Down in Juneau, state legislators are thinking about creating a special endowment to fund Chinook research.
Supporters say runs of Chinook, or king, salmon have declined around Alaska, and something must be done to restore the iconic fish.
Especially concerned are Western Alaska legislators representing constituencies dismayed over depressed Chinook runs to the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers and Norton Sound.
Sen. Donny Olson, D-Nome, is the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 205, with Rep. Bob Herron, D-Bethel, carrying companion legislation in House Bill 332.
The bills would create an endowment fund, which would be invested. A seven-member board comprised of Alaska's fish and game commissioner and six "public members" from around the state would use the profits to award Chinook research grants.
Assuming legislators support the idea, they'll have to decide how much money to put into the endowment. The bills don't call for a specific amount, although they do make a reference to $50 million.
Certainly, the money is available, as the state is flush with billions of dollars in surplus oil revenue.
But whether a research endowment really has statewide appeal is questionable, as the health of Chinook stocks is varied. Certainly, the Yukon and Kuskokwim runs have struggled, as have other runs such as Kodiak's Karluk River stock. Farther east, in Southeast Alaska, the situation looks better.
The Senate Resources Committee is scheduled to take up SB 205 at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Here is Olson's sponsor statement.
And here's a packet of letters in support of the endowment.
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16 comments:
Why don't the Western Alaska CDQ groups pony up some of their millions to fund Chinook studies for their regions???
Put the $50 in state funds towards education or alternative energy development.
Make the draggers tow at less than 3.4 kts or just eliminate pollock B season. No one will notice if Fillet O Fish is not on the menu. It's not worth destroying the State Fish for low value pollock.
Why don't the Western Alaska CDQ groups pony up some of their millions to fund Chinook studies for their regions???
Please, that is really a stupid question. The obvious reason is that they may not get the pollack. No pollack, no tit farm. Ding, ding!
Hurry up everyone!!! The gravy trough is overflowing! Get yer buckets full before real projects are funded.
Let me save us $50 mm. Stop killing kings. Too many river sneaks under the guise of "subsistence and culture". Are you that stupid that you don't realize that if you eat your seeds, there will not be a crop to harvest?
Throwin' money away, but to a noble handout panel, it looks like importance, right? Look at me, I'm spending someone elses money, pretending that I know what I'm talking about. Spend your own money, then I might believe you.
Tired of the self-denial BS.
And self denial has been the new and improved Modus operandi for decades.
A King Salmon Kase Study...like Roll off the Map Kolumbia?
The new and improved King Salmon Abortion Clinic with our usual and accustomed season shown best on the Kenai.
Penny Properties on the Kenai, and have we got a new and improved U.S. Senator for you, free septic system included!
lets not forget the taku and chilkat rivers here in southeat.also the money would be better spent building hatcheries near the river systems that are most impacted by the bycatch of kings in the seine and gillnet fisheries here in southeat.
Maybe with this Commissioners history
she should recuse herself.
Or better yet quit your day job.
What a joke. Grifters all around.
Bad public policy. Need DF&G to get off the rump and conduct "basic management".
If "DF&G" isn't doing their job mandated by the State's Constitution, then lets support the peoples law makers to take the state in the right direction. Good for you Senator Olson!
Money's always nice, but in river behaviour has to change toward greater respect for the big picture and move away from self interest.
"in river hehaviour" is definitely the problem because not enough king salmon are reaching the rivers to spawn.
The "big picture" includes the salmon nursery out in the Bering Sea where many have been accidently caught and wasted by the trawl fisheries before they had a chance to return to the rivers to spawn.
As for the "self interest" you allude to, I agree that a few people are making millions in the pollock fishery. This fishery is known to have the salmon bycatch problem and the dwindling numbers of salmon returning to spawn is a known result and that is also destroying not only the state symbol, the King Salmon, it's also interfering with a hundreds year culture and tradition of Alaskans living off the salmon as an important food source.
The first blogger refers to the Western Alaska CDQ program and asks why they are not helping to fund "Chinook studies". That's a darn good question but at this point,(CDQs,20 years old, 2012) these questions need to be directed to Congress because the CDQ program was initially born through legislation by Ted Stevens. The CDQ program is without federal oversight and helping the salmon survive is not on the agenda. We have people becoming rich beyond their wildest dreams off this Public Monies program. They don't want to rock the pollock ship.
Ah yes, Uncle Ted buyin' votes with CDQ payoffs. What a wonderful system.
Contrary to your comment about the CDQ program being a "wonderful system", it isn't. The people sitting on the Board of Directors for the CDQs are stooges for the self-serving administrations. The Boards have no power to represent the interests of their stakeholders in the program. Their jobs are easy. Sit on their behinds (bored to tears because they don't have the gumption to understand the big picture), collect their per diem check, go home. No responsibility and no accountability. Per diem checks support the meeting going industry, the new trend in rural Alaska's economic development. Killing off the culture and tradition of living off the salmon for a meager per diem check. Ironic alright!
Board meetings and per diem checks is indeed the economic development activity for rural Alaska.
Speaking of CDQ programs, Norton Sound's NSEDC just recently had a one day special board meeting to coincide with the end of the Iditarod race. Spring time party with a bang, in Nome, the partyinest town in the whole region. No one is at their best logical thinking when one is hung-over from over indulging alcohol. It's a manipulation factor. Pretend you are doing business with the board of directors. Yeah, per diem industry for rural Alaska. The problem is, only a handful gets the per diem check. It boils down to free money just for showing up.
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