Board sinks hatchery proposal

The Alaska Board of Fisheries, meeting in Ketchikan, voted 5-2 against Proposal 156, which would have reduced pink and chum salmon production capacity by 25 percent at Southeast Alaska hatcheries.

The proposal, from Virgil Umphenour, drew widespread opposition from hatchery supporters including this group of legislators.

'Serious violations'

Here's a recent warning letter the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued to Virgil Umphenour, owner of Interior Alaska Fish Processors Inc. and a former state Board of Fisheries member.

The agency says it conducted an inspection of Umphenour's Fairbanks fish processing plant and found "serious violations" of food sanitation regs.

A state Web site says the plant produces canned salmon, salmon caviar, salmon corndogs, salmon ikura, salmon sausage and smoked salmon, and markets goods under the brand name Santa's Smokehouse.