Feds fight troll fishery shutdown

As we reported last month, the Wild Fish Conservancy is seeking an injunction to block the summer Chinook salmon fishery in federal waters off Southeast Alaska. The environmental organization says the fishery poses a starvation threat to endangered Southern Resident killer whales.

Now the National Marine Fisheries Service is vigorously opposing the motion for injunction. In its 34-page filing, the agency argues that closing the fishery would have only a "very small effect" on the availability of prey for killer whales.