BOF Deadline: May 16th - Last Day to Submit Proposals for Pacific Cod Fisheries

The Alaska Board of Fisheries is extending the proposal deadline from April 8, 2011 to May 16, 2011 for Pacific cod fishery regulations for the Prince William Sound Area (Registration Area E), Cook Inlet Area (Registration Area H), Kodiak Area (Registration Area K), Chignik Area (Registration Area L) and South Alaska Peninsula Area (Registration Area M). Proposed changes would address coordination of the state-waters and all regulations dealing with Pacific cod fishing seasons with Gulf of Alaska federal sector splits scheduled for implementation in January 2012.

Proposals may be submitted by mail, fax or online. For more information, visit the link below.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/regulations/regprocess/fisheriesboard/pdfs/2011-2012/call_supplemental462011.pdf

BOF Executive Director Retires; New Executive Director Named

Jim Marcotte, the Executive Director of the Alaska Board of Fisheries, begins his retirement in just a couple of days. His last day on the job will be Friday, May 13, 2011. Marcotte has served as Executive Director for the Board of Fisheries since Jan. 4, 2006. Previously, Marcotte served as Executive Director of the Board of Game for two years before his promotion. He started with the Alaska Board Support Section in 1995.

Monica Wellard, Assistant Director for Fish & Game - Sport Fish, will soon fill his shoes as the new Executive Director for the Board of Fisheries. Wellard will take the helm on Monday, May 16, 2011.

Federal Subsistence Board Asks for Lower Gulf Salmon Bycatch

The Federal Subsistence Board announced last week that it's recommending the North Pacific Fishery Management Council significantly decrease the salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea pollock fisheries. The Board voted at its May 3 - 4, 2011 meeting in Anchorage to propose a hard cap of 15,000 Chinook caught as bycatch in the Gulf, and a hard cap of 50,000 chum salmon in the Bering Sea pollock fishery.

During its April meeting, the Council adopted a preliminary preferred alternative of a prohibited species catch limit of 22,500 Chinook salmon for the western and central Gulf of Alaska pollock fisheries. The Council is scheduled to take final action on king salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska groundfish fishery during its June meeting in Nome. The Council will take final action on Bering Sea bycatch of chum salmon at its December meeting in Anchorage.

The Board also agreed with a federal recommendation that two subsistence suers be added to its membership. For more information, visit the links below:

http://www.thedutchharborfisherman.com/article/1118federal_subsistence_board_wants_lower_salmon

http://aprn.org/2011/05/04/subsistence-board-pushing-for-hard-limits-on-bycatch/

AK Board of Fisheries - King and Tanner Crab, and Supplemental Issues - List of Actions Taken

List of Actions Taken on 3/26/11:

Proposal #89 - Motion Carried - Vote: 7 to 0 - Establish weather delay criteria for opening the Chignik District Tanner crab fishery.
Proposal #307 - Motion Carried - Vote: 7 to 0 - Reduce the minimum size for Bering Sea Tanner crab.
Proposal #308 - Motion Carried as Amended - Vote: 7 to 0 - Limit the size of subsistence crab pots from June - October.
Proposal #309 - Motion Carried - Vote: 6 to 1 - Modify Alaska Peninsula Area king and South Peninsula District Tanner crab pot limits.
Proposal #310 - No Action - Modify Alaska Peninsula Area king crab pot limits.
Proposal #315 - Motion Carried - Vote: 7 to 0 - Clarify restriction on use of sport, personal or subsistence caught shellfish by owner, operator, or employee of a lodge, charter vessel, or other enterprise that furnishes.
Proposal #316 - Motion Failed - Vote: 0 to 7 - Allow for a January 15 crab season in Cook Inlet.
Proposal #317 - Motion Failed - Vote: 0 to 7 - Amend season dates for Tanner crab.
Proposal #318 - Motion Carried - Vote: 6 to 1 - Allow a three-person gear limit for Tanner crab per vessel.
Proposal #319 - Motion Carried - Vote: 7 to 0 - Repeal personal use regulations for taking crab in the Kodiak Area.
Proposal #320 - Motion Carried - Vote: 7 to 0 - Repeal personal use regulations for taking crab in the Kodiak Area.
Proposal #333 - Motion Carried - Vote: 7 to 0 - Clarify regulation on terminating a joint operation of dual permits in the Bristol Bay.

AK Board of Fisheries - King and Tanner Crab, and Supplemental Issues - List of Actions Taken

List of Actions Taken on 3/25/11

Proposal #299 - Motion Failed - In the Aleutian Islands golden king crab fishery, allow fishery to extend beyond May 15 if total allowable catch not achieved.

Proposal #300 - Motion Carried - Vote: 6 to 1 - In the Aleutian Islands golden king crab fishery, increase the biodegradable twine requirement to 90 thread.

Proposal #301 - Motion Failed - Vote: 0 to 7 - Change boundary in the Bering Sea District Tanner crab fishery.

Proposal #302 - Motion Carried - Vote: 7 to 0 - Amend onboard observer standards.

Proposal #303 - Motion Carried - Vote: 7 to 0 - Amend onboard observer standards.

Proposal #304 - Motion Carried - Vote: 7 to 0 - Modify preaseason pot storage criteria in the Eastern Aleutian District Tanner crab fishery.

Proposal #305 - No Action - Change fishing season for St. Matthew Island blue king crab fishery (withdrawn by author).

Proposal #306 - Motion Failed - Vote: 0 to 7 - Escape mechanism for king crab pots in Norton Sounds.

Proposal #311 - Motion Failed - Establish an Alaska Peninsula Community Harvest Area in the Bering Sea for king and Tanner crab, and establish community subsistence harvest permit conditions.

Proposal #312 - No Action - Modify Alaska Peninsula-Aleutian Islands king and Tanner crab subsistence bag and possession regulations to accommodate Community Harvest Permit.

Proposal #313 - No Action - Modify king and Tanner crab subsistence customary and traditional use findings for Alaska Peninsula-Aleutian Islands Area.

Proposal #314 - No Action - Modify statewide shellfish subsistence proxy methods for Community Harvest Permit.

Proposal A - Motion Carried - Vote: 5 to 2 - Steller sea lion measures in Aleutian Islands parallel Pacific cod fishery. (Proposal A was adopted as an emergency regulation by the board on January 19, 2011, and it expressed its intent to make the regulation permanent. The board scheduled public comment on the regulation at this meeting.)

BOF Meeting Scheduled March 22nd - 26th at Anchorage Hilton Hotel

The Alaska Board of Fisheries (BOF) is scheduled to meet at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel March 22 - 26, 2011 to discuss king and tanner crab statewide, except Southeast/Yakutat and supplemental issues.

Click on the title of this blog post to access the BOF link to meeting information.

Reminder: Council Plans to Adopt Preliminary Preferred Alternative on Chinook Salmon Bycatch Restrictions at Next Meeting

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is scheduled to adopt a preliminary preferred alternative on chinook salmon bycatch restrictions governing the Gulf pollock trawl fleet at its next meeting (March 30 - April 5, 2011) in Anchorage. This may be the last opportunity local fishermen will have to work on the chinook bycatch measures for the Western Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery.

Last week, Aleutians East Borough Mayor Stanley Mack sent a letter to the Council, requesting that the Council take more time to develop regulations addressing chinook bycatch in the GOA pollock fishery so local fishermen, who will be most affected, can participate in the process (Click on title of this blog posting to see letter in Fish News).

Click on the links below for the Council agenda and the GOA Chinook salmon bycatch motion.

http://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/Agendas/311Agenda.pdf

http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/bycatch/GOAchinookbycatchMotion211.pdf