Talking Points for ACR #2 for the Board of Fish Work Session Oct 12-13, 2023 Anchorage
Comments due by September 27th
Submit via: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.meetinginfo&date=10-12-2023&meeting=anchorage
(1) ACR (Agenda Change Request) #2 requests the Board of Fish to revisit the Area M South Unimak and Shumigan Islands June Salmon Management Plan that was adopted at the February 2023 Board meeting. This review should happen at one of the upcoming Board of Fish meetings prior to the 2024 season.
(2) The basis for this request is the unforeseen consequences of that action (RC190 amendment to Proposal #136) which establish time-sensitive triggers for fishing closures in the event that the Area M fleet reached a certain number of chum bycatch. This may have resulted in illegal fishing practices.
(3) An unforeseen consequence is one of the criteria for an ACR.
(4) For the first time in recent history, Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited numerous fishermen for “chum chucking” or throwing chum overboard so they would not be counted against the trigger quota. The 9 citations of “chum chucking” during this time period indicate an effort to off-load chum to not reach the triggers that might close the fishery.
(5) These citations were in the drift fleet only and were the result of increased law enforcement on the fishing grounds. There is concern over the lack of of sufficient law enforcement on the seine fleet and within processing plants.
(6) This management plan is in place until re-visited at an Alaska Peninsula Board meeting in 2026 unless changed by a special South Unimiak / Shumigan Islands meeting prior to that time.