Legislature approves commercial fishing task force

The Alaska Legislature has approved creating a task force to make policy recommendations to help the beleaguered commercial fishing industry.

The Senate unanimously approved the resolution on Sunday, May 12, to establish the task force. There was only one no vote in the House, from Wasilla Rep. David Eastman.

The task force is modeled off another legislative task force created more than 20 years ago to help the salmon industry. At the time, salmon fishermen were struggling with the pain of low prices and competition with farmed salmon.

Alaska’s commercial fishing sector has recently struggled...