The Alaska Legislature has authorized a special audit of the Alaska Board of Fisheries, directing state auditors to review the board's processes and legal compliance over the past three years following concerns raised by lawmakers about transparency and public trust.

The Legislative Audit and Budget Committee approved the request from Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak and chair of the House Fisheries Committee, to examine the board's activities from Oct. 12, 2023, through July 1, 2026. Stutes said the audit is intended to evaluate how the board conducts its business, not the decisions it has made.

"The breadth and frequency of stakeholder complaints about the Board's process make it clear the Board has lost the public's trust," Stutes wrote in her request for the audit.

The review will assess whether the board complied with fisheries statutes and regulations, public notice and comment requirements, the Administrative Procedure Act and the Executive Branch Ethics Act.

The audit request follows controversy surrounding the Board of Fisheries' February decision to impose restrictions on the Area M salmon fishery to increase salmon passage to Western Alaska rivers. Acting Attorney General Cori Mills later voided those regulations, citing ethics concerns, prompting lawsuits and continued debate over the board's authority and decision-making process.

Board Chair Marit Carolson-Van Dort said the board welcomes the review, noting that fisheries meetings are complex and often compressed into short timeframes while addressing hundreds of proposals each regulatory cycle. She added that the board has maintained a Process Review Committee since 2021 to improve public participation and plans to convene another meeting in September.

During the committee hearing, Legislative Auditor Kris Curtis said the review will include interviews with stakeholders, examination of meeting records and minutes, and evaluation of the attorney general's decision as part of a broader fact-based investigation. Curtis emphasized the audit will be conducted independently and according to established auditing standards.

If approved on schedule, the audit is expected to begin in August and be completed within four to six months, with findings and recommendations presented to lawmakers.