Request denied for additional restrictions on Cooper king salmon harvest

The Alaska Board of Fish has narrowly voted down a request for additional restrictions on commercial harvest of Copper River king salmon. At a meeting Thursday, the panel voted 4 to 3 against an emergency petition from the Fairbanks Fish and Game Advisory committee.
Only 29,000 kings are forecast to return to the Copper River this year, and commercial fishers are allocated 70 percent of a 5,000 king harvest quota.
Board member Reed Morisky of Fairbanks contended the weak return and harvest break