Legislature(2013 - 2014)BUTROVICH 205
03/28/2014 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Overview of Salmon Stocks and Management Plans in Upper Cook Inlet | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
March 28, 2014
3:34 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Cathy Giessel, Chair
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Click Bishop
Senator Anna Fairclough
Senator Hollis French
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Fred Dyson, Vice Chair
Senator Lesil McGuire
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
OVERVIEW OF SALMON STOCKS AND MANAGEMENT PLANS IN UPPER COOK
INLET
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
CHARLIE SWANTON, Director
Division of Sport Fisheries
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G)
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented an overview of Upper Cook Inlet
(UCI) salmon stocks and the management plans governing these
fisheries.
TRACY LINGNAU, Supervisor
Region II, Division of Commercial Fisheries
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G)
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented an overview of Upper Cook Inlet
(UCI) salmon stocks and the management plans governing these
fisheries.
BILL TEMPLIN, Principal Geneticist
Genetics Lab
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G)
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered salmon genetics questions about
Upper Cook Inlet.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:34:05 PM
CHAIR CATHY GIESSEL called the Senate Resources Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:34 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Micciche, Fairclough, and Chair Giessel.
^Overview of Salmon Stocks and Management Plans in Upper Cook
Inlet
Overview of Salmon Stocks and Management Plans in
Upper Cook Inlet
3:35:22 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL said that earlier the committee heard from 12
salmon user groups and today would hear from the department that
would give an overview of salmon stocks and management plans in
Upper Cook Inlet.
3:35:49 PM
CHARLIE SWANTON, Director, Division of Sport Fisheries, Alaska
Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), introduced Tracy Lingnau
and said together they would present an overview of Upper Cook
Inlet (UCI) salmon stocks and the management plans governing
these fisheries. The purpose of this presentation is to describe
some of the geography of UCI, the stocks of salmon that run
through it, and the management plans which guide the harvest and
allocation of those stocks, and how those management plans
inter-relate to each other and to the various stocks.
3:36:20 PM
SENATOR FRENCH joined committee.
3:36:55 PM
TRACY LINGNAU, Supervisor, Region II, Division of Commercial
Fisheries, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), said the
Upper Cook Inlet is managed into two distinct areas, the
Northern District with its southern boundary between Boulder
Point on the east side and to a coordinate on the west side, and
the Central District with its northern boundary at a line above
Boulder Point and the southern boundary is at the Anchor Point
latitude.
All five species of salmon are found in UCI. Drainages that
support these species are the Susitna River Drainage, which
includes the Yentna River, and to the east of the Northern
District, the Little Susitna River and the Knik and Turnagain
Arms. The largest sockeye salmon producers in Cook Inlet are the
Kenai and Kasilof Rivers. The systems to the west and north
include Theodore, Chuitna, Beluga, and Lewis; to the south and
west: the Crescent, Drift, and Kustatan Rivers.
He said that only set gillnets are allowed in the Northern
District and both drift and set gillnets are allowed in the
Central District.
3:37:26 PM
Other terms commonly used are references to the various fishing
sections that have been developed by the Board of Fisheries
(BOF) through time: the Kenai and Kasilof Sections were adopted
in 1996; more recently the Kenai/Kasilof Expanded Sections were
developed, and this past February an Anchor Point Section was
developed. These sections are used to harvest Kenai and/or
Kasilof River sockeye salmon while allowing northern stocks to
move through to their drainages.
MR. SWANTON said Cook Inlet is one of the most complex salmon
fisheries in the state and a suite of management plans were
addressed at the February 14th UCI board meeting. These plans
include subsistence fisheries in Tyonek and the Upper Yentna
River, personal use fisheries in the Kenai/Kasilof/Beluga and
Fish Creeks, sport and guided sport fishing, and set and drift
gillnet commercial fisheries. There were approximately 236
proposals with in-depth information for each available prior to
and at the board meeting.
3:39:11 PM
He explained that the Upper Cook Inlet Salmon Management Plan is
the umbrella plan that covers all of Cook Inlet; it was first
adopted in 1977 and it has been reviewed at every board meeting
since. It guides the harvest and allocation of stocks through a
series of step-down plans; examples are the Kenai River Late-Run
Sockeye Management Plan, the Central District Gillnet Fishery
Management Plan, and the Kenai River Late-Run King Salmon
Management Plan. These step-down plans provide specific
directives to the department for in-season management of the
various resources and they often lay out the allocation of the
resource. They are structured around the migratory timing of the
various salmon stocks as they move through Cook Inlet.
3:39:49 PM
MR. LINGNAU explained that their display on slide 6 reflects the
general run timing of the stocks with the early sockeye and king
salmon runs in May and early June being fairly well separated
from the other stocks. This is followed by a mixture of late-run
sockeye, late-run kings, early coho, pink, and chum salmon that
all come in late June through early August. The overlapping run
timing in many of these follow the same migratory pathways. The
bulk of the UCI management challenges lie in front of them in
the late June and July timeframe.
