Daily Sitka Sentinel

Hearing Here Tonight on Baranof Hatchery

By Sentinel Staff
    The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will take public comment tonight on a private nonprofit hatchery permit application to build and operate a hatchery at Baranof Warm Springs.
    The hearing is scheduled 6-8 p.m. at Harrigan Centennial Hall.

A map shows the location of the proposed Baranof Warm Springs hatchery. (Image from www.adfg.alaska.gov)

    Juneau resident Dale Young filed for the permit last October on behalf of the Sustainable Salmon Institute, a nonprofit he founded with other members of his family.
    “The goal of the Sustainable Salmon Institute is to build and operate a ‘state of the art’ salmon enhancement and research facility at Baranof Warm Springs in three phases,” Young said in his application. “This facility will help address production capacity limitations of other facilities, improve common property salmon fisheries for pink, chum and coho, and especially those focused on Chinook. SSI aspires to achieve a variety of conservation objectives while making significant economic contributions to the region.”
    He said the plan is to use brood stock from other hatcheries and rivers for the program.
    The facility “will eventually contribute approximately 1,080,000 pinks, 1,080,000 chums, 840,000 coho and 60,000 Chinook salmon to the common property fisheries of Alaska,” the application says. “These enhancement salmon are projected to provide a stable, long-term increase to the Alaskan economy. The project will create an estimated 40 permanent jobs, 55 seasonal jobs and support many additional regional jobs throughout Southeast Alaska.”
    The application says the facility should be economic to operate because of existing hydroelectric and geothermal potential at the site on the east side of Baranof Island.
    His plans call for extending Phase 1 pipelines into Baranof Lake, and he has applied for water rights to operate the facility. He plans to start building this spring, with incubation and fish rearing to start in 2020, according to the application.
    Young applied for a similar permit in 2012, which was opposed by Baranof Warm Springs property owners.
    Property owners and other users of Warm Springs Bay have already expressed opposition to this application as well.
    Dan Evans of Sitka, who has property at Baranof, wrote a letter to the editor of the Sentinel on Feb. 21 expressing opposition.
    “The implication of this project are far-reaching and if executed it would transform this peaceful bay into a congested, industrial hub,” he said. “ ... As lake and river levels invariably drop with winter months the increased water demands from the hatchery would jeopardize trout populations in the river, possibly causing their destruction. Residents could lose the cold water supply to their cabins.”
    Another Sitka resident, Barb Morse, also expressed her opposition in the Sentinel.
    “The proposed Baranof hatchery would be smack in the middle of the bay at BWS and will transform the bay into an industrial zone,” she said in a Feb. 16 letter to the editor. She said it would have a “devastating effect on recreational uses: boating, use of the hot springs, hiking and especially the use of Baranof Lake.”
    Jim Brennan, who is retired and plans to spend five months a year at Baranof, also plans to testify against the hatchery.
    “It would ruin a place we and others love,” he said this afternoon. “It would threaten the cutthroat trout fishery, and it would make a zoo out of Baranof Warm Springs by attracting hoards of bears and make it dangerous to walk up the walk. That’s a big issue.”
    Steve Reifenstuhl, director of the Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association, commented today: “Baranof Warm Springs may be a good place for a hatchery but not this person nor this proposal.”
    Copies of the permit application and draft basic management plan will be available at the meeting or may be obtained from Lorraine Vercessi at ADF&G, Division of Commercial Fisheries/PNP Hatchery Program, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811, or by calling (907) 465-6423. She is also available by email at lorraine.vercessi@alaska.gov. Written comments will be accepted through March 10.