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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
