Dillingham Mayor, Tribal Council Ask Governor To Close Bristol Bay Fishery

The potential to spread COVID-19 among Alaska fishing boats prompted a letter to Governor Mike Dunleavy in consideration of shutting down the Bristol Bay fishing season.

Here’s more from KTUU:

Both the city council and the tribal council had previously passed an emergency ordinance and declaration addressing the threat that the influx of thousands of seasonal workers poses to the community’s small healthcare infrastructure.

“We are all concerned with the influx of fishermen coming into our fishery here, into our area with our limited amount of health resources that we have at the Bay area,” First Chief Thomas Tilden, of the Curyung Tribal Council told Channel 2 Tuesday. 

Last month Gov. Mike Dunleavy included fishing and processing as essential businesses allowed to continue operating amid mandates from the state that required some businesses to close. Fishermen and processors from out of state have been required to submit a plan and travel declaration form to the state.

You can read the full letter here.