems.
The selected Committee members also represent tribal and Indigenous communities, conservation, philanthropic and non-governmental organizations, and organizations focusing on youth engagement, education, outreach and environmental justice.
“NOAA is pleased to welcome committee members with a wide range of perspectives and expertise — from science, policy, advocacy and industry – and including tribal and Indigenous leaders,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “Effective management of special coastal, Great Lakes and marine areas – and the communities that rely on them — will benefit from their input and advice.”
To provide for staggered membership to ensure continuity, half of the members are appointed to a two-year term (renewable once) and half are appointed to a four-year, non-renewable term, with terms beginning at the committee’s first meeting.The following individuals will serve on the committee:
Peter Auster, senior research scientist and research professor emeritus, Mystic Aquarium, University of Connecticut (two-year term).
Linda Behnken, executive director, Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association; Acting Director, Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust (four-year term).
Jessica Coakley, fishery management specialist, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (two-year term).
Jenn Eckerle, deputy secretary for oceans and coastal policy, California Natural Resources Agency; executive director, California Ocean Protection Council (four-year term).
Deanna Erickson, reserve director, Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (four-year term).
Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, associate professor and senior researcher, Department of Integrative Biology for Oregon State University (four-year term).
Martha Guyas, Southeast fisheries policy director, American Sportfishing Association (four-year term).Heather Hall, intergovernmental ocean policy manager, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (two-year term).
Mark Hodor, senior legal counsel, Shell USA Inc., Safety, Environment, and Asset Management (two-year term).
Jaime Jahncke, director, California Current Group, Point Blue Conservation Science (two- year term).
Amy Kenney, executive director, National Ocean Protection Coalition (four-year term).
Aaron Kornbluth, owner, Akorn Environmental Consulting (two-year term).
Stephanie Mathes, director of special initiatives, The Corps Network (two-year term).
Joseph Oatman, deputy program manager and harvest director, Nez Perce Tribe (four-year term).
Eric Reid, chairman, New England Fisheries Management Council (four-year term).Donald Schug, socioeconomic analyst, Northern Economics, Inc. (two-year term).
Tracey Smart, senior marine scientist, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division (two-year term).
Helen Smith, policy advocate, Creation Justice Ministries (two-year term).
Peter Stauffer, ocean protection manager, Surfrider Foundation (four-year term).
Angelo Villagomez, senior fellow, Energy and Environment, Center for American Progress (two-year term).
For more information, please visit the Marine and Coastal Area-based Management Advisory Committee website.
Climate, weather, and water affect all life on our ocean planet. NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict our changing environment, from the deep sea to outer space, and to manage and conserve America’s coastal and marine resources. See how NOAA science, services, and stewardship benefit your community: Visit noaa.gov for our latest news and features, and join us on social media.
Alaskans question B.C. government's efforts to clean up the Tulsequah Chief mine site
'There's still some frustration here in Alaska about the slow pace of the clean up'
Chris MacIntyre · CBC News · Posted: Sep 13, 2023 6:34 PM MDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago
Alaskan tribes, conservation groups, and fishers want more information, and involvement, when it comes to the B.C. government's plan to clean up the Tulsequah Chief mine site in northwestern B.C.
In 2019, the province committed to cleaning up the abandoned mine site, which is about 80 kilometres south of Atlin, B.C., and near the Alaska border. Since then, some Alaskans have felt the B.C. government hasn't been transparent with the process.
We can build resilient fishing communities
September 11, 2023
National Fishermen
Linda Behnken and Aubrey Church
Fishery leaders around the country support updating federal fisheries guidelines to secure access to wild seafood
Catching fish from a small boat for a living is a tough business. The days are long, the gear is heavy, and even on a good day the work deck is rocking and rolling with the ocean. Hard days offer up the challenges of surviving inevitable storms, keeping the engine and machinery running, and interpreting the rapidly changing ocean.
But the biggest challenges for our community-based fishermen are access to fish itself and being heard in the noise of federal legislation and fisheries management. A new process at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) makes that clearer than ever.
Linda Behnken and Aubrey Ellertson Church are members of the Fishing Communities Coalition, an association of community-based, small-boat commercial fishing groups, representing more than 1,000 independent fishermen and business owners from Maine to Alaska, who share a commitment to the sustainable management of America’s fishery resources: www.fishingcommunitiescoalition.org. Behnken is a commercial fisherman and the Executive Director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association out of Sitka, Alaska; and Church is the Policy Manager for the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance out of Chatham, Mass.
Battery-Electric Fishing Vessel Marks a Sea Change for Small Commercial Fishers
Aug. 22, 2023 | By Anna Squires | NREL |Contact media relations
See Link to read article online
On a brisk morning this fall, a 46-foot commercial fishing boat will cruise into the cold waters of Sitka, Alaska, and cut the diesel engine. In that moment of near silence, an electric motor will whir to life. This moment will mark a sea change for Sitka's small-boat commercial fishing industry: a transition to energy-efficient commercial fishing, powered by low- and zero-emissions propulsion systems.
The boat in question, a small commercial salmon troller named I Gotta, will make history as one of the first low-emissions fishing vessels ever deployed in Alaska. Using a unique parallel hybrid battery-diesel system, the boat can travel at full speed using its diesel engine, then switch to a battery-electric motor when fishing. In this way, I Gotta’s captain, Eric Jordan, will be able to cut the boat’s fuel use by 80%.
Making Headway To Lower-Emissions Operations
The shift to lower-emissions fishing has been slow to start—but not for lack of interest, said Linda Behnken, ALFA’s executive director.
“We tend to be leaders in the climate and environmental space up here,” said Benkhen, who leads ALFA’s Sitka-based cooperative of more than 160 small-boat commercial fishers, each committed to sustaining salmon fishing for future generations. “Our fishermen are really eager to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and their fuel costs.”
Linda Behnken is the executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association (ALFA). Photo by Bethany Goodrich
But, Behnken said, small fishers cannot risk being early adopters of a new technology if it might jeopardize their fishing season, even when high fuel costs eat up as much as 30% of their revenue.
To take some of the risk out of the equation, Behnken applied to join ETIPP, a network of regional organizations and DOE national laboratories that helps remote and island communities shift their energy systems toward renewable options.
Low- and Zero-Emissions Operations To Ripple Across Alaska
Later this year, ALFA will contract with local boat builders to retrofit I Gotta with its hybrid system. But the work will not stop there. Renewed funding from DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will allow ALFA to begin testing not one but three novel propulsion systems that consider different ways fishing boats travel.
Since 1978, ALFA has worked to safeguard ocean health and improve the economic viability of small boat fishing. Photo courtesy of ASMI, Josh Roper Photography
The first, a series hybrid system, will allow fishing boats the flexibility to travel either short or long distances while minimizing diesel fuel use. The series system uses an electric motor to power the propeller at all boat speeds and a battery to power the motor, allowing boats to travel their typical 10- to 20-mile routes under battery-electric power. These batteries can be charged at a dock using Sitka’s 100% renewable hydroelectric dams. In the rare case that captains need to travel hundreds of miles for an extended trip, they can recharge the boat’s batteries with an onboard diesel generator.
ALFA will also test a fully battery-electric system for mariculture vessels, which cultivate fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants. These vessels stay within 10 miles of shore and follow regular transit schedules, making them candidates for full electrification. Most importantly, by transitioning these vessels to zero-emissions operations, ALFA will eliminate the risk of fuel spills close to shore or near vulnerable aquatic species.
Finally, ALFA will assess an additional parallel hybrid system, like the one chosen for I Gotta, to demonstrate its effectiveness in different operating conditions.
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