Humpback whales bubble net feed in Frederick Sound north of Petersburg in the summer of 2017. (Nora Saks/KFSK)

The Petersburg Marine Mammal Center is celebrating 20 years in existence this year. Organized as a non-profit in 1998, the center was formed as a resource for researchers studying the area’s abundant humpback whales and a depository for information on marine mammals in Southeast Alaska. The center has sponsored education on marine life along with disentanglement for marine mammals caught in fishing gear. Joe Viechnicki spoke with board members Julianne Curry and Barry Bracken about their first two decades and what’s in store for the next 20 years.

That annual meeting May 9th is planned for the borough assembly chambers. The marine mammal center offers an annual scholarship to a graduating senior at PHS and also plan to continue a science camp for middle schoolers again this summer. Other board members are board president Don Holmes, Lee Ribich, Sunny Rice, Jeff Meucci, Scott Roberge and Dennis Rogers.