Second wave of salmon disaster relief coming

The National Marine Fisheries Service has approved another round of salmon disaster relief. The outlay will total nearly $13 million, and will be distributed as follows:

• $4.5 million in direct payments to the recreation fishing sector, including sportfish guides.

• $7.5 million for research, restoration, education, gear replacement and modification, and outreach. Of this sum, $6.4 million is for the Yukon-Kuskokwim region and $1.1 million is for Cook Inlet.

• $700,000 in direct payments to commercial buying stations and salmon buyers in the Cook Inlet area.

More on those disaster relief payments

Here's a press release from the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Disaster relief payments coming

Cook Inlet and Yukon River commercial fishermen will receive $7.8 million in "direct payments" to compensate for losses resulting from poor Chinook salmon runs, this federal notice says.

Checks "hopefully will go out in September or October," an aide to U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, tells Deckboss.

This is the first installment of the $20.8 million allocated to Alaska under a congressional response to multiple fishery disasters across the nation.

Alaska to receive $21 million in disaster aid

Alaska will receive nearly $21 million of the $75 million Congress recently appropriated for fishery disaster relief nationally.

Here's the official announcement.

Federal officials in 2012 declared a disaster in Alaska due to poor Chinook salmon returns to the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, as well as Cook Inlet.

Sandy has sailed

Alaska's attempt to grab some Superstorm Sandy money for its Chinook salmon disaster has failed.

President Obama has signed a $50.5 billion relief package for the October hurricane that trashed New York, New Jersey and other Northeast areas. Congress gave final passage to the bill Monday.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, voted in favor of the Sandy bill despite the omission of aid for federally declared fishery disasters in Alaska and other states. But she complained about it and said she'll keep looking for a way to reel in federal funding.

Critics panned efforts to use the Sandy bill as a vehicle to address fishery disasters in states far off the storm's path.

Countdown to relief?

As politicians in Washington, D.C., struggle to avoid the "fiscal cliff," they're also weighing another important matter: a $60.4 billion supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 1) aimed primarily at providing relief for Northeast states hit by Superstorm Sandy.

The Senate voted 62-32 on Friday to pass the bill.

Now it's up to the House. Time is short. The bill dies without action before the new Congress is seated Thursday.

So what does Alaska care?

The bill includes $150 million in aid for fishery disasters the Commerce Department has declared this year in several states and territories including Alaska, for its recent poor Chinook runs.

Some say the Sandy bill is loaded with questionable items, such as "$150 million for fisheries as far away from the storm's path as Alaska."

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski is just fine with using the Sandy bill as a vehicle for Alaska relief.

State goes fishing for salmon disaster relief

Here's a letter from state Commerce Commissioner Susan Bell to Alaska's congressional delegation making a case for federal disaster aid for the recent poor Chinook salmon returns.

State posts FAQ on Chinook disaster

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game answers questions here regarding poor Chinook salmon returns to certain parts of the state.

The FAQ says the science team looking into the matter will hold a symposium Oct. 22-23 at the Egan Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage.