Tsukada, Down secure council seats

The commerce secretary has appointed Ryuichi "Rudy" Tsukada to an Alaska seat on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and reappointed Kenneth Down to a Washington seat.

Tsukada for the council

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has named Rudy Tsukada for a coming vacancy on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Here's the governor's nomination letter.

Tsukada, if approved, would replace Simon Kinneen, who is finishing up his third consecutive three-year term, the maximum allowable.

Aleut looks to join Steller sea lion fight

The Aleut Corp. and its subsidiary, Aleut Enterprise LLC, are seeking to intervene in the Steller sea lion lawsuit.

Aleut Enterprise owns the seafood processing plant and runs the fuel terminal on Adak Island.

The state and numerous fishing industry players are challenging the federal government's closure of some fishing grounds in the Aleutian chain to protect the endangered sea lions.

Aleut, the Native regional corporation for the Aleutians, and Aleut Enterprise want to intervene in the suit as a plaintiff.

Rudy Tsukada, president of Aleut Enterprise, says in this affidavit the government's fishing restrictions likely will cut Adak marine fuel sales by half, cause fuel prices to spike by nearly 90 percent, cost five employees their jobs, decimate Adak tax revenues, and result in sundry other bad things.