MCA applauds portion of ruling in Steller sea lion case
Ruling viewed as victory for open and transparent fishery management process. The Marine Conservation Alliance (MCA) applauds a judge’s ruling in the Steller Sea Lion lawsuit this week as a victory for those seeking a more open decision-making process in application of the Endangered Species Act. In his ruling Thursday, U.S. District Judge Timothy Burgess found that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by failing to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and provide the public with sufficient opportunity to comment when the agency determined additional fishery closures were required to ...
Video: Life in Balance
The Tongass Rainforest and Commercial Salmon Fishing - Along Alaska's southeast coast there is an almost mystical interplay between the Tongass rainforest, the Pacific salmon and the commercial fishermen who work here. When humans are recognized as part of a dynamic ecosystem and resources are managed on a sustainable basis, life is in balance.
Executive Director Merrick Burden
“We are making sure that science and common sense drive the law on fisheries management,” says MCA Executive Director Merrick Burden. Seattle, Washington – Merrick Burden has been named the new Executive Director of the Marine Conservation Alliance. The Juneau and Seattle-based organization, a coalition of seafood processors, harvesters, support industries, coastal communities and CDQ groups that are active in Alaska fisheries, is marking its 10th anniversary with new priorities and initiatives, as well as a new director. The Alaska-raised Burden comes to the Marine Conservation Alliance from an extensive fisheries background, including time on the water as well as on land, ...
Cooperative management facilitates salmon bycatch reduction
Today, the Bering Sea pollock industry took action to reduce chum salmon bycatch. Through the use of the Inter-cooperative Salmon Agreement, the pollock fishery has agreed to allow SeaState to close an additional 1,000 square nautical miles of fishing grounds to reduce encounters with chum salmon, bringing the total area allowed for closure to 5,000 square nautical miles. This is an area larger than the state of Connecticut, and twenty times larger than the Prudhoe Bay oil fields. [caption id="attachment_3220" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Chum, courtesty of NOAA"][/caption] Chum salmon are proving to be more abundant so far this year. This is reflected on ...
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MCA applauds portion of ruling in Steller sea lion case
Ruling viewed as victory for open and transparent fishery management process. The Marine Conservation Alliance (MCA) applauds a judge’s ruling in the Steller Sea Lion lawsuit this week as a victory for those seeking a more open decision-making process in application of the Endangered Species Act. In his ruling Thursday, U.S. District Judge Timothy Burgess found that the National Marine Fisheries... [Read more]
Video: Life in Balance
The Tongass Rainforest and Commercial Salmon Fishing – Along Alaska’s southeast coast there is an almost mystical interplay between the Tongass rainforest, the Pacific salmon and the commercial fishermen who work here. When humans are recognized as part of a dynamic ecosystem and resources are managed on a sustainable basis, life is in balance. Read More →
Executive Director Merrick Burden
“We are making sure that science and common sense drive the law on fisheries management,” says MCA Executive Director Merrick Burden. Seattle, Washington – Merrick Burden has been named the new Executive Director of the Marine Conservation Alliance. The Juneau and Seattle-based organization, a coalition of seafood processors, harvesters, support industries, coastal communities and CDQ groups... [Read more]
Cooperative management facilitates salmon bycatch reduction
Today, the Bering Sea pollock industry took action to reduce chum salmon bycatch. Through the use of the Inter-cooperative Salmon Agreement, the pollock fishery has agreed to allow SeaState to close an additional 1,000 square nautical miles of fishing grounds to reduce encounters with chum salmon, bringing the total area allowed for closure to 5,000 square nautical miles. This is an area larger than... [Read more]
Catch Shares and Bycatch Management
Saving Salmon – How fishing fleets in Alaska use “Catch Share” based management and “hot spot” analysis to avoid salmon bycatch, while still feeding the world and promoting sustainable fishing practices. Read More →




