Alaska’s commercial fishing sector is up in arms again over ongoing efforts to have the state’s Chinook salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a determination that could have massive impacts for the state’s fisheries.
Last year, Wild Fish Conservancy, a conservation group based out of Duvall, Washington, U.S.A., petitioned NOAA to list Alaskan Chinook salmon under the ESA, arguing that the once-abundant species had suffered chronic declines. An initial review by the agency found that ESA protections may be warranted; however, the government has yet to complete its review, completely missing its 12-month deadline for issuing a determination.
In February, Wild Fish Conservancy warned NOAA that it planned to sue over the missed deadline, and on 8 May, the conservation group followed through on that promise and filed suit.
“It should not take a lawsuit to make the federal government uphold its legal responsibility, but with the crisis facing Alaskan Chinook, we are out of time and options,” Wild Fish Conservancy Executive Director Emma Helverson said in a statement. “The Endangered Species Act sets clear deadlines for a reason – to evaluate the risk of extinction and trigger action while recovery is still possible. By ignoring those deadlines, NOAA isn’t just breaking the law, it’s perpetuating the collapse of Alaskan Chinook and threatening the ecosystems and communities that depend on them.”
This isn’t Wild Fish Conservancy’s first effort targeting Alaskan salmon fishing. In 2019, the group sued NOAA, arguing that regulators had not properly considered how the commercial salmon harvest impacted endangered orcas. The group achieved a partial victory in that case, forcing NOAA to rewrite a biological opinion and nearly closed down the commercial fishery. Ultimately, an appeals court allowed the fishery to continue while NOAA updated its documentation.
Like previous attempts to limit the state’s salmon fishing, the petition has sparked backlash from state fishing groups.
According to the Alaska Trollers Association, the petition and lawsuit is a ...
