Council action last year inadvertently closed a loophole that had allowed tenders to transit between Bristol Bay fisheries legally by surrendering their FFPs.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is close to fixing a problem it inadvertently created last year for some Bristol Bay tenders. Currently, federally permitted vessels cannot transit through the Round Island Walrus Protection Area, routes traditionally taken when tenders leave the Togiak herring fishery for the Nushagak or Naknek-Kvichak salmon fisheries.
At its April meeting, the Council may adopt new corridors those vessels can legally use without surrendering their federal fisheries permits. An assessment suggests the proposed routes will be safe for the vessels, and safe for the walruses. KDLG’s Dave Bendinger has more:
Contact information to submit public comments can be found at the bottom of this Web page.