board of fish
Carol W
2012-02-21 04:39:39
Board of Fish this week we need bodies proposal 312 will seriously affect your livelihood.
Ketchikan on Fri.
Tom
keep your hand on it.
rookie
2012-02-23 01:16:17
Tom when do we need to be there craig 617-3379
tkbluefin
2012-02-23 17:35:09
I agree with you guys on 312. It would have very serious consequences.
I also think it would be very beneficial to have 317 approved. The current process doesn't work well.
Last year there was a late surge that was accompanied by difficult weather. The fleet will "self select" to
the opportunity.
The metrics used to monitor "abundance" are very limited and don't seem to take very important variables
into consideration. (size of fleet, mix of fleet, weather patterns)
kuiutom
2012-02-25 23:49:02
Right on Tom. For those who have not seen prop 312, I am posting it below. It would mean a 10 or 17 day closure in late July to mid August, with no flexibility. The fact that it is proposed by a mainline gillnet association, USAG, and not just by some wild-eyed individual, makes it particularly disturbing. In my opinion, these kind of inter-gear group squabbles should be negotiated and settled between the gear group associations and not be drug through the public Board process. But here we are. So now we have to let them know what we think. (My comments are also posted below.)
***********
bracketed words to be struck
"PROPOSAL 312 - 5 AAC 29.110. management of coho salmon troll fishery. Require 10-day mid-August troll closures for conservation and allocation based on the department’s midseason assessment as follows:
5AAC 29.110 ….(b) The commissioner shall [MAY] close by emergency order the coho salmon troll fishery in SE Alaska-Yakutat Area for conservation of coho stocks as follows:
1. For [UP TO] seven days beginning on or after July 25 if the total projected commercial harvest of wild coho salmon is less than 1.1 million; or
2. For [UP TO] 10 days, if the department makes an assessment and determines that….
ISSUE: The annual SE Alaska troll closure is ambiguously applied by the Department of Fish and Game leaving some areas of inner SE Alaska without adequate coho stocks for conservation and other user groups. Inside waters fishermen often are the only ones to bear the brunt of conservation measures, which limits fishing time, numbers of fish retained and area for inside waters harvesters."
************
MY COMMENT TO BOF (sorry, tables not included here):
PROPOSAL 312: OPPOSE
As an Alaska troller for over 35 years, a former Advisory Committee
Chairman, and former member of the Northern Panel of the Pacific
Salmon Commission, I wish to submit the following individual
comments concerning proposal 312.
The gillnetters' association proposal 312, to change AAC 29.110, is
premised on a faulty notion. The notion, as stated, is that the Dept's
management has failed to provide "adequate" (their word) numbers of
fish for escapement and for other users. This is not the case. The
Dept. has in fact done a remarkable job of providing for both
conservation and for the Board's allocation goal of a 61% share of
coho harvest to the troll fishery.
Referring to Table 23 (Escapement goal performance...), the Dept. has
either met or exceeded its escapement goals 97% of the time. This is
hardly a less than "adequate" performance as the gillnetters'
association would have us believe in their proposal. 97% is an "A"
grade in anybody's book.
Similarly, Table 3 (Harvest...of coho by gear type), shows the troll
harvest share has been averaging, over the past 22 years, 64%. For the
last couple years, 59% and 63%. The allocation goal set by the Board
is 61%. Again, the Dept's management of the Board's coho allocation
directive has been nearly spot on. Furthermore, the gillnet share of
coho harvest has been more than "adequate", to say the least. Over
those 22 years we see gillnetters have deviated much farther from the
Board's allocation goals than trollers, a 14.3% average deviation
above and beyond their allocated share compared to only 4.6% for
trollers. To assert that the Dept's management has led to an
"inadequate" share of fish to gillnetters is laughable in the face of
this allocation overage.
There is little that is "ambiguous" (their word, again) about the
Dept's implementation of AAC 29.110 as the gillnetters' association
asserts in its proposal. The criteria for an August general closure
(up to 10 days) are quite specific and are detailed in the Summer
Troll Management Plan. The criteria for a July general closure (up to
7 days) are even more specific and are detailed in Attachment B of the
Pacific Salmon Treaty (Management of Northern Boundary Coho) as well
as the Summer Troll Management Plan. Furthermore, the Treaty requires
a huge area closure of mostly outside waters, beginning in Dixon
Entrance and stretching nearly 200 miles up the coast and out through
the EEZ, for up to 3 weeks, if specific conservation criteria are not
met. Nothing "ambiguous" about that closure, either. In recent years
the Dept. has also exercised its authority to make emergency area
closures as it deems necessary for specific coho conservation
concerns. All these conservation measures aimed specifically at the
troll coho fishery hardly resemble a story of "inside waters
fishermen" being "the only ones to bear the brunt of conservation
measures" as the gillnetters' association claims in its proposal.
