The Kodiak City Council chose not to get involved in the politics of New England fisheries last week.
The body declined to write a letter about a new catch shares program in the New England area in a departure from the borough government’s position.
“We were unable to reach a consensus on the issue,” said Kodiak City Mayor Carolyn Floyd.
Kodiak City Council member John Whiddon opposed writing a letter Floyd said. Whiddon did not respond to phone calls requesting comment.
In recent weeks, the Kodiak-based Crewman’s Association leaned on the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly and the Kodiak City Council to write letters calling for a delay in the catch share program. The program launches Saturday and will affect multiple fish species.
Official letters from the Kodiak Island Borough, Aleutians East and King Cove went to a Congressional subcommittee hearing Thursday. Mayors of the New England communities of Gloucester and New Bedford also sent letters.
The letter from Kodiak Island Borough Mayor Jerome Selby did not go as far as to ask for delaying catch shares program. But Selby asked the subcommittee to treat the subject of catch shares with care. He also said Kodiak experienced “economic damage” from crab and ground fish catch share programs.
Read the complete story at The Kodiak Daily Mirror.