JUNEAU – Last Friday, Governor Mike Dunleavy introduced House Bill 111 to reverse Alaska’s absolute ban on fish farms. As Chair and Vice-Chair of the House Committee on Fisheries, Representative Louise Stutes (R-Kodiak) and Speaker Bryce Edgmon (I-Dillingham) released the following statement: 

“Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, our coastal communities, and fishing families across the state are suffering through historically poor market conditions, inconsistent returns, and unfair trade practices.

Make no mistake, the industry will recover; however, lifting a ban on freshwater finfish farming sends the wrong signal, at the wrong time. It also erodes the spirit of the current ban and provides a foot in the door for possible salmon farming in Alaska.

We need to be focusing on solutions for our fisheries that positively impact our industry, market conditions, and the bottom line for our fishermen, not legislation that distracts from that.” 

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