New salmon retention regulations for Alaska?

[Haze]

Just talking to someone this morning who claimed that Alaska has as of just recently changed their quota’s for both sports fishing and commercial. The idea they put across was that sports fishing non-resident anglers were aloud 1 Chinook and it had to be a specific size – I thought he said 48” but that can’t be right. Fish would have to be around 50lbs. Further for commercial boys it was a 50% cut on takes.
Can anyone find any info to verify or disprove this for me.
Thanks
the Haze

 

[Sushihunter]

http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/news/2008/4-4-08_nr.phpADF&G Press Release
Denby S. Lloyd, Commissioner
Tim Barry, Communications Director
P.O. Box115526
Juneau, Alaska 99811
Phone: (907) 465-6137 • Fax: (907) 465-2332

Press Release: No. 08-09, April 4, 2008

Contact: David Bedford, Deputy Commissioner (907) 465-4100


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ADF&G Announces 2008 Southeast Alaska Chinook Salmon Quota


(Juneau) – The Alaska Department of Fish and Game today announced that under the guidelines of the abundance-based management system of the Pacific Salmon Treaty, this year’s all gear Southeast Alaska Chinook salmon harvest quota is 170,000 fish. This is a decrease of 159,400 fish from last year’s quota, and is the lowest catch level since 2000.

Utilizing data on the strength of West Coast Chinook salmon stocks that contribute to Southeast Alaska fisheries, the Pacific Salmon Commission’s Chinook Technical Committee has determined that the 2008 Abundance Index for Chinook salmon in Southeast Alaska is 1.07. As specified in the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement, this translates into an allowable all-gear catch for Southeast Alaska of 170,000 treaty Chinook. Most Chinook salmon produced in Alaska hatcheries are not factored into the Abundance Index, and may be caught by harvesters in addition to the treaty limit.

Chinook salmon returns to many West Coast rivers from Oregon to Alaska have declined from the very high levels seen from 2003 to 2005. While the factors affecting the abundance of Chinook on the West Coast are complex, it is widely recognized that unfavorable ocean conditions in 2005 and 2006 likely were a significant cause of the poor survival of Chinook in the early part of their four to five year life-cycle. Some of these ocean conditions have moderated substantially and appear to be returning to a status more favorable to salmon populations.

The treaty Chinook salmon harvest will be allocated to sport, commercial troll, and commercial net fisheries according to the management plans specified by the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

###

 

[Sushihunter]

http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/eonr/Devpdf/2008/R1/NEW KS EO.pdf

Emergency Order No. 1-KS-R-09-08.
Issued at Juneau, Thursday May 1, 2008.
Effective Date:
12:01 a.m. Friday,
May 2, 2008.
Expiration Date: 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, December 31, 2008 unless superseded by subsequent emergency order.
EXPLANATION: This emergency order rescinds Emergency Order 1-KS-R-03-08, issued April 8, 2008, and establishes resident and nonresident king salmon bag and possession limits, and nonresident harvest limits for the Southeast Alaska king salmon sport fishery. Under this emergency order the following provisions are effective 12.01 a.m., Friday, May 2, 2008.
REGULATION: Emergency Order 1-KS-R-03-08 is rescinded, and consistent with stipulations within 5 AAC 47.055 Southeast Alaska King Salmon Management Plan and emergency regulations established by the Board of Fisheries on April 28, 2008, the provisions of 5 AAC 47.020 (18) are added by this emergency order and become effective 12:01 A.M. Thursday May 1, 2008. Under this emergency order, the following provisions are effective:
5 AAC 47.020 General provisions for seasons and bag, possession, annual, and size limits for the salt waters of the Southeast Alaska Area.
(18)
king salmon:
(A)
the resident bag and possession limit for king salmon is 1 fish 28 inches or greater in length;
(B)
the nonresident bag and possession limit:
(i)
May 1 through July 15, one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length;
(ii)
July 16 through September 30, one king salmon 48 inches or greater in length;
(iii)
October 1 through December 31, one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length;(C)
nonresident harvest limit:
(i)
From January 1 through June 30, a nonresident’s harvest limit is three king salmon;
(ii)
From July 1 through July 15, a nonresident’s harvest limit is two king salmon,
28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish harvest limit;
(iii)
From July 16 through September 30, a nonresident’s harvest limit is one king salmon 48 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through July 15 will apply toward the one fish harvest limit.
(iv)
From October 1 through December 31, a nonresident’s harvest limit is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through September 30 will apply toward the one fish harvest limit.Emergency Order Number 1-KS-R-09-08 May 1, 2008
Page 2.
Denby S. Lloyd
Commissioner
By delegation to: Bob Chadwick
Regional Management Coordinator
Division of Sport Fish
JUSTIFICATION: The Alaska Board of Fisheries (board) met by teleconference on April 28, 2008 to consider emergency regulations regarding modification of the Southeast Alaska King Salmon Management Plan. The board established emergency regulations which modified the management measures for king salmon at abundance indices at or below 1.1. Due to these emergency changes the regulations established by Emergency Order 1-KS-R-03-08 were no longer valid. To implement the new emergency regulations Emergency Order 1-KS-R-03-08 is rescinded and new regulations are established by this emergency order.
PREVIOUS EMERGENCY ORDERS AFFECTED: Emergency Order 1-KS-R-03-08, established resident and nonresident king salmon bag and possession limits, nonresident king salmon harvest limits, a four line limit for charter vessels, and a derby exception. This emergency order is hereby rescinded.
DISTRIBUTION:
The distribution list for this emergency order is on file at the Region 1 Office of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish, P. O. Box 110024, Douglas, AK 99811, (907) 747-5551.

 

[OneWay]

Shades of 1996. If chinook numbers don't show up in Alaska over next few weeks, it'll be just like 12 years ago when DFO suddenly dropped a non-retention of Chinook regulation right in the prime part of the season for the entire BC Coast. We were booked to go to Kano Inlet just when the non-retention reg came down. OBMG sent Salmon Seeker back home to Victoria, and all remaining guests were all rebooked to Langara Island....there were only 10 paying guests and two Painters guides (on a ship that holds around 40) on a Chinook C&R trip (we could retain other salmon). As OBMG guarantees a chinook when you visit a northern resort....each guest received a farmed chinook (yuck) and a case (24 cans) of canned chinook (double yuck — we ate a lot of salmon casseroles over the next two years) when we got back home.
Think DFO won't shut down the chinook fishery in BC again? We're part of the Pacific Salmon Treaty. I'm getting out our plan B.

 

[Haze]

Sushihunter - thank you so much for that response. So basically what I was told was pretty much right on the money. WOW. I'm not quite sure what that's gonna mean for me on the inside passage either more fish for me to catch, or else possible closures here as well.
Here's wishing for the best.
Though I'm a little foggy on which order "is hereby rescinded"
Did they change their mind on this whole issue or are they changing their mind on the previous quota's?

 

[yo mama]

48"......

That's in the 60+ pound range.......