Ketchikan: Wolf sightings prompt warning for North End by Leila Kheiry, KRBD - Recent wolf sightings in Ketchikan’s North End area have prompted Alaska Department of Fish and Game to recommend that residents of that area keep a close eye on their pets, and secure any livestock. - Listen to or Read this KRBD article... www.krbd.org Photo of the Month Ketchikan: Cruise Ship Calendar for 2016 (pdf) - Courtesy Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska Ketchikan: Public Meetings Ketchikan: Upcoming Events Historical Ketchikan June Allen Dave Kiffer Louise B. Harrington Ketchikan Today's Forecast KTN Weather Extremes Ketchikan Weather Data Current Weather Alaska Ketchikan Tides & Currents Search the News Ketchikan Alaska Sitnews RSS widget

Ketchikan: Body found last week identified - The Ketchikan Police Department announced today that preliminary information received from the State of Alaska Medical Examiner's Officer has identified the human remains found last Tuesday, May 10th, under one of the fish processing plants at 1775 Tongass Avenue.

According to a news release, Deputy Police Chief Josh Dossett said the remains have been positively identified as Thomas Booth, age 35, through dental records. Booth was reported missing in January 2016 after leaving his home to go to Safeway. The last time the police can confirm that Booth was seen was the afternoon of January 2nd at Western Union where he picked up a money order.

There was no obvious signs of trauma to the body according to the information released by the Ketchikan Police Department. The Medical Examiner is still waiting for Booth's toxicology reports, which could take up to six weeks, before issuing their final report. - More...
Tuesday PM - May 17, 2016

Ketchikan: Northwest Revilla Island Project Open House - The Ketchikan-Misty Fiords Ranger District needs your help managing your forest and is inviting you to share your thoughts and ideas on what can be done within the Northwest Revillagigedo Island area. The goal is to build this project collaboratively with the community. Forest Service specialists have identified opportunities for stream restoration, wildlife habitat enhancement, recreation enhancement, road improvement, and timber harvest.

"This is your forest and we would like to hear your thoughts and ideas on what we can do to make your forest a better place," said Fish, Wildlife, Watershed, and Botany Staff Officer Jon Hyde. - More...
Tuesday AM - May 17, 2016

Southeast Alaska: Congressional Delegation Urges U.S. State Department Protections for Southeast Alaska Rivers - Alaska’s congressional delegation wrote to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry last Thursday urging greater federal engagement in the review of British Columbia (B.C.) mines near the headwaters of world-class rivers shared by the U.S. and Canada, mines that threaten salmon and a way of life for Alaskans.

More than ten large-scale open-pit hard rock mines in various stages of development in British Columbia threaten the transboundary Taku, Stikine and Unuk Rivers, which originate in B.C. and flow into Southeast Alaska. These rivers collectively support southeast Alaska’s traditional way of life and multi-billion-dollar fishing and tourism industries.

In the letter to Secretary Kerry, Alaska Senators Murkowski and Sullivan, and Representative Young request that Secretary Kerry “utilize all measures at your disposal to address this issue at the international level.”

“This powerful statement underscores that Alaskans, regardless of political party, want Secretary Kerry to address B.C. mining with Canadian officials so that clean water and healthy salmon runs will support our economy for generations to come,” said Heather Hardcastle, campaign director for Salmon Beyond Borders. “The danger we’re facing here in Alaska is real and was reconfirmed by the recent B.C. Auditor General’s warning. We urge Secretary Kerry to stand up for American jobs and seek International Joint Commission (IJC) involvement in this matter so Americans have a say in the protection of our resources shared by the U.S. and Canada.”

