Commercial Fishing

Gov. Sean Parnell is defending his pick for Alaska Fish and Game commissioner. Critics say Cora Campbell is too inexperienced to deal with the heat that comes with the job.  Starting Wednesday, 31-year-old Campbell will take over as interim commissioner when Denby Lloyd retires. Parnell announced his decision at the Resource Development Council’s annual meeting. Campbell currently serves as the fisheries policy aide and previously worked in the seafood industry. Parnell says Campbell understands how subsistence, sport and commercial fishing can co-exist successfully.

It has been slow going for sockeyes in Bristol Bay. The commercial fishing season historically hits its peak on July 4, but this year that wasn't the case. Biologists say the delay can be blamed on the weather, which in Naknek has been rainy and cold. The weather may have slowed down the salmon, but the same can't be said for the fishermen. "I've been doing it for 24 years and my dad's been up here since '62, commercial fishing every summer," said commercial fisherman Marcus Williams.

Jones, Jeremiah   Snowmobile Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS 600cc Age: 31 Hometown: Denver, Colorado Racer Status: Veteran Years Raced: 2010, 9th; 2011, DNF   Biography Jeremiah is employed by Axis Directional as the U.S. Executive Sales and Marketing. Jeremiah enjoys hockey, skiing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, surfing, and traveling. This is Jeremiah's third Iron Dog with his dad, Robbie.   Muir, Robbie Snowmobile Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS 600cc Age: 53 Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska Racer Status: Veteran Years Raced: 2007, 12th; 2010, 9th; 2008, 2011, DNF.   Biography Robbie is a lifelong Alaskan married to Careen and they have 4 children Jeremiah, Steele, Connor, and Randi.

Homer Police say 57-year-old Dave Boone died in a construction accident on Friday, when the excavator he was operating flipped over. According to a press release, police and Homer volunteer firefighters responded to the accident off West Hill Rd. on Reber Dr.  They pronounced Boone dead at the scene. In a phone interview, his son Corey, tells Channel 2 that Boone was helping a friend clear some property to build a house.  "He was doing what he always did.  Helping people out," said Corey.  "We will always cherish the memories and adventures we shared over the years.

Gov. Sarah Palin was in Bristol Bay Monday, where she granted interviews to several national television networks. All of them wanted more details about why she plans to resign later this month -- as the Palins tried to net salmon, reporters fished for answers.  CNN brought its cameras. ABC news was there too, as well as NBC's Andrea Mitchell. Mitchell met Palin's famous son Trig, and tried to pry information out of her daughter, Piper. "Piper, which way did you vote when your mom polled the family?

The Alaska Copper River commerical salmon season opener awaits fishermen in Cordova, poised to make a profit on the prized fish they're able to catch, beginning Thursday. It's the season many of the fishermen have been waiting months for, because Copper River salmon is prized by restaurant chefs and fish mongers as some of the best salmon in the world. "The Copper River is a very strong, powerful river, so these fish naturally have to be a stronger animal to fight these currents and get up to the spawning grounds," said Billy Green with Copper River Seafoods.

Reality show based in Alaska gets set for its TLC debut in December. The TLC cable channel will air seven episodes of "Hook, Line & Sisters. " The show explores the of world deep-sea commercial fishing by following the lives of the Andersons. The family of fishermen include husband and wife Dean and Susan Anderson and Dean's daughters  26-year-old Sierra and 21-year-old Memry. TLC will premiere the show on December 29 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) with the series finale airing on February 2, 2011.

A skipper of a King Cove fishing boat was found dead in the water near Belkofski Friday around noon, according to Alaska State Troopers. Troopers identified 46-year-old Marvin H. Love as the skipper of the fishing vessel Taurus. A crew member of the vessel woke up around 5:50 a.m. and reported Love missing. The King Cove Police Department notified troopers of the missing skipper and the U.S. Coast Guard also responded. Around 11:54 a.m., the Amanda Dawn, a Good Samaritan vessel, reported finding a body about a mile from where the Taurus was moored near Belkofski.

by The Associated Press Friday, April 30, 2010 JUNEAU, Alaska -- Alaska's capital city will host its first Juneau Maritime Festival on May 22. The nonprofit Juneau Economic Development Council is organizing the free event celebrating the city's connection to the sea. Jessalynn Rintala of the council says the idea is long overdue and hopes it becomes an annual event drawing locals from Southeast Alaska, tourists and businesses....

by The Associated Press Sunday, August 1, 2010 KENAI, Alaska -- The commercial fishing season has turned out to be better than expected in Upper Cook Inlet. The run of sockeye salmon is far greater than predicted and the price also has increased, from no more than $1.20 a pound last year to $1.75 this season. Pat Shields with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says the preseason forecast for sockeyes was a run of 3.6 million. He says the run is now expected to top 5 million.