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The Alaska Department of Fish and Game—Division of Sport Fish, is accepting public comment from now through January 31, 2023 on its 2023 Statewide Stocking Plan for Sport Fisheries. The Division, with assistance from private nonprofit hatchery operators, plans to release approximately seven million fish annually into the waters of Alaska over the next five years to benefit anglers. The plan outlines the locations, numbers, and size or life stage for each species of fish that are planned for stocking. “Public input is important to the Div...
January Petersburg experienced record snowfall on New Year's Day with 17.5 inches of new snow on the day, bringing the total snow depth to 40 inches according to the National Weather Service. The Petersburg Borough Assembly passed a resolution requesting a discussion with the U.S. Postal Service about providing additional services in Petersburg following continued issues with staffing, irregular hours, and long lines. All-purpose vehicles became legal to drive on roads in Alaska, including in...
Less than five years ago, prospects appeared bright for Bering Sea crab fishers. Stocks were abundant and healthy, federal biologists said, and prices were near all-time highs. Now two dominant crab harvests have been canceled for lack of fish. For the first time, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in October canceled the 2022-2023 harvest of Bering Sea snow crab, and it also announced the second consecutive year of closure for another important harvest, that of Bristol Bay red king crab. What has happened between then and now? A sustained... Full story
December 7 – An officer conducted a welfare check on Nordic Drive. An officer responded to a report of a disturbance on Sing Lee Alley and determined it was non-criminal. An officer spoke with an individual on South Nordic Drive about a civil issue. Officers responded to a report of gunshots in Middle Boat Harbor. An individual reported losing property on Howkan Street; it was later found by the owner. An officer responded to a minor vehicle accident on Haugen Drive. Petersburg Police Department (PPD) received a report of a stranded motorist a...
State and federal fishery managers are forecasting a commercial harvest of about 19 million pink salmon in 2023 in Southeast Alaska, which would be a “significant drop” from the parent-year harvest of 48.5 million pinks in 2021, according to this month’s announcement from the federal NOAA Fisheries and Alaska Department of Fish and Game. A 19-million fish harvest would be at the high end of the “weak” range (11 million to 19 million fish), according to the announcement, which added that a harvest of that size would be only about 39% of the av...
November 2, 2022 In the Petersburg District Court, Magistrate Judge Rachel Newport presided over an arraignment hearing for Kaddy Anthony Egen. The court entered a not guilty plea on the behalf of the defendant on charges of Driving while Under the Influence and 3 charges of Reckless Endangerment. The conditions of release for the defendant included release on his own recognizance, and requirement to obey all laws, appear at all hearings, maintain contact with attorney, Pre-trial Enforcement Division supervision, maintain contact with...
The 2022 Southeast Alaska salmon harvest is estimated to number 29.6 million fish, mostly comprised of 17.6 million wild stock pink salmon, according to Troy Thynes, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's regional management coordinator for commercial fisheries. Though the pink salmon harvest was only 53% of the recent 10-year average, it was above the preseason estimate of 16 million fish. "The pink salmon in Southeast have been on a strong odd year, even cycle for probably almost the past...
Gov. Mike Dunleavy has requested a federal disaster declaration and U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola has requested $250 million in relief funding after the failure of this year’s Bering Sea snow crab and Bristol Bay red king crab fisheries. Peltola asked Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and the chair of the House Appropriations Committee to include relief funding for crab fishermen and the crabbing industry in Congress’ year-end appropriation bill. Disaster relief funding could be available if Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo declares a fis... Full story
The wolf hunting and trapping season for Prince of Wales Island will be the same as last year — Nov. 15 to Dec. 15 — though a number of individuals who trap wolves in the area criticized the Alaska Department of Fish and Game last week for its wolf management decisions. The department announced the limited season last Friday, just two days after a teleconference to review with the public wolf population estimates and harvest levels. Several people described seeing more wolves than deer in the area, arguing that a longer season and higher harves...
The City Creek king salmon release site will close after a decision was made by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association (SSRAA). The decision to close the release site comes as a result of a combination of factors according to sources from the two organizations. The City Creek release site was a collaboration between Fish and Game and the SSRAA which utilized funding from the Pacific Salmon Treaty mitigation funds and saw its first... Full story
The RM038 moose hunt ended on Oct. 15 with 116 harvested during the season according to Hilary Wood of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Of the 116 harvest this year, 104 were legal while 12 were deemed illegal. The overall number of moose harvested is down 16 from the record 132 harvested in the 2021 season and is just under the previous five-year average of 119.6. This year Kupreanof Island was again the most successful area for hunters by far with 41 legal moose harvested, though it...
October 27, 1922 – The steam boiler in the Knutsen Brothers Sawmill at the mouth of Petersburg Creek, across Wrangell Narrows from town, exploded at ten minutes past six o’clock Thursday night. No one was hurt in the accident as the Knutsens were in the house just finishing their evening meal. The boiler and fire room, the dry kiln and one lumber shed were wrecked, most of the windows in the big residence house were blown out and lumber, bricks, rocks, iron roofing, and bits of the boiler were scattered for hundreds of yards in every dir...
