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.

Governor backs off CFEC overhaul

Here's the press release.

So long, CFEC

Gov. Bill Walker has signed an administrative order transferring the administrative and research functions of the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission to the Department of Fish and Game.

The move will save the state more than $1.3 million a year, Walker said in a press release.

Gov. Walker names three to Board of Fisheries

Here's the press release.

Increased fish taxes proposed

Gov. Bill Walker is proposing an array of measures to deal with the state budget gap caused by the decline in oil revenue.

The measures include spending cuts, a "modest income tax," increased motor fuel and alcohol and tobacco taxes, and more.

The governor also is looking to the oil, fisheries, mining and tourism industries to "contribute to the solution."

In fisheries, Walker has offered legislation to increase tax rates on seafood processors.

According to this fiscal note, the Department of Revenue estimates the higher fish taxes would raise an extra $18.3 million in fiscal year 2017.

MSC urges arbitration in salmon dispute

As we observed last month, Alaska's major salmon processors are having trouble rejoining the Marine Stewardship Council certification program.

That's because a group of generally smaller processors, led by Silver Bay Seafoods, holds the MSC certificate for Alaska salmon and appears unwilling to share it.

A recent attempt to settle the matter through mediation has failed.

Now the MSC is urging binding arbitration. And the organization is asking Alaska's governor to help bring the two sides to an arbitration proceeding.

Here's an exchange of correspondence laying out the situation:

Gov. Bill Walker letter to the MSC
MSC Chief Executive Rupert Howes reply

Retired state trooper appointed to Board of Fish

Gov. Bill Walker has appointed Robert Mumford to the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

This is the governor's third attempt to fill the seat formerly held by Karl Johnstone.

The Alaska Legislature rejected one of the previous appointees, Robert Ruffner. The other, Roland Maw, withdrew.

According to this press release, Mumford lives in Anchorage and is a retired wildlife trooper.

Walker likes for Hull, Mezirow for council

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker has nominated Dan Hull for another term and Andy Mezirow as a new member on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Read more details in this letter from Walker to the U.S. Department of Commerce, which can confirm or reject Walker's top choices.

Maw pulls out

Roland Maw has sent a letter to Gov. Bill Walker withdrawing as a nominee to the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

Governor releases report on fishery priorities

Deckboss has yet to read it, but here's a transition report on fisheries from Alaska's new governor, Bill Walker.

The nine-page document is among a slew of transition reports covering everything from education to infrastructure to energy to subsistence.

Here's a press release with further explanation.

Walker and fish

Bill Walker is relying on input from dozens of Alaskans as he prepares to assume the governor's office. See the full team here.

These are the members of the fisheries subcommittee:

Ragnar Alstrom	Debra Brown
Denby Lloyd	Brian Gabriel
Mike Szymanski	Ricky Gease
Carol Ann Woody	Roland Maw
Albert Kookesh	Bill MacKay
Mary Sattler	Alan Austerman
Jerry McCune	Erin Harrington
Norm Van Vactor	Larry Engel
Robert Heyano	Bruce Knowles
Russell Nelson	Mark Jensen
Murray Tate	Linda Behnken
Tim Bristol	Mike Wood
Lindsey Bloom	Greg Indreland

Walker will be sworn in as governor on Monday.

He hasn't yet named his fish and game commissioner. Could that person come from the list above?