By Linda Behnken & Andy Mezirow This post appeared in Pacific Fishing in December, 2017 and is reprinted with permission We met more than 20 years ago, each of us fighting like hell for our sector of Alaska’s halibut fishery: Andy, a fierce advocate for the guided sport sector, and Linda, a relentless voice for […]
Author Archives: Linda Behnken
Overfishing Isn’t ‘Modern’
Linda Behnken’s post appeared in The Hill as a Letter to the Editor on November 9, 2017. Photo: working waterfront in Alaska. Picture this: a fish struggles on a hook, fights un-successfully to get free, and is gradually pulled to the surface. A fisherman scoops the fish out of the water and lands it with […]
Network Member Spotlight: Linda Behnken
Reprinted article courtesy of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute I came to Alaska when I was in college. I had always wanted to see Alaska from reading about its wildness and beauty. I knew I loved being out on the water. I had the idea that I would come out and try to fish and make […]
Alaska: Crossing the Line to Electronic Monitoring Implementation
Top photo: Linda Behnken, Kent Barkhau and canine friend on the water Fishery managers and fishermen recognize that good catch accounting is essential to sustainable fisheries. Collecting data on fish delivered to the dock presents one set of challenges; collecting data on fish captured at sea but then released or discarded for regulatory or market […]
Strengthening Small-Scale Fisheries
Top Photo: Kodiak Harbor Waterfront, Alaska In early February, Duke University and the Oak Foundation hosted an international workshop focused on supporting small-scale fisheries. I participated in a panel addressing the successes and challenges of small-scale fisheries. Workshop attendees included academics, representatives from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), conservation and rural development […]
Stop Wasting Pacific Halibut
Pacific halibut, one of the region’s most iconic fish, is being treated in some fisheries no better than your daily trash. Halibut abundance has declined over the past 15 years, and Alaska halibut fishermen have reduced their catch to conserve stocks for the future. Washington-based trawlers, on the other hand, are still allowed to catch, kill, and discard […]