Setnetters along the Igushik River in Bristol Bay filed a civil lawsuit against defendants involved with the vessel "Lone Star" and its recovery operations for loss of fishing and property damages on Wednesday.

It was during the early morning hours of June 30th, that the 78-foot “Lone Star,” while at anchor, snagged its transducer and cooling system on its own anchor line, ripping those items from the hull and creating a hole in the vessel. The steel vessel capsized at its position in the river.

The vessel sunk in 18-foot of water in the river, leaking fuel from the Trident tender prompted Fish and Game to close down the season until the vessel could be removed and cleanup conducted. But, removal of the vessel turned out to be much more difficult then first imagined, and the season would stay closed for the rest of the season.

Alaska Chadux contracted and dispatched the “Brown Dog” to the location to mitigate the oil spill on July 5. On July 6th, the oil spill clean-up company was able to secure all doors, ports and vents, but was unable to clean up the oil in the water with their skimming equipment.

On July 7, another tender, the “Cape St. John” was dispatched to the setnetters in the area, gathered their catch, and traveled 12 miles off-shore and disposed of the salmon, all of which were thought to be contaminated.

An oil sheen encompassing more than two miles ensued after an estimated 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel escaped the vessel as the vessel remained in the river.

During the following months, different agencies attempted to dislodge the sunken tender from its resting place and fuel was pumped from the vessel.

Resolve Marine and Magone Marine removed the fuel from the vessel in July and attempted to lift the “Lone Star” in August but were unsuccessful in their first attempt. The salvage companies would make another attempt in September, this time utilizing urethane foam injected in the rear compartments to displace the water and a 450-ton crane aboard an Alabama barge.

On the last day of September, the vessel was finally ripped from the river mud at its position and moved toward shore. water and decomposed fish were disgorged from the vessel. Two weeks later, the vessel was in tow to Unalaska.

It was the shortened salmon season and the 35,000 pounds of dumped, decomposed salmon that was released from the vessel during salvage efforts that prompted setnetters in the area to file suit on Wednesday. The shortened season cut heavily into the income of the fishermen, and in addition, the dumped salmon that washed ashore in the area attracted bears to the area. The large influx of bears in the area spelled disaster for the fishing cabins and gear along the river. Bears tore into cabins and gear during their stay along the river.

The state confirmed what the setnetters said about the abundance of bears in the area, but state wildlife officials also said they could find no connection between the salvage operations and the larger than normal population in the area this fall.

The vessel’s owner, Charles Burrece, Trident Seafoods, which is the seafood processing company that contracted the “Lone Star” as its tender, Magone marine Service, its owner Dan Magone, and the Resolve marine Group, are listed as the defendants in the lawsuit.

Attorney for the plaintiffs, Myron Angstrom stated that

Because of the sinking of the “Lone Star,” Sockeye Salmon escapement goals were exceeded on the Igushik River this season due to reduced harvest.