ALEUT COMMUNITY OF ST. PAUL ISLAND

The collapse of the Bering Sea crab fisheries has put St. Paul Island at risk of losing some of its essential services.The city’s economy is about 90% dependent on the harvest of snow crab, which closed for the first time in the fishery’s history in October. Without Bering Sea snow crab or Bristol Bay red king crab — which has been closed since 2021 — the City of St. Paul is estimating a roughly $2.7 million hit.In light of those anticipated losses, St. Paul’s city government declared a cultural, economic and social emergency in late October, following the fishery closures, and subsequently implemented budgetary cuts, hiring freezes and other measures.Now, the Pribilof Island community faces the loss of its emergency medical services.

A 2-year-old allegedly killed by his foster parents has been laid to rest on St. Paul Island. The child, Joshua John Rukovishnikoff, was buried on top of his mother’s grave during a memorial service Saturday. Jeremy Philemonoff is from the Pribilof community of about 350 people and used to be married to the toddler’s mother, Nadesda “Lynnette” Rukovishnikoff, who was killed in September 2021. Philemonoff said they laid John to rest right on top of her casket and placed a small cross in front of hers.

A St. Paul toddler who authorities say was killed by his foster parents will be buried beside his mother on the remote Pribilof island. That’s following a ruling by a tribal court last week over a dispute between families about where the 2-year-old boy’s final resting place should be.

The council that manages fishing in federal waters voted to link groundfish trawl fishing in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to halibut abundance today. The action caps — at least for now — a six-year debate about curbing halibut bycatch in Alaska.

Ninety-one percent of eligible St. Paul residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to city officials.That — along with strict protective measures — has helped keep the coronavirus largely out of the small Pribilof island community. St. Paul has recorded just two COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, said City Manager Phil Zavadil. The first was in April and the second in August.

A fuel ration on the Pribilof Island of St. Paul ended Tuesday after more than a month and a half of limiting fuel for both residents and fishermen.The…

St. Paul has implemented a two-week "hunker down" order after officials confirmed the island's first case of COVID-19 Wednesday — more than a year after…

A Pribilof Island community of less than 400 people has received more than $250,000 in federal funds to train locals to work at its commercial aircraft…

St. Paul Island's rogue rat has met its demise after 10 months of evading capture and living large at the local fish plant.The rat was found dead last…