A variety of private and sport fishermen are on the Kenai River this evening protesting the annual Kenai River Sportfishing Association’s annual Classic event.
Dwight Kramer helped organize the protest.
Kramer: “Well this protest is about the money that is raised during the Kenai Classic to fund Kenai River Sportfishing Association, some of their activities we think are counter productive to both the community and to the fishery management process with the Board of Fisheries and the regulatory process.”
Around eight full boats and one kayak staged in front of Bob Penney’s riverfront home, who is one of the founders of KRSA.
Penney hosts a banquet dinner for the Classic attendees at his home and Kramer said he hopes this gets their attention.
Kramer: “I’m hoping to see a good turnout of boats up there and I hope the donors get the message that KRSA is not a good neighbor in our community. People are getting more and more upset with their brand of unethical activities. Last year when Robert Ruffner was being considered for the Board of Fish they launched a lobbying effort in Juneau that sunk his nomination basically. It was based on lies and misinformation and character assassination.”
Another protest is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon also.
Find the full interview with KSRM’s Derrick Arlyn on location below.