Fish Politics

Discussion area for political and legal issues affecting Alaskan salmon fisheries.
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JYDPDX
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Fish Politics

Post by JYDPDX »

I understand that there are a large number of factors that influence this industry that we all take part in. However, my understanding of these factors is quite vague in many regards. I have been involved with commercial fishing for many years but have just a couple of years completed as an owner / operator of a salmon troller. I can see that it is essential to become more aware of these elements and how they impact my business but for newer entrant trollers, like myself, it is difficult to comprehend much of what is going on. Knowledge is a necessary precursor to action.

I was hoping one or some of the generous contributers to this board could put together a cliff's notes version of salmon politics. Or perhaps the ATA could put on a Fish Politics 101 course here on the board.

I for one, am eager to learn more and get involved. This website is a fantastic tool for all of us to communicate and share ideas. Furthermore, it is a way for the fleet to unite to serve common goals and embellish our experience as trollers. In order to maximize this potential we really need to coalesce.

-Joe D.
Salty
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Re: Fish Politics

Post by Salty »

Something like this? I have a whole series I developed when I was working for the Alaska Marine Conservation Council. I have shared some of them with Sea Grant and local groups here in Sitka. Here is one.



How to propose a change to an Alaska fisheries management regulation.

By Eric Jordan, former Alaska Board of Fisheries member (for 6 months) former Sitka Fish & Game Advisory Committee officer for 12 years, author of numerous successful and unsuccessful proposals to the Board of Fisheries since 1974.

If you have a problem with an existing fisheries regulation or see an opportunity to improve fisheries management through the regulatory process, this is a process to go through.

• Be informed; study the Alaska regulations so you are familiar with the existing regulations.
• Get to know the ADF&G staff, visit the local ADF&G office and introduce yourself to the receptionists, the biologists, and the managers. If you have questions or are dissatisfied with an existing regulation bring it up with them first.
• Get to know the fishing group organizations and join the groups representing your interests. Find out if there are others interested in the issue you are concerned about. Ask the group to support a proposal to address the issue you are concerned about.
• Contact the local Fish & Game Advisory Committee and see if representatives on the committee are also concerned about the issue.
• If you are still concerned, write up a proposal to the Board of Fisheries to address your proposal. Proposal forms are available at the local Fish & Game Offices in your community. Be sure to check the deadline for proposals about the fisheries in your area. In recent years the Board of Fisheries considers proposals for each fisheries in each region of the state at least once every three years. In recent years the deadline for proposals has been April 10th of the spring before the BOF meeting cycle the next year. Check when the BOF will be considering proposals in your regulatory area and fisheries and be sure to submit your proposal on time.

Writing the proposal

1. The first line of the proposal form refers you to an Alaska Administrative Code number (AAC) and a regulation book page no. Find the number and page where the regulation governing the issue you are concerned about is printed.

2. Describe your problem as clearly and succinctly as possible;

3. Describe what will happen if this problem is not solved. Remember that the Board of Fisheries, as with most institutions, prefers not to change existing rules and you have to make a compelling case for the change you want, that continuing with the status quo is unacceptable.

4. Use the existing regulatory language as your template for change. Often a change of a word or two will accomplish what you want. If you want to delete a word or sentence the way to express that is by putting brackets around what you want [DELETED] and capitalizing the words to delete. For words you want to add, underline the new words. Be precise, and work to change as little as possible to accomplish your purpose.

5. Be serious as to the benefit and suffering you see from your proposal, but emphasize the benefits and point out the suffering under the status quo. It really helps your case here to mention that you have considered the consequences and possible opposition to your proposal.

6. When listing other solutions considered it is a good opportunity to show your flexibility and openness to work with others to the board and the public reading the proposal. It is also a good chance to remind the board of any history leading up to your proposal.

It is a good idea to show your proposal and discuss it with the ADF&G staff if you are unsure about technical parts of the proposal. They can be very helpful. After you have sent your proposal in, check with the Division of Boards in Juneau, 465-4110, to make sure it has been received. Finally, check the Board Proposal book when it comes out to make sure your proposal is in there and it is accurate.
JYDPDX
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Re: Fish Politics

Post by JYDPDX »

Thanks for the reply but my concern pertains more to learning what is going on rather than making proposals.

