A Seattle Federal court judge issued on May 2, 2023 it court decision (Report & Recommendations) that all the trollers have been waiting for and dreading.  The court document vacates (definition: to make legally void/i.e close) the summer and winter troll fishery in Alaska.  What this means exactly is still slightly unknown and we will update as we find out more.

The lawsuit basically claims the Southeast Salmon fisheries particularly the troll fishery and the associated prey increase (hatchery) program violates the Endangered Species Act.  The court has denied the claims about the prey increase program but did find that the NMFS 2019 Biological Opinion (Bi-op) and associated Incidental Take Statement (ITS) was deficient.

We don’t know what is going to happen for this summer’s season, while the court vacated the summer troll fishery the State of Alaska Dept of Law has filed an appeal in the 9th circuit court of appeal and well as asking for a stay of the judgement for this summer and NMFS working with ADFG has been and is working to try and fix the deficiencies in the Bi-op and get a new ITS issued in time for a summer fishery.

Court order 5.2.23

SOA Dept of Law Press Release 5.3.23

ATA Press Release

The IPHC announced the following Catch limits.

the following link is the same as above but printable

2023 Annual Halibut Meeting results 1.27.23

Below is the 2023 forecast for NSRAA other task force documents can be viewed on ADF&G’s WEBSITE

2023 NSRAA Forecast

When the board isn’t meeting, ADF&G is delegated the authority to determine if a petition meets the criteria for an emergency.

The Dept sent me the letter linked below today July 26th denying the petition as not meeting the criteria and that all points brought up in the petition were pretty much discussed  at the board meeting in testimony or  during deliberations and that it is not a lost or foregone opportunity but just  a delayed one.

ADFG Response shrimp petition 7.26.22

Southeast Alaska Fishermen’s Alliance (SