ADF&G Lauds Secretary of Commerce Determination of Alaska Fisheries Eligible for Disaster Relief
— ADF&G Press Release

Doug Vincent-Lang, Commissioner
P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, Alaska 99811-5526

Press Release: January 21, 2022

CONTACT: ADF&G Deputy Commissioner Rachel Baker 907-465-4115, rachel.baker@alaska.gov

ADF&G Lauds Secretary of Commerce Determination of Alaska Fisheries Eligible for Disaster Relief

(Juneau, AK) — The Alaska Department of Fish and Game was informed today that, in response to the Governor Dunleavy's request, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo found that the following Alaska Fisheries met the requirements for a fishery disaster determination.

  • 2018 Upper Cook Inlet East Side Set Net and 2020 Upper Cook Inlet salmon fisheries
  • 2018 Copper River Chinook and sockeye salmon fisheries, 2020 Prince William Sound salmon fisheries, and 2020 Copper River Chinook, sockeye, and chum salmon fisheries
  • 2019/2020 Eastern Bering Sea Tanner crab
  • 2020 Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska
  • 2020 Alaska Norton Sound, Yukon River, Chignik, Kuskokwim River, and Southeast Alaska Salmon Fisheries 
  • 2021 Yukon River salmon fishery

Positive determinations make these fisheries eligible for disaster assistance from NOAA. It does not provide funding or authorization for payments. The Secretary, working with NOAA Fisheries, evaluates each fishery disaster request based primarily on data submitted by the requesting state. A declared fishery disaster must meet specific requirements under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and/or the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act.

"This finding is the first step towards some sorely needed economic relief for many Alaskan fishers and fishery-related businesses and families." said ADF&G Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang. "We look forward to helping expedite this process wherever we can help, including working with our Congressional delegation to provide funding for these declared disasters."

This determination provides a basis for Congress to appropriate disaster relief funding. If Congress appropriates disaster relief funding for these fisheries, the State of Alaska will work with NOAA Fisheries and the affected stakeholders to develop a spending plan. The determination of the appropriate allocation of funds for these disasters will be decided once funding is provided. Impacted users will be involved in the development of spend plans.