Sunday, November 11, 2012

Let more Bristol Bay sockeye swim upriver?

State biologists are recommending somewhat higher sockeye salmon escapement goals for most river systems around Bristol Bay.

Check out the numbers on the second page of this Alaska Department of Fish and Game memo.

The matter will be up for discussion at the state Board of Fisheries meeting next month in Naknek.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Proposed changes look pretty minor to me.

Anonymous said...

And 2 to 10 million in the Kvichak?

Quite a range of political biology in that genetic study.

Anonymous said...

Oh a couple hundred thou here, couple there... who's gonna miss a million or two harvestable fish while we play dartboard science? I'm getting the same paycheck with benefits and all!

Anonymous said...

Let's hope Nature will cooperate with ADF&G next summer.

Anonymous said...

And X-Mas with Webster in Naknek?

What's Santa Clause, bringin us this year?

Happy Holidays!

Anonymous said...

Word has it that the escapement numbers on the Naknek were going to be much higher until BOF member Webster, who has five or six set net permits and fishes the Naknek put the pressure on the Dept. and threatened it with a fisherman's protest unless it reduced their original escapement goals. Who benefits from that? Hum.

Anonymous said...

Political pressure for Natural Resources is unethical.

Anonymous said...

Always wondered how the BOF allowed setnet permit holders to own two permits and fish two full units of gear when in the same exact fishery a drift permit holder can own two permits but only fish one.

Sounds like BOF could be in for a little legal trouble? Naknek setnetter/BOF boardmember Vince Webster at the top of the list?

Anonymous said...

The real story is to have Bristol Bay EDC let more money flow into their communities instead of sitting on $100,000,000 in cash.

Anonymous said...

Economic development...now that would be something.

Anonymous said...

Set netters not only get to operate two permits, they get to double the amount of gear they use. Drifters only get 33% more for stacking two permits. People who use one drift permit in BB are getting a true free lunch. Dual permit holders in BB have essentially self financed a buy back and the entire fishery has benefited. They deserve to be treated like heroes by the B.O.F. To all of you who have sucked it up and purchased a second permit, I thank you for getting another 100 fathoms out of the water.

Anonymous said...

This is typical Alaska politics... That is, I don't see any proposals in the proposal book based on this committee's review and recommendations that are going to be made. Arguably there is a "place keeper", but I thought that was going to be for teh genetic studies proving the Area M intercept? Also, apparently, they have the data, but don't want to share it now, only at the meeting and subsequent approval.

It is already a done deal and we don't have any proposal to make any comments, recommendations, and we are getting is slammed down our throat without any benefit of the due process supposed to be afforded to us through the proposal process. Hopefully, the intercept of Area M, that should end now, will give Bristol Bay the extra fish to make these new escapement goals more realistic.

Par for the course!

Anonymous said...

"due process through the proposal process." is a novel idea. I wonder if Alaska will ever come out of the dark and start giving their citizens equal opportunity to influence the regulatory process. That's way overdue.

Anonymous said...

Stop allowing Area M to intercept Bristol Bay salmon.

Area M fishermen are harvesting fish from undisclosed river systems of Bristol Bay and that must be stopped.

ADFG wants to put more fish up Bristol Bay rivers and yet allows Area M fishing that intentionally targets large numbers of Bristol Bay salmon.

This seated BOF has a core agency mandate and must end the indiscriminate interceptions this cycle!

Stop the politics and let the salmon through!

If you need to catch Bristol Bay salmon, buy an Area T permit.

Anonymous said...

Get off the area m intercept, look at the #s if every fish caught in area m was a Bristol bay fish, last year would be equal to 30 fish / bay permit. Try impoving your quality and markets.

Anonymous said...

Area M only caught 60,000 fish?

You are a bold liar.

We'll "get off the area m intercept" as soon as you get off of our fish.

Fish your own stocks like we do.

ADFG/BOF has had the mandate to stop your intercept fishery for over 3 decades. And yeah, we could have better quality if the BOF would allow us 42' boats like yours. Funny how long it takes to change outdated laws and enforce new principles. I sense a wind of change...

Anonymous said...

"our fish"...lol.

Anonymous said...

The catch in area M in 2011
was 15 million fish. 5.0 mil for the seine fleet, 1.7mil for the drifters, 843 K for set netters. lets do some math, 7.5 million.
Now thats not 60,000 Is It?

Anonymous said...

Area M, where interceptions are deceptively ignored, but not when the BOF is handed the WASSIP and remanded by Lance Nelson to realize personal fiducuary responsibility above BOF protection. Could you imagine the class action value of Bristol Bay fishermen vs. The State of Alaska/BOF for intentional interception percentages? Might as well throw in Area M Concerned Fishermen since they also publicly promote the interceptions.

Anonymous said...

@7:35 ROTFL...your numbers by gear type don't even add up to 15 million! Not sure what the 7.5 million is? Is that the total by gear type? But that's not right either.

Better try looking up those numbers again. Total harvest of ALL salmon species in Area M was about 10 million in 2011, and that was mostly pinks and chums.

The guy who posted above perhaps wasn't too good with his numbers, but you ain't any better.

You guys most likely have far more reds drop out of your nets in a season, than Bay bound sockeye caught in Area M.

Anonymous said...

Your right not good with the numbers meant to say 300 Fish /Bristol bay permit. 1500lbs/ wow!!!! Fish another day!! Don't look down the coast for your own shortcomings!

Anonymous said...

The WASSIP study will show that many of the fish caught in area M were destined for Ugashik, Egegik and rivers even further north. Everyone has known forever that Area M is an intercept fishery. Now there is science to prove it. Now, what will the BOF do about it, that is the question. It will be interesting to see board member's Webster with all of his and his family permits in Naknek and Petersburg's Jensen who has so many Area M buddies go toe to toe on this one.

Anonymous said...

Even if it were only 300 fish per, according to your claim, at 6 lbs thats 1800, price approaching $1.50, about $2,500 taken from each operation. I fish EVERY day and what gives you the idea that you should benefit at our expense.

Furthermore, since there are about ten of us to every one of you, you believe that each one of you deserve to personally benefit $20,000 - $30,000 annually from our fish and we should just suck it up and accept that as WE need to fish harder. Sounds to me like YOU are the ones that are long overdue for a reality check.

Anonymous said...

BOF could give you a 60 foot boat and your choked, bruised fish will still be no better quality.

Anonymous said...

Quality is not the reason BB fishermen are under paid (leader creeks's price is proof of this). The reason is 6 major processors are left in the bay. Silver Bay might stir things up a little but ultimately if you're a BB fisherman you just accept the fact that you're going to take it hard and deep with no KY jelly come settlement time.

Anonymous said...

Next time I hear a drift-netters saying woe is me and using setnetters as a example of how they are so badly treated I'm going to cork your 150 fathom net with my fifty at the line. Yeah, I'll even wait a 48 hour transfer period in the Nush to do it.

Cry me a river, I'll fish there too!

Anonymous said...

Your anchor line might accidentally get blade whacked as I drive to the line to make another set.