THE ALASKA BOARD OF FISHERIES CALLS FOR PROPOSED CHANGES

IN THE SUBSISTENCE, COMMERCIAL, PERSONAL USE, SPORT, GUIDED SPORT, AND GUIDED SPORT ECOTOURISM FINFISH REGULATIONS FOR THE BRISTOL BAY,

ARCTIC-YUKON-KUSKOKWIM, AND ALASKA PENINSULA/ALEUTIAN ISLANDS FINFISH AREAS, AND STATEWIDE FINFISH REGULATIONS

PROPOSAL DEADLINE - 5:00 p.m., FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2009

The Alaska Board of Fisheries is accepting proposed changes to the subsistence, commercial, personal use, sport, guided sport, and guided sport ecotourism finfish regulations for the Bristol Bay, Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim, and Alaska Peninsula/Aleutian Islands management areas. Finfish includes: salmon, herring, trout, groundfish, char, burbot, northern pike, whitefish, Pacific cod, sablefish, shark, pollock, etc., but does not include halibut.

In addition, the board is accepting proposed changes to the subsistence, commercial, personal use, sport, guided sport, and guided sport ecotourism finfish provisions regulations. Examples of “statewide finfish” regulations can be found in Title 5 of the Alaska Administrative Code and include, but are not limited to, policy for the management of sustainable salmon fisheries, policy for the management of mixed stock fisheries, policy for statewide salmon escapement goals, possession of sport-caught fish, fishing by proxy, etc.

To insure that the proposed booklets are distributed well in advance of the board meetings and the fishing season, the board has set 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 10, 2009 as the proposal deadline. A Board Support Section office staff person must receive proposals by 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 10, 2009. The following offices can officially receive proposals:

The following offices can officially receive proposals:

Shannon Stone/Scott Crass
Southeast Region
PO Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
Phone:  (907) 465-4110
Fax:  (907) 465-6094

Joe Chythlook
Southwest Region
PO Box 1030
Dillingham, AK 99576-1030
Phone:  (907) 842-5142
Fax:  (907) 842-5514

Susan Bucknell
Arctic Region
PO Box 689
Kotzebue, AK 99752-0689
Phone:  (907) 442-1717
Fax:  (907) 442-2420
    
Rita St. Louis
Interior Region
1300 College Road
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone:  (907) 459-7263
Fax:  (907) 474-7258

Sherry Wright
Southcentral Region
333 Raspberry Road
Anchorage, AK 99518-1599
Phone:  (907) 267-2354
Fax:  (907) 267-2489

Proposal forms may be obtained from any office of the Boards Support Section or on our website at http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/index.php. All proposals must contain an original signature, contact telephone number, and address. Please print or type the individual's name and an organizational name if appropriate. A fax is acceptable and considered an original. Proposals must be received in one of the above offices by the deadline (a postmark is NOT sufficient for timely receipt). You are encouraged to submit proposals at the earliest possible date.

Proposals that are likely to have a substantial economic, social, or biological impact or require significant changes to the management of a fishery may be determined by the board to be a "restructuring proposal". Restructuring proposals may strive to improve the value of a fishery by providing new and increased opportunities to: (1) raise the revenue generated from harvested fish (e.g. through improved quality); or (2) lower the cost of fishing operations; or (3) improve conservation. Such proposals may include (but are not limited to): consolidation of fishing effort or a shift in who harvests the fish, changes in harvest methods used, or allocations of quotas. Because the board will seek additional information on restructuring proposals, authors of proposals that are likely to be determined restructuring proposals are asked to submit a completed Restructuring Proposal Form along with the standard proposal form. The Restructuring Proposal Form is also available from any office of the Boards Support Section or on our website at http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/index.php.

All proposals are reviewed by the board's proposal review committee prior to publication. Language that is emotionally charged detracts from the substance of the proposal. It may draw opposition that may not be germane to the element(s) of the proposal and may elicit nonresponsive charges from the public/board members. The proposal review committee reserves the right to edit proposals containing offensive language. Following publication, proposal booklets will be available to advisory committees and interested members of the public for review and comment.

(JUNEAU) - The Alaska Board of Fisheries will meet February 17-26, 2009, at the Harrigan Centennial Hall in Sitka, to consider proposals concerning regulatory changes to the Southeast Alaska and Yakutat Area sport, commercial, and personal use fisheries for salmon, herring, groundfish and other finfish. 

Proposals have been submitted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, local fish and game advisory committees, fishing organizations, and the general public seeking adjustments to the fishing regulations and management plans for Southeastern Alaska and the Yakutat Area. 

The board will take oral public testimony at the meeting.  Anyone wishing to testify before the board must sign up at the meeting site in Sitka before 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 18.  Public testimony will continue until everyone who has signed up has been given the opportunity to be heard.  Members of the public will be given three minutes each for personal testimony before the board. 

Written comments on specific proposals will be accepted and distributed to members during the meeting up until they begin deliberation on the proposal.  Written comments can be submitted at the meeting; mailed to:  Alaska Board of Fisheries, Boards Support Section, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811-5526; or faxed to (907) 465-6094.

Deliberations on the proposals will begin following public testimony and continue through the remainder of the meeting.  Copies of the proposals, agenda, “roadmap”, and staff comments can be viewed online at: 
http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo/fcal.php