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City of Manokotak implements fish tax

Manokotak implemented a fish tax this season as part of their annexation of Igushik.

The City of Manokotak established a fish tax for the first time this year. The two percent tax went into effect before fishing season started and only affects set-netters.

Based on estimates made before the tax was put in place, it should generate between 60 and 72 thousand dollars. Manokotak Mayor Melvin Andrew says that money will be used for three projects.

“The money will be put back into the Igushik village. We will plan to put up a potable water source, and second we need to put up a ice machine down at Igushik, and thirdly we plan to put up some sort of incinerator or trash burner.”

Those projects are part of Manokotak’s annexation of Igushik, Andrew says.

“We applied for a annexation of Igushik village, transportation corridor, and the commercial fishing section at Igushik and in our petition we planned to impose a two percent fish tax so we can operate and maintain the basic services that we had promised.”

That petition was approved by the Local Boundaries Commission and the state legislature.

Andrews says so far all fish processors have complied with the tax after filing a one page registration form earlier this year.

Contact the author at allison@kdlg.org or (907) 842-5281.