Court battle over Cook Inlet salmon continues

Two interesting documents were filed yesterday in federal court in Alaska.

UCIDA motion to vacate Amendment 12

Declaration of Erik Huebsch

For background, here's a news item from the November 2016 issue of Pacific Fishing magazine:

Cook Inlet salmon ruling

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Sept. 21 ruled in favor of United Cook Inlet Drift Association (UCIDA) and Cook Inlet Fishermen’s Fund in a case concerning Cook Inlet salmon management.

The two groups sued the federal government in 2013 and appealed after a loss in the district court.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has jurisdiction over the federal waters of Cook Inlet, the 9th Circuit opinion said.

In 2010, the council began a comprehensive review of the salmon fishery management plan (FMP), and the next year voted unanimously to remove Cook Inlet from the salmon FMP. The government argued in court that the removal amounted to delegation of Cook Inlet to the state of Alaska, which had long managed the inlet’s salmon fisheries.

UCIDA and its co-plaintiff opposed implementation of the council’s action. They have problems with the state’s management of Cook Inlet salmon, saying commercial sockeye catches have suffered over the years.

The 9th Circuit remanded the case to the district court.