FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson) 

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Daily Sitka Sentinel

Assembly: WFC Case Is ‘Existential Threat’

By SHANNON HAUGLAND

Sentinel Staff Writer

After hearing comments Tuesday night on the “existential threat” facing the Southeast troll fishing industry, the Assembly gave unanimous approval to a resolution and a financial contribution to help the Alaska Trollers Association fight a lawsuit by a conservation group against a federal fisheries agency.

“I hope we have a unanimous decision because if the resolution is going to have any effect, we have to have real solidarity,” Assembly member Thor Christianson said prior to the vote.

The Assembly also approved a supplemental appropriation for Sitka Parks and Recreation, which will be covered in a later edition of the Sentinel.

ATA Request and Resolution

The resolution and the city’s $25,000 cash contribution are aimed at helping ATA fight a lawsuit filed by the nonprofit Wild Fish Conservancy against the National Marine Fisheries Service. ATA and the state of Alaska have intervened on the side of the federal fisheries managers. 

The WFC lawsuit is aimed at making more king salmon originating in the Pacific Northwest available to the southern resident killer whales, which historically have spent part of the year in Puget Sound.

The lawsuit recognizes that invalidating the 2019 biological opinion under which the federal government authorized the state of Alaska to manage these migratory kings would shut down the Southeast Alaska troll fisheries.

A number of fishermen testified in favor of one or both items supporting their legal battle. Other Southeast communities, individuals and companies are supporting the effort with cash contributions or resolutions.

“This existential threat to close down our Southeast troll fishery in a fund-raising charade by the Wild Fish Conservancy is a brutal assault on us that won’t save one orca,” fisherman Eric Jordan said. The term “existential threat” was heard in several of the statements about the issue.

“It is the most vicious, misguided assault I have witnessed in a lifetime of experience with fisheries conflict,” Jordan said. “I really appreciate the support from around Alaska for trollers and urge you to join the hundreds of individuals and numerous businesses, communities and groups rallying to our support. It will make a difference.”

Trollers argue that if federal courts uphold the preliminary recommendation by a federal magistrate judge in favor of the WFC, it will threaten not only the king winter and summer fisheries, but coho fisheries as well.

The Assembly expressed concern as well.

“It’s going to destroy a big part of our economy if this happens,” Christianson said. “While (the Assembly’s) resolution has limited power, it has a fair amount of power if it’s in conjunction with every city in Southeast Alaska. ... We need to go on record and say it very clearly and say this lawsuit doesn’t make sense, that we support our troll fisheries.”

Chris Ystad, who is a fisherman, co-sponsored the resolution with Christianson, and agreed that Sitka and Southeast need a united stand on the issue.

“I do believe it’s very important as a community that we band together, support the state and federal government in these not very not-very-scientific attack-lawsuits we are facing more and more very day,” Ystad said. “Resolutions and just coming together like this to show the support of our industry and our scientifically based fisheries management is extremely important. This is just something that needs to happen.”

Jeff Farvour, a member of the ATA and board member of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, said the ATA is receiving help from many quarters, due to the lawsuit’s far-reaching effects, not only on trollers, but processors and local economies. 

“Clearly our community will suffer severe economic hardship if the Southeast Alaska troll fishery is closed,” he said. “Each troller and commercial fishing operation is a small business. With 85% residency rate and $85 million in total Southeast economic output trolling’s reach is profound. Southeast processors will be impacted, especially smaller ones, which would probably not be able to support their local workforces. Some of the smaller communities would see a good portion of their tax base wiped out ... While we care about all marine mammals, clearly this lawsuit will not save the Southern Resident killer whales, but it would destroy the whole region.”

Some of the commenters said they were shocked that the lawsuit has gotten this far, since they believe it has no merit.

“It’s surreal,” commented Matt Donohoe, ATA board president. “This is like one of those bad dreams. ... All the science debunks this but the court wouldn’t allow science into the court.”

All six of the Assembly members present voted yes on the resolution and the ordinance authorizing the city contribution.

Donohoe said today that the Southeast communities donating to the defense fund include Craig, Petersburg, Port Alexander, Myers Chuck and Pelican. Sitka has contributed $5,000 so far, in addition to the $25,000 in the ordinance passed on first reading Tuesday night. 

The Southeast Alaska Guides Organization and individuals have also made contributions, he said.

Fisherman Jacquie Foss listed help from several other quarters as well, including communities, hatcheries, aquaculture association and The Boat Company, which wrote a letter to the editor.

“I feel super grateful to live in a place where everyone’s rallying around small boat fishermen,” she said. “A third of the fleet is here. With donations people give what they can, small communities give what they can and bigger communities with most of the fleet give what they feel is appropriate, too.”

At the Assembly meeting, Tad Fujioka, Seafood Producers Cooperative board chairman, said ATA requested a $48,500 contribution from SPC, but the Co-op is going beyond that.

“We heard from our fishermen members two weeks ago and members tonight, and we also heard from our senior employees, fishermen told us to donate some of the money that we made from selling the fish they caught last summer which would have otherwise gone back to fishermen,” he said. “Employees told us to take some of the money that would have gone into their profit sharing pool, and contribute that to ATA. 

“So even though ATA only asked for that $48,500, SBC board voted to contribute $59,000,” Fujioka said. “It’s an investment in our company’s future, we can’t afford to lose access to troll salmon, and neither can Sitka. So I encourage the Assembly to be similarly farsighted and make this investment.”

Roger Hames, president of Hames Corporation, talked about his family’s more than 80-year history in the community, observing that every aspect of the community is interconnected. He said ATA asked the company to contribute $5,000 but the family business will likely contribute more due to what is at stake.

“We are all too reliant on each other,” he said. “You’re on the right track, I would ask you to consider (a higher contribution). We just care a lot and we depend a lot on the various aspects of our economy.”

 

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.


50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....

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