Legislature(2017 - 2018)BARNES 124
04/27/2018 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
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| Presentation(s): Alaska Department of Fish & Game | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
April 27, 2018
1:03 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Andy Josephson, Co-Chair
Representative Geran Tarr, Co-Chair
Representative John Lincoln, Vice-Chair
Representative Justin Parish
Representative Chris Birch
Representative DeLena Johnson
Representative David Talerico
Representative Mike Chenault (alternate)
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Harriet Drummond
Representative George Rauscher
Representative Chris Tuck (alternate)
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Representative Colleen Sullivan-Leonard
Representative David Eastman
Senator Mike Shower
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION(S): ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH & GAME
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
TOM BROOKOVER, Director
Division of Sport Fish
Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented information related to fishing
runs and fishing opportunities in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.
SCOTT KELLEY, Director
Division of Commercial Fisheries
Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented information related to fishing
runs and fishing opportunities in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:03:46 PM
CO-CHAIR GERAN TARR called the House Resources Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:03 p.m. Representatives Tarr,
Birch, Talerico, Johnson, Lincoln, and Josephson were present at
the call to order. Representatives Parish and Chenault
(alternate) arrived as the meeting was in progress. Also,
present were Representatives Sullivan-Leonard and Eastman, and
Senator Shower.
^PRESENTATION(S): ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH & GAME
PRESENTATION(S): ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH & GAME ON MAT-SU
FISHING RUNS AND OPPORTUNITIES
1:04:26 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR announced that the only order of business would be
a presentation by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G)
on Matanuska-Susitna (Mat-Su) fishing runs and fishing
opportunities.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON said the presentation is very important
to the Matanuska-Susitna area due to [fishing] closures of some
creeks in the Susitna River drainage. Further, the commissioner
of ADF&G announced a change in king salmon fisheries management
in the Deshka River region due to anticipated small runs. She
said her constituents want to hear about ADF&G's science-based
approach. Representative Johnson paraphrased from a
constituent's letter as follows:
I would like to thank you, Representative Johnson, for
your continued service and dedication to maintaining
and improving Mat-Su fisheries. I am taking a
government class this year for school and was thus
thinking about legislature. Being an avid fisherman,
I also spend much time thinking about where and when
to go fishing with my family. This year the king
salmon fisheries were greatly restricted. Also, last
year the silver salmon fishery was very poor in the
main season. One thing I feel that was hindering our
salmon fisheries greatly is the drift fisheries in the
central district conservation corridor. I recognize
that setnet fisheries, although they do harvest large
number of fish, are easily managed for specific
drainages with minimal side-catch. Thus, my idea for
managing commercial fisheries for maximum opportunity
would be to mandate that commercial drift fisheries
should not be allowed in the conservation corridor
until three of these four streams of the salmon weirs,
Little Susitna River, Deshka River, Jim Creek, and
Fish Creek, have met at least part of their escapement
goal, probably when one quarter through one half, and
were projected by the Palmer Department of Fish and
Game to achieve escapement.
I wonder whether you would consider sponsoring a bill
to this effect.
Signed,
Paul Werda, avid fisherman
1:09:45 PM
TOM BROOKOVER, Director, Division of Sport Fish, ADF&G, reminded
the committee since approximately 2007, production for king
salmon has been down in Southeast Alaska, Kodiak, Cook Inlet,
and Western Alaska fisheries. Although the presentation would
focus on northern Cook Inlet, the [poor production] situation is
not exclusive to northern Cook Inlet or the Matanuska Valley.
