With only eight days left in the session, members of the state Legislature have introduced resolutions asking Gov. Sarah Palin to examine the "inordinate and potentially unfair, unethical, and disproportionate influence of the commercial fisheries industries on fisheries management in Alaska."
OK.
So what's got these legislators so stirred up?
It's a lawsuit the United Cook Inlet Drift Association, representing commercial salmon fishermen, filed against the U.S. commerce secretary on March 5.
The 13-page suit seeks a measure of federal control over the state-managed salmon fisheries to, among other things, put a stop to personal use dipnet fisheries open to Alaska residents only.
Among other complaints, UCIDA is angry that commercial sockeye fishing was closed at the Kenai River last July while dipnetting "continued unabated," with the minimum sockeye escapement goal going unmet.
In their resolutions, the legislators ask the governor to oppose the lawsuit.
And they ask for an examination of the commercial fishing industry's "disproportionate influence."
Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, is the prime sponsor of House Joint Resolution 32.
Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla, is the prime sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 22.
ADN blogger Independent traveler here. Hate to see you go, but totally understand. Would be interested to know more. You can e-mail me at gloria.independenttravler@gmail.com
ReplyDelete...Gloria
huh
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that any Alaska fisherman would envision a better tomorrow through federal management. Kind of puts the governor in a weird place with a Cook Inlet gillnetter being her pick for the bof. The disproportionate influence of the commercial fishing industry, as we all know, is a joke. Commercial fishing is and always has been the redheaded stepchild of the state. They blame us, they beat us up, but they always got their hand out.
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