As of today, the 2024 Alaska Board of Fisheries Upper Cook Inlet meeting is nearly over.
The biggest takeaway so far is the adoption of RC183. This action plan addresses the stock of concern designation of the Kenai king salmon run.
Ironically, the plan reduces the lower end of the optimum escapement goal (OEG) from 15,000 to 14,250 fish. By reducing the goal, the plan will allow commercial fishing to happen when the lower threshold is projected to be met.
The deleterious effect of this plan is it allows commercial nets to be fished during times of low abundance. More fishing time for the commercial sector means more king salmon will be killed.
What?
Passing RC183 is an absolute head scratcher to me. Many have called it a gut punch. I agree. All scientific evidence presented in testimony stated a minimum of 15,000 kings are needed to reach the river to rebuild the run. It takes fish to make fish…How in the world could the Board lower the goal when they’re tasked with rebuilding the run? They clearly chose harvest for one user group over the conservation of a species.
In other Board action of note, a significant change will happen in the Upper Cook Inlet commercial fishery with the adoption of Proposal 103 (RC208). During times of low king salmon abundance, the commercial fishery will be allowed to use dip nets, instead of indiscriminate set nets, to selectively harvest red salmon. This new regulation will allow commercial opportunities with virtually no mortality of king salmon. That’s a win/win that I completely agree with.
A final observation of the meeting so far. A stick tap (ask a hockey fan what these means) goes out to Francis Estallila for taking a week off of work to fly to Anchorage to testify. There is no better advocate for the fish than Francis. That’s him in the bottom left corner of the photo above.
Come back next week for a recap of the final days of the meeting. Many Kenai River sport fishing and personal use regulations will be voted on.
Super Bowl of Fish