He directed attention to a document provided in the committee
packet identified by a map of the Susitna River drainage
including Knik Arm and the Matanuska River. Not shown on the
map, but included in the northern Cook Inlet, were the Little
Susitna River and west Cook Inlet streams. He explained Game
Management Units 1-6 are the management units ADF&G uses to
manage the sport fishery, including all of streams that are
assigned escapement goals, and others (slide 1). Slide 2
entitled, "Table X. History of achieving Chinook salmon
escapement goals in NCI, 2006-2017," indicated escapement totals
for Knik Arm, eastside Susitna, westside Susitna and west Cook
Inlet waterways; shaded areas denoted where and when escapement
goals were missed. For example, the Little Susitna River (weir)
has a goal of 2,100 to 4,300 fish; however, there was not a weir
at that location until 2017. He pointed out in 2017 only two
monitored locations achieved the escapement goal: Little
Susitna River and Little Willow Creek. Recent performance has
been poor and there are seven stocks of concern in northern Cook
Inlet including Willow Creek, Sheep Creek, Goose Creek,
Alexander Creek, Lewis River, Theodore River, and Chuitna River,
none of which have achieved escapement goals. Slide 3 entitled,
"Table A - Salmon abundance and distribution studies ...,"
indicated from 2013 through 2017, the division studied the
Susitna River and developed drainage-wide estimates of king
salmon. When compared to the previous table, the abundance
estimates ranged from 90,500 in 2014 to 137,000 in 2015, and
down to 63,000 in 2017. He advised this is the first time the
division has been able to estimate abundance for the drainage as
a whole and is indicative of the range in the production of king
salmon in the river drainage.
1:17:16 PM
MR. BROOKOVER continued to slide 4 which was a memorandum from
Nick DeCovich, a research biologist with the Division of Sport
Fish, ADF&G, in Palmer. The memorandum includes a forecast for
the 2018 Deshka River Chinook run of 12,782 fish, which is below
the escapement goal of 13,000 to 28,000 fish. Therefore, the
entire Deshka run would be insufficient to achieve its goal even
with no fishing mortality. He directed attention to page 3 of
the memorandum: Table 1. - Forecast Chinook salmon abundance
.... For older fish, the division uses multiple models to
predict the number of fish returning in each age class; for
example, age 1.3 in the [sibling relationship model] forecast
predicts 1,300 to 1,400 fish, but the [Andrew S. Ricker's
Population Model] predicts a return of over 14,000; due to the
conflicting information, the division chose to use the sibling
forecast of 1,264 because of the lower error factor.
1:20:06 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR asked for a description of the forecast
methodologies used by the division.
MR. BROOKOVER further explained the moving average is simply an
average of data by each age group for the past five years; the
sibling model projects for a certain age group from the returns
of the previous years of that age group; the [Andrew S. Ricker's
Population Model] takes past spawning escapements and compares
all of the spawning escapements by age classes in the following
years, and he gave an example. Mr. Brookover returned attention
to page 5 of the memorandum: Table 3. - Accuracy of the Deshka
River Chinook ... and pointed out the relative difference
between the forecast and the actual run can deviate up to 52
percent; in general, the forecast overestimates the run, thus
the division must consider the factors of uncertainty and error
in its outlook.
1:24:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON inquired as to the cause of the 52
percent relative difference which occurred in 2008.
MR. BROOKOVER was unsure.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON noted additional high relative
differences occurred in 2007 and 2009.
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH asked if the area around Lemesurier Island
[near Gustavus] was open to king salmon fishing.
MR. BROOKOVER said he would provide information in that regard.
CO-CHAIR TARR returned attention to page 5 of the memorandum and
pointed out the percentages of over forecasts are higher than
those of under forecasts.
MR. BROOKOVER agreed and said lower run goals are more affected.
CO-CHAIR TARR asked whether Northern pike predation is a factor
in the evaluation of Chinook salmon runs.
MR. BROOKOVER said yes. He returned attention to slide 2 and
pointed out the goal range for Alexander Creek is from 2,100 to
6,000 fish. Escapements in Alexander Creek were larger prior to
2006, and pike suppression efforts began in the creek around
2010; in fact, indications were strong that pike were the
primary reason for salmon decline in the Alexander Creek
drainage. The division also nets pike out of the Deshka River
in some years and elsewhere; pike suppression is a regional
program performing ongoing work on the Kenai Peninsula and in
the Mat-Su Valley.
CO-CHAIR TARR surmised all salmon species are susceptible to
pike predation.
MR. BROOKOVER said correct. The impact of pike predation on
certain species depends on habitat and lake conditions; for
example, lake sockeye smolt must cross shallows to exit a lake
and at that point become susceptible to pike. In further
response to Co-Chair Tarr, he agreed there are many sources of
mortality in fish; furthermore, in general, data shows there is
good freshwater production, which indicates there is fluctuating
and poor marine survival. For example, monitoring in Southeast
Alaska shows marine survival is down to 1 percent from 2 percent
to 3 percent.
