Alaska Attorney General Refuses to Defend Board of Fisheries, Colludes with Area M and voids BOF regulations intended to protect Western Alaska salmon
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Download PDF here
May 21, 2026
Yesterday, the State Attorney General announced its action to void a set of February 2026 Alaska Board of Fisheries’ regulations to restrict the Area M fishery.
On April 3, 2026, Area M commercial fishing groups and the Aleutian East Borough filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify fishing restrictions adopted in February by the Board of Fisheries - alleging BOF members had undisclosed conflicts of interest. The regulations were a result of years of advocacy from communities across the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Bristol Bay, and Arctic regions who have experienced devastating salmon collapses.
“We strongly condemn Alaska’s Acting State Attorney General's decision to void duly adopted Alaska Board of Fisheries (BOF) regulations restricting Area M chum and Chinook salmon harvest - without publicly presenting evidence, legal findings, or allowing the court process to play out,” said Martin Andrew, Chair, Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.
“Our people are still suffering from the prolonged humanitarian crisis of the salmon crash. The momentum has been interrupted, and with this action, the window of hope is further diminishing. We have stood up for our region, but even so our efforts get silenced. The reality is, our rivers have no salmon - where does our region turn to now, to address these systemic inequities?” stated Vivian Korthuis, CEO of Association of Village Council Presidents.
“The restrictions represented the first meaningful reductions on Area M interceptions in more than two decades and were intended to return more salmon to Western Alaska river systems suffering from prolonged subsistence closures and fishery disasters, such as the failure to fulfill Yukon River treaty obligations to Canada,” said Charlie Wright, Chair, Yukon River Inter Tribal Fish Commission.
Last week Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association (BSFA) filed a motion to intervene in the case, arguing that the Attorney General and their client ADFG was in collusion with Area M commercial fishing groups and that the Attorney General would not adequately represent the BOF or BSFA’s interests in actions to help protect Western Alaska salmon stocks migrating through Area M.
In response to the lawsuit by Area M commercial fishing groups, Attorney General had to choose whether to defend the BOF or to abandon the BOF and take action to support ADFG’s position.
“Without awaiting the outcome of this litigation or providing legitimate justification, the AG’s office voided the BOF regulations, giving the Area M commercial fishing groups everything they asked for. By voiding the regulations and trying to dismiss the case, the Attorney General and ADF&G hopes that a court never gets to hear BSFA’s concerns or gets to weigh in on whether any board members had a conflict of interest that prevented them from voting,” Karen Gillis, Executive Director, Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association.
Alaskans deserve transparency, due process, and a fisheries management system that works for all Alaskans - not just the most politically powerful interests. This action by the acting Attorney general should be an alarm bell to all Alaskans who care about our fisheries. It represents a gross consolidation of power in which allocative decisions based on political interests were made over the sustainability of Western Alaska salmon. If allowed to stand, this action will be a unilateral change to fisheries management.
This action by the AG confirms that they cannot represent the BOF and that the judge must keep the case alive and allow BSFA, and possibly other affected groups, to continue to defend the regulations that were intended to put more fish in western Alaska rivers.
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞
The Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (KRITFC)is a 501(c)3 non-profit that works to support the interests of the 33 Federally recognized Tribes of the Kuskokwim River watershed in fisheries management, research, and monitoring. Our gravel-to-gravel approach to salmon stewardship is guided by Alaska Native knowledge and values as well as the best available Western science.
The Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP) is a regional non-profit tribal consortium comprising 56 federally recognized tribes of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. AVCP’s region is approximately 55,000 square miles, with a population of 27,000 residing in 48 communities along the Yukon River, Kuskokwim River, and Bering Sea coast. The residents of the region are primarily Yup’ik, Cup’ik, and Athabascan. AVCP is dedicated to supporting the interests of its member tribes, including through community development, education, social services, culturally relevant programs, and advocacy. AVCP promotes self-determination and protection and enhancement of cultural and traditional values. As part of its mission, AVCP has long been committed to advocating for the protection of the Bering Sea and its resources.
The Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (YRITFC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization charged with representing 44 member Tribal Governments and First Nations of the Yukon River watershed in fisheries management. Founded on Tribal unity, the YRITFC works across jurisdictional and geographic boundaries to maintain our traditional way of life, to protect the health and well-being of all those who rely upon the health of the fish, and ensure wild salmon for generations to come. The YRITFC weaves time-tested Indigenous knowledge and stewardship techniques with the best available Western science to promote a real gravel-to-gravel approach to rebuilding our stocks and in our pursuit of establishing co-management on the Yukon River.
Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association (BSFA). Since 1979, BSFA has worked to support healthy and vibrant fishing communities by fostering greater social, financial, and political capacity to access, sustainably develop and protect fisheries in the Bristol Bay, Arctic, Yukon and Kuskokwim (BBAYK) regions of Alaska. BSFA is committed to the sustainable management of Alaska’s resources and serves as a steward of the extraordinary ways of life and cultures of Alaskans. We work to strengthen local communities, support long-term ecological integrity, and stimulate robust economies. BSFA serves 128 communities in the BBAYK regions of Alaska where commercial fisheries and the ocean ecosystem are vital to the economic and cultural fabric of our lives.