3:40:21 PM
SENATOR BISHOP joined the committee.
MR. LINGNAU said slide 7 incorporated the various plans into the
run timing of the salmon stocks. There are a total of 17
different management plans and the ones listed here do not
include other guidelines such as gear, bag limits, seasons, and
others. Three step-down plans cover the entire season: the Cook
Inlet Subsistence Fisheries Plan, UCI Personal Use Management
Plan and the Riparian Habitat Plan.
He explained that most of UCI is designated as a non-subsistence
area; however there are two subsistence fisheries: the Tyonek,
which is aimed at king salmon by using set gillnets, and another
one that uses fish wheels with a live box.
3:42:10 PM
MR. SWANTON continued that although the Personal Use Salmon
Management Plan overlaps all of the timeframes, its emphasis is
during July when Kasilof sockeye and late-run Kenai sockeye
migrate into the Inlet. These fisheries began in 1982 and have
evolved from subsistence fisheries that were in place prior to
the designation of non-subsistence use areas in 1992. There is
one personal use fishery at the mouth of the Kasilof River that
uses set gillnets to target Kasilof sockeye, but most of the
opportunity provided in personal use fisheries is in the two
dipnet fisheries, one at the mouth of the Kasilof and one at the
mouth of the Kenai River. There are two additional personal use
fisheries that are quite a bit smaller, a dipnet fishery in Fish
Creek near Wasilla and a second on the Beluga River open only to
senior citizens.
3:42:48 PM
The department also has Riparian Habitat Plans. The riparian
zone is a vegetative zone along the banks of the river that
provides important rearing areas for juvenile salmon. While the
plan covers the entire year, there is an emphasis in the middle
timeframe in July because of the intensive in-river usage then.
The primary objective of this plan is to be able to regulate in-
river fisheries to protect riparian habitat. Most of the
assessment and application occurs during the late-run Kenai
River fisheries.
Plans prior to July 1 include the Northern District King Salmon
Plan, the Kenai/Kasilof Early-Run King Salmon Plan, the Big
River Sockeye Plan, and the UCI Marine Early-run King Salmon
Plan. There is also the Russian River Sockeye Plan Fishery
Management Plan, which covers the whole season but contains an
early part for the early Russian River sockeye run and a later
part that covers the later one.
3:43:23 PM
He said that most of the stocks prior to July 1 are managed
primarily for recreational purposes. During the early timeframe
there are freshwater fisheries for king salmon and a sport
fishery targeting early run Russian River sockeye. Also during
this timeframe the Northern District has a commercial king
salmon fishery and on the west side a sockeye salmon commercial
fishery.
3:44:21 PM
MR. LINGNAU stated that the Northern District King Salmon
Management Plan addresses management of a directed king salmon
fishery that occurs on the first Monday on or after May 25 and
goes through June 24. Depending on the calendar year, there are
between 4 and 5 commercial periods during this timeframe. Each
of these commercial periods is 12 hours long. However, in recent
years because of the poor king salmon runs both commercial and
sport fisheries have been substantially restricted in the
Northern District drainage.
The Kenai/Kasilof Rivers Early-Run King Salmon Plan is designed
to ensure adequate escapement and conserve the unique large-size
Kenai River king. It primarily governs the sport fishery harvest
because there is little or no commercial fishing on these
stocks. The plan contains size limits on king salmon that
anglers can harvest on the Kenai River and provides options
managers can choose from to restrict these fisheries if
necessary.
The Big River Sockeye Salmon Plan addresses a commercial fishery
on the west side of Cook Inlet in the Kustatan Subdistrict and
also on the west side of Kalgin Island. The Upper Cook Inlet
Salt Water Early-Run King Salmon Management Plan is meant to
stabilize the sport fish harvest of early-run king salmon in the
mixed stock marine fishery. These are waters near Deep Creek and
Anchor Point. The Plan established closed waters near the mouth
of local streams and a guideline harvest level for sport
harvest.
3:46:03 PM
MR. LINGNAU said that the Russian River Sockeye Salmon
Management Plan is to ensure adequate escapement and provide for
a management guideline to preclude allocation effects. The early
run is harvested primarily in the sport fishery; the late run is
harvested by sport, commercial and personal use fisheries.
The plan for the late-run Russian River sockeye provides options
for restricting the in-river fishery and specifies that the
least restrictive option should be used early to avoid the
necessity for more restrictive and complete closures later in
the season.
