The Alaska Board of Fisheries is meeting Tuesday through Saturday in Anchorage at the Egan Civic and Convention Center to consider changes to statewide finfish fisheries. Board members are appointed by the governor. They consider changes to the state’s fish regulations after listening to opinions from Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game and the public.
Three proposals are seeking to limit hatchery production of chum and pink salmon in the state. There are about 30 salmon hatcheries, mostly in Southeast and Prince William Sound. Almost all of them are private nonprofits permitted by the state.
One proposal seeks to reduce the amount of salmon eggs allowed per hatchery permit by 25%. It’s sponsored by the Fairbanks Fish and Game Advisory Committee. The Kenai River Sport Fishing Association is also sponsoring two similar proposals – one that’s a moratorium on any increases to pink or chum salmon hatchery production from last year’s levels. The other would reduce pink salmon egg production specifically in Prince William Sound. They argue that hatchery salmon compete with wild stocks.
Fish and Game opposes all three hatchery proposals. Dozens of public written comments were also against them – coming from fishing groups, processors, tribes, cities, and individual fishermen.
Three proposals that have also received a lot of public attention call for changes to the state’s laws on trawl gear. They were proposed by the Alaska Healthy Halibut Alliance, a coalition of industry and sport groups, including the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. Fish and Game opposes the proposals. But many people wrote in support, saying bottom trawling – or dragging the seafloor with nets – is bad for the environment.
The deadline for written testimony has passed. The deadline to sign up for oral testimony at the meeting is Wednesday at 10 a.m.
