Author: kfskadmin

Returns of chum salmon to Southeast Alaska’s largest hatchery facilities next year may not keep pace with 2009’s crop. Hatchery managers say they’re forecasting a drop-off in chum numbers around the region.

Petersburg’s Rotary Club has raised enough money to start up a revolving loan fund in Africa, in honor of a Tanzanian school teacher who died while visiting here one year ago. Eden and Rogathe Kaombwe spent a month in Petersburg and Juneau last winter, telling about their lives in Monduli in northeastern Tanzania. Eden died of an apparent heart attack while in Petersburg in early January. His widow, Rogathe, returned to Tanzania and in the past year has helped start up a Rotary club in the area. Petersburg’s club is partnering with that club and has enlisted the help of a non-governmental organization that works in the area, to create a new system for loaning money to business people. A recent fund raising effort netted a little over $2,000 from local residents, along with a contribution from the Lutheran church. The Petersburg Rotary Club also put in $5,000 and that local money will be matched, two-to-one, by the Rotary district organization, giving the Monduli revolving loan fund about $22,000. Joe Viechnicki spoke with local rotary club board member Dave Berg about the revolving loan fund and how it will work.

Most of Southeast Alaska’s humpback whale population is headed south to Hawaii by this time of year. But each year, more than a hundred of the animals gather in northern Southeast’s Seymour canal before they make their long journey to the breeding grounds. Throughout the fall and early winter, the large group of humpbacks can be found in that narrow body of water, feasting on a massive build-up of krill. The late-season interaction between these huge predators and tiny prey is the focus of on-going research.

Petersburg’s City Council decided not to weigh in on the debate over declining halibut quotas this week. Councilors unanimously voted down a resolution calling for catch limits based on historic harvest levels in each fishing area. The idea has drawn a mix of support and opposition from fishermen. During their December 21st meeting, the councilors decided it was not their role to take a side.

Petersburg has finalized its wish-list for project funding from the state of Alaska. The City Council approved the draft list with just a few changes this week. It’s still topped by the fire hall and library. However, public testimony prompted the councilors to raise the priority level for a marine vessel wash-down facility and to add the museum project to the list.