3:47:04 PM
MR. SWANTON said the Board of Fisheries (BOF) through
implementation of the Sustainable Salmon Fisheries Management
Policy has designated seven Northern Cook Inlet king salmon
stocks as stocks of concern: the Chuitna, Theodore, Lewis,
Alexander, Willow, Sheep, and Goose Creeks. He provided a table
that summarized recent escapements for each of the king salmon
stocks currently designated as a stock of concern saying that
escapements had been low for each of the last five years and
only in 2013 did two stocks, the Chuitna and Willow Creek, meet
their escapement. Eleven of 16 Northern Cook Inlet king salmon
escapement goals were achieved in 2013, which is a significant
improvement upon previous years.
3:47:43 PM
MR. LINGNAU said the largest number of management plans are in
effect in the middle timeframe (July). Plan highlights: sockeye,
chum, and pink salmon stocks move through UCI during this
timeframe and are managed primarily for commercial uses. The
Kenai River late-run king salmon stocks are managed primarily
for sport and guided uses and also minimizing the incidental
take of the Northern District coho, late-run Kenai kings and
Kenai River coho in the commercial fisheries. The major
fisheries occurring during this time include commercial,
personal use, sport and guided sport.
3:48:37 PM
He said the Kasilof River Salmon Management Plan covers the
harvest of Kasilof River sockeye salmon. Part of this plan
states that achieving the lower end of the Kenai River
escapement goal takes precedent over not exceeding the upper end
of the optimum escapement goal in the Kasilof River. This means
that 50,000 additional sockeye salmon may escape into the
Kasilof River in order to ensure that the lower end of the
escapement goal is met in the Kenai River. This fishery opens on
or after June 25; however, it may also open as early as June 20
based on a 50,000-sockeye salmon trigger.
From the beginning of the fishery through July 7 there are 48
hours of additional fishing time per week beyond the regularly
scheduled 12-hour fishing periods. Fishing is also closed for 36
consecutive hours per week beginning sometime between 7 p.m.
Thursday night and 7 a.m. Friday morning. There is also a
terminal harvest area, which encompasses the mouth of the
Kasilof River that has been used when the Kasilof River is going
to exceed its escapement goal and all other management tools
have been used to control the escapement.
After July 7 the Kasilof River Sockeye Management Plan is
married to the Late-run Kenai River Sockeye Management Plan.
3:49:57 PM
MR. SWANTON said the Kenai River Late-run King Salmon Management
Plan provides for adequate escapement of late-run king salmon.
It's managed primarily for sport and guided sport uses in order
for the salmon to be harvested over the entire run. This plan
provides specific direction on managing both sport and
commercial fisheries.
Preseason or in-season actions are to be taken based on
projecting the in-river run and whether or not the escapement
goal will be achieved. Unlike the Kenai River Late-run Sockeye
Salmon Management Plan, the run projections are not specifically
tied to the sonar project. All available information is used in
developing projected returns including creel surveys, in-river
test netting and commercial setnet harvests. The plan also
states that if the in-river sport fishery is closed, the marine
sport fishery off of Deep Creek and a commercial setnet fishery
are also closed. If the in-river sport fishery remains open but
is restricted to no bait, the commercial fishery would remain
open but also be restricted to no bait. Finally, the plan also
provides direction to the department to conduct habitat
assessments as feasible and report findings during the normal
board cycle.
3:51:22 PM
MR. LINGNAU said that at the recent UCI board meeting in
February 2014 new regulations were passed pertaining to how the
east side setnet fishery would be fished in years with low runs
of king salmon. These plans would be implemented together
beginning July 1 and are paired with sport fish restrictions. If
less than 15,000 kings are being projected, the sport fisheries
in the Kenai River and in the salt water are closed to the
taking of king salmon. The east side set gillnet fishery is also
closed and no drift fishing may occur within 1.5 miles of
shoreline. When the projected escapement is between 15,000-
22,500 and the sport fishery is allowed to continue but no
retention (catch and release), then only 12 hours of setnet
commercial fishing per week is allowed on the east side. If the
sport fishery is limited to no bait, essentially reducing the
harvest by 50 percent, then no more than 36 hours can be used in
the east side set gillnet fishery.
The board also stipulated that after August 1 commercial fishing
could only occur if the escapement goal is projected to be
greater than 16,500 fish. In addition, step-down plans passed in
February state that in the commercial fishery during times of
low king salmon abundance the department can reduce the number
of nets being used. Typically, three nets are used by the set
gillnet fleet, but now the department can require less than
three nets.
Also, a significant change in the history of the set gillnet
fishery in 2014 is the incorporation of the 29 mesh deep
gillnets. Typically, fishermen use 45 mesh deep gillnets, but a
few have started to use 29 mesh deep nets.
