Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Salmon Hatcheries Back on Agenda for Alaska Board of Fisheries

The Alaska Board of Fisheries will revisit salmon hatchery issues on October 16 following the conclusion of their scheduled October 15 work session at the Egan Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska. The meeting will include reports by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, followed by a town hall style public forum moderated by the board with open public participation.

The fisheries board announced the timing of that special session on September 11. The regular work session will address agenda change requests (ACR).

Among the 11 ACRs to be considered are two that would cap hatchery production. The first, from the Kenai River Sportfishing Association, proposes to prohibit Valdez Fisheries Development Association from incubating, rearing and releasing pink salmon resulting from additional egg take capacity permitted during 2018 and cap egg take capacity.

The second is from former fisheries board member Virgil Umphenour, now chairman of the Fairbanks Fish and Game Advisory Committee. The Umphenour ACR would cap statewide private non-profit salmon hatchery egg take capacity.

A complete list of ACRs is available online at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.meetinginfo&date=10-15-2018&meeting=anchorage.The fisheries board will hold a joint protocol meeting with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council on October 17 to discuss several ideas. The list includes the status of the council’s fisheries management plan development for Cook Inlet salmon in federal waters, the status of state management of Chinook salmon in Southeast Alaska, and Bering Sea Pacific cod abundance and management issues. Live audio streaming of the meetings can be found at www.boardoffisheries.adfg.alaska.gov.

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