The State has taken pride, deservedly, in its successful management of
a healthy, sustainable salmon fishery in Southeast. A hallmark of this
successful management approach has been the authority given to
management biologists to flexibly manage in-season to attain Board
defined management objectives. As the ocean environment has become
increasingly unpredictable and in a state of flux, the Dept., now more
than ever, will need that flexibility to respond to unforeseen
biological events. With the introduction of large-scale hatchery
production, the distribution pattern of fleet effort is also in a
state of flux for all fisheries. Flexibility for in-season managers
will be increasingly required to respond to unforeseen changes in
effort and abundance. Proposal 312 is an attempt to curtail that
flexibility. If we go down that management road the Board can look
forward to no end of regulatory proposals of a similar nature. A
proposal to limit gillnet openings to two days per week maximum during
coho management to address allocation concerns could very well be
next. This is not the road to maintaining healthy, sustainable
fisheries.
I urge rejection of Proposal 312.
*********
long live the rice bag navy
squareface
2012-03-04 20:36:08
Does anyone have any news on what happened with prop 312 and the proposal to extend the spring troll line in unit 11?
John Murray
2012-03-04 21:20:05
There was a deal between ATA and GN reps to not support 312 in exchange for the same on 313.District 11 proposals went down.I wasn't there for deliberations,but when I left there were red herrings hitting the BOF from sport/charter reps from Juneau.The herring were in the form fear mongering,with no real info or data to support,mostly perceived conflicts between troll and sport and a fear we might catch the beloved hatchery produced kings from Fritz Cove.So its back to the same-old, with a record of 35 king salmon harvest in three seasons in District 11A-B.Now that a big threat.
mbcrozier
2012-03-05 22:28:11
So what happens now? I am completely new to the politics of fisheries, but I did just read the Summary of Actions from the Board's meeting in Ketchikan (which is available at <http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.meetinginfo>;). In the summary, it says whether each proposal passed or failed, but is that it? When will these proposals be written into the regulations? Is there a chance that any of them will change?
On a slightly unrelated note, when are the spring troll regulations/openings usually announced?
Abundance
2012-03-19 20:42:54
Did I read it right, that hand trollers can now fish four lines after the first king opening? And can we keep cohos starting the first of June? If true, those are both good things, but I would like for somebody to list down the things that are going to change for the next year. It would probably help everybody reading this as they plan out their season.
Salty
2012-03-20 02:53:06
There is some administrative delay while the Board actions are reviewed and signed by the administration. Unless there is a legal problem, which is rare because the Dept. of Law is at the meeting and asked on every proposal for their comment, the regulations are in place within 60-90 days. A lot faster than the Federal system. In some cases the Department manages to the intent of the coming regulation. I am not sure whether they will do that in Sitka for the protected area for subsistence herring roe or not, but they might.
On 309 which, if you read carefully and heard the discussions, allows for a person to carry spare rods, it does not allow the use of more than two hand gurdies or four sport rods. The change is to allow extra rods for spares.
Hope this helps.
Salty
2012-03-20 02:55:01
Spring regulations are discussed during port meetings in April.
The Spring plan is published in April. Specific announcements are made weekly as soon as the winter season ends.
Abundance
2012-03-26 00:09:20
Sorry to ask another question, but will we get to keep cohos starting June first? It looked like that was a passed resolution, but had better ask before I get in trouble with a Trooper.
tkbluefin
2012-03-26 05:39:00
Yes, June 1 is the date.
Kelper
2012-04-02 22:26:58
I suppose I could just wait till the port meeting tomorrow, but doesn't anybody know the details of this?
"Adopt a new Special Harvest Area for the Port Saint Nicholas hatchery in District 3.", that carried.
Are they going to have a spring opener in St Nick for those hatchery kings?
Abundance
2012-04-02 22:35:57
That's one thing that I saw and want to find out more about. I doubt that we could catch very much, as the return isn't very high, but it would be nice to be able to try it out in front of town rather than be forced to travel a hundred miles from your home and family for two months. I am sure that the folks in Yakutat feel the same, and it looked to me like they might get a spring opening of some kind to. I will try to make the meeting tomorrow, that's for sure!
Kelper
2012-04-02 22:53:59
I think I asked too soon. I called up one of the hatchery board members and he thought it was for the cost recovery stuff. You are right though, not enough fish to make it worthwhile for the bigger boats who need to catch more than a few kings a day. Us smaller HT guys would sure have fun with an opening though, even if we could only scratch up a few fish a day.
Abundance
2012-04-02 23:14:35
I would actually settle for a couple of fish a day, if I could just fish here. The fuel savings alone would be worth it. The bigger issue is if we were allowed to fish just inside St. Nick, or we were able to make it to Tranquil Point and St. Johns. I have chased the late spawners, of the sort that we would be chasing inside the bay, enough before in other places to say that we would likely have more skunk days than not. I know that my recent experience in Neets Bay, you can usually catch fish to to Bug Island, not past it. They just stop biting. Occasionally of course somebody will smack them in there, but it's unusual. It's much like that in Anita Bay, and I think that the Coronados would be like that here. Of course, we never know until we try. A friend of mine that I fish around with in Wrangell gets to fish passing spawners right in front of his house, literally. He starts putting his gear down as he is pulling out of his dock, and makes passes in front of porch until evening, when he ties back up and barbecues some dinner in his garden. He may not make as much money as I have on the occasions that I made four week trips in Chatham, getting smacked by tide rips and getting blasted around Washington Bay by snarling winds, but I can't help but envy him. Oh well, maybe someday. Thanks for checking it out for us!