My inquiry relates more to who and what factors dictate our allocations? What are the major agencies that influence these decisions and how? What is the Board of Fish? What does the ADF&G do and how does it operate? What does the ATA do specifically? What are the benefits to becoming a member. There are several other acronyms thrown around on a regular basis that i have no idea what they even stand for. Much of the literature out there reads like IRS technical jargon with no starting point. This stuff is complicated and I am asking for a little information.

It is really unfortunate that no one felt inclined to put fourth any information in this regard. Furthermore, and please excuse me if I am off base here and perhaps I wasn't specific enough in the initial post, but I feel like the only reply here was intended to patronize me. And if that is the case then, I ask that you reconsider your opinion of new entrants to the fleet. If you canno't see why it would be important to recognize, inform and respect your new colleagues then maybe you can ponder why and how it is counterproductive to continue to drive a rift between us and go from there.

Again, please pardon my reaction if I am off base, I know people are busy and this thread has only been up for a week. I was really hoping to open up some communication lines here and feel that instead I have gotten snubbed.
Salty
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Re: Fish Politics

Post by Salty »

No mean to patronize, just to inform. The posting was from an actual series I worked up for public presentations. Shared them with the Young Fisherman's Leadership conference a couple of years ago.
The Board of Fish (BOF) is the Alaska Board of Fish. It is made up of 7 members. It is the body that allocates fish in the State waters of Alaska. They have a policy on allocation criteria and follow it carefully.
The North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) manages our fisheries from 3-200 miles off shore.
The Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) is the agency responsible for fish and game management and research in the State of Alaska. For trollers the management biologist is Brian Lynch located in Petersburg.
The Alaska Trollers Association (ATA) is the primary group representing commercial salmon troll interests in Alaska. Dale Kelly is the Executive Director and participates in this forum. Benefits from being a member are receipt of a regular newsletter, action alerts as needed, and being represented at all kinds of forums and meetings important to trollers. Dale or ATA representatives monitor regulations, treaty developments, legislation, habitat threats, fish farming problems, and all kinds of issues important to the troll fleet. Today she is at a Northern Panel meeting in Juneau of the US- Canada Salmon Treaty. The ATA board is representative of all the major troll ports in SE Alaska and has 2 seats for out of state residents. It also includes handtroll representation. Dave Otte, Ketchikan, is the Chair of the Board. Dale conducts regular port meetings every spring around SE Alaska. I highly encourage anyone with a troll permit to join.
If you want I can put in links to various sites for the groups referred to here. I was really trying to be helpful by posting a copy of some of my work. I don't really understand what was patronizing about it. But, don't worry about it, I have been called a lot of things. Once I had to officially apologize to the Japanese for something I said at a NPFMC Advisory Panel meeting.
Carol W
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Re: Fish Politics

Post by Carol W »

The main thing in fish politics is pay your ATA dues and get involved in meetings one of the problems we have in fish politics is there are only a few people involved in SPC, ATA, UFA, SSRAA, and NSRAA boards and consequently what happens is those few people get burned out and we lose these people. I sit on 2 boards and as I have said in another post I have attended a round of meetings every 10 to 15 days this fall, it is a lot to ask of a few people and we need more people to step up to the plate. And beleave me the first place to start is paying your ATA dues and start coming to meetings even as an observer.
JYDPDX
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Re: Fish Politics

Post by JYDPDX »

I would like to rescind any negative overtone used above. I do appreciate your response. I should have been more clear in the initial post. The How to Propose Change document is very well organized and important to have here on the board. When I decided to buy a boat and PT permit in 2006 there was next to nothing in the way of online resources for information about this industry. I spoke with Jon recently about this forum and we talked about how awesome it is for people to be able to communicate here and we wished that there was information to be obtained in this way when we were getting started out. We also agreed that despite having an interest we don't understand a good deal of the intricacies involved in fish politics.

Can you explain a little more about the aforementioned issues (treaty developments, legislation, habitat threats and fish farming problems) and what is going on currently?

Thanks again and best regards,
Joe
Jon
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Re: Fish Politics

Post by Jon »

Actually, I just happened to read an interesting article on fish farming... It doesn't specifically mention the SE troll industry, but it's good nonetheless.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article ... 04,00.html
Jon
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Re: Fish Politics

Post by Jon »

I joined the UFA (United Fisherman of Alaska) this year and they have a really good selection of News Updates that they send out regularly. The information covers everything from the presidential election, to salmon sperm counts and stinging jellyfish, to Greenpeaces' view of seafood buyers practices.

You can view the current and recent updates here:
http://www.ufa-fish.org/update.htm

You can also signup on their website (for free) to get the updates via email.
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