Jun 072013
 
Published June 7, 2013

It has always been a challenge communicating the skills needed when hiring an AKFIN analyst.  Find a person with a background in computer programming, data analysis, business, and science — and there you have it.  This clip from Yahoo Finance describes the qualities and challenges of finding such an individual.  Not sure about it being the sexiest job, but the other points they make are good.

Check it out!

https://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/sexiest-job-21st-century-122238562.html

Apr 172013
 
Published April 17, 2013

The AKFIN Answers tool has been upgraded to 11.1.1.6.8, a version that fixes the previous problems experienced when exporting datasets to MS Excel.  Prior to this upgrade, some cells values were suppressed in the MS Excel export; this did not affect comma-delimited or fixed-width file exports.  If you encounter issues with this new version of AKFIN Answers, please contact Bob Ryznar at rryznar@psmfc.org.

Apr 042013
 
Published April 4, 2013

AKFIN in conjunction with PSMFC has recently increased its support of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council Staff by providing GIS Support.  Historically Council Staff sought ad hoc support or had its own staff member assigned to GIS.  The current in-house data support AKFIN provides and the proficient GIS resources available through Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission provided a straight forward path to GIS support.  For the February NPFMC meeting AKFIN-PSMFC provided several hundred maps including streaming monthly Prohibited Species Catch maps for the discussion paper on Bristol Bay red king crab.

Mar 252013
 
Published March 25, 2013

It’s time for the seasonal AKFIN photo contest! Have you braved the Bering Sea?  Adventured upon the Alaskan archipelago?  Spent summers scraping scales?  Now is your chance to submit an Alaskan Fisheries themed image to AKFIN to be exhibited on our website.  Four new photos will be posted on the home page slideshow every quarter.

Please email submissions to kmclean@psmfc.org .  We prefer photographs be in a .jpeg, .jpg or .gif format and between 2 and 5Mb, with a resolution around 180dpi.

Jan 182013
 
Published January 18, 2013

AKFIN recently collaborated with Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) and NMFS Alaska Region staff to report economic performance indicators for five North Pacific catch share programs: IFQ sablefish and halibut, the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization program, AFA pollock, Central Gulf of Alaska rockfish, and Amendment 80 non-pollock trawl catcher/processors. Results will be published later this year in a NMFS Office of Science and Technology report.

 

This reporting is part of a nationwide effort implemented in 2011 by NMFS to monitor the overall performance of fisheries using standardized economic indicators. Current metrics for annual reporting describe catch and harvest, fishing effort, and revenue, with development of additional metrics for fishery productivity underway. AKFIN staff are currently working on expanding this reporting to non-catch share fisheries, including the Alaska weathervane scallop, BSAI freezer-longliner Pacific cod, and GOA non-Rockfish Program rockfish fisheries. Subsequent work will include development of analytical datasets to support routine annual reporting of these performance metrics.

Jan 172013
 
Published January 17, 2013

On behalf of US Coast Guard (USCG), the National Marine Fisheries Service has requested that AKFIN provide a list of all commercial fishing vessels that operate in federal waters off Alaska and the West Coast. This database list will also include vessel registration and fishery permit information along with the top three landing ports by vessel for 2009, 2010, and 2011. This data request is in response to the Coast Guard Authorization Act (P. L. 111-281) signed on October 15, 2010, which made several significant changes to Chapter 45 of Title 46, requiring, among other things, the mandatory safety inspection by the USCG of all Commercial Fishing Vessels operating beyond 3NM.