The Alaska Senate voted unanimously 17-0 to pass a resolution urging the federal government to extend the national emergency ban on Russian seafood imports, citing unfair competition threatening Alaska's fishing industry.

Senate Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for House Joint Resolution 29 supports maintaining federal measures established under executive orders that prohibit Russian fish products from entering U.S. markets. The resolution asks President Biden, federal agencies and Congress to consider additional measures protecting Alaska's seafood industry.

Senators argued that Russian fishing operations use different structures, including fish traps on streams, along with government subsidies that allow them to flood the U.S. market and put Alaska fishermen at a production cost disadvantage. "If our fish are not good enough for the Russians to eat, their fish from Russia are not good enough for us to eat," said one senator, noting Russia banned Alaska imports in 2014.

The resolution aims to protect approximately 44,000 Alaskans employed in the fishing industry up and down the coast. Senators noted the industry has been struggling in recent years due to COVID impacts and Russian competition, but is beginning to turn around as domestic marketplace value increases.

The additional measures requested could include extended import restrictions, enhanced monitoring of seafood supply chains, and increased support for domestic fishing operations to compete with subsidized foreign products.

The Senate also passed fisheries-related bills including Senate Bill 158, which creates new administrative areas for Cook Inlet setnet permits, and Senate Bill 181, improving data sharing between the University of Alaska and Department of Labor.