FIRST BATCH – Sienna Reid, Kushxeet, with the Sitka Tribe of Alaska resource protection department, processes herring roe on branches this morning in front of the STA resource protection building on Katlian Street. The batch of eggs harvested in the Kasiana Islands area will be distributed to tribal elders. Also pictured are volunteer Paul Cook, left, and STA’s Matteo Masotti. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly gave final approval Tuesda [ ... ]
ANNA LAFFREY Sentinel Staff Writer Sitkans woke to warm sea air today as the [ ... ]
By ANNA LAFFREY Sentinel Staff Writer Sitka Tribe of Alaska Tribal Council is [ ... ]
GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
A jukebox musical that tells a comedic s [ ... ]
By CATHY LI Special to the Sentinel A variance reducing a side setback on Ind [ ... ]
By CORINNE SMITH Alaska Beacon Alaska foster youth are admitted to acute psyc [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS Alaska Beacon Members of the Alaska Legislature said this wee [ ... ]
Police received the following calls as of 8 a.m. today. March 26 At 11:10 a.m. a woman at the ferr [ ... ]
Wayne Taranoff Dies at Age 75 Wayne Taranoff, 75, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, M [ ... ]
SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
At a more than three-hour meeting Tuesd [ ... ]
ANNA LAFFREY Sentinel Staff Writer After indicating last week that all commer [ ... ]
GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
In competition with the best basketball [ ... ]
GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
In another round of City League volleyba [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS Alaska Beacon A federal judge in Anchorage has ruled in favor of Alaska’s state-o [ ... ]
Police Blotter Police received the following calls as of 8 a.m. today. March 25 Police received t [ ... ]
GARLAND KENNEDY and ANNA LAFFREY
Sentinel Staff Writers
Shorelines around town [ ... ]
SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly at tonight’s regular mee [ ... ]
SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
From costume designing to dancing, acti [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff A 65-year-old bicycle rider was injured late Monday morning [ ... ]
GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Competing in the state basketball tourna [ ... ]
GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Competing in more City League volleyball [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS Alaska Beacon The Alaska House of Representatives is asking t [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN Alaska Beacon The National Science Foundation has provided fu [ ... ]
Police received the following calls as of 8 a.m. today. March 24 A downtown resident reported a gi [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Young Fishermen’s Act Passes in Senate, House
The Young Fishermen’s Development Act passed Sunday in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.
The bipartisan bill, introduced by Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) in the Senate and Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) in the House, passed unanimously in both chambers of Congress and establishes the first ever national program to train, educate, and foster the next generation of commercial
fishermen.
The Young Fishermen’s Development Act was first proposed in 2015 by the Fishing Communities Coalition, a national advocacy group that represents more than 1,000 independent fishermen and business owners from Maine to Florida to California and Alaska, said Linda Behnken, executive director and the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. ALFA – a founding member of the Federal Communities Coalition – has, along with others, spent the last five years working with members of Congress to develop YFDA, which directs the National Sea Grant in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a Young Fishermen’s Development Grant Program to provide training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives for young fishermen.
“Young people entering our nation’s fisheries deserve support to succeed in this challenging but vital business,” Behnken said. “Commercial fishing demands a broad skillset to operate safely and successfully. We are thrilled by passage of the YFDA and grateful for the effective leadership provided by Alaska’s Congressional delegation in moving this Act through Congress.”
Even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Behnken said, new commercial fishing entrants faced many challenges, including high cost of entry, financial risks, and limited entry-level opportunities.
‘‘This year, those challenges have been amplified as the ongoing pandemic continues to devastate America’s commercial fishermen and fishing communities, and jeopardize our country’s food security and supply chains,’’ Behnken said.
She said the legislation (H.R. 1240, S. 496 ) will help mitigate the challenges facing the next generation of commercial fishermen and entrants into the fishing industry by supporting regional
training opportunities and apprenticeship programs. It’s modeled after similar agricultural programs, and will provide competitive grant funding and support for state, tribal, local, or regionally based networks or partnerships.
The YFDA will support programs such as ALFA’s crew apprentice program and Sitka Fishermen’s Expos.
“We look forward to expanding our Young Fishermen programs and
supporting other communities in launching similar initiatives.” Behnken added.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2005
The Department of Fish and Game called a co-op opening today to catch the 1,000 tons remaining in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. This year’s quota is 11,192 tons, with 51 permit holders taking part.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1975
Gov. Jay Hammond has named two Sitkans to state boards, Rep. Dick Eliason told the Sentinel from Juneau. August Andersen was appointed to the Alaska Board of Education, and Clint Buckmaster was named to the Alaska Board of Fish.
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