Federal fishery disaster relief of $99M headed to Alaska after years of waiting

The U.S. Department of Commerce allocated roughly $99 million for three Alaska fishery disasters spanning 2022 to 2024, senators announced June 18. Payments cannot move until NOAA Fisheries, the State of Alaska, and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission finish developing a plan for distributing the funds.

The Bering Sea snow crab fishery received the largest share at $75,186,338, covering the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The 2022 Chignik salmon disaster received $18,489,100. The 2023 Upper Cook Inlet setnet sockeye salmon disaster received $5,750,019.

What Comes Next

NOAA Fisheries must now work with the State of Alaska and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to develop a spend plan before any money reaches fishermen, crews, or processors. No deadline for completing that plan has been announced. The three fisheries identified for relief are the Bering Sea snow crab, Chignik salmon, and Upper Cook Inlet East Side Setnet salmon fisheries.

Senate Response

Sen. Lisa Murkowski framed the allocation as progress, not a finish line.

"This is one step in the process, but one step closer to ensuring fishermen, their crews, seafood processors, and communities impacted by these fishery disasters receive the funding they need."

Sen. Dan Sullivan pointed to the breadth of the harm.

"Alaska's subsistence harvesters, commercial fishermen, and fishing communities have endured a series of fishery disasters and stock collapses beyond their control, threatening livelihoods and entire coastal economies."

Sullivan added: "I have been pushing to resolve these disaster declarations and get this relief into the hands of Alaskans who need it."