Juneau watch

With the election behind us, leadership is taking shape for the 34th Alaska Legislature set to begin in mid-January.

It looks like Rep. Bryce Edgmon, independent from Dillingham, will serve as speaker of the House.

Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, will chair the House Special Committee on Fisheries. She previously held the gavel from 2015-20, and will take over for Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer.

Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, will serve again as Senate president.

For more on the legislative leadership, here are press releases from the House Majority Coalition and the Alaska Senate Majority.

Fish politics

Two legislators with serious fish connections now sit at the top of the legislative leadership in Juneau.

Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, was elected in January as Senate president. He's a Cook Inlet commercial drift gillnet fisherman.

And today comes news that Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, was elected speaker of the Alaska House. She served for a number of years as chair of the House Special Committee on Fisheries.

Vessel registration fix

State Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, has filed House Bill 185 to exempt commercial fishing boats from a 2018 law requiring they be registered with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles.

Does poor pink season constitute a disaster?

While fishing continues, it's evident the 2016 pink salmon season is a bust.

The statewide commercial catch stands at about 36 million fish, far short of the 90 million forecast.

The harvest is so poor that state Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, wants Gov. Bill Walker to declare a disaster, which could lead to some sort of relief for the industry.

Stutes further suggests giving fishermen a break on making their state loan payments this year.

Kodiak fisheries reporter Laine Welch has more details here.

Stutes chairs the House Special Committee on Fisheries.

In a letter to Stutes, the Walker administration says it's prepared to work with fishermen on loan restructuring or other assistance.

Disaster relief and loan forbearance is bound to hold some popular appeal. That could benefit Stutes, who is seeking re-election this year.

Her challengers include Kodiak independent Duncan Fields, who has fished salmon commercially and served on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Government already is doing much to aid the Alaska salmon industry. In late July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it had purchased nearly $10 million in canned pink salmon for child nutrition and other food assistance programs.

Are days limited for entry commission?

State Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, has filed House Bill 112, titled "An act repealing the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission and transferring its duties to a commercial fisheries entry division established in the Department of Fish and Game and the office of administrative hearings."

Stutes is chair of the House Special Committee on Fisheries.