April 17, 2020 — Alaska’s seafood processing and harvesting sectors are preparing covid-19 emergency plans as some of the state’s fishing hubs attempt to enact their own guidelines before workers begin to arrive for the summer harvest season.
The state requires fishermen and businesses supported by workers arriving in the state to submit a travel plan or protocol for maintaining critical infrastructure to akcovidplans@ak-prepared.com. The plan should outline how they will avoid:
- the spread of covid-19;
- endangering the lives of people in the communities in which they operate or those of others who serve as a part of that infrastructure; and
- endangering the ability of that critical infrastructure to function.
However, Alaska Public Media reported earlier this week that the governor’s office is not making those submitted plans available to the public, including municipal leaders, who are working to ensure the safety of local residents.