Wrangell joins opposition to proposal to reduce egg take for salmon hatcheries

Among the 159 proposals to go before the state Board of Fisheries at its meeting in Ketchikan starting this week is one to reduce Southeast Alaska hatcheries’ chum and pink egg take by 25%. Supporters say it would help wild salmon stocks by reducing their competition with hatchery fish for food.

The Wrangell advisory committee to the Board of Fisheries “adamantly opposes” the proposal, said Chris Guggenbickler, committee chair.

“The hatcheries around here are pretty beneficial to everyone,” he said. “If we didn’t have them,” a lot of people in the fishing industry would suffer financially due...