Buchanan Salmon Fishing

Commercial Fishing for Wild Alaskan Salmon

Tom’s Blog

Action – Finally – To Curb Overreaching Aquaculture?

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In a recent column, highly regarded Alaskan scientist Ned Rozell writes

Pink salmon born in hatcheries, where professionals harvest eggs from wild salmon and rear them in captivity before releasing them in the ocean, have doubled in numbers since 1990.

Pinks are different from kings, chums and other salmon species. They remain small until the last few months before they spawn, when they eat like crazy and their body mass increases by 500 percent.

In that time of pinks’ greatest growth — from about March to July in the spawning year — they may be eating so many shrimp, fish, squid and krill that they are not leaving enough for other species. Their ferocity and eating efficiency could even be affecting birds half a world away, off the coast of Australia and New Zealand.

The full article, which is much more in-depth regarding overproduction of pinks impacting the mortality of birds, Alaskan and worldwide, can be read here – https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/science/2018/06/15/pink-salmon-too-much-of-a-good-thing/

The Alaska Board of Fish is convening an emergency meeting scheduled for July 17, 2018 in Anchorage to hear more about overproduction of hatchery pinks and the impact on natural salmon runs throughout the state, and the unexpected consequences on other species as well. Many groups and scientists in the state are finally standing up against the practice of overproduction by hatcheries, starting with Prince William Sound Aquaculture.

We intend to weigh in with comments, due by July 9th, supporting the restriction of unlimited, unjustified, uncontrolled increases in a healthy salmon stock by an another overreaching aquaculture association.

Many people don’t remember the history of hatcheries in Alaska, but we do. They were created to replenish over-harvest stocks. Today, after many changes of hands, that mission has turned into “let’s make more fish, and more fish, and millions more fish!”

It’s a shame that the greediness has been allowed to go on for so long that it’s now deeply and adversely impacting other species, including birds.

Resurrection Bay

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Gus Cotten, in the crow’s nest of his new 42′ Ledford F/V Odyssey (on the left), chats with Tom Buchanan who is in the crow’s nest of his 42′ Ledford F/V Dolly B (on the right). Both boats were seining for sockeye in Resurrection Bay, Seward Alaska on June 22, 2018.

Swans in the Lagoon

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A gorgeous day in April with the swans in the lagoon. The southern Harbor parking lot is in the background, and the mountains across Resurrection Bay are losing their snow rapidly now.

Refrigerated Salt Water

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Refrigerated Salt Water (RSW) is now virtually mandatory in the industry for wild Alaskan salmon and Tom and Dave spent a good portion of the spring of 2016 modifying the F/V Dolly B to install a state-of-the-art (expensive!) RSW system.

Tom did his shopping at the Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle in November 2015 and put in his order for a 10 ton Integrated Marine Systems system.

He had to modify his fish hold and flying bridge to install the chiller, refrigerated water plumbing and hydraulics to run it. In the past we used ice from the canneries or, when at sea, glacial ice, and Tom has always delivered nicely chilled fish. When he made his first delivery in Homer however, the fish were still alive and jumping in the fish hold!

Introducing the F/V Desire

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Nathan Buchanan has joined the ranks of Buchanan Skippers! He bought a boat in 2016 and fished the season, alongside his uncle Tom Buchanan. Nate grew up fishing with his dad, cousin and uncle. Now he’s a skipper of his own boat. Way to go Nate!!

Oil Spill Response Training

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Oil-Spill-ResponseEvery year for the past 26 years Tom and his boat have participated in the regional oil spill response training, instituted after the Exxon Valdez disaster in Prince William Sound.

Tom was badly impacted by the spill and he continues, with many others, to try to improve future responses to any similar disaster.

The Anchorage news team from KTVA channel 11 was on the water for the last training drill and took this footage of Tom’s boat training with oil containment equipment.

Here’s a link to the full story with video – http://www.ktva.com/oil-response-training-keeps-fishermen-prepared-for-a-spill-399/