33-pound king salmon seized, man cited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kenai North Beach

Type: Kenai River dipnet fishery violation

On 7/11/25 Soldotna Wildlife Troopers responded to a complaint of an individual retaining a king salmon on Kenai North Beach. Troopers located and contacted Michael Reed, 64, of Wasilla. Reed was found to have a 40-inch, 33-pound king salmon in his possession. Reed was issued a citation with a $270 fine, and his fish was seized and given to a charity.

Feds report three fisheries enforcement actions

NOAA's Office of General Counsel reports these cases charged in November:

• F/V Jennifer Lee — Owner Jennifer Lee Inc. and operator Adam Lee Swanson were charged jointly and severally under the Northern Pacific Halibut Act with failing to return halibut discards to the sea with a minimum of injury. An $8,800 NOVA (notice of violation and assessment) was issued.

• F/V New Venture — Owner New Venture Fisheries LLC and operator Peter T. Wilson Jr. were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act with fishing for Pacific cod in violation of an inseason action, closure or adjustment. $5,031 in seized proceeds were forfeited by abandonment. A $5,750 NOVA was issued, and the case settled for $5,175.

• F/V Cape Caution — Operator Kerby Glen Mitchell was charged under the Northern Pacific Halibut Act with fishing for halibut in violation of the act's annual management measures. Specifically, he possessed onboard a vessel Pacific halibut that had been filleted, mutilated or otherwise disfigured in any manner. 232 pounds of chunked northern Pacific halibut were forfeited by abandonment. A $2,050 NOVA was issued.

Nets, proceeds seized in Cook Inlet dipnet case

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kenai

Type: Commercial dipnetting violation

On 7/18/24 Alaska Wildlife Troopers received a complaint of commercial dipnetters using illegal gear on the North Kenai Beach. Due to low king salmon abundance, commercial set gillnet fishing has been closed in the Kenai, Kasilof and East Forelands sections of Upper Cook Inlet. Commercial set gillnet permit holders have been allowed to use dipnets to commercial fish at their setnet sites. AWT responded and contacted permit holders Ted Crookston, 67, and Alan Crookston, 44, both of Utah. Investigation determined they were fishing with gear that met the legal definition of a set gillnet and not a dipnet. AWT seized the nets and proceeds from the illegally caught fish. Charges are pending in Kenai District Court.

Halibut seized at Homer

Details in this news release from the U.S. Coast Guard.

900 pounds of halibut seized

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Sportfishing violations

On 8/12/22 at approximately 1730 hours, the Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted the commercial fishing tender Alaska Chieftain. Investigation revealed multiple sportfishing violations. Approximately 900 pounds of halibut was seized and vessel captain Kapp Fredrick, 52, of Washington, was given a summons to appear in the Sitka court. Crewmember Jason Lang, 44, of Washington, was cited for unlawful possession of two yelloweye rockfish. Crewmember Patrick Stewart, 55, of Florida, was issued a citation for unlawful sportfish gear. Crewmember Andrew Wegmann, 29, of Los Angeles, was issued a citation for unlawful sportfishing gear.

Bristol Bay fishermen cited for various offenses

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Nushagak Bay
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 7/9/22 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Thomas Henry Loomis, 40, from Hawaii, and Gregory T. Salyer, 32, from Los Angeles, Calif. Both were cited for commercial fishing during a closed period.

Location: Nushagak Bay
Type: Failure to report lost setnet
On 7/14/22 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted permit holder Katirina R. Mowrer, 22, from Dillingham. Mowrer was cited for failing to report a lost setnet as required.

Location: Nushagak Bay
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 7/12/22 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Sarah M. Morrow, 29, and William B. Manchester, 34, both from Liberty Lake, Wash. Morrow and Manchester were cited for commercial fishing during a closed period.

Location: Nushagak Bay
Type: Overlength gillnet
On 7/7/22 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Taylor S. Barhan, 28, from Maplewood, Minn. Barhan was cited for commercial fishing with an overlength gillnet. The gillnet was seized.

Location: Nushagak Bay
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 7/12/22 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Matthew S. Schuette, 46, from Amarillo, Texas. Schuette was cited for commercial fishing during a closed period.

