Multiple media outlets are reporting the state Board of Fisheries today decided to take no action on several petitions to allow salmon setnetters to resume commercial fishing on Cook Inlet's east side.
Who knows. Perhaps a court challenge is next?
The original emergency petition to only open up the East Forelands set net fishery was pulled yesterday by the petition sponsor.
ReplyDeleteSix other emergency petitions by various east side set net petitioners were received by the board yesterday.
The department and board prepped for a week to have the hearing. Some discussion centered on whether or not to even have a discussion on the additional six petitions once it became known that the original petition was pulled.
The board decided that an emergency situation did not exist in this instance, and that there was not an unforeseen situation, as the closure language for both the commercial set net and sport fishery has been in the management plan for two decades.
Thanks for your informative comment.
ReplyDeletethe two who voted to allow the fishery to resume were jensen from petersburg and jeffrey from kodiak. She is friends with one of the petitioners, andy hall. both were aware that the kings were not even at 1/2 of their minimum level of escapement when they voted. Instead of making sure the fish come first they voted for the fisherman to come first.
ReplyDelete