Kenai’s City Council on Wednesday accepted relief funds from a pair of fishery disasters that were first recognized and allocated in 2022.
During their regular meeting on Dec. 4, the council adopted by unanimous consent two resolutions accepting around $67,000 in disaster relief funds for the 2018 east side set gillnet and 2020 Upper Cook Inlet salmon disasters and $11,000 for the 2018 and 2020 Copper River and Prince William Sound salmon disasters.
Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel said during the meeting that the city had passed a resolution in support of the disaster declaration at the request of the Kenai Peninsula Fishermen’s Association. Gabriel credited their efforts in securing the fundings — especially Ken Coleman, who died earlier this year.
“A lot of his leadership went into this,” Gabriel said. “I wanted to note the work that he did on this and the benefit to the City of Kenai.”
The disasters were requested in 2021 by Gov. Mike Dunleavy and recognized in 2022 by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. In September, Alaska’s congressional delegation announced that funding had been delayed by technical issues at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — with new funding secured from the Department of Commerce to begin disbursement.
Disaster funds, per spend plans developed by the State Department of Fish and Game for each disaster, distribute funds in different amounts to harvesters, processors, research and communities. Kenai’s share for the 2018 and 2020 disasters comes from a pool of $9.4 million for Upper Cook Inlet and $34 million for Copper River and Prince William Sound.
Disasters have also been recognized for the 2021 and 2022 Upper Cook Inlet east side setnet salmon fisheries and the 2023 Upper Cook Inlet east side setnet salmon fishery. A spend plan for $11.5 million allocated to the 2021 and 2022 disasters was approved in October and forwarded to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to begin distribution. Funds have not yet been allocated for 2023.
A full recording of the meeting can be found at “City of Kenai – Public Meetings” on YouTube.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