1:34:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH clarified the location of Lemesurier
Island and said because that area is "the entrance to Southeast
Alaska for a lot ... of salmon stock," restated his question
about the status of king salmon retention in the area.
MR. BROOKOVER said he would provide the requested information.
He closed, noting that salmon stock poor escapement performance,
unmet goals, and the Deshka River forecast led the division to
issue severe fishing restrictions: the sport fishery in the
Susitna drainage is closed to king salmon; catch and release
with single hooks and no bait is allowed in the Deshka and
Yentna drainages; the Little Susitna is open to king salmon
four days per week, also with single hooks and no bait, and an
annual limit of two; all of the west Cook Inlet streams are
closed by regulation. However, the subsistence fishery at
Tyonek is unaffected.
CO-CHAIR TARR asked whether this was the first closure announced
before the season began.
MR. BROOKOVER answered he was unsure.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON noted the forecast is just under the
escapement goals and asked if or when the division would
reevaluate its closure decision during the summer.
MR. BROOKOVER advised the division will monitor indicators
during the season by using fish wheels to generate drainage-wide
estimates, to determine catch rates, and to determine age
composition, particularly for 1.2 and 1.3 age classes. Further,
the division will monitor the Deshka River fishery for catch and
release fishing, will post daily weir counts, and intends to
gather data from the Tyonek subsistence fishery. Evaluating
this information will allow the division to restore some fishing
opportunities when possible.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON asked whether the division seeks specific
data on which to base its decision.
MR. BROOKOVER said one of the key indicators will be from the
Deshka weir daily counts which will be contrasted with
historical data. The 25 percent point of the run occurs around
June 8 to 10; if the counts are "well above what we've seen in
past years or what we'd expect to see, given the forecast, we
could take action to liberalize fisheries ... but a, with, with
decisions of this type, with king salmon typically, we'll, we'll
have a lot of staff engaged in, you know, producing those
numbers and discussions about what they mean."
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked what additional restrictions will
be imposed on commercial fisheries.
MR. BROOKOVER deferred to Mr. Kelley.
1:41:28 PM
SCOTT KELLEY, Director, Division of Commercial Fisheries, ADF&G,
informed the committee the set gillnet fishery in the [Northern
District of Upper Cook Inlet] at the mouth of the aforementioned
rivers will be closed for the entire season for the stated
reasons; this closure will affect four fishing periods.
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked whether there would be other
restrictions on commercial fishing imposed this year.
MR. KELLEY said no. He explained the drift gillnet fishery
starts later in the season, and the eastside set net fishery is
managed for Kenai and Kasilof salmon stocks.
REPRESENTATIVE SULLIVAN-LEONARD expressed her concern about
small tourism businesses in the district that are dependent on
salmon fishing and thus are greatly affected by early fishing
closures. She suggested the division should make its
determination based on the actual initial runs to protect small
businesses in the area.
MR. BROOKOVER acknowledged the aforementioned issue garners a
great deal of discussion when decisions are made. He remarked:
... a different situation then we have this year [is]
where we do have a projection for Deshka that's ...
let say it's this year's projection, just under goal.
And maybe even recognizing that that the Deshka
forecast tends to over forecast, and we have a lot of
uncertainty, maybe we would have allowed the season to
start, perhaps with restrictions, but start with some
harvest opportunities. I could see us making that
decision, in a case where, for the past several years
we've achieved that goal, and, and don't have any
other indications that, you know, strong indications
that that forecast may be right or, or possibly over
forecasting. Now that's a very different circumstance
than what we had this year. This year we've had
declining runs, and .... we're missing goals and we're
missing them repeatedly and the [Board of Fisheries
has] designated seven of the stocks in northern Cook
Inlet as stocks of concern. ... So, when we took a
broader-based picture of the Susitna, it was pretty
dire, and when we look out even further across the
state, at what's happening now in Southeast, in
Kodiak, and Western Alaska, it's not good. ... We
recognize the importance of the businesses and the,
and the economic value in the Valley. At the same
time, we're charged with managing for conserving these
stocks, we want these stocks to be maintained for the
benefit of those businesses in the future ....
1:46:21 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR asked whether there is impact aid or disaster
relief for businesses affected by closures.