3:53:17 PM
He said the Kenai River Late-run Sockeye Plan, which is separate
from the plan he just described, is more complex and goes into
effect on July 8 and also includes the Kasilof section. It
directs the department to manage the late-run sockeye primarily
for commercial uses but yet minimize the harvest of Northern
District coho, late-run Kenai River king salmon, as well as coho
salmon moving into that area. Windows of closed fishing also
provide for personal use and sport fishing opportunities.
Management objectives specified are to meet the optimum
escapement goal, which is 700,000 to 1.4 million sockeye salmon,
and to achieve in-river goals.
In addition to the two regular scheduled 12-hour commercial
fishing periods, time is allowed dependent upon the run size.
Essentially, the bigger the run the more fishing time is
allowed.
An in-river goal is different than an escapement goal in that
the in-river goal includes allocations of sockeye salmon for the
sport fishery above the sonar site, which is located at mile 19.
That site has a sockeye salmon escapement goal that provides for
harvest above the sonar site for in-river users. The Late-run
Kenai Plan has established goals based upon the expected run
size. If the Kenai River sockeye salmon run is going to be small
or less than 2.3 million, then there is one goal. If the run is
between 2.3 and 4.6 million, there is a second goal that adds
more fish to the in-river users. If it's over 4.6 million, there
is a third goal, which even provides more fish to the in-river
users.
3:55:09 PM
MR. LINGNAU said the drift fishery occurs in the Central
District as well as in the various sections he outlined earlier.
The Central District is divided up into four drift areas; drift
fishermen do not necessary get to fish the entire district.
There are certain time periods and specific areas where and when
fishermen can go.
3:55:46 PM
He said that in the recent board meeting action was taken on the
drift fishery. From July 9 to July 15 drifters are restricted to
the expanded corridor and drift gillnet area 1 during the
regular fishing periods. From July 16 through July 31, in runs
of less than 2.3 million Kenai River sockeye salmon, all regular
12-hour fishing periods are restricted to the expanded
Kenai/Kasilof sections of the upper subdistrict. For runs
between 2.3 million and 4.6 million sockeye salmon to the Kenai
River, one regular fishing period per week is restricted to any
combination of the sections on the right hand side and Area 1 on
the left side.
The second period is restricted to any combination of the east
side sections only. In runs of over 4.6 million sockeye salmon
to the Kenai River between July 16 and 31 only one fishing
period per week is restricted to the east side sections shown on
the right and there are no restrictions for the second period in
that week. Additional fishing time that is allowed to the drift
fishery is restricted to the east side setnet sections described
on the right of his slide 24.
3:57:11 PM
MR. LINGNAU said the Northern District Salmon Management Plan
directs the department to manage the harvest of Northern
District chum, pink, and sockeye salmon primarily for commercial
uses, to minimize the harvest of Northern District coho salmon
and to provide for sport and guided sport opportunity. This is
done by not allowing additional commercial fishing periods of
coho that are thought to be the most abundant stock in that
particular harvest. The Northern District is also limited to the
regular 12-hour fishing periods on Mondays and Thursdays after
August 15.
3:58:23 PM
The Susitna River sockeye salmon were declared to be a stock of
yield concern in 2008 and is managed by the action plan that was
developed at that time with regular fishing periods only between
June 25 and July 19, and then between July 20 and August 6 only
one net may be used. However, if escapement goals are being met,
additional nets can be used.
The Susitna River sockeye salmon being a stock of yield concern
means that escapement goals have been met, but the harvest from
fishermen has declined. He showed a map of three sockeye salmon
goals that are now monitored by weirs; Chelatna Lake, which is
part of the Yentna River drainage, Larson and Judd Lakes.
3:58:42 PM
Larson Lake is part of the main stem Susitna River. Beginning in
2009 the Yentna River sockeye salmon escapement goal, which is
based on a Bendix sonar and fish wheel apportionment study, was
replaced by the three lake weir goals. Chelatna and Judd Lakes
represent approximately 42 percent of the sockeye salmon
migrating into the Yentna River. The Chelatna Lake goal is
20,000 to 65,000 fish and that has been achieved or exceeded in
four of the past five years. Judd Lake sockeye salmon's goal is
25,000 to 55,000 sockeye and it has been achieved or exceeded in
two of the past five years, but not achieved in three years.
3:59:39 PM
Larson Lake that is one-half of the main stem Susitna River
escapement goal is 15,000 to 50,000 fish and tagging studies
have indicated it has been achieved in four of the past five
years.
4:00:01 PM
MR. LINGNAU summarized that these management plans are complex
by themselves and how they interact with each other and carrying
them out in-season requires coordination and communication
between the two management divisions. In years of low abundance
with any species this coordination typically includes directors.
Meeting the escapement goals is the primary objective of all
management plans, he said. The department has been clear that
meeting the lower end of the goal has a priority over not
exceeding the upper end of another escapement goal. These
management plans are structured around the migratory timing of
stocks as they move into and through Cook Inlet. They also
include step-down plans that provide specific management
objectives to the department for both management and allocation
in each of those fisheries.
