Fisheries Debate Brings Senatorial Candidates to Kodiak

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

Four candidates running for U.S. Senate will be in Kodiak tomorrow for the traditional fisheries debate. They’re Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, Democrat Ray Metcalfe, and independents Margaret Stock and Breck Craig. According to the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce website, the Senatorial Fisheries Debate has been going on since the 1990’s.

Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Trevor Brown said he could not reveal the exact topics that will be discussed, but some of the potential subjects include seafood marketing and labeling, Coast Guard regulations, the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, observers on boats, naval exercises in the Gulf of Alaska, and federal assistance for the poor pink salmon season.

Brown says members of the Chamber of Commerce’s Fisheries Committee chose three panelists to pose questions to the candidates: Julie Matweyou, the marine advisory program representative in Kodiak, Jeff Stephan who sits on the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s Advisory Panel, and Julie Bonney, the executive director of the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank. Brown says the committee helped write the questions and Senator Gary Stevens will serve as moderator.

The debate will be tomorrow starting at 7 p.m. at the Gerald C. Wilson Auditorium.