More from Juneau

The House today voted 22-17 in favor of House Bill 125, which specifies membership on the Board of Fisheries. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration with only a few days remaining in the session.

"HB 125 balances the Board of Fisheries by putting into state law equal representation on the board," said a press release from bill sponsor Rep. Nellie Unangiq Jimmie, D-Toksook Bay. "The bill delineates two seats for subsistence fishing, two for commercial, two for sport, and one for a fisheries scientist."

"My family has subsisted for generations, and many of us fish commercially," Jimmie added. "This bill brings balance across all user groups so that we can protect what is ours."

Juneau watch

Rep. Nellie Jimmie, D-Toksook Bay, today introduced House Bill 125 to reform how the governor appoints members of the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

The bill specifies, among other things, that the governor shall appoint "two members who represent subsistence fishing, from a list of four names submitted by the Alaska Federation of Natives."

Kookesh back on hook in subsistence fishing case

The Alaska Court of Appeals has reinstated charges of subsistence salmon overharvest against former state Sen. Albert Kookesh and two others.

Here is the court's opinion.

Feds won't intervene in Southeast salmon fishery

The federal government is declining — for now, at least — to take control of the state-managed commercial purse seine salmon fishery near the Southeast Alaska village of Angoon.

Here's a press release explaining the decision.

Kootznoowoo Inc., the Native corporation for Angoon, had petitioned the feds to exercise "extraterritorial jurisdiction," arguing state commercial fisheries had interfered with local subsistence fishing for sockeye.

Juneau restaurant owners to pay $18,000 penalty

The case concerns illegal purchases of subsistence-caught halibut, says this press release from the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement.

Southeast seiners face a subsistence fight

The Federal Subsistence Board, at a meeting set for March 21-23 in Juneau, will consider a petition seeking to close or curtail commercial salmon fishing in Southeast Alaska.

Kootznoowoo Inc., the Native corporation for the village of Angoon, submitted the petition to the federal government.

The petitioner asks the feds to exercise "extraterritorial jurisdiction" to protect the subsistence priority for Angoon residents. It contends the state-managed commercial fisheries have interfered with subsistence fishing for sockeye.

Kootznoowoo wants commercial fisheries in the waters around Angoon closed or restricted. This includes fishing districts in Chatham, Icy and Peril straits.

The Native corporation also recommends reducing the harvest area adjacent to Hidden Falls Hatchery, located across Chatham Strait from Angoon.

In advance of the meeting, the Federal Subsistence Board has posted a staff report that looks at the petition, area salmon runs, Angoon subsistence practices and fishery management.

The report concludes by saying "not enough information" is available to know if a total closure of commercial purse seine fisheries would meet all of Kootznoowoo's stated needs.

The report adds, however, that it "appears more likely than not that the commercial purse seine fishery is reducing the number of sockeye salmon returning" to federally managed waters.

To see Kootznoowoo's petition and supplement, go to the Federal Subsistence Board website.

New directors named at Fish and Game

Here's the press release:

May 12, 2011

Alaska Department of Fish and Game announces new subsistence director and Board of Fisheries executive director

JUNEAU — Commissioner Cora Campbell recently filled two leadership positions for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Hazel Nelson was appointed director of the Division of Subsistence, and Monica Wellard has been appointed executive director of the Board of Fisheries.

"I'm pleased that Hazel Nelson and Monica Wellard have joined the department's leadership team. Both are highly respected professionals with excellent leadership skills and experience," Campbell said. "I look forward to their contributions to the department and the public."

Hazel Nelson's many years of experience include hands-on work with state and federal resource regulatory processes, local governments and economic development bodies. She has worked with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, the Lake and Peninsula Borough, Bristol Bay Economic Development Corp., the U.S.-Russia Intergovernmental Consultative Committee and the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference. Hazel was born and raised in Egegik and understands the importance of providing sustainable subsistence opportunities for all Alaskans. She will be stationed in the Anchorage office.

Monica Wellard has 18 years of service with ADF&G in which she has held several positions, each with increasing levels of responsibility and authority. Wellard served for five years as assistant director with the Division of Sport Fish, and previously held the administrative operations manager position with the Division of Commercial Fisheries. Her experience and familiarity with fisheries are great assets in her new position. Monica will be stationed in the Juneau headquarters office.

Nelson takes over the lead position in the Division of Subsistence from Jim Simon, subsistence program manager, who has been serving as acting director for the last few months. Wellard will replace Jim Marcotte, who is retiring after 28 years with the department.

Kookesh subsistence ruling now available

You might have heard that state Sen. Albert Kookesh, D-Angoon, recently won dismissal of a charge that he took an overlimit of subsistence salmon.

We now have the written ruling from the judge.

Deckboss intends to study the ruling carefully as it could be quite significant for Alaska fisheries management.

Board's task: define 'subsistence way of life'

The Alaska Board of Fisheries today begins a tedious, two-day session to clarify how it defines the expression "subsistence way of life."

This isn't just an academic exercise. A Fairbanks judge ordered this.

The weekend board meeting is the latest twist in an old struggle over the question of whether the dipnet fishery at Chitina should be classified as a subsistence fishery or a "personal use" fishery.

Why does this matter?

Well, commercial salmon fishermen at the mouth of the Copper River, downstream of Chitina, greatly fear a subsistence designation because that would give dipnetters a priority to the fish.

Superior Court Judge Michael MacDonald, in his Dec. 31 ruling, stopped short of overturning the board's 2003 action classifying the dipnet fishery as personal use, not subsistence.

But the judge said the board had failed to properly apply a key provision in state law that refers to the "subsistence way of life."

The judge ordered the board to define "subsistence way of life," and then reapply the law.

OK.

So, the board will meet today and tomorrow at the Hilton hotel in downtown Anchorage to work on its definition and take public testimony. Presumably, each of the seven board members will have a dictionary and thesaurus close at hand.

All kidding aside, this is a hot issue. The board received nearly 100 written public comments prior to the meeting.

Halibut subsistence scheme draws indictments

Check out our companion blog, The Brig, for details of an alleged scheme where two men illegally sold subsistence-caught halibut through a Juneau eatery called Doc Waters Pub.