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Governor Walker’s administration has completed an agreement with the Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association (NSRAA) that will resurrect a closed and deteriorating hatchery at Gunnuk Creek in the community of Kake.  I applaud the Walker administration for working through the issues and finding a way to move forward with NSRAA and the City of Kake.  It will take an experienced and successful hatchery operator like NSRAA that is willing to invest millions of dollars to get Gunnuk Creek hatchery up and running.

When the hatchery is fully operational, it will benefit residents of the City of Kake, fishermen, NSRAA, and the State of Alaska with economic development and tax revenues.  It has been estimated with a steady return of chum salmon there will be 1.2 million fish produced annually, with a value of $4 million. This is important for the community of Kake and fishermen alike.

My office facilitated communications between the City of Kake, NSRAA, and the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development over a two year period, and urged the best outcome possible.

I want to personally thank the Walker administration for taking a closed and deteriorating hatchery and turning it into jobs, economic development, better fishing, and a brighter future for Kake.

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