What: Community forum with Rep. Louise Stutes, Alaska legislators and Walker administration representatives, hosted by the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce

When: Thursday, Aug. 24, 6 – 8 p.m.

Where: Kodiak Island Convention Center, 211 Rezanof Dr. W., and streamed via Facebook Live

Who: The community forum will be led by House Fisheries Committee Chair Rep. Louise Stutes. Also in attendance will be Reps. Bryce Edgmon, Zach Fansler, Chuck Kopp, Dan Ortiz, Geran Tarr and Adam Wool along with President of Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, Keith Meyer, Director of the Office of Management and Budget Contracts, Pat Pitney, and the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, John Hozey

Why: With the 2018 legislative session still a few months away, Rep. Stutes is gathering Alaska lawmakers in Kodiak to assess key issues for her constituents and Alaskans as a whole. The community forum will give residents an opportunity to voice concerns on a wide range of topics, including the balance of responsible development with wild salmon habitat protection.

As chair of the House Fisheries Committee, Rep. Stutes introduced House Bill 199, “The Wild Salmon Legacy Act,” to the Legislature last year. HB 199 responds to a recommendation from the Alaska Board of Fish and is supported by Stand for Salmon, a coalition of interests based around fishing, as well as thousands of Alaskans who have applauded Rep. Stute’s work and argued that it is time for one of Alaska’s oldest laws to receive updates after nearly 60 years in order to better protect wild salmon for future generations.

The health of the state’s wild salmon populations is a key concern in Kodiak, one of the state’s largest fishing communities. In 2015, the ex-vessel value to fishermen from salmon fishing in the area was $3.2 million, with commercial fishing and processing accounting for 55 percent of the private sector workforce.

Stand for Salmon is a diverse group of Alaska-based individuals, businesses and organizations united in taking immediate steps to ensure that Alaska remains the nation’s salmon state for generations to come. Learn more at www.standforsalmon.org.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]

  convention center, development, fisheries, gasline, Kodiak, lawmakers, salmon, state