Southeast Alaska commercial trollers have a Chinook salmon harvest allocation this year of 197,272 fish, down 20,788 from the 2011 preseason allocation.
Here's the announcement from the Department of Fish and Game.
Showing posts with label Chinook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chinook. Show all posts
Could this help?
Down in Juneau, state legislators are thinking about creating a special endowment to fund Chinook research.
Supporters say runs of Chinook, or king, salmon have declined around Alaska, and something must be done to restore the iconic fish.
Especially concerned are Western Alaska legislators representing constituencies dismayed over depressed Chinook runs to the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers and Norton Sound.
Sen. Donny Olson, D-Nome, is the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 205, with Rep. Bob Herron, D-Bethel, carrying companion legislation in House Bill 332.
The bills would create an endowment fund, which would be invested. A seven-member board comprised of Alaska's fish and game commissioner and six "public members" from around the state would use the profits to award Chinook research grants.
Assuming legislators support the idea, they'll have to decide how much money to put into the endowment. The bills don't call for a specific amount, although they do make a reference to $50 million.
Certainly, the money is available, as the state is flush with billions of dollars in surplus oil revenue.
But whether a research endowment really has statewide appeal is questionable, as the health of Chinook stocks is varied. Certainly, the Yukon and Kuskokwim runs have struggled, as have other runs such as Kodiak's Karluk River stock. Farther east, in Southeast Alaska, the situation looks better.
The Senate Resources Committee is scheduled to take up SB 205 at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Here is Olson's sponsor statement.
And here's a packet of letters in support of the endowment.
Supporters say runs of Chinook, or king, salmon have declined around Alaska, and something must be done to restore the iconic fish.
Especially concerned are Western Alaska legislators representing constituencies dismayed over depressed Chinook runs to the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers and Norton Sound.
Sen. Donny Olson, D-Nome, is the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 205, with Rep. Bob Herron, D-Bethel, carrying companion legislation in House Bill 332.
The bills would create an endowment fund, which would be invested. A seven-member board comprised of Alaska's fish and game commissioner and six "public members" from around the state would use the profits to award Chinook research grants.
Assuming legislators support the idea, they'll have to decide how much money to put into the endowment. The bills don't call for a specific amount, although they do make a reference to $50 million.
Certainly, the money is available, as the state is flush with billions of dollars in surplus oil revenue.
But whether a research endowment really has statewide appeal is questionable, as the health of Chinook stocks is varied. Certainly, the Yukon and Kuskokwim runs have struggled, as have other runs such as Kodiak's Karluk River stock. Farther east, in Southeast Alaska, the situation looks better.
The Senate Resources Committee is scheduled to take up SB 205 at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Here is Olson's sponsor statement.
And here's a packet of letters in support of the endowment.
Taku River to see king salmon fishery in May
The U.S. allowable catch of large Taku River king salmon is 6,703 fish, says this state forecast.
Stikine River king salmon bounce back
Looks like Southeast Alaska commercial fishermen next spring will get a crack at those gorgeous Stikine River king salmon.
For the first time since 2008, the state is forecasting a run large enough to support a fishery.
The U.S. allowable catch under the forecast is 5,890 large Stikine kings.
For the first time since 2008, the state is forecasting a run large enough to support a fishery.
The U.S. allowable catch under the forecast is 5,890 large Stikine kings.
Council said to pass Gulf Chinook bycatch limit
Deckboss has been remiss in failing to note that the North Pacific Fishery Management Council has been meeting the past several days in Nome.
It's the first time the council has ever convened in that exciting and faraway town.
And the council, evidently, has used the occasion to achieve yet another first: a limit on Chinook salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery, says this press release from the Alaska Marine Conservation Council.
It's the first time the council has ever convened in that exciting and faraway town.
And the council, evidently, has used the occasion to achieve yet another first: a limit on Chinook salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery, says this press release from the Alaska Marine Conservation Council.
Southeast Chinook quota improves considerably
Southeast Alaska commercial trollers will have a Chinook salmon harvest allocation this year of 218,060 fish, an increase of 54,178 over last year.
Here's the press release from the Department of Fish and Game.
Here's the press release from the Department of Fish and Game.
Work advances to control Chinook bycatch in Gulf
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is making progress toward controlling the incidental capture, or bycatch, of Chinook salmon in Gulf of Alaska pollock trawl nets.
How can we tell?
Check out this 295-page analysis posted this week on the council's website.
The analysis is a necessary step for meetings coming up later this month and in June, when the council could elect to impose a "hard cap" on the pollock fishery. That means the fishery would be closed down once a certain number of Chinook are taken as bycatch.
Chinook bycatch last year in the Gulf pollock fishery was an alarming 43,915 fish, according to the chart on page 21 of the analysis.
A hard cap, if approved, could be implemented in mid-2012.
The analysis says addressing Chinook bycatch in the Gulf is the council's highest priority.
How can we tell?
Check out this 295-page analysis posted this week on the council's website.
The analysis is a necessary step for meetings coming up later this month and in June, when the council could elect to impose a "hard cap" on the pollock fishery. That means the fishery would be closed down once a certain number of Chinook are taken as bycatch.
Chinook bycatch last year in the Gulf pollock fishery was an alarming 43,915 fish, according to the chart on page 21 of the analysis.
A hard cap, if approved, could be implemented in mid-2012.
The analysis says addressing Chinook bycatch in the Gulf is the council's highest priority.
Improved sockeye catch forecast for Copper River
Commercial fishermen can expect to net 1.18 million sockeye salmon and 9,200 Chinook this season at the famed Copper River.
That's according to this forecast just out from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
If the forecast holds true, it would represent considerable improvement over the lackluster 2010 season, at least with respect to sockeye.
Copper River gillnetters last year caught 635,968 sockeye and 9,654 Chinook, this season summary says.
That's according to this forecast just out from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
If the forecast holds true, it would represent considerable improvement over the lackluster 2010 season, at least with respect to sockeye.
Copper River gillnetters last year caught 635,968 sockeye and 9,654 Chinook, this season summary says.
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