Chinook Quota
Dear Editor: The Alaska Trollers Association is deeply concerned with the announcement made by Alaska Department of Fish and Game on April 3 in which Alaska’s all-gear Chinook quota will be cut by an additional 10 percent.
The department cites deviation from the standardized fishing regime as a viable reason to inflict this 10 percent reduction upon Alaska’s Chinook fisherman.
There have been winter seasons where storm after storm has hit Southeast Alaska, driving the fishermen off the fishing grounds for a month or more. The end result of those seasons was transferring those uncaught fish to the summer season.
Spring fisheries have also been altered in time and area to concentrate effort on Alaska hatchery stocks more efficiently. The results sometimes ended up harvesting more or less treaty fish than expected.
In the past these altered fishing patterns and weather consequences have never been considered as deviation from the standardized fishing regime. Yet, currently the department’s interpretation of virtually the same situation, caused by state conservation plans instead of these other factors, is.
The Alaskan troll fleet is suffering from restrictions in their spring and winter fisheries due to the most recent conservation plans adopted by the Board of Fisheries in January of 2018. The fact of the matter is Alaska, through these conservation plans for Alaska stocks, is also directly supporting conservation for Canadian stocks as well.
ATA has always supported conservation measures that resulted in measurable savings to the stocks in need of help. ATA is committed to maintaining our portion of the conservation burden of stocks primarily harvested in the summer months that will benefit from the 10 percent cut.
However, this 10 percent reduction goes beyond reason when considering the savings to those stocks already generated by the current conservation plans.
Steve Merritt, President
Alaska Trollers Association
Baranof Thanks Sitkans
Dear Editor: In late January, owners of cabins in Baranof Warm Springs learned that yet another effort was being made to gain approval by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for placement of a salmon hatchery in Baranof. This was the latest of several such efforts by the same applicant. A hearing in Sitka was scheduled for 25 days later, with a deadline for written public comment shortly after that.
Despite the shortness of time for response, Baranof residents found themselves to be far from alone in opposing the hatchery. The packed hearing room featured an outpouring of impassioned and reasoned testimony by over 30 Sitkans and other Southeasterners speaking against the hatchery permit, with only two people supporting it. Perhaps most importantly, all three commercial salmon fishing gear groups strongly opposed it, as did NSRAA. Elsa Sebastian collected over 1100 signatures on a petition and ADF&G received over 130 letters in opposition.
Baranof is part of the City and Borough of Sitka, and we were heartened by the firm and well-argued position taken by the Borough in opposing the proposed hatchery, a development which would have violated Sitka’s recreational zoning of our community.
We would also particularly like to give our thanks for the tireless efforts of Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, (“JKT”) and his staff, who took the necessary time during a busy legislative session to familiarize himself with the numerous hatchery issues and with the level of public opposition, particularly from local residents, to this hatchery proposal. On a largely local matter of this type, the danger is often that the state government will reach an uninformed and therefore ill-advised decision. Rep. Kreiss-Tomkins made timely and critical contacts with ADF&G Commissioner Cotten and the Governor to assure that they were fully informed, not only as to the many biological issues that would arise from this hatchery location, but also as to the great importance of Baranof to the many Alaskans who visit it each year and enjoy the natural qualities of this special place.
In the end, the decision was made by ADF&G to deny the hatchery permit, and the residents of Baranof deeply appreciate the efforts of all of those who joined in to reach this result.
As always, we welcome our Sitka friends to many future visits to the Bay, to tie up at the new dock, soak in the hot springs, walk to the falls, river and lake, or to just hang out. See you in Baranof!
Ted Laufenberg, President,
Baranof Property
Owners Association,
Jim Brennan, Director, BPOA
