The Southeast Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Council will meet in Petersburg from October 4-6. Southeast fisheries proposals include: -Modify the prohibition on the use of nets in streams flowing across or adjacent to the road systems within the city limits of Petersburg, Wrangell, and Sitka. Currently, Petersburg and Wrangell do not allow the use of nets in salmon streams within ‘City Limits’ now that they are Boroughs, there are no city limits. Sitka only has roads within city limits. This proposal would prohibit the use of nets on all road system streams in Petersburg, Wrangell, and Sitka. -Allow the use of a sling bow with fish arrow as a legal gear type for pink salmon. More informations on the fisheries proposals, as well as the wildlife proposals can be found here: https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/proposal/current Read more…
Month: September 2016
Ninth Circuit Court Rules in Favor of UCIDA
On Wednesday, the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of United Cook Inlet Drift Association against a 2011 decision by the NP Council, Amendment 12, to remove several Alaska salmon fisheries from the federal management plan. The court found that under Magnuson Stevens, NMFS must manage fisheries in federal waters unless there is a fishery management plan that defers control to the State. After NMFS includes Cook Inlet in its salmon fishery management plan, they can then hand over control to the State. Here is more: http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/09/21/ninth-circuit-sides-with-fishermen-in-inlet-fight.htm The full court ruling can be found here: http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2016/09/21/14-35928.pdf Read more…
Friday, September 23 EM Display and Outreach Meeting
Archipelago Marine Research makes cameras used in the Electronic Monitoring program for the longline fisheries and will be meeting with any interested community members this Friday at 9am in the PVOA office. Please join us for cookies, coffee and an EM system demo, and information on logistics.
2017 EM Program
The deadline to sign up for the 2017 EM Pool is Tuesday, September 20. If you participated in 2016 and want to participate again, you will need to opt-in again. As always, if you change your mind, you can opt-out at any point. The selection rate is 30% and trips will be selected through the same ODDS system as the human observer program. Previously, boats installed and removed the wiring when selected for a trip. This winter there is grant money to pay for the wiring needed for boats and vessel owners can choose to install the wiring permanently. The camera portion of the set up will still be installed before an observed trip and removed at the end of the trip. If you would like to opt-in for 2017, please contact Liz Chilton via email at [email protected], or call her at (206) 526-4197. Read more…