The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly approved a resolution during its meeting on Tuesday night to request a disaster proclamation from the governor for the east side setnet fishery. The resolution brings Cook Inlet setnetters one step closer to receiving relief for lost revenue following the closure of east side setnetting for the entire 2023 fishing season.
With its passage, resolution 2023-069 — which was sponsored by Mayor Peter Micciche, Assembly President Brent Johnson, and Vice President Tyson Cox — will be forwarded on to the office of Alaska Governor, Mike Dunleavy. An economic disaster declaration by the governor would allow the legislature to appropriate funds for assistance grants, and the governor may recommend in the governor’s budget that capital projects planned for the area be accelerated, and other steps may be taken to accelerate recovery for east side setnetters.
If the governor consents, and issues the disaster proclamation, the assembly is requesting that the State of Alaska implement a recovery plan that provides private assistance and takes other actions that benefit commercial fisheries participants and others that rely on this important fishery resource.
According to a memorandum attached to the assembly agenda, this year was the first time the east side setnet fishery has been closed for a full season since the first Cook Inlet Cannery opened on the banks of the Kasilof River in 1882. The memorandum states, “The cultural and social loss is both emotional and painful. The economic loss is great and it is to this loss that the east side setnet fishery seeks government help.”
Earlier this year, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game released Cook Inlet sockeye salmon escapement data for the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers, which indicated an escapement escapement total of approximately 3,270,000 sockeye. This number exceeded the ADF&G escapement goals for the Cook Inlet by nearly 1.4 million.
Per these numbers, the Assembly’s resolution calculates an estimated financial loss to east side setnetters of $7.46 million. Spread evenly amongst the 435 ESSN permit holders, this represents an average loss of $17,153 per permit.
“This is the fifth out of the last six years of I’ve been working on these disaster declarations and it’s very meaningful when you take the action that you do,” said setnetter Ken Coleman, who gave testimony on the resolution at the assembly meeting. “As these things become chronic and many fisheries around the state are becoming chronic for many different reasons. Some are allocative, some are weather related or biologically related, but they’re meaningful and I can tell you from our community, our setnetters are very appreciative of your time and efforts.”
A proclamation by the governor would open the door for relief funds to be designated to the east side setnetters. According to Alaska Statute 44.33.285, “The governor may, upon recommendation of the commissioner of commerce, community, and economic development, designate by proclamation an area as an area impacted by an economic disaster. When an area is so designated, the legislature may appropriate money for assistance grants and the governor may recommend in the governor’s budget submission that capital projects planned for the area be accelerated and that new projects be funded for the area. The proclamation may provide that waivers of capital projects requirements, as authorized in AS 44.33.300, become effective only to the extent set out in the proclamation.”
The resolution was added to the assembly meeting’s consent agenda by unanimous approval.
