Alaska will get $56 million in disaster relief for 2016 pink salmon fishery failure

Alaska will get $56 million in disaster relief for the 2016 failure of the pink salmon fishery in the Gulf of Alaska, Gov. Bill Walker's office said Thursday.

The money is part of $200 million in disaster relief allocated by the U.S. secretary of commerce for fisheries in Alaska and along the West Coast, and communities in the Gulf of Mexico that were affected by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria last year.

"This is a big deal," Walker said in an emailed statement. "Coastal communities have been hurting, and 56 million dollars will go a long way to help the hard-working and resilient Alaskans whose livelihoods and lifestyles depend on fish."

[Federal disaster designation declared for Alaska pink salmon fisheries]

In January 2017, a federal disaster declaration was announced for Alaska after poor pink salmon returns in 2016. The last time Alaska received fishery disaster funding was in 2014, when fishermen and communities got nearly $21 million.

Activities that can be considered for funding include infrastructure projects, habitat restoration, state-run vessel and permit buybacks, and job retraining, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a statement.

The state is working with NOAA on how to disburse the money. The funds can go to commercial fisheries, businesses like processors and support facilities, and communities affected by the fishery failure, Walker's office said.

[Federal money eased Alaska salmon fishery failures, but only for some]