4:01:11 PM
MR. SWANTON said the committee already had a presentation on the
Chinook salmon research initiative, but he wanted to highlight
important research activities that are ongoing as it pertains to
Chinook salmon. In the Susitna River drainage projects are
currently using other funding sources such as Susitna/Watana or
Alaska Energy Authority, the CIP that was derived in 2014, and
Alaska Sustainable Salmon Funds (AKSSSF). These projects include
looking at adult spawning abundance, juvenile abundance, Cook
Inlet area harvest, genetic stock identification, coded wire
tagging, and local and traditional knowledge.
The Kenai River already has a fair amount of research being
conducted with the new sonar, but they have also been looking at
Kenai River kings in the Cook Inlet area in terms of harvest and
apportionment of those harvests using genetics and coded wire
tagging of juveniles.
4:02:17 PM
MR. LINGNAU showed a map that depicted some of the new major
king and coho fishery research projects. They include the three
lake weir projects previously mentioned and the sockeye salmon
fish wheel project on the Susitna River where the Yentna comes
in; they are trying to find a feasible means to reestablish the
sonar to better manage these stocks. Also in that same location,
chum/king and coho salmon mark recapture studies are being done
to evaluate the total run of these stocks.
The Fish Creek sockeye salmon smolt project studies out-migrants
to help the department better understand the lifecycle, which
also provides greater detail for forecasting run strength.
Throughout Cook Inlet genetic sampling is a critical part of any
mixed stock fishery, not only to determine how many fish were
caught, but to find out where those fish were going. Genetic
stock identification provides the department an estimation for
the stock harvested in a mixed stock fishery. This information
along with escapement information allows them to more accurately
estimate escapement goals. It also allows them to gain
information on how stocks move through Cook Inlet across time
and area.
Another project allows them to go back in time to analyze
historical information that improves brood tables used in
determining escapement goals and that may allow them to
determine how big run sizes were historically.
A post season identification project improves their total
estimation for each stock harvested in mixed stock fisheries.
Using genetics provides a more robust escapement goal analysis,
and separates the Kenai, Kasilof and other stocks that might be
harvested in the east side sector net fisheries.
The department is currently developing a new genetic baseline
for Cook Inlet coho salmon, a new project that is a first time
for the species using coho genetics in a mixed stock fishery.
This is necessary to understand the total run, which is catch
and escapement in these fisheries.
4:05:44 PM
Post season stock identification of coho salmon is a three-year
project. It will improve their understand overall of stock
specific assessment of coho salmon.
The Anchor Point line test fishery has been in place since 1979
providing run timing and abundance of sockeye salmon that are
moving into UCI. This project has been a key factor in providing
the in-season total run. Having this information allows the
department to do an in-season projection and if they need to,
they can make adjustments to the management plans in season.
A northern drift test fishery began in 2012 funded by a capital
improvement project (CIP) for five years. This next year will be
the third year of that project. Sockeye and coho salmon genetic
samples are being collected to determine their river of origin.
This is a first coho genetic study ever done in UCI.
4:06:33 PM
Another one is a multi-year study that began in Region II to
implement a new sonar called Didson, which is dual frequency
identification sonar with a 29 degree field of view and either
an 8 or a 14 degree vertical beam. It counts more fish and
counts them accurately, therefore providing better information
on escapements. The Kenai portion of the study began in 2004 and
the Kasilof began in 2006.
The Bendix counter is an echo-counting single beam sonar with 2
and 4 degree circular beams. The information they got from this
machine was essentially a ticker tape that they would add
numbers on.
Fish moving through the Didson sonar beam providing much more
accurate counts and allows the video to be archived for future
studies.
4:08:01 PM
MR. SWANTON continued that a suite of stock assessment or
escapement enumeration projects is being conducted by the
Sportfish Division and they are depicted on slide 39. They are
broken into two broad categories: long-standing - greater than
10 years in duration (slide 40) - and those that have been added
in the last several years (slide 41). Moving south to north
there are the Anchor River Chinook salmon weir, the Ninilchik
and Crooked Chinook salmon weirs and brood stock collection
sites. He noted that within their array of escapement
enumeration are indexing processes both within Cook Inlet and
statewide. A weir is the most precise means of measuring
escapement along with sonar, which is the most costly. Whereas
aerial and foot surveys are the least costly and imprecise. That
is why they are often referred to as "escapement indices" (some
unknown fraction or poorly quantified fraction of the total
escapement.
The Ninilchik, Crooked and Deception Creek weirs are also
employed for enhancement activities or brood stock collection
whereby eggs are taken and transported to the William Jack
Hatchery in Anchorage for rearing and subsequent release.