MR. BROOKOVER advised the division was contacted by residents in
the [Mat-Su] Valley regarding the economic costs of the
decision; however, he said he was unaware of "any steps to
render aid."
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO [directed attention to Table 2.-
Estimated number of Deshka River Chinook ... , page 4 of the
memorandum] and noted in 2008, the run was less than 10,000; in
2009, the run was 12,722; in 2010, the run was over 22,000. He
asked what management measures were taken by the division at
that time to increase the return.
MR. BROOKOVER was unsure what exactly was done in 2009. The
division began taking more severe restrictions in about 2011 and
2013, and he expressed his belief the division took emergency
order action during the season in 2009.
1:48:48 PM
SENATOR SHOWER surmised ADF&G has great concern about salmon
stocks and questioned why the division would not consider a
broader approach to its restrictions on commercial fisheries.
He asked:
... why would we not shut down broader sections
further south, [sections] that the fish have to get
through for the returns?
MR. BROOKOVER responded the harvest of northern Cook Inlet king
salmon is focused in the northern district by "inriver"
fisheries and commercial fisheries. The sport harvest in the
[Mat-Su] Valley streams has declined from 30,000 fish to 3,000
in the last 20 years, due to poor performance and to
restrictions placed on the fishery. In contrast, the northern
district set net harvest is about 2,000 to 2,500 fish; also, the
central and lower Cook Inlet commercial fisheries and marine
sport fisheries in Anchor Point and Kachemak Bay also catch king
salmon. However, genetics studies show a low number of Susitna
fish in the aforementioned fisheries.
SENATOR SHOWER remarked:
... if our concern is to increase the stocks for later
use for not only commercial, but sports fishing and
the economic impact, we might consider broader
restrictions than just the northern tier because
clearly, anything that's taken out, especially in the
commercial nets, could easily be coming to the north
side as well as all the way up and down the inlets and
other places ....
1:52:45 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR asked whether the department has sufficient
resources to find answers to this problem.
MR. BROOKOVER acknowledged the less information the department
has the more conservative fisheries management will be, and
better information will provide more precise levels of harvest.
[In 2013], ADF&G developed the [Chinook Salmon Stock Assessment
and Research Plan, 2013,] that was funded for two years at $7.5
million each year, and which enabled the department to study 12
indicator stocks. He described the work that was funded - some
of which related to the Susitna River - and other studies;
however, the money was spent and in fact, some projects have
been abandoned, such as the Nushakgak River capture to estimate
drainage-wide escapement of king salmon so that data could be
compared to sonar counts in the Nushakgak River. Also, after
capital funds were exhausted, the division reallocated funds to
the Susitna mainstem portion of the work, but the Yentna portion
remains unfunded. He concluded the division has enough money to
manage the stocks, but not everything possible is being done to
"do a better job of providing harvest opportunity."
1:55:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH recalled last year the [Board of Fisheries
(BOF), ADF&G], extended commercial fishing operations for an
extra week in August. He surmised BOF determined the extension
was "a sustainable proposal and it would not adversely affect
the coho run in, in the Kenai." Representative Birch continued:
Very shortly thereafter, there was a proposal to
increase the bag limit for sports fish from two to
three, and that, in turn, was being unsustainable.
... How do you make that judgement call between a
sustainable fishery, ... how does it change that fast
over a day?
MR. KELLEY provided a detailed description of possible reasons
for the aforementioned decision. He concluded:
... the department presents the data such as it is,
and the board makes determinations, and I wouldn't, I
wouldn't be the one to second-guess what the Board of
Fisheries did.
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH restated his concern.
1:57:58 PM
MR. KELLEY directed attention to a document included in the
committee packet entitled, "Upper Cook Inlet Salmon Escapement
Summary (2017)." Turning to the topic of sockeye salmon, he
informed the committee the division monitors sockeye salmon in
the Kenai and Kasilof [rivers] and maintains three weirs in the
Susitna and Yentna drainages at Judd Lake, Larson Lake, and
Chelatna Lake. Weir and sonar monitoring indicated in 2017,
escapement goals were met (slide 1). Slide 2 listed the
Commercial Harvest Summary (2017), and he pointed out overall
sockeye salmon harvests are less than historical averages; for
example, the drift gillnet fishery harvest for sockeye was
881,000, which was less than the 2007-2016 average of 1,700,000.
