Author: kfskadmin

Two environmental groups are suing the U.S. Forest Service over the way it evaluates habitat for deer on the Tongass National Forest in Southeast. The groups says the agency has been over-estimating the number of deer that the forest can support. The suit challenges four specific timber sales but could have a larger impact on the agency’s overall Tongass timber program.

A weak return of hatchery king salmon at Blind Slough south of Petersburg has led to closures this month of the fresh water sport fishery at blind river rapids, as well as the commercial troll fishery in the Wrangell Narrows near Blind Slough. Normally kings are entering the slough in good numbers in mid to late June. But this summer the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has not seen strong catches in fresh water or in sport and commercial fisheries in the Wrangell Narrows. The fisheries are managed to make sure that 500 males and 500 females make it back to the Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association’s Crystal Lake Hatchery. Similar poor runs caused closures at the slough in 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2004. Joe Viechnicki spoke with Fish and Game sportfish biologist Doug Fleming about this year’s decision to close fishing.

Fishermen in Alaska could be seeing more farmed Atlantic salmon turning up in their nets and on their hooks this year. Nearly 30-thousand adult salmon escaped from a farm site on the British Columbia mainland northwest of Vancouver July 1st.

Another large mural is installed and on display in Petersburg. The eight-foot by 36-foot rosemalled mural entitled “New Traditions” went up on the side of the Hammer and Wikan shopping center building July 2nd. It’s constructed of nine sheets of painted aluminum and can be seen from Haugen Drive. Joe Viechnicki spoke with artist Linda Fredrickson about her latest work.

The Petersburg City Council last night agreed to team up with the state to upgrade several local streets. The work will happen with a four million dollar federal appropriation and a nine percent match from city coffers.