4:09:34 PM
Slide 41 contained a list of more recent projects, those that
have been conducted for less than five years in their current
form and that have been added either through CIP funds,
increments, or contractual funds such as those from Alaska
Energy Authority or Sustainable Salmon funds.
The Lewis and Theodore weirs operations were extended to count
coho salmon owing to the cost savings of already having the
weirs for counting Chinook established.
The Alexander Creek project, the control project, was started in
2008 as a pilot netting program. With this information they were
able to secure funds from AKSSSF to expand the program and now
with the legislative increment they will be able to move from
aerial survey to counting Chinook and coho salmon via weir.
MR. SWANTON said he wanted to highlight the Susitna River
project that in 2013 for the first time staff had been able to
estimate drainage-wide escapements of both Chinook and coho
salmon. In 2013 approximately 89,000 Chinook and 160,000 coho
escaped into this drainage. This project will continue in 2014
as part of AEA, and then the Chinook salmon component will be
funded using Chinook Salmon Research Initiative funds moving
into the future.
They will also embark on a number of habitat-related projects
using funds appropriated from the legislature, which include
inventory of beaver dams for future removal, finishing a problem
culvert inventory and replacement program and prioritizing a
wetlands habitat inventory for the Mat-Su. These funds were
provided to the department via CIP.
4:11:31 PM
MR. SWANTON explained that the department has used sonar
technology on the Kenai River for a lengthy period of time as a
means to count king salmon. The new Didson or Aris technology
allowed them to improve their precision in counting Chinook
salmon over previous techniques. A CIP of $1.8 million in FY13
allowed them to conduct two sonar sites, both at 8.6 mile and
13.7 mile, which is above tidal influence. They have conducted
mark recapture and radio tracking fish to further refine and
improve their escapement and enumeration program.
The first year of paired counts was in 2013 and they anticipate
with several more years being able to move the sonar program to
mile 13.7, which is above tidal influence and improve their
estimates.
4:12:22 PM
He touched on a number of enhancement projects for Chinook and
coho salmon within Cook Inlet. By enhancement he meant they have
sites where they take eggs, incubate, and rear the fish to the
smolt stage and then release them into the ocean environment.
These fish come back and support a variety of marine and fresh
water sport fisheries. He pointed out that they received funds
from the legislature in 2013 specific to the Mat-Su for
increased production of Chinook salmon at Deception and Eklutna
Tail Race. At both of these locations the number of fish they
projected to release increased markedly in 2014.
The new Jack Hernandez Hatchery has allowed them to increase
both the quantity and the quality as measured by weight in grams
of these fish. They believe that right around 14 grams is the
optimum size for Chinook salmon smolt releases and that's why
there is a slight reduction in size.
4:13:45 PM
He presented another map of release sites and enhancement
activities around Cook Inlet.
4:14:28 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE asked what riparian management plans they are
talking about.
MR. SWANTON replied that elements within the management plans
have a riparian habitat component to them and the board's
Sustainable Salmon Fisheries Management Policy has a habitat
component. Here he is referring to riparian habitat components
within some of the plans that instruct the department to, in one
case, present to the board activities that have taken place in
riparian habitat.
SENATOR MICCICHE asked if they are still doing aerial studies
for comparisons of before and after.
MR. SWANTON answered no, not lately. They are more focused on
those areas that appear to be impacted by recreational anglers.
The board had closed some areas to recreational anglers along
the banks, but the department had not done any intensive work in
that regard.
4:16:43 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL asked if they were both fish biologists and what
their credentials are.
MR. LINGNAU replied that his college degree is in zoology, but
his career began with the State of Alaska in 1985 and he has
spent 13 years working on the Yukon in a suite of positions; he
had also spent seven years in Kotzebue assisting that fishery.
Although he came to Cook Inlet in 2005, compared to most folks
he is a "newbie."
4:17:42 PM
MR. SWANTON replied that he has a Bachelor of Science in Biology
with an emphasis on aquatic ecology, a Bachelor of Science in
Fishery Science with an emphasis on statistics, and a Master's
Degree in Fishery Science with an emphasis on salmon population
dynamics and statistics. He has worked since he had hair on his
head.
CHAIR GIESSEL asked if they are the folks the write the fishery
plans or is it the Board of Fish.
MR. SWANTON answered that these elements of the management plans
are in essence put in place in consultation with the board and
the department. In a lot of cases it's a back and forth, relying
on the department to answer the simple question "Can you manage
this fishery with these elements?" It's a collaborative effort.
CHAIR GIESSEL asked if their recommendations are typically taken
by the board or does it have its own ideas.
MR. SWANTON characterized it as depending on the board and a
little bit of both.
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked him about the habits of pike. Does it
migrate?
