Published: 5 hours agoIt’s the time of year again when the northern reaches of our state are starting the transition to winter, while the southern reaches of Alaska are just starting to feel the crispness of fall. It’s also the time of year when freezers and smoking racks across Alaska should be packed with a supply of salmon to last through the coming winter — serving as a vital source of protein for tens of thousands of Alaskans.
While there have always been ups, downs and even severe crashes in salmon runs, historically these sharp swings have been short-lived and limited to individual stocks. What’s particularly disturbing about this downturn in salmon production is just how widespread it is. The king salmon decline that started in the Yukon more than a decade ago has spread to virtually every large river system in Alaska, with some seeing returns of late that are less than 10 percent of historical averages.
This is where Rep. Mary Peltola has already set herself apart. In just two short years in Congress, Rep. Peltola has authored and submitted more legislation to substantively address one of the most direct threats to Alaska salmon — being caught as bycatch in large, “factory” trawl fisheries targeting other species — than the rest of our current political leaders have in their careers.
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