A quick look at how each proposal being considered at the Alaska Board of Fisheries Bristol Bay finfish meeting has fared.
UPDATE: The Alaska Department of Fish and Game published it's meeting summary, with a log of each vote and where to find them in the meeting audio.
Here's our partial summary, compiled during the meeting:
District Boundaries/Gear (6 proposals) - Just one change, which adjusts a setnet regulation.
25 Expand district boundary lines. FAIL 0-7
26 Create new general fishing sections that are in effect following achievement of escapement goals, or July 17, until July 27. FAIL 0-7
27 Require that a CFEC permit holder's name displayed on a set gillnet site marking sign complies with the same character size marking requirements for permit numbers. (This proposal will be heard at the Bristol Bay Finfish meeting, and heard and deliberated on at the Statewide Finfish meeting.)
28 Change the character size requirements for set gillnet marking signs. (This proposal will be heard at the Bristol Bay Finfish meeting, and heard and deliberated on at the Statewide Finfish meeting.)
29 Allow a set gillnet permit holder to operate and deploy gillnet gear seaward of the permit holder's own set gillnet, and within the permit holder's setnet site. PASS 7-0, Language in RC 105
220 Prohibit net barges, floating processors, tenders, and hard fixed buoys in waters of the Egegik District during open drift gillnet fishing periods. NO ACTION
221 Prohibit tenders, fish buyers, and fish transport vessels from anchoring within 1,500 feet of set gillnet sites. FAIL 0-7
30 Change the description of set gillnet exemptions that allow operations where beaches at mean low tide are not connected to either exposed land or land not covered at high tide, by deleting references to regulatory markers. PASS 7-0
Replace Reference to Markers with GPS Coordinates (8 proposals) - The board will switch from markers to GPS coordinates in the bay next summer; that means you'll need a GPS to know where the lines are.
71 Update the description of the Wood River Special Harvest Area by deleting references to regulatory markers. PASS 7-0
72 Change the description of statistical areas in the Nushagak District by deleting references to department regulatory markers, and renaming the Nushagak Statistical Area. PASS 7-0
73 Redefine the description of the Nushagak District and the Igushik Section in the Nushagak District by deleting references to department regulatory markers. PASS 7-0
74 Redefine the description of closed waters for salmon in the Snake River in the Nushagak District by deleting a reference to department regulatory markers. PASS 7-0
76 Change the current description of the Osviak Section in the Togiak District by correcting a GPS coordinate in the description. PASS 7-0
80 Re-describe the subsistence fishing area in the Nushagak District that is restricted to three days per week by removing references to regulatory markers. PASS 7-0
91 Redefine the description of closed waters for the Togiak herring fishery by deleting references to department regulatory markers. PASS 7-0
Registration (14 proposals) - Every district will require registration right off the bat in 2016, and registration in Togiak will be tied to permits and vessels. But other proposed changes, like an effort to get rid of the 48-hour wait to transfer districts, failed.
31 Change the area registration requirements to require district registration prior to fishing in a district in Bristol Bay. NO ACTION
32 Change the area registration date requirement for the Bristol Bay commercial salmon fishery. NO ACTION
33 Change the area registration date requirement for the Bristol Bay commercial salmon fishery. NO ACTION
34 Reduce the required waiting period when registering for a new district from 48 hours to 12 hours. FAIL 0-7
35 Require drift gillnet operations to register the day of fishing during emergency order periods. NO ACTION
36 Change the registration requirement for commercial salmon fishing in the Egegik District. NO ACTION
37 Change the area registration date requirement from June 25 to June 1 for the NaknekKvichak, Egegik, and Ugashik districts for the drift gillnet fleet. NO ACTION
38 Change registration requirements for fisheries under emergency order conditions and change the registration date for the Naknek-Kvichak, Egegik, and Ugashik districts from June 25 to June 18. NO ACTION
39 For the Naknek-Kvichak District, eliminate the registration date of June 25, and require registration only before fishing in the district. NO ACTION
40 Change the drift gillnet registration date in the Naknek-Kvichak District from June 25 to June 17. NO ACTION
41 Change the area registration requirement for the Naknek-Kvichak, Egegik, and Ugashik districts by removing the June 25 start date. PASS 7-0 (As amended)
42 Allow set gillnet operators to transfer within the Nushagak statistical areas without the 48-hour time requirement. FAIL 0-7
43 Repeal set gillnet reregistration requirement for statistical areas within the Nushagak District. FAIL 0-7
44 Modify Togiak District registration restriction requirements that apply until July 27 to include a fishing vessel. PASS 7-0
Permit Stacking (9 proposals) No new permit stacking in Bristol Bay.
