The North Pacific Fishery Management Council, meeting in Anchorage, took two significant actions over the weekend.
First, the council voted to tighten limits on Chinook salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. Here's the final motion, which passed by a vote of 10-0. Member Simon Kinneen, of Nome, was not allowed to vote due to a conflict of interest.
The council also voted 11-0 to approve pots as legal gear for taking sablefish in the Gulf of Alaska. Switching to pots could help fishermen frustrated over whales snatching fish off their longline hooks.
Wesley, you're missing the key to the Chinook motion which is Ed Dersham voting with the Washington/Oregon guys to weaken the Chinook measure that Commissioner Cotten initially put on the table.
ReplyDeleteEd: don't let the door hit you on the way out. Good riddance.
Dan Hull, mheh.
ReplyDeleteNot allowing Kinneen to vote, acknowledging a vast conflict of interest is a sound first step. But replacing him on the Council with someone aligned with Alaska's interests would be a logical progression.
ReplyDelete