Area M wasn’t the only fishery up for discussion at the Board of Fisheries meeting in Anchorage last month. Chignik fishermen frustrated with a fishery that’s no longer as productive or profitable as it used to be also went to the board looking for some help.
The Chigniks used to be kind of the cadillac of Southwest Alaska fisheries. Big expensive seiners. Valuable catches. But the fleet’s nets have been lighter of late, and permit prices are about half what they were in 1990. The good old days seem to be gone by the wayside. That’s the message Chignik fishermen like fourth generation participant Tim Murphy shared with the board of fish last week in Anchorage.
“Chignik runs have not been strong of late,” Murphy said. “2014 and 2015 sockeye runs were poor and mediocre. The Chignik seine fleet didn’t fish a single day in June of 2014 and didn’t open at all until July 12, 2014. Since purchasing my Chignik seine permit it has lost 17 percent of its value in three years, according to current listing prices.”
Read the full story at KDLG >>
Read more about Alaska Board of Fisheries >>
