Bristol Bay honors 75th anniversary of the end of commercial sailboat fishery

Bristol Bay is marking the 75th anniversary of the end of the mandated commercial sailboat fishery, a shift that transformed salmon harvesting from wind-driven craft to diesel-powered vessels. Motorized fishing boats were banned for years, and sailboats dominated until the early 1950s. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service allowed power boats to fish in 1951, and within two to three years most sailboats disappeared or were converted. This year’s milestone is being celebrated at the Fishtival in Naknek with boats, books and beer. Organizers will raise a sail aboard a restored Bristol Bay fishing sailboat, the Libby 76, at the “Seas the Day” event on Friday.