Commercial fishermen pick up tab for hatchery salmon in Alaska

Commercial fishermen pick up the tab for just about anyone who catches a salmon in Alaska that started its life in a hatchery.

That was a finding that wended its way to the surface during a hearing last week of the House Fisheries Committee on the state’s hatchery program. The program began in the mid-1970s to enhance Alaska’s wild salmon runs.

Unlike meetings that are top heavy with fishery stakeholders, most of the committee members are not deeply familiar with many industry inner workings and their interest was evident.

“Who funds the hatchery programs?” asked Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (...