Author: Joe Viechnicki, KFSK

Alaska’s Board of Fisheries this week voted to delay the dates for meetings planned in Cordova and Ketchikan this winter because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Board members want to hold those meetings in-person and will consider springtime gatherings instead. Next month, they’ll hold an online meeting with more information about the schedule for the upcoming year and decisions the board has to tackle before the spring.

Commercial salmon trolling shuts down this weekend in most of Southeast Alaska based on a weak catch of coho salmon.

Petersburg officials last week presented their reasons for an update and expansion of local law on responding to emergencies. Area residents continue to push back on proposed language for limiting business, gatherings and daily life during a disaster. It’ll be up to the borough assembly next week to vote the ordinance up or down.

The state of Alaska has told hatchery operators in Southeast Alaska it is ending a program that provides funding for king and coho salmon production. That announcement leaves the future of the Crystal Lake Hatchery on southern Mitkof Island near Petersburg up in the air.