4:21:03 PM
MR. SWANTON responded that pike are not endemic to systems on
the south side of the Alaska Range. Based upon backtracking,
pike were first introduced in the late 1950s in a "pothole lake"
in the Mat-Su drainage. Over the course of time, through
flooding, pike have spread. Their spawning habitat is generally
shallow: under 4 or 5 feet and in reedy or acquatic sedge
vegetation that warms up quickly in the spring time. Systems
that have those characteristics would be favorable towards pike
spawning and juvenile rearing.
They believe that through flooding and high water events, pike
will move seasonally into deeper basins for over-wintering. They
will, in fact, move from lakes into river systems where there is
a steady flow (such as in the Interior), and then move back into
spawning areas and in some cases underneath the ice in the
spring and prepare themselves for spawning. Generally, they are
very voracious and cannibalistic, and pretty much will eat
anything that moves.
In the case of Alexander Creek, that used to be a fairly large
high-profile Chinook and coho salmon fishery back in the day and
Alexander Lake is relatively shallow with plenty of weeds:
premium pike-spawning habitat. They focused on some of the slews
and other areas where the pike will spawn and move with an
intensive netting program: catching the pike and disposing of
them. They have seen some encouraging signs with regards to that
project, but he wasn't sure they could be completely eradicated.
They have seen signs where distribution of Chinook and coho
juveniles has gone to where they haven't seen it in the past
handful of years.
He said the department is working on another fairly intensive
project in Soldotna Creek that involves a series of
interconnected lakes using a toxin to fish. If it's successful,
that approach could be used in other Mat-Su areas.
4:25:07 PM
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked if the fish go between fresh and salt
water.
MR. SWANTON said he had heard reports of them in salt and
brackish waters, but he didn't know how many. Their migrations
are mostly between and within a drainage.
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked how long poison has to be in the water
to affect the pike.
MR. SWANTON replied that he didn't think it was that long; in
some cases there are repeated applications simply because of
wanting to make sure the Rotenone has comprehensive mixing.
4:27:10 PM
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked if they typically go after pike in the
winter or the summer.
MR. SWANTON answered generally they make these applications in
the fall.
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked if there was a way to go after the pike
in the winter when water is frozen so chemical exposure would be
less and less poison could be used.
4:28:44 PM
MR. SWANTON responded that he would provide her with "a wealth
of detailed information" on applications. Rotenone is not
poisonous to humans; it affects oxygen transfer in the fish
gills, so they essentially quit breathing.
CHAIR GIESSEL recapped that the native species of salmon is
captured and taken to hatcheries, then Rotenone is applied. She
asked the native species is restocked.
MR. SWANTON replied basically when their assessment indicates
the pike are gone using traps in the spring and fall and maybe
another follow in the next spring.
4:31:02 PM
SENATOR BISHOP asked if birds help transplant pike.
MR. SWANTON answered that people have postulated a number of
vectors with regards to invasive species and it's possible that
a migratory bird could have picked up a pike egg, because they
are relatively adhesive.
SENATOR BISHOP said he heard the pike were stocked in one lake
in the 1950s.
MR. SWANTON said some of their earlier documentation tracked it
to that period of time.
SENATOR BISHOP remarked that a lot of people live where the pike
are in Fairbanks; some people really enjoy ice fishing and
became very efficient at going after them.
MR. SWANTON responded that he had observed Interior pike fishing
on the Chatanika River and he knew that a number of people in
the Mat-Su ice-fish for pike, but pike are in quite a few spots.
4:35:04 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE said the department does an amazing job and
asked if the board has the ability to introduce more east side
setnet areas so that fishing could be opened when fish are on
the beach in that locale.
4:35:51 PM
MR. LINGNAU answered that two Kenai/Kasilof sections were
married after July 8, but they are not necessarily managed
together. By regulation the department has time and area; for
instance, if Kenai River king salmon are short, they may choose
to fish the Kasilof section but not the Kenai section.
SENATOR MICCICHE said this plan does not allow subdividing the
Kasilof or Kenai sections.
MR. LINGNAU said that was correct in terms of dividing those
sections into smaller areas.
SENATOR MICCICHE asked if there is genetic code for rivers of
origin for coho in the Cook Inlet.
4:38:23 PM
BILL TEMPLIN, Principal Geneticist, Genetics Lab, Alaska
Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), answered that there is a
significant amount of genetic diversity in coho salmon in Cook
Inlet. It's not necessarily always down to the individual
stream, but it seems to be organized around larger drainages.
Initial work on coho salmon genetics in Cook Inlet indicated
there is a sufficient amount of genetic distinction among the
larger population groups that it could be used for
identification of proportional contribution to harvest in Cook
Inlet, which they are working on right now.
