ADF&G and ATA Port Meeting in Sitka

Discussion area for political and legal issues affecting Alaskan salmon fisheries.
Post Reply
Salty
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
Posts: 2399
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 1:46 pm

ADF&G and ATA Port Meeting in Sitka

Post by Salty »

A great turnout last night for our port meeting and a lot of lively discussion on the upcoming season which looks to be pretty poor for both Kings and Coho according to the biologist. The treaty news, cloaked in secrecy, also seemed to be pretty discouraging as the South looks for us to solve their habitat problems by sending more fish for them to waste. The discussion on what the Bush Administration has done to degrade fishery science was especially discouraging.
If you are a salmon troller and you are still a registered Republican then, as one of my good friends used to say; "What are you thinking?" I could go on for a while but enough said for now.
On the good news side of things it does look like prices are holding up. We are still fishing thanks to a regulation change five years ago so we can go until the end of April to harvest our winter guideline level of 43-47,000, the Alaska Hatchery predictions are significantly higher than in recent years (remember last year the prediction was less than the actual run) and it looks like abundance on both Chinook and Coho should bounce back.
It looks like the wind is going to slack off for a few days and we should get some troll production at these great prices.
Brian said he wanted the existing boundaries for the Hatchery troll areas to remain in place for at least a couple of years so they could see how they were working. There were only two proposals to change things brought up last night. Fred Fayette, T/V Miracle, suggested changing the Salisbury/ST. Johns, Fish Bay area in the hope that Fish Bay and St. Johns would be open seven days a week. My view is that it would reduce time at and likely jeapordize future access to the Sinitzen and Goloi drags which have been so productive over the last few years. But, it is an interesting idea and if you support it I recommend writing a letter to Brian and/or having a chat with Fred.
I suggested that Brian and the fleet consider rolling Western Channel into the new Sitka Sound area that combines Eastern Channel and Middle Channel. The new Sitka Sound area has a high hatchery percentage and in years like this coming one with low treaty abundance and high hatchery return we should be able to have a high enough percentage to keep the whole area open 5-7 days a week. Anyway it is unlikely there will be any changes this year and all expressed real satisfaction with Brian and Patty's management.
Dale Kelley gave a presentation on ATA which was thorough and explained that they needed members and needed more funds for the Treaty Battle. If you are not an ATA member and you are a troller it is time to join up. ATA is the troller voice at the treaty, at UFA, at the Alaska Legislature, and in Washington D.C. in addition to countless forums and meetings affecting trollers. I, as much as anyone over the last 20 years, have had differences with the ATA Board on some of the details of the management of our troll fishery. Nevertheless I pay my dues and correspond with both the Board and Dale regularly. You should too.
Post Reply