The congressional delegation letter comes following bilateral meetings last month between the U.S. and Canada, and a recent scathing report about provincial mining compliance and enforcement from the B.C. Auditor General. Nearly 20,000 letters requesting IJC involvement were delivered to Secretary Kerry signed by Americans supportive of strong protections for salmon and jobs of Southeast Alaska. The diversity of support on this matter, including Alaska Tribes, commercial fishermen, anglers and hunters, business owners, municipal leaders and outdoor enthusiasts demonstrate the strong and united desire for the U.S. to establish enforceable protections with Canada to protect the jobs and economies that depend on this rugged transboundary region. - More...
Tuesday AM - May 17, 2016

Fish Factor: Optimism for Alaska's salmon season By LAINE WELCH - Alaska’s salmon season has gotten underway with lots of optimism, a far cry from the bleak feelings of a year ago.

Last year’s fishery was blown asunder by a perfect storm of depressed currencies, salmon backlogs and global markets awash with farmed fish. Prices to fishermen fell by nearly 41 percent between 2013 and 2015, years which produced the two largest Alaska salmon harvest volumes on record.

But in the past six months, those trends have turned around.

“Based on current market conditions and harvest expectations, it appears probable that prices will begin improving in 2016 and there is an excellent chance total ex-vessel (dockside) value will rebound in 2017,” heralds the Salmon Market Information Service just released by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. The user-friendly reports include a salmon industry analysis, harvest and forecast summaries, salmon market overviews and Alaska seafood exports.

One of the biggest turn arounds this year is with global currencies.

“Going into last year the dollar was getting stronger against our major customers and competitors. That makes our salmon more expensive to foreign buyers and the competing imports less expensive,” said Andy Wink, a fisheries economist with the McDowell Group.

That trend has reversed and the dollar has weakened against other currencies, notably with the Euro (slightly) and the Japanese Yen, which has strengthened about 13 percent from a year ago.

“That will make our products less expensive to those two key Alaska salmon markets,” Wink said.

Another positive turnaround is with salmon supplies. - More...
Tuesday AM - May 17, 2016

Alaska: Alaska House Passes Legislation to Roll-Back Many Unsustainable Oil Industry Subsidies - The Alaska House of Representatives on Friday approved House Bill 247 to significantly reform Alaska’s unsustainable oil tax credit subsidy system. The members of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition (AIDC) cautiously supported the legislation after participating in a bipartisan effort to amend the bill to dramatically increase savings and fix flaws included in previous versions of the bill.

“The current system of paying hundreds of millions of dollars a year to the oil industry through tax credits and other subsidies is contributing to Alaska’s fiscal crisis and must be fixed,” said AIDC Leader Rep. Chris Tuck (D-Anchorage). “There is still a lot of work to do to ensure Alaskans receive a fair share from our shared oil resource, but true leadership demands compromise, and that’s exactly what we have done with this bill. It’s not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction towards protecting our economy.”

“I am not prepared to cast a vote to take money out of the pockets of individual Alaskans through taxes or a cut to Permanent Fund Dividends while we subsidize big oil to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars a year into the foreseeable future,” said Rep. Dan Ortiz (I-Ketchikan). “Today’s bipartisan amendment to HB 247 made this a bill I could support because it ends many of the unsustainable subsidies to the oil industry that are making the fiscal crisis worse. It is my hope that HB 247 becomes the cornerstone of a broader fiscal plan that will right our fiscal ship and put Alaska on a prosperous path into the future.” - More....
Tuesday AM - May 17, 2016

Alaska: 75th Anniversary of Alaska State Troopers; Senators Honor Heroes of the Last Frontier - The U.S. Senate passed a resolution, introduced by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Alaska State Troopers and honoring the “first responders of the last frontier” and their families for their service and sacrifice. In 1941, the 15th Territorial Legislature established the Alaska Highway Patrol, an organization created for the sole purpose of enforcing the traffic code in the territory. That organization grew and evolved into what we know today as the Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, and Village Public Safety Officers.

“I cannot think of a more appropriate time to honor the loyalty, integrity, and courage of the Alaska State Troopers than the eve of National Police Week. Our troopers face huge challenges policing Alaska’s vast geography, and we are fortunate that their skill and determination rise to that challenge,” said Senator Murkowski. “On behalf of a grateful state, I thank the Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, and Village Public Safety Officers for protecting the Last Frontier.” - More...
Tuesday AM - May 17, 2016