June 14, 2024 — The federal government declared another economic disaster for Cook Inlet’s east side set net fishery this week, the third in three years.
The U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo issued the disaster determination for the 2023 fishing season Monday, in response to a request from Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Dunleavy’s support came following advocacy from local governments and fishing groups.
Revenue in the Kenai Peninsula fishery has been declining for years, because of low harvests and a drop in sockeye value. During the 2023 season, set netters weren’t allowed to fish at all. The state closed the fishery before the season began because of concerns about low returns of king salmon, which sockeye fishers sometimes catch accidentally.