IMPORTANT: Still Time to Submit Comments to Board of Fish

We urge Bristol Bay fishermen to consider submitting a Record Copy Comment to the Board of Fish asking them to delay the Nushagak King Salmon Action Plan item until the March 10-13 meeting, so that stakeholders have adequate opportunity to review and comment on the proposed changes.

Anyone can submit a “Record Copy” Comment HERE. Note that deliberations are scheduled to begin Friday, December 2, at 8:30 AKT.

Background:

The Alaska Board of Fish is meeting in Anchorage this week to take up a variety of proposals and make decisions about fishing regulations in Bristol Bay. A situation is developing which we believe Bristol Bay fishermen ought to know about:

Last Wednesday, ADF&G submitted a report to the Board of Fish entitled Nushagak River King Salmon – Stock Status and Action Plan. The 36-page document contains numerous proposed changes to Nushagak fishing regulations intended to increase Chinook productivity.

It is extremely concerning that the Board of Fish may take action on this document at this meeting. This Nushagak King Salmon Action Plan document provides no cost/benefit analysis, acknowledges the “stock of concern” label is based on a deeply flawed sonar system never intended to count King salmon, and was only released the day before Thanksgiving – AFTER THE DEADLINE FOR WRITTEN COMMENTS!

A video of yesterday’s (11/28) proceedings is available HERE, and today’s (11/29) proceedings can be seen via a live YouTube stream HERE.

The BOF meeting website with links to more materials can be found HERE.