Slide 3 was a map of the central and northern districts. Slide
4 was a map of drift areas 1 and 2; slide 5 was a map of drift
gillnet corridors. Slide 6 illustrated graphs of the sockeye
salmon escapement data collected by weir technology at Chelatna,
Judd, and Larson lakes. He explained - unlike king salmon in
2017 - sockeye salmon numbers were within escapement goal ranges
for the aforementioned three stocks. Slide 7 entitled, "Central
District Drift Gillnet Management Plan," was an excerpt from the
management plan indicating the division's timeline for certain
activities. Slides 8 and 9 illustrated work areas in the drift
fishery during July and August, 2017. Slide 10 entitled, "Sea
Surface Temperature Anomaly," pictured the area known as "the
blob" in the Pacific Ocean. Mr. Kelley remarked:
One of the questions ... [heard commonly and at the
meeting today] is "Why are we having these periods of
reduced productivity?", and, you know, as a scientist
it's hard for me to say, "It's all because of the
blob." That wouldn't be true, but the blob ... did
affect productivity for salmon species and other
species and we're dealing with that. ... And this
picture happened to be taken in, in May of 2015, ...
[when] juvenile salmon that entered the Gulf of Alaska
began their adult rearing time in marine waters were
encountered immediately by [the blob, and the blob] is
a very challenging bit of ocean on a very large
geographic scale and it certainly has impacts on
salmon production throughout the state, [in] Southeast
Alaska, through Cook Inlet, and outward to Kodiak ....
2:04:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH returned attention to slide 10 and asked
for clarification of the illustrated abnormal temperatures.
MR. KELLEY explained the zero point on the colored scale is the
average temperature, and the darkest red color is plus three
degrees. In further response to Representative Parish, he
estimated the exact period of time [the temperatures were
recorded] was about 15 years.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON has heard new technology is now tracking
fish in the marine environment and asked whether the division
has data on where Mat-Su fish go during their time in the ocean.
MR. KELLEY advised ADF&G does not deploy marine telemetry tags
but does perform wild stock tagging for Chinook salmon in
Southeast Alaska and in other fisheries. Another method ADF&G
uses to determine where stocks go is through genetic stock
identification; by sampling various salmon species throughout
the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, ADF&G uses stock
separation and composition estimates of given stocks based on
genetic stock composition identification data.
2:09:04 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR asked for clarification of the drift areas and
conservation corridors illustrated on slides 4 and 5.
MR. KELLEY said upper Cook Inlet fisheries are managed by a
variety of management plans adopted by BOF and based primarily
on run times and location. The two main tools for fishery
management are: time - when gear is allowed in the water; area
- where the gear can be deployed. Therefore, depending upon
what stocks are of concern for allocation or conservation, the
division determines where the stocks are at a given point in
time. The maps depict the "pattern" of area; for example, early
in the season the drift gillnet fishery is open district-wide,
however, as fish - such as Mat-Su fish - are passing through
certain areas, management plans specify that only corridors are
open for fishing. Corridors can also be expanded at certain
times, as shown on slide 5.
CO-CHAIR TARR surmised fishing is limited by corridors and the
season; for example, fishing is available in the Kenai section
or in the expanded Kenai corridor later in the [season].
MR. KELLEY said, "In general, that's correct." He further
explained another management tool is the size [of the fishery].
The Kenai River produces the largest sockeye run thus,
especially for the gillnet fishery, management plans are based
on Kenai River sockeye abundance; for example, 1.6 million fish
and above allows for more district-wide openings.
2:14:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH returned attention to the document
identified by a map of the Susitna River drainage and said Table
X [slide 2] indicated for the last two years there are no counts
for [five] streams. He concluded the likelihood of a stream not
being monitored has tripled in the past ten years.
Representative Parish asked if instability in funding has
affected ADF&G's ability to perform its mission.
MR. BROOKOVER answered that Table X escapement counts for the
Susitna and west Cook Inlet drainages are conducted mostly by
aerial survey, thus are not constrained by the budget; in fact,
no-count situations are primarily a function of weather, water,
and other natural conditions. However, as a result of depleted
capital funds - for the Susitna drainage as a whole - in 2018,
the division will use sportfish funds for the mainstem Susitna
mark-recapture work on the Susitna and the Yentna [rivers],
because there is not enough money to conduct the inriver work
that was begun in 2013.
