May 5, 2023 — U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola condemned a ruling by the U.S. District Court in Seattle, Washington in favor of a lawsuit filed by Wild Fish Conservancy (WFC) that will effectively shut down a Southeast Alaska small boat troll salmon fishery.
WFC argued that the Southeast Alaska salmon harvest is a primary contributor to the population decline of Southern resident killer whales hundreds of miles to the south in Puget Sound.
On Mar. 6, the Alaska congressional delegation filed an amicus brief supporting Southeast Alaska troll fishermen with the District Court.