KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Kayla Desroches/KMXT
Concern about the poor escapement for sockeye salmon in the Chignik area has led regional groups to seek emergency measures, but some Kodiak stakeholders are worried about what that could mean for the Kodiak management area.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, early-run sockeye salmon escapement at the Chignik River weir in June was the lowest it’s been at that period since statehood.
Fishery adviser for the Lake and Peninsula Borough, Chuck McCallum, says it’s a disaster for Chignik fishermen.
“It’s really terrifying. I’m really concerned for the health of the communities.”
McCallum contributed to one of the documents before the Alaska Board of Fisheries. The board is slated to review two Chignik-centered documents at its emergency petition meeting next week.
One is a petition which references Kodiak, and asks for more control on the South Peninsula management area. Another is a resolution from the Bristol Bay Native Association, which addresses Kodiak directly as an intercept fishery. That refers to when some fish in Kodiak waters are shown to be heading toward other areas. Among its requests, the association asks the board to stop or reduce the number of sockeye salmon passing through Kodiak.
According to staff with the Board of Fisheries, as of Tuesday, they’d received around 60 public comments on the documents from Kodiak, which they say is more than usual. Letters from the City of Kodiak, Representative Louise Stutes, and Kodiak processors are among those heading to the Board of Fisheries.
Matt Moir, general manager of North Pacific Seafoods, also signed the letter from Kodiak-based processors.
At a recent meeting of the Kodiak Fisheries Work Group, Moir said they feel that the emergency petitions are not the best method to deal with concerns in the Chignik area.
“It’s an obviously a big problem for the folks in Chignik, but it’s a big problem for all sockeye-dependent communities, harvesters, and processors across the [Gulf of Alaska].”
In the letter, he and the other processors explain they do not believe the petitions qualify for emergency status. They also write that by the time the actions would take effect, they’d be too late to change Chignik’s situation this season.
The Board of Fisheries meeting is set for July 17 in Anchorage.
