Shop with your supporters, meetings, transboundary

9 Oct

USAG. The season is officially over –hope it was a good one for you! As you need to buy stuff while putting your boat and gear away, please shop with our Business Members. They are awesome because they support you through USAG.

USAG’s Seattle Port Meeting, Sat., Oct. 28th, 10 a.m. at the Fisherman’s Terminal conference room.  Agenda  items:

  • Election of new USAG board member for the Puget Sound and lower 48 state seat
  • Upcoming Alaska  Board of Fish proposals for S.E. Alaska FinFish (Jan 11-23 in Sitka)
  • Current state of relations with the Seiners
  • USAG annual meeting in Ketchikan Nov 28; Gillnet Task Force Nov 29

Coffee and Doughnuts are on us so bring your ideas, issues, concerns to the meeting and help elect a new USAG board member. Port meetings are open to all gillnet permit holders, regardless of USAG membership status. To vote on the open Board seat or serve on the Board, you must be a current USAG member.

USAG Annual Meeting, Tues., Nov 28, Ketchikan, starts at 9 a.m. is open to all current members.

Gillnet Task Force, Wed., Nov 29 in Ketchikan. If you have agenda items let us know -they are due by Oct 31. We will be there representing you!

Transboundary. The Lt. Governor wrote this opinion piece in the Fairbanks newspaper saying he is supportive of this cause –still wish he’d put that in writing to the Secretary of State!

Helpful resolutions passed in Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg and Sitka to protect our transboundary waters from upstream harm.

Imperial Metals President Brian Kynoch hasn’t been able to pull Imperial out of its tailspin even with copper prices close to a three-year high. Production at the Red Chris [up the Stikine River] and Mount Polley mines has missed targets.

Fish and wildlife in Alaska’s major watersheds are threatened by six British Columbia mines close to the Alaska border, according to a new petition that asks U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to investigate the threat of acid-mine drainage, heavy metals pollution and the possibility of catastrophic dam failure originating in the Canadian province.

GE Salmon. Investigative ‘report’ on the latest with genetically engineered salmon. Luckily still cannot get it in the U.S.

It’s easy to renew your USAG dues or join! See a Board Member (list is here) or our website (here) or mail $300 to USAG, Box 2196, Petersburg, AK 99833. If you are a current USAG member,thank you!

-Cynthia Wallesz

Executive Director
United Southeast Alaska Gillnetters
PO Box 2196
Petersburg, AK 99833
(208) 995-7400 (cell)
ph: (253) 237-3099 Google Voice
https://www.akgillnet.org/
usag.alaska@gmail.com