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In the heart of the Lake and Peninsula Borough of Alaska, Chignik Lake, or Igyaraq in the Alutiiq language, stands as a testament to the rich native heritage and cultural diversity of the region. Despite its remote location, 475 miles southwest of Anchorage, this small community of 61 residents continues to thrive, upholding the traditions of the Alutiiq and other indigenous tribes. As a cultural mosaic, Chignik Lake reflects a history of peaceful coexistence and a commitment to preserving its vibrant tapestry of communal history.

Nestled on the Alaska Peninsula lies Chignik Lagoon, a picturesque fishing village where the Aleut heritage and the majesty of the Alaskan wilderness meet. Known for its name derived from the Aleut word 'Chiignik', meaning 'big wind', the village symbolizes the powerful natural elements that define its existence. Established in the late 1800s, Chignik Lagoon, along with its neighboring communities of Chignik Bay and Chignik Lake, has flourished around the sea's bounty, particularly the salmon that have sustained and shaped their way of life for generations.

On November 9th, Superior Court Judge Christina Reigh sentenced 41-year-old Charles Quinn Chlarson to 10 years of incarceration, with three years suspended, following his guilty pleas to Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree and Criminally Negligent Homicide, following the August 1, 2022, death of Russell Shangin Jr. in Chignik.

Donald Bumpus, a Chignik Lagoon resident, is running for the Lake and Peninsula Borough Assembly Seat D. He owns a fishing boat and works as a village maintenance and heavy equipment operator. He's challenging incumbent Alvin Pedersen in the upcoming election.

Donald Bumpus of Chignik Lagoon is a fishing boat owner and village maintenance and heavy equipment operator running for the Lake and Peninsula Borough Assembly Seat D. Bumpus is running against incumbent Alvin Pedersen of Chignik Lagoon. View his candidate profile and listen to his interview for local air on this page.

Title: Mild Earthquake in Chignik, Alaska - A Reminder of Nature's Power. Subtitle: A 2.7 Magnitude Tremor Shakes the Community in the Early Hours of the Morning. Chignik, Alaska, experienced a minor earthquake in the early hours of September 2, 2023. Measuring 2.7 Magnitude on the Richter scale, the tremor originated 48km (30 miles) southeast of the town, at a depth of 36.4km (22.6 miles). The quake struck at approximately 3:51 am local time, jolting residents awake and serving as a reminder of the indomitable power of Mother Nature.

This summer, an unusual looking salmon tender is anchored in the Naknek-Kvichak District. The Aleutian Express is a historic, three–masted schooner that came sailing up from Washington State for the Bristol Bay sockeye season. With three masts and filled sails, this iconic vessel has been instrumental in many chapters of Alaska history.

In June, Dillingham-area residents harvested and collected over 5,000 pounds of subsistence-caught sockeye salmon that will be distributed to families in the Yukon and Chignik unable to harvest their own local salmon due to low salmon returns. The salmon donation was coordinated through the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association’s (ALFA) Seafood...

This summer, an unusual looking salmon tender is anchored in the Naknek-Kvichak District. The Aleutian Express is a historic, 3–masted schooner that came sailing up from Washington State for the Bristol Bay sockeye season. With three masts and filled sails, this iconic vessel has been instrumental in many chapters of Alaskan history.

7.2 earthquake in Perryville, Alaska by Kaleigh Kosbruk.

In a series of messages sent to the Bristol Bay Fisheries Report, commercial fisherman Steven Burrows recounts a dramatic encounter with a dolphin while fishing near Port Heiden on the F/V HAP.

The Chignik watershed is experiencing a rebound in sockeye runs this season, with the runs on track to meet escapement goals for the second consecutive year. The runs had significantly declined in 2018 and remained low since then, leading to concerns from residents and fisheries closures. While sockeye are returning, chinook salmon are scarce in Chignik and were designated as a stock of concern last year. Carl Burnside, a Fish and Game area management biologist, provided an update on the runs in an interview.

The following story was submitted to the Bristol Bay Fisheries Report in a series of inReach messages by Area M commercial fisherman Steven Burrows, fishing near Port Heiden on the F/V HAP. Click to listen to a dramatic reading by KDLG’s Mark McKeown. It was four days into the...

The Chignik watershed is seeing a continued rebound this season, with sockeye runs on track to make escapement goals for the second year in a row. The Chignik runs saw a dramatic drop in 2018, and have been extremely low since then. It prompted concern and alarm from residents, and fisheries closures to help preserve the runs. And, while sockeye are coming back, chinooks are scarce in Chignik, and designated a stock of concern last year. KDLG’s Corinne Smith checked in with Fish and Game area management biologist Carl Burnside for the latest.

The Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation issued an emergency harvest warning on June 7 reporting high levels of toxins in razor clams in Chignik Lagoon and blue mussels in Sand Point. The shellfish are unsafe to eat, and could cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Some of these toxins are 1,000 times more potent than cyanide, and can cause severe illness and death, according to the health corporation’s environmental health department.

CHIGNIK, Alaska (AP) — A magnitude 6.2 earthquake that the Alaska Earthquake Center reported Saturday morning apparently didn’t happen. The quake appeared on the center’s earthquake map saying it occurred at 8:32 a.m. off the coast of southern Alaska. The online posting said the epicenter was located in the Gulf of Alaska, 66 miles (106 kilometers) south of Chignik, a community of 87 people on the Alaska Peninsula, the center said.

CHIGNIK, Alaska (AP) — A magnitude 6.2 earthquake that the Alaska Earthquake Center reported Saturday morning apparently didn’t happen. The quake appeared on the center’s earthquake map saying it occurred at 8:32 a.m. off the coast of southern Alaska. The online posting said the epicenter was located in the Gulf of Alaska, 66 miles (106 kilometers) south of Chignik, a community of 87 people on the Alaska Peninsula, the center said.

The Arkansas Goat Festival is making its return! On Saturday, Oct. 7, goat parents and goat aficionados are invited to Perryville City Park for a “goat” time. The festival will begin at 10 a.m. and wrap up at 4 p.m. Admission is free, but guests are asked to please not bring their dogs.

After days of testimony, the Alaska Board of Fisheries voted to change escapement goals for Chignik’s early and late sockeye runs, which have been severely depleted for years. But it will maintain an important precedent: Two separate goals for the early and late sockeye runs. Escapement is the number...