SEATTLE (AP) — Alaska officials have canceled the fall Bristol Bay red king crab harvest, and for the first time, have also scrapped the winter harvest of smaller snow crab. The move is a double whammy to a fleet from Alaska, Washington and Oregon chasing Bering Sea crab in harvests that in 2016 grossed $280 million, The Seattle Times reported. The closures reflect conservation concerns about both crab species following bleak summer populations surveys. The decisions to shut down the snow crab and fall king crab harvests came after days of d...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is soliciting bids to conduct a test fishery harvesting food and bait herring with purse seine gear in Sitka Sound during fall and winter of 2022/23. The Request for Quotation (RFQ) format for this test fishery will be done in tons of herring. The department is seeking to generate $30,000 from a herring food and bait test fishery in Sitka Sound. The quote must be based on tons of herring to reach that dollar amount. The party that quotes the lowest amount of herring in tons will be awarded the...
The RM038 moose hunt is staying on a steady pace with 77 moose harvested as of Oct. 5 according to Hilary Wood of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Of the 77 harvested, 70 were legal while 7 were determined to be illegal moose. The total number of moose taken is just behind the 81 harvested at this time last year. Hunters have seen by far the most success on Kupreanof Island which has recorded 34 legal moose. The Stikine River and Kuiu Island are currently tied for second in the legal moos...
At a forum on fishery issues held in the seaport town of Kodiak, two of the leading gubernatorial contenders spent time focusing on a man who was not there: incumbent Gov. Mike Dunleavy. After about an hour of in-depth discussions of fishery issues that included climate change and its effects in the oceans, the role of hatchery fish in the ecosystem and economy, the infrastructure and workforce development needs of the fishing industry and state fiscal policies, former state Rep. Les Gara and former Gov. Bill Walker turned their fire directly... Full story
If you have been putting off making room in your freezer, now may be the time to do so. The RM038 moose hunting season opened last Thursday and will last until Oct. 15. The hunt encompasses Units 1B, 3, and a portion of 1C located south of Point Hobart. Areas include Kuiu, Kupreanof, Mitkof, and Wrangell Islands, the Stikine River, and Farragut Bay among others. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, a legal moose is defined as a bull moose with a spike or forked antler, or a...
Cindi Lagoudakis What is your age? 68 What experience do you have? I have served as Assembly Member and as Mayor, and am a current member of the Hospital Board. Why do you seek public office? I see being involved as a responsibility, and one that I enjoy. Do you support the construction of a new Petersburg Medical Center building? Yes, for multiple reasons. Having seen some of the building issues firsthand, I do support construction of a new hospital building. The staff have been making a good...
PETERSBURG – The Etolin Island Area - Unit 3, as described in Alaska Department of Fish & Game hunting regulations, is closed to the harvest of elk under the new Federal General Elk Permit (FE1234). The permit conditions allow for the harvest of one elk from Units 1, 2, 3-Remainder, and 4, excluding Zarembo, Bushy, Shrubby, and Kashevarof Islands and the Etolin Island Area in Unit 3. Successful harvesters are required to bring the complete skull, including the lower jaw, to a local USDA Forest Service office within 48 hours of harvest. R...
Haines — While thousands danced and dined at the Southeast Alaska State Fair last month, Drew Robertson of Sedalia, Colorado was rescuing a half dozen local puppies that might be part wolf. The state suspects at least 10 dogs born at 35 Mile Haines Highway in February could be wolf hybrids, which are illegal to breed or possess in Alaska. The owner of the litter — “Seandog” Brownell — said he suspects the mother, Inja, a lab, could’ve mated with a wild wolf last December on or near his property. Robertson, who runs an organization with wolfdo...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced last Thursday that the commercial Dungeness crab fall season in Southeast Alaska will have a normal length. The length of the fall season was determined after an analysis revealed that an above-average proportion of male legal-sized soft-shelled Dungeness crabs discarded in the first week of the summer season contributed to the full season harvest projection failing to meet the management plan threshold according to Region I Lead Shellfish...
Bear sightings are continuing to rise as they frequent the streets of Petersburg in search of garbage. In response, Petersburg Police Department Chief Jim Kerr spoke during Monday's Petersburg Borough Assembly meeting on the threat bears pose and actions the police department has taken to reduce their presence. "To try and get the bear issue to drop before school starts we started issuing citations enforcing the new garbage ordinance," Kerr said. The ordinance, which was approved by the...
Applications are due by Oct. 31 for more than $39 million in the second round of federal relief funds for those in Alaska’s fishing industry who incurred a greater than 35% income loss in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state was involved in deciding the allocation of the federal aid between different fishing interests in Alaska. The money is Alaska’s share of $255 million in grants being distributed nationwide to help the fishing industry recover from income losses suffered during the worst of the pandemic. The first rou...
August 2 – A citizen reported that a bear is returning regularly to the area around 7th and Kiseno Streets looking for garbage. The Alaska Wildlife Trooper (AWT) and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) were notified. An officer conducted a welfare check on Chief John Lott Street and found the individual of concern was okay. A fire alarm on Harbor Way activated. Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD) responded and found all to be okay. An officer spotted a bear in the area of South 2nd Street eating trash. An officer assisted a c...
SITKA (AP) — A bear going through trash has been killed by authorities in Sitka, a community that experienced a record number of bear incidents last year. The weekend shooting of the male brown bear by Sitka police was the first bear shooting this year in the southeast Alaska city, the Daily Sitka Sentinel reported. Last year, 14 bears were killed in and around Sitka, which the newspaper reports was a record for the community. Steve Bethune, a wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said four shots were fired, at l...