Troopers seize 23,422 pounds of salmon

Details in this press release.

Three charged, boat seized in sea cucumber case

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Whale Pass
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 3/7/18 Alaska Wildlife Troopers from Klawock, Petersburg and Wrangell concluded an investigation which began in December 2017. Investigation determined Jonathan McGraw Jr., 43, Keith Wagner, 52, and Curtis Looper, 27, all from Naukati, were commercially harvesting sea cucumbers from closed waters including from the sea cucumber preserve in Whale Pass. McGraw’s boat the F/V Bottom Time, his dive gear, and 1,263 pounds of sea cucumbers were seized on 12/19/17. McGraw was charged with seven counts of commercial fishing in closed waters, seven counts of illegal possession, six counts falsifying fish tickets, one count of violating conditions of release, one count of failure to display vessel identification, and one count of employing an unlicensed crewmember. Wagner and Looper were charged with one count each of commercial fishing in closed waters and illegal possession. Looper was additionally charged with one count of no crewmember license. In all, McGraw is suspected of unlawfully harvesting sea cucumbers on seven occasions totaling 7,506 pounds of sea cucumbers valued at a total of $35,288.

Kodiak man charged with skate bycatch overage

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kodiak
Type: Bycatch overage
On 2/19/18 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Michael McKee, 50, of Kodiak, aboard the F/V Tanusha. Investigation found McKee offloaded an overage of 748 pounds of longnose skate, which was 54 percent over his allowable bycatch of skate. McKee was issued a court summons, and the funds from the overage were seized by the state.

Sublegal Dungeness seized, crabber charged

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Undersized Dungeness crab
On 10/4/17 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Robert J. Kupers, 46, of Ketchikan, for unlawful possession of undersized Dungeness crab and operating a commercial vessel without Alaska Department of Fish and Game numbers. Kupers was cited after he was contacted at E.C. Phillips in Ketchikan while operating the commercial fishing vessel Aljuhl without displaying his ADF&G numbers as required. Further investigation revealed Kupers was in possession of 94 commercially taken Dungeness crab. Inspection of the crab revealed 43 of the crabs aboard the vessel were under the legal size limit of 6.5 inches. The 43 sublegal Dungeness crabs were seized by the state. Arraignment set for 11/02/17 in Ketchikan District Court.

Klawock man charged, seiner seized

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Multiple violations
On 9/25/17 Curtis J. Demmert, 31, of Klawock, was charged with one count each of commercial fishing in a closed period, commercial fishing in closed waters, filing false information on a state fish ticket, and unlawful possession of fish. The charges stem from a report of illegal commercial fishing near the headwaters of a bay on Dall Island. Investigation showed that the crew of the F/V Tlingit Lady had harvested roughly 23,000 pounds of chum salmon in a closed area in District 3A. The salmon were then sold to a fish buyer. The proceeds of the sale have been confiscated by Alaska Wildlife Troopers for possible forfeiture. The Prince of Wales District Court issued multiple search warrants related to the investigation including a seizure warrant for the vessel. The F/V Tlingit Lady as well as its seine net, seine skiff and all fishing gear were seized.

Troopers cite sea cucumber divers

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 10/4/16 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Darren Swedberg, 45, of Craig, for commercial diving for sea cucumbers in closed waters. Swedberg was observed diving aboard the F/V Pengertre in a closed area of Tongass Narrows. Investigation revealed Swedberg was in possession of 947 pounds of sea cucumbers at the time of the violation. The state has seized proceeds of $3,788 from the sea cucumbers found aboard the vessel.

Location: Juneau
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 10/3/16 Alaska Wildlife Troopers onboard the P/V Sentry contacted Paul Weltzin, 53, of Juneau, permit holder and diver aboard the F/V Lite Weight, as he was commercial fishing for sea cucumbers near Point Couverden. Investigation revealed Weltzin was still diving after the fishery had closed. Further investigation revealed that a deckhand failed to possess his crewmember license as required. Weltzin was cited for commercial sea cucumber fishing during a closed period.

