Last week, Dan Sullivan was exposed for accepting nearly $400,000 from donors connected to the trawling industry on the heels of recent reporting that details the “growing challenges” facing Southwest Alaska’s fisheries.
“As Alaska’s fisheries struggle, Dan Sullivan is reeling in campaign cash from out-of-state trawlers at the expense of Alaska fishermen,” said Alaska Democratic Party Chair Eric Croft. “Self-Serving Sullivan poses an existential threat to Alaska’s fishermen and fisheries – and Alaskans can’t afford six more years of his pro-trawl leadership.”
As Alaska fishermen – including subsistence, sport, and commercial – struggle under trawling-tied fishing restrictions, recent reporting from the Kodiak Daily Mirror shows that fishery declines are even more widespread, with Southwest fisheries revenue falling 54% – or $700 million – over just a three year period. Dan Sullivan’s abysmal record on fishing is to blame.
More on Dan Sullivan’s anti-fish record:
In Bed with Big Trawl: Sullivan was recently exposed for taking nearly $400,00 from donors involved in the trawling industry, including Trident Seafoods, which has been busted for illegal anti-fish practices. Sullivan “didn’t co-sponsor [Mary Peltola’s] original bill” to crack down on out-of-state trawlers, and “has made clear his ongoing relationship with [trawling industry] actors” over the years.
Betting Against Alaska Fishermen: Self-Serving Sullivan broke federal law by failing to report tens of thousands of dollars in sales of stock in Mowi – the “world’s largest farmed salmon company.” He reported trading stock in a direct competitor to Alaska’s salmon fishermen and got caught red-handed concealing it for months.
Selling Out to Special Interests: Dating back to his time as the head of Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources, Sullivan approved a controversial coal mine on the Chuitna River that would “obliterate” 11 miles of important salmon-spawning streams in Southcentral Alaska. The mine would have completely dewatered the streams in order to mine coal set to be exported to China. The mine would have wiped out salmon in the river and faced intense opposition from locals and the fishing community. As a result of his greenlighting the project, Sullivan was called “anti-salmon” and was criticized by the fishing community for siding with “outside companies at the expense of everyday Alaskans.”
Protecting Pebble Mine: Sullivan has a nearly two-decade “long relationship of advocacy” for Pebble Mine, a project that is overwhelmingly opposed by Alaskans because it would jeopardize Bristol Bay. Not only does Sullivan have a history of association with Pebble Mine, he broke his promise to Alaskans to donate Pebble Mine-tied campaign cash and has continued cashing checks from the current Pebble CEO while staying silent publicly as executives push to resurrect the mine.
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