SENATOR MICCICHE asked if the board had asked him about
potential conflicts with the halibut charter fleet in later July
in the Anchor Point section where hundreds of charter boats are
going to have interactions where they previously had few with
drift gillnetters.
MR. SWANTON replied that he couldn't speak for staff, but he was
not personally asked.
4:40:43 PM
SENATOR FRENCH went to slide 16 of low escapements and picked
out Goose Creek and asked what turns that around.
MR. SWANTON answered that the board looks at what fisheries are
inducing mortality on the stock and in consultation with the
department, figure out where it exists in terms of harvest and
then do whatever it can to minimize it. Beyond the past six or
eight years there has been poor ocean rearing conditions for
Alaska Chinook salmon, which they can't do a lot about.
SENATOR FRENCH said it seems like the one tool the department
has is closures for commercial king fishing but there just
aren't many of them left. He heard him say they are just hoping
the ocean changes to bring more fish back.
MR. SWANTON said when he refers to ocean conditions, he is
talking about forage, temperature, and production that are
favorable for Chinook salmon. For example, right now, they are
probably looking at smolt to adult survival of less than 1
percent; whereas in better conditions they would look at 3-5
percent smolt survival.
SENATOR BISHOP observed that a Columbia River hatchery program
indicated that for all the eggs and smolt that go back in the
river, they get a 1 percent return.
4:45:44 PM
MR. SWANTON explained that when they talked about 1 percent in
terms of those hatcheries they were talking about an egg to
subsequent adult. For comparative purposes, those fish that are
being produced in the Columbia will have record returns of
adults this year, which is just the converse situation here.
4:46:31 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL asked who was doing the study that tracked kings
back to their home streams.
MR. SWANTON replied that was the Katana study, a sonic tag study
contracted through the department for distribution and migration
information over the course of one year. Some of the work is
done elsewhere, almost coast-wide and that is referenced in
their presentation, was coded wire tagging, which has been a
long-standing approach to tag smolts or juveniles. You put an
alpha-numeric coded piece of wire into their snout and clip the
adipose fin for identification. The code indicates when that
fish was released, when it was tagged, and its river of origin;
it can be done pretty much at any point in their ocean
migration. It has been done for a lengthy period of time.
CHAIR GIESSEL asked what they learned from the one-year study.
MR. SWANTON answered that some things were verified: that king
salmon tend to mill in the ocean in and around the mouths of
their natal streams more so than other species. Sockeye are more
directional and the king salmon tend to travel deeper.
CHAIR GIESSEL asked if that informed the guidance for the
setnetters in terms of having their nets higher and a different
net size.
MR. SWANTON responded that they must ask BOF. A task force was a
precursor to this board meeting about a year and a half ago
talking about what restrictions could be brought to the board by
the sport, commercial and personal use fisheries. Certain
representatives of the setnetters were talking about shallower
nets at that time, which would have been precursive to any of
the information that came from the study. But he didn't know
where the board stood.
SENATOR MICCICHE said the sample size was pretty low for king
salmon in that study.
MR. SWANTON answered that he didn't have the numbers of samples
in his head, but it was limited compared to other tagging
studies. He didn't know if their sampling objectives had been
met.
4:51:54 PM
MR. LINGNAU said the project was to tag 70 kings and 70
sockeyes, but only 51 sockeyes and 25 kings were tagged.
SENATOR MICCICHE said they know there will be more kings some
time. In times of low abundance everyone has to give up some
fish. What is the department doing to ensure that every fish
survives until the times of adequate abundance returns?
MR. SWANTON said the department has already announced they will
close the early run completely. He didn't know of any other
precursive mortality in the marine environment by any user group
at that point in time.
SENATOR MICCICHE said he supported that decision and his goal is
to help any way he can to make sure the fisheries in the Valley
that are currently challenged return to adequate productivity.
Maybe there are habitat challenges and he asked who is managing
water quantity and quality in areas that could be affecting
abundance in some of those streams. The Kenai River had a
similar water quality issue a few years back and it was
difficult to get an agency to say yes, by golly, we have a
hydrocarbon problems and we're going to work on it.
MR. SWANTON replied that the Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) is the agency that has been involved with
hydrocarbons and turbidity and designations with regard to the
Kenai and Little Susitna.
4:55:53 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE said there is no doubt in his mind that they
want what is best for fish, but he thinks there is a gap. He
asked Mr. Swanton if he would at least consider a system where
agencies work toward those objectives that have shared
responsibilities in the future. Is there some room for
improvement?
MR. SWANTON said he would take the issue up with him after the
meeting.
CHAIR GIESSEL said this meeting wrapped up salmon week.
4:58:36 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL adjourned the Senate Resources Standing Committee
meeting at 4:58 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SRES ADF&G Upper Cook Inlet Presentation 20140328.pdf |
SRES 3/28/2014 3:30:00 PM |