"We can go fishing": appeals court says Southeast Alaska troll fishery can open this summer
A federal appeals panel issued a last-second ruling Wednesday that will allow this summer’s Southeast Alaska troll chinook salmon fishery to open as scheduled July 1.
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A federal appeals panel issued a last-second ruling Wednesday that will allow this summer’s Southeast Alaska troll chinook salmon fishery to open as scheduled July 1 — reversing a lower court ruling that would have kept the $85 million industry off the water.
“It’s a major victory,” Alaska Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang said in a brief phone interview Wednesday. “We can go fishing.”
The panel, in a five-page ruling, said that the entities defending the fishery — the Alaska Trollers Association, the state of Alaska and the National Marine Fisheries Service — met the legal standard required to grant what’s known as a “stay” of the lower court ruling.
The decision, the panel said, was based on the likelihood that those entities could show that “the certain and substantial impacts” of closing the harvest on the Alaska salmon fishing industry outweigh the “speculative environmental threats” posed by allowing the fishery to take place.
The Washington-based environmental group that sued in an effort to shut down the harvest, the Wild Fish Conservancy, argued that allowing the fishery to continue would harm a population of 73 endangered orca whales that live off the coast of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.
The “Southern Resident” orcas depend on chinook salmon for most of their diet.
This is a breaking news story — check back for updates.
I am an alaskan resident commercial troller and have been for over 3 decades. This bogus lawsuit from WILD FISH CONSERVANCY was all based on false information and I find it hard to believe a judge (Richard Jones) fell for it? He must be part of the conservancy! My income is stolen from me on a daily basis from killer whales here in southeast alaska. For the state of Washington to blame their orca problem on Alaska trollers ia a flat out denial of responsibility! The Puget Sound is a filthy cesspool of lord knows what? I am quite affended that a conservation group refuses to accept some responsibility for their own problem yet blames it on us? Take a look in the mirror wild fish conservancy! Your lawsuit said 97% of my kingsalmon catch are from the lower 48? Not even 3% of my kings are from your waters! We should be able to file a lawsuit against your organization for making up lies! You want to see a thriving killer whale population? Come on up to Southeast Alaska! They eat my paycheck on a daily basis! Your whales are struggling because your waters are filthy and your fisheries are mismanaged and have been for decades! Its time you stop blaming other people for your failures! Accept some responsibility and be aware your methods are failing your orca population. Not me and my brothers for over fishing kingsalmon! You have to admit you have a problem before you can fix it! Nice try though! You almost pulled it off! I am glad the upper courts shut your silly lawsuit down! Why dont you do something for your orca population with all that money instead of blaming other people for your problems!
Thanks for reporting on this Nat