All three members of Alaska’s congressional delegation released statements strongly condemning Tuesday’s ruling from the US District Court of Western Washington which – if left unchallenged – will force the closure of the king salmon troll fishery in Southeast Alaska this summer.
Alaska’s senior senator, Lisa Murkowski, wrote “This is a disastrous decision for Southeast Alaska that will only serve to harm those small boat troll fishermen who are trying to provide for their families. This lawsuit should have been dismissed months ago, but now threatens devastating restrictions that will harm hundreds of Alaskans and dozens of coastal communities—all while doing nothing to actually benefit the Puget Sound orca population.”
The lawsuit was filed in early 2020 against the National Marine Fisheries Service by a Washington state conservation group, the Wild Fish Conservancy, which argued that the interception of king salmon in Southeast Alaska was harming a small population of threatened orcas, known as “Southern Resident Killer Whales.”
Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan called the judge’s ruling “outrageous,” writing ““What’s most remarkable about this case is that the judge and Wild Fish Conservancy totally ignore much more likely causes of the orca decline, like the toxins, pollution, noise disturbance, and vessel traffic that have undoubtedly wreaked havoc in the Puget Sound region.”
Alaska’s lone member of the US House, Rep. Mary Peltola, joined the senators, writing, “If this order is allowed to stand, Southeast Alaska will suffer a devastating loss, putting thousands of jobs at risk in communities that depend on this sustainably-managed fishery.”
In March of this year, the delegation filed an amicus brief with the US District Court, in supporting Southeast troll fisherman. Other interveners in the suit are the Alaska Trollers Association, and the State of Alaska. The Alaska Legislature this spring passed a resolution in support of the fishery; the governor has said he’d appeal the case to the US Supreme Court, if necessary.
