by Kayla Desroches, KMXT - Kodiak
Posted: Monday, March 19, 2018 at 3:24PM EDT
Gov. Bill Walker and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott signed a letter last week asking the federal government to declare the 2018 Pacific cod fishery in the Gulf of Alaska a disaster. If the fishery is declared a federal disaster, it’s eligible for relief funds, although where the money would go is unclear at this point in the process.
Last year, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council decided to decrease the 2018 Pacific cod quota in the Gulf by 80 percent in response to a decline in stock. Fishing communities geared up for long-term consequences.
The Kodiak Island Borough and City of Kodiak were among those to send a letter of support for a disaster declaration at a state level.
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