Politics

ComFish, Kodiak’s annual commercial fisheries trade show, had some big names for its forums, including the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s commissioner, Doug Vincent-Lang. The job is mostly focused on ecology, but the commissioner opened his remarks by talking about economic sustainability.  Commissioner Doug Vincent Lang gave his 2024 forum in the Kodiak Best Western’s Harbor Room. (Brian Venua/KMXT) …

Kodiak Island’s representatives in the Alaska State Legislature discussed some of the potential relief coming to fishermen on the final day of this year’s ComFish trade show on Saturday, April 13. State Sen. Gary Stevens, who was joining via Zoom, told attendees he wants to create a legislative task force to study long term solutions for changes happening within the …

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan is heading to Europe next month to convince trade officials there to ban Russian seafood. That was one policy goal the senator said he’s pushing in the coming month, during a visit to Kodiak’s annual commercial fishing trade show ComFish.   Sullivan came to Kodiak to give his talk at ComFish in person. (Brian Venua/KMXT) Sullivan addressed …

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Mary Peltola gave video presentations on the first day of Kodiak’s commercial fisheries trade show, ComFish. The seafood industry is facing historic challenges and the pair hope closing a loophole on Russian imports could help bolster Alaska’s presence in markets.  The expo for ComFish was held in the Kodiak Area Native Association Marketplace downtown …

Persistent outages of weather observation stations across Alaska have caused problems for rural communities, aviators and climatologists for years. Now the Alaska State Legislature is hoping to spur the federal government to do something about it. SJR20, a joint resolution currently working through the Alaska State Legislature would urge the U.S. Congress to address Automated Weather Observing System, called AWOS, …

Over 100 Kodiak High School students walked out of classes today (April 4) as part of a statewide protest over Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoing SB 140, a bill that would have permanently increased education funding.  Students walked from the front entrance of the high school, down Mill Bay Road, and between Main Elementary and Kodiak Middle School for the …

Kodiak voters will decide if the next city manager will be able to live outside of the city, within 12 road miles. The proposed requirement change will be on the ballot for qualified voters at the upcoming election on Oct. 1. Currently, city code requires Kodiak’s city manager to reside within city limits. But during last week’s City Council meeting, …

The Alaska Legislature is planning to create a seafood industry task force that will give recommendations to help sustain the state’s seafood industry. A joint legislative resolution forming the task force, SCR 10 which is sponsored by Republican Senator Gary Stevens of Kodiak, had its first hearing on March 7 in the Senate Finance Committee. Half a dozen representatives from …

Alaska lawmakers have less than a month, until March 16, to vote down any of the dozen executive orders introduced by Gov. Mike Dunleavy at the start of the legislative session. One of those would replace the existing makeup of the Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board with the governor’s appointees. Legislators have begun discussing and will take public comment on …

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski introduced a bill Feb. 12 to support coastal communities.  The legislation, called the Working Waterfronts Act, would establish grants for marine infrastructure and mariculture, resources for fishermen to convert boats to hybrid or electric engines, and improve research on ocean acidification, among other things.  Murkowski’s office said in a press release the bill aims to improve …