2:17:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH questioned how ADFG determines the priority
of one fishery above that of another.
MR. BROOKOVER advised commercial and sport fisheries are
fundamentally different; a sport fishery is managed for
stability, and to do so the division does not intensively manage
a sport fishery by emergency orders but follows management plans
created by BOF. For example, due to the variability in coho
returns, the division relies on existing seasons and bag limits,
and makes adjustments in response to data provided by
monitoring; in northern Cook Inlet monitoring is provided by
weirs on the Deshka, the Little Susitna, Jim Creek, and Fish
Creek, and by aerial surveys. The division will adjust
restrictions if seasonal counts are lower or higher than the
goals for those systems. Commercial fisheries are managed more
intensively through management plans crafted by BOF.
MR. KELLEY agreed with Mr. Brookover and stressed ADF&G is bound
by management plans adopted by BOF. In the aforementioned case,
the drift fishery is specifically managed to pass upper Cook
Inlet and Susitna River salmon stocks at certain times through
the previously identified corridors. Although there are no
mandatory closures after August 1, typically in August the drift
net fishery would have district-wide periods [of closures]. At
that time, coho escapement counts were lagging thus management
action was taken; working together, [the Division of Sport Fish
and the Division of Commercial Fisheries] decided to take action
and on August 7, 10, and 14, the drift fishery was restricted to
drift area 1 (shown on the document entitled, "Upper Cook Inlet
Salmon Escapement Summary (2017), slide 4).
2:22:37 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR returned attention to the [document entitled,
"Upper Cook Inlet Salmon Escapement Summary (2017)], slide 7,
and read as follows:
[States that the department] shall manage [the drift
gillnet fishery] to minimize the harvest of Northern
District and Kenai River coho salmon to provide sport
and [guided] sport fishermen a reasonable opportunity
to harvest these stocks.
CO-CHAIR TARR surmised the division follows the management plan
for time periods and areas eligible for fishing. She asked for
clarification of an "option for a third period."
MR. KELLEY stated regulatory periods for the drift gillnet
fishery are Mondays and Thursdays; an additional third period
refers to a fishing period open during a given week, in addition
to the Monday or Thursday regular periods. In further response
to Co-Chair Tarr, he said "AP Section" represents Anchor Point
Section.
CO-CHAIR TARR concluded the July 16-31 timeframe [shown on slide
7], is "a very fluid, or dynamic kind of management regime where
it's all as, as escapement goals are being met, [and] that's how
you're ... in real time, making those decisions."
MR. KELLEY stated the tiered Kenai sockeye run is evaluated
twice per year, first in pre-season. For example, [on April 27,
2018] the division expects the Kenai sockeye run to be 2.5
million fish, which would be within the middle tier level of 2.3
million to 4.6 million fish. The Kenai run will be evaluated
from test data for sockeye salmon abundance in-season around
July 19, 20, or 21, and the size of the run will determine which
tier management restrictions are applicable.
CO-CHAIR TARR questioned whether there are no mandatory area
restrictions to regular periods from August 1 through 15 because
the division expects its goals to have been met.
MR. KELLEY said either the goals have been met or there are no
concerns. He stressed the division makes the most informed
decision it can based upon in-season data; in fact, the division
is not bound by the tiers, but during the season monitors the
Kenai River sockeye salmon escapement counts by sonar. In 2017,
the in-season sonar counts were lagging, and the division closed
the drift fishery and the eastside setnet fisheries; as the
counts increased, fishing was opened on July 29, 2017.
CO-TARR noted during the week of July 9 there was a third
period.
MR. KELLEY said correct.
2:30:11 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Resources Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HRES Matsu Salmon - ADFG Background Information 4.27.18.pdf |
HRES 4/27/2018 1:00:00 PM |
Mat-Su Salmon |
| HRES Matsu Salmon - ADFG Background Information Part Two - 4.27.18.pdf |
HRES 4/27/2018 1:00:00 PM |
Matsu Salmon |
| HRES Matsu Salmon - ADFG Background Information Part Three 4.27.18.pdf |
HRES 4/27/2018 1:00:00 PM |
Matsu Salmon |