Fishing vessel seized at Bristol Bay

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: King Salmon
Type: Vessel seizure
On 7/22/16 Alaska Wildlife Troopers in Bristol Bay located the commercial fishing vessel Sokol with a net deployed over 4 miles from legal fishing waters, up the Kvichak River. Pursuant to a search and seizure warrant, the vessel was seized and pulled out of the water. The operator of the vessel was identified as David F. Martushev, 22, of Homer. Investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.

Troopers cite two sea cucumber divers

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kasaan
Type: Commercial fish closed area
On 10/6/15 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Prince of Wales Island Post, contacted divers on the F/V Resurrection after they commercially harvested sea cucumbers in closed waters near Kasaan. Both divers, Thomas Trumper, 67, of California, and Charles Bremer, 38, of Ketchikan, were issued summonses to appear in Craig District Court. The fish product was seized pending forfeiture to the state of Alaska.

Troopers seize undersized crab, charge skipper

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Juneau
Type: Undersized Dungeness crab
On 8/14/15 Alaska Wildlife Troopers conducted an inspection of Dungeness crab on the F/V Dundas. An investigation revealed that the captain and permit holder, Michael Walker, 55, of Juneau, was in possession of 411 undersized crab, or approximately 26 percent of his catch. The undersized crab were seized and Walker was issued a misdemeanor summons to appear in Juneau District Court for retaining undersized commercial Dungeness.

Fishing vessel seized at Togiak

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Togiak
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 7/2/15 Alaska Wildlife Troopers in a state aircraft were conducting a routine patrol of a commercial salmon fishery near Togiak. During the patrol, the F/V Good Deal was observed commercial fishing with a drift gillnet in an area closed to commercial fishing. The vessel's owner, operator and permit holder, Kevin Harless, 53, of Togiak, was charged with commercial fishing during a closed period. The fishing vessel was seized. The investigation is ongoing.

PWS fisherman cited, 1,430 lbs of chums seized

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Coghill District, Lake Bay
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 7/3/14 Cordova Wildlife Troopers cited Sergi Basargin, 18, of Tumtum, Wash., for commercial fishing during a closed period aboard the F/V Super Bee, and 1,430 pounds of chum salmon were seized. Arraignment set for 8/4/14 in Anchorage District Court.

Two Dungeness crabbers cited, gear seized

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Juneau
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 6/26/14 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Juneau Post, inspected commercial Dungeness crab gear in Bridget Cove belonging to the F/V Aaralyn. Investigation revealed the permit holder and captain, Stewart Vick, 34, of Anchorage, had fished for Dungeness crab inside the closed waters of Bridget Cove. Troopers seized the gear that was in closed waters and later contacted Vick, who was issued a summons to appear in Juneau District Court.

Location: Juneau
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 6/26/14 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Juneau Post, inspected commercial Dungeness crab gear in Bridget Cove belonging to the F/V Camelot. Investigation revealed the permit holder and captain, Joshua Conn, 35, of Juneau, had fished for Dungeness crab inside the closed waters of Bridget Cove. Troopers seized the gear that was in closed waters and later contacted Conn, who was issued a summons to appear in Juneau District Court.

Troopers cite two Cordova driftnetters, seize fish

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Main Bay, western Prince William Sound
Type: Illegal driftnet operation
On 6/19/14 Brian Shaw, 49, of Cordova, was cited for operating a commercial salmon drift gillnet too close to a setnet. After receiving multiple complaints that Shaw was operating his driftnet in an illegal manner, stakeout operations were conducted and documented Shaw fishing illegally. Shaw's fish were seized and arraignment was set in Anchorage court.

Location: Main Bay, western Prince William Sound
Type: Illegal driftnet operation
On 6/19/14 Randy Merritt, 49, of Cordova, was cited for operating a commercial salmon drift gillnet too close to a setnet. After receiving multiple complaints that Merritt was operating his driftnet in an illegal manner, stakeout operations were conducted and documented Merritt fishing illegally. Merritt's fish were seized and arraignment was set in Anchorage court.

Man cited, marijuana seized after Sitka boarding

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Marijuana possession
On 3/22/14 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, contacted Gordon M. Jensen, 54, of Everett, Wash., during a routine boarding of the F/V Maverick. Investigation revealed Jensen was in possession of marijuana. He was issued a summons to appear in Sitka District Court and the marijuana was seized as evidence.