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Assembly backs disaster declaration for Upper Cook Inlet East Side set-net fishery
Summary
The Kenai Peninsula Borough assembly unanimously approved a resolution asking the governor to designate the Upper Cook Inlet East Side set-net fishery as an economic disaster area for 2025, citing severe declines in set-net catch and limited federal/state relief.
Mayor Bill Michicky urged the assembly to pass a resolution asking the governor to designate the Upper Cook Inlet East Side set-net fishery an area impacted by an economic disaster in 2025 and to support a recovery plan.
The measure, introduced as Resolution 20 20 6-003, was described by the mayor as aimed at protecting "friends, neighbors, in some cases, relatives" on the Kenai Peninsula who rely on the fishery for income. The mayor said the request includes seeking a formal proclamation and related relief.
Assembly members asked for more detail about the scale of the losses. An assembly member quoted numbers from the supporting memo showing commercial dip-net harvest with an ex-vessel value of a little over $1,200,000 for 2025 and set-net harvest of about $420,000. Mayor Michicky and staff said those figures were supplied by the Board of Fish and confirmed they were correct, noting dip-net openings produced a strong peak while set-net openings occurred late in the season when catchability was low. "So those numbers are correct," the mayor said.
Members pressed for how many families and fishers were affected. President Khamzat recalled roughly 750 permits in Upper Cook Inlet and about 420 east-side permits, with each permit typically operating about three nets. Speakers emphasized that the economic pain extends beyond individual fishers to local businesses such as dealerships, restaurants and gear suppliers.
The mayor characterized federal/state declaration payments as modest emergency relief rather than full compensation, saying in prior years declaration payments ranged from about "3 to 4 or $5,000" per eligible claimant. He added those payments "might get some folks through the winter" but are "nowhere close" to replacing typical annual income for many fishers.
After discussion and multiple members volunteering to cosponsor the resolution, the chair announced the resolution passed unanimously. The assembly added several cosponsors, including members participating remotely.
What happens next: the borough will transmit the resolution and supporting materials to the governor's office as part of a request for a state economic disaster proclamation; any relief programs that follow would likely require separate application procedures and are limited in scope compared with long-term recovery needs.