Kelper
2012-04-03 00:00:32
I thought I was catching St Nick fish out on Suemez for the July 1st opener. Had a handful of clipped fins. They all came back as BC hatchery fish. That was the only spot I trolled all summer, so I know all my clipped fins were from that kelp line. I also ran into some pretty good schools of cohos on that kelp line in the same time frame. Those clipped fins came back as Neck Lake cohos. :? They were a little lost. :D
Btw, the sport fishing in St Nick bay in May/June was ok last year. I could get on average 2 bites an evening on sport gear. Nice bright fish, with a good average size. Looking forward to that bite here in a month or two.
Abundance
2012-04-03 00:22:47
Well, now, that perks my interest a bit. Good to know somebody is keeping an eye on things here. I am always shock by the odd directions that fish take going around to their destination. That explains why I couldn't find any Neck Lake cohos in Clarence last summer!
Kelper
2012-04-04 06:48:34
Well Garrett, I asked. Sure would be nice to catch a few treaty and hatchery fish out of Craig in May/June, considering that other parts of SE AK caught 26,432 treaty fish in the 2011 spring openings. (according to the paperwork I picked up at the meeting)
The way I see it, if they let them catch 3770 treaty fish out of Sitka Sound in the spring openers, we should be allowed to catch that many out in front of Craig in the same time frame.
Salty
2012-04-04 15:23:44
Kelper,
Actually I have suggested many times that at least some of our spring troll openings be driven by market and geographic considerations in addition to "hatchery access".
For example:
The number one white table cloth dining out day in America is mothers day. This comes before Copper River Chinook and after our winter fishery. A region wide, inside the surf line opening for even one day timed to provide Alaska troll caught Chinook for that market might make the fleet a lot.
The number one barbeque day in America is the 4th of July. Opening our summer season on July 1 means we can't really service this market.
Having said all of that, and as much as I love fishing close to home, I have fished the spring fisheries from Clarence Strait to Cross Sound, including many years in Southern Chatham. Part of this business is going to the best opportunity.
Kelper
2012-04-04 15:55:14
Another market driven opportunity would be to be able to sell fresh, same day caught king salmon to the local lodges to feed to their guests. I was told by the plant operator that a few of the larger lodges were buying troll caught kings in early July. (as well as most of the halibut coming in) That is a local demand that we should be able to fill in May/June. It'd be good for raising the value of our fish, exposing people to the freshest/best tasting fish in the world, and giving us local small boat operators a fair shot at the treaty fish.
I personally felt sick selling my kings last summer for $4.25 a pound, given the quality. I take pride in the fact that I'm usually selling my days catch by noon of the morning they are caught, and it's of the highest quality. I asked the guys at the plant what they'd do with them. They said they'd put then in the tote with all of the other kings, barge them somewhere in a few days, etc.
lone eagle
2012-04-04 21:39:19
Are your kings frozen at the plant or flown south? I guess that might depend on lower 48 harvest levels....
Hi All:
Sorry to be so late to this party. Months of big meetings before and after the BOF meeting ...I need to get back in the swing of coming to this site and get our webpage tuned up with new info. Will start going through the recent posts and try to add a bit of information where there seem to be questions I can help with. Please don't hesitate to send me a personal message through this board or my email, which can be found on ATA's website: http://www.aktrollers.org
Off to port meeting soon, but just wanted to mention that it is really important to check before you start working any of the new regs into your operation. As 'Salty' mentioned, there is a regulatory delay as new regulations are processed and go through all the legal machinations, etc. For instance, on keeping coho June 1 - be sure to watch for an announcement SPECIFICALLY allowing you to do so. At this point, that particular regulation might not make it for this year. ADFG Troll announcements will be your best indicator about whether or not the new regs are in effect. You can find them online, and can even get on the list to have them emailed to you: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=cfnews.main
More soon...
Dale
ATA
Salty
2012-10-11 18:27:39
Dale,
I had the announcements e-mailed to me this year and it was very handy, thanks so much for the idea, and the link:)
On the Board of Fish. I am worried that with their recent success at the NPFMC on halibut, and the Parnell appointments to come, that the SE Charter fleet will be coming after the troll fleet in 2014 with proposals to increase their Chinook share.
Kelper
2012-10-13 19:42:47
Salty,
I'm curious where you get your info that the charter fleet will be coming after the troll fleet for more chinook? I've not heard a single rumbling of such a thing.
Salty
2012-10-14 21:44:50
Pure speculation on my part based on a long history in SE fisheries politics.