Suzanna Caldwell | Jun 21, 2012

Appeal to the governor

Myron Naneng, president of the Association of Village Council Presidents, met with Gov. Sean Parnell on Tuesday and asked him to declare a disaster over the lack of kings available in the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers.

State biologists predicted 197,000 kings will return to the Kuskokwim this year, well below the average run of 260,000. According to the state, the Kuskokwim is the largest subsistence salmon fishery in Alaska.

The state hasn't acted yet, saying it needs more time to see how the runs develop.

But for Naneng, time is running out. The fish are running and this is the prime time to collect and dry salmon. He doesn't think the state is listening to the people of the area who have fished there for generations.

"I'm not going to tell you not to go fishing because you need the food," he said. "The state and the feds are not going to feed you."