Parnell, delegation seek salmon disaster declaration

MAT-SU — Alaska’s Congressional delegation is throwing its support behind Gov. Sean Parnell in urging federal authorities to declare a disaster for Upper Cook Inlet Chinook salmon fisheries.

In a letter to Acting U.S. Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank dated Aug. 22, Rep. Don Young and Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich outline the need for drastic action to protect the Cook Inlet salmon resource, also known as king salmon.

On the heals of heavily state-regulated and restricted 2012 king and coho sport fish seasons, “We are concerned about the economic impact of closures on individual and businesses dependent on salmon fisheries, including cumulative impacts of commercial and recreational fishing closures on fishing communities in the region,” they say in the letter.

With continued low numbers of salmon counted in Cook Inlet rivers and tributaries, the state Department of Fish and Game Sport Fish Division has enacted a slew of restrictions and fishing bans this season.

“These measures, including closures and gear restrictions, were not limited to Chinook salmon, as fisheries for sockeye salmon and other species were also limited due to the probability of taking Chinook salmon incidentally,” the delegation wrote.

It’s a mounting concern for Alaska fish stocks overall, Parnell said in his Aug. 16 letter to Blank seeking the disaster designation.

He says the Secretary of Commerce is authorized “to determine if a commercial fishery failure has occurred,” Parnell wrote. “I ask your prompt review of this matter due to the importance of these fisheries to the local, regional, state and national economies. … The region has seen significant unanticipated decline of important fishery resources and while the cause of the decline is undetermined, it may include reduced ocean survival rates or other unknown factors.”

Just what a disaster designation could mean for those who depend on king salmon to make a living is not clear locally, said James Hasbrouck, Fish and Game coordinator for the state Division of Sport Fish Region II. While the disaster request is made under a federal act that seems to target relief for commercial enterprises, how that could affect the sport fish sector is something the state is examining, he said.

“The governor has requested federal dollars,” he said, which invokes federal guidelines. “If they find a disaster does exist, Congress could have the option (to decide on relief).”

Along with Parnell’s request, Hasbrouck said the state also is working to improve its assessment of Alaska’s king salmon situation “to try to have a better understanding of Chinook salmon production and why we’re having this downward trend.”

In fact, that a decline in king salmon returns over the past several years may also be indicative of a longer natural cycle, but more study is needed, Hasbrouck said. King returns also went through a period of decline before rebounding several decades ago.

For the sport fishing industry, a disaster designation could potentially provide some financial relief, said Andy Couch, owner of Fishtale River Guides and a member of the Mat-Su Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission. He said he’s hoping the federal guidelines that outline relief for commercial entities includes other commercial operators affected by the emergency and not just commercial fishing.

Closing Cook Inlet waters to king fishing this season has cost his business about $10,000 in refunded bookings, Couch said, and others even more.

“There’s certainly been a lot of people affected by the king salmon,” he said. “Some of the lodging places have given money back on reservations. The traffic has just been dismal with the ban on kings.”

While federal relief would be appreciated, Couch said the money could be used more wisely to protect the resource better at the state level.

“I don’t know that I need something like that,” he said. “What I need is monies for better management of the fishery for the Department of Fish and Game.”

Contact reporter Greg Johnson at greg.johnson @frontiersman.com or 352-2269.