45 Reauthorize Bristol Bay set gillnet permit stacking. FAIL 0-7
46 Allow permit stacking for set gillnet operations. NO ACTION
47 Allow permit stacking for set gillnet operations and up to one and one-half the current legal limit of gear for one permit to be operated when permit stacking. FAIL 0-7
48 Allow permit stacking for set gillnet operations in the Bristol Bay Area. NO ACTION
49 Allow two set gillnet permit holders to jointly operate with up to 75 fathoms of set gillnet gear and require both permit numbers on identification sign. FAIL 0-7
50 Allow permit stacking for set gillnet operations in the Egegik District. NO ACTION
51 Allow drift gillnet permit stacking for an individual who owns two drift gillnet permits in Bristol Bay. FAIL 1-5
John Jensen was sole vote in favor, although Reed Morisky also spoke up with some arguments supporting drift stacking. The board considered, but failed, an amendment that would have sunsetted drift stacking. Fritz Johnson was recused because he is a drift permit holder.
52 Allow drift gillnet permit stacking for an individual who owns two drift gillnet permits in Bristol Bay and the operation of 200 fathoms of drift gillnet gear from a vessel with an individual holding two drift gillnet permits. NO ACTION.
53 Increase the amount of drift gillnet gear allowed when two permit holders are jointly operating. FAIL 0-6. Fritz Johnson was recused because he is a drift permit holder.
District specific changes - Egegik/Ugashik (2 proposals) No changes in Egegik or Ugashik.
54 Close by the Egegik District Special Harvest Area to commercial salmon fishing for five days during times of high intercept fishing. FAIL 0-7.
55 Modify set gillnet operations in the Ugashik District. FAIL 0-7.
District specific changes - Naknek/Kvichak (5 proposals) BOF creates a new fishery in the Alagnak River, declines to change Graveyard Point boundaries.
56 Create an inriver Alagnak River Salmon Fishery Management Plan. PASS 7-0 with language from RC 143, which requires that the sockeye escapement goal is met before the fishery opens and the king goal was met the year prior. Funding for a counting tower, other components of management, will be provided privately.
57 Create an inriver Kvichak River Salmon Fishery Management Plan. FAIL 0-7.
58 Expand the boundaries of the Naknek Section of the Naknek-Kvichak District. NO ACTION based on proposer’s request to withdraw.
59 Revise boundaries of closed waters at Graveyard Point in the Naknek-Kvichak District. TABLED, with the BOF signaling plans to have a committeecreate a policy for how the board addresses places where boundaries adjusted by environmental changes. Could be taken back up in March, but board did not commit to a set timeline – chair Tom Kluberton signaled a “moral commitment to be expedient.”
60 Create a special harvest area in the Graveyard Creek area. FAIL 0-7, after lengthy discussion and an amendment to redraw the line failed 3-4.
District specific changes - Nushagak (11 proposals)
61 Increase the minimum distance drift gillnet operations must maintain from a set gillnet operation in the Nushagak District. FAIL 0-6 Board member Fritz Johnson was recused because he drifts in the Nushagak District.
62 Increase the minimum distance drift gillnet operations must maintain from a set gillnet operation in the Nushagak District. FAIL 0-6 Board member Fritz Johnson was recused because he drifts in the Nushagak District.
63 Change the seaward minimum distance between set gillnet gear in the Clark’s Point area in the Nushagak District. TABLED 6-1, until the committee focused on erosion and similar issues develops a policy.
64 Increase fishing time for drift gillnet gear during incoming tides in the Nushagak District. NO ACTION because the proposal was withdrawn by the proposer – Dillingham drifter Robert Heyano.
65 In the Nushagak District repeal emergency order authority to limit gillnet mesh to not exceed four and three-quarters inches. FAIL 0-7.
66 Amend the Nushagak River Coho Salmon Management Plan to establish a fixed escapement goal, change the fishery start date, and repeal language pertaining to pink salmon escapement. PASS 7-0.
67 Change the Nushagak River Coho Salmon Management Plan to reflect changes in escapement goals that have previously been implemented. NO ACTION.
219 Address allocation impacts that may come from potential changes in escapement goals and trigger points in the Nushagak River Coho Salmon Management Plan. NO ACTION.
68 Repeal Wood River Sockeye Salmon Special Harvest Area Management Plan. PASS 7-0, as amended by RC 145 (which changes the boundary lines rather than repealing the area entirely), and another from board member Fritz Johnson.
69 Amend the Wood River Sockeye Salmon Special Harvest Area Management Plan to eliminate management based on Nushagak District drift and set gillnet gear allocations. FAIL 0-6, with board member Fritz Johnson recused because of his interest in the fishery.
70 Modify the Wood River Sockeye Salmon Special Harvest Area Management Plan to open separate drift and set gillnet fishing periods based on achievement of gear allocation instead of a fixed seasonal fishing period ratio. NO ACTION based on 68.
District specific changes - Togiak (2 proposals)
75 Reduce the amount of time that certain waters in the Togiak District are closed to commercial fishing for salmon with a drift gillnet.
77 Change the Togiak District Salmon Management Plan to reflect recent department escapement goal changes, and remove coho and king salmon goals. PASS 7-0 as amended by RC 132.
Bristol Bay Subsistence (4 proposals)
78 Change the boundaries, methods of harvest, and seasons for subsistence harvests of sockeye salmon in the Naknek River drainage.
79 Eliminate subsistence fishing period for the Naknek, Egegik, and Ugashik Rivers to allow subsistence salmon fishery to occur any time.
81 Define subsistence fishing boundaries so that the 10 fathom net restriction applies to Dillingham beaches and the 25 fathom net length restriction applies elsewhere, and remove reference to department regulatory markers. PASS 7-0.
82 Establish and adopt amounts reasonably necessary for subsistence uses for herring spawn on kelp in waters of the Togiak District. PASS with language from RC 73.
Bristol Bay Sport Fisheries (5 proposals)
83 Allow the traditional harvest of whitefish and non-salmon subsistence fish in specific waters of the Newhalen River. PASS 7-0 with language from RC 157 and Huntington amendment removing a phrase about fishing gear. As passed, chumming is prohibited for guided anglers and guides bay-wide, but there is no language for other sport fishermen.
84 Establish non-retention king salmon sport fishing in the Big Creek drainage of the Naknek River drainage. PASS 7-0.
85 Redefine the sport fishing boundary description for non-retention of king salmon in the Big Creek drainage. NO ACTION based on proposal 84.
86 Implement a mail-in requirement for all king salmon harvest tickets in Bristol Bay sport fisheries. NO ACTION.
87 Eliminate the use of egg-simulating lures in rainbow trout fishing. FAIL 0-7.
Bristol Bay Herring (3 proposals)
88 Change the regulatory description for herring purse seine and hand purse seine. PASS 7-0.
89 Delete references to sac roe in the Bristol Bay Herring Management Plan. PASS 7-0 with language from BBEDC in RC 150 that incorporated the changes proposed in 90, as well.
90 Change the management plan to allow the department to waive the catch allocation requirement for gillnet and purse seine fleets. NO ACTION based on 89 passing.
Here is all of KDLG's coverage. Here's the whole roadmap for the meeting. Contact Dave or Molly by email.
