From High Seas to Hill Pleas

From High Seas to Hill Pleas

I recently got back from Washington, DC. I’ve gone there on many occasions, lobbying for change such as the Salmon Solutions Planning Act, addressing the depletion of Snake River salmon and how to remedy it, shoring up the Endangered Species Act so we have a critical regulatory backstop to prevent the extinction of species such […]

Reintroduced: The Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act

Reintroduced: The Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act

U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Rob Wittman (R-Va.) have reintroduced the bipartisan Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act, H.R. 6641. The legislation establishes a Working Waterfront Grant Program to help preserve and expand access to coastal waters for water-dependent businesses, create a Working Waterfronts Preservation Loan Fund to make funds available through state governments for […]

The Myth of “Mid-Water” in the Alaska Pollock Fishery

The Myth of “Mid-Water” in the Alaska Pollock Fishery

The following is a summarized version of a scientific paper written by Marissa Wilson, executive director, and Michelle Stratton, fisheries scientist, of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council. For a deeper dive into the impacts of pelagic trawl gear in the pollock fishery, read AMCC’s more in-depth scientific paper on the issue. Fisheries management in Alaska […]

Working Waterfront Preservation Act Would Provide Needed Funding to Coastal Businesses

Working Waterfront Preservation Act Would Provide Needed Funding to Coastal Businesses

Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine introduced S. 3180, the “Working Waterfront Preservation Act,” which would establish a grant program to help preserve waterfronts in coastal communities. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island cosponsored the legislation, and it was referred to the Senate Energy and Public Works Committee. The Network’s support for […]

The Changing Face of Sportfishing

The Changing Face of Sportfishing

When I first started my guide business over 27 years ago, I knew switching professions from a field biologist that strived to conserve salmon, to becoming reliant on the health of a natural resource for consumptive use, was a risk. I was willing to accept that risk because, hey, I was skipping out of work […]

Buffeting Winds in Bristol Bay: 2023

Buffeting Winds in Bristol Bay: 2023

This article was originally published on August 10, 2023 on One Fish Foundation’s blog and is reprinted with permission. Imagine being a commercial fish harvester in Bristol Bay in 2023. I have spoken with several over the past few years, and just recently to get a sense of how they address different challenges. I’ve distilled […]

Watch: Waterside Chat with Joel Johnson of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

Watch: Waterside Chat with Joel Johnson of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

Joel Johnson, the President and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, joined the Marine Fish Conservation Network and host Tom Sadler for an online Waterside Chat on September 22, 2023. The foundation is a leading voice for U.S. protected waters, working with communities to conserve and expand those special places for a healthy ocean, […]