Sitka Assembly plans to donate $25,000 towards the Alaska Trollers Association to help the organization fight against a Washington environmental group that wants to end commercial fishing for King salmon in Southeast Alaska. In anticipation of a costly appeals process, other local organizations are stepping up.
The Alaska Department of Fish & Game and Alaska trollers intervened in a lawsuit brought against the National Marine Fisheries Service by Wild Fish Conservancy in 2020. Duvall, Washington-based group claims that Alaskan commercial trolling threatens the endangered population of killer whales living in Puget Sound. They do this by denying them their primary food source of King Salmon. They’ve won in court: A US District Court judge issued a December report that, short story short, places the Southeast king salmon fishing industry at risk. This means that the troll association will have to pay more, because it expects lengthy appeals.
Trollers rallied support for the assembly at its January meeting in early January. At its Jan. 24, meeting, more people came forward to support the organization. Roger Hames, of Hames Corporation which owns a large grocery store in Sitka said that he was asked to donate $5,000 but would likely give $10,000. Tad Fujioka chairs the board of Seafood Producers Co-Op. He stated that the Alaska Trollers Association had asked for approximately $48,000 from SPC. However, employees requested more money from the profit sharing pool.
So even though ATA asked for $48,500 the SPC board voted $59,000. It’s an investment in the future of our company. We cannot afford to lose troll salmon. Fujioka stated that Sitka cannot afford to lose access to troll salmon. “So I urge the assembly to be similarly foresighted and make this investment along with your citizen fishermen.”
Jacquie Foss stated that it is not only fishermen who support the cause of the trollers. The association receives a lot in individual donations and contributions from municipalities such as Craig, Port Alexander, and Pelican.
“I am so grateful to be able to live in a community that supports small boat fishermen. Foss stated that Sitka is the largest and most important of the fleet. “Our ask may seem like a lot.” Foss agreed. “But, a third is here.”
The majority of assembly members supported a $25,000 donation for the legal fund. Others said that they would be open to contributing more in the future. Tim Pike, an assembly member, stated that he wants to change the conversation about “why” the contribution was needed.
Pike stated, “I heard it here several times tonight, you know. ‘Trollers paid lots of taxes, so they owe us it.'” It is a community investment. It is something that comes out of all our pockets. It is something that all of us can contribute to. It’s not something that ‘trollers have won this.’ You’re Sitkans and are part of our economy. It belongs to everyone, not just the trolls.
John Leach, the city administrator, stated that they would put more resources into supporting the trollers group in the suit and to exert pressure on the congressional delegation. He stated that staff had met with representatives from Senators Murkowski, Sullivan and Representative Peltola to discuss possible options.
Leach stated that all the staff members heard it again during the conference call. “It’s an important issue for all three of the delegation members.” They found MSA legal counsel and salmon treaty experts to help them. They are now coordinating with one another regarding a possible amicus brief they could jointly file with the court.
The assembly unanimously approved $25,000 in donations to support the Southeast troll fishing industry. The assembly will have the opportunity to read the ordinance at its next regular meeting, February 14.
