Eagle preserve council to assess fish habitat impacts from commercial tours

The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Advisory Council voted this week to devise a method of assessing impacts on fish habitat from commercial permittees in the preserve.

Thirteen commercial operators are permitted this summer in Haines Borough’s state parks and likely all will operate in the preserve, said Alaska State Parks southeast area superintendent Preston Kroes. Currently no formal system exists to assess the impacts of the operators’ use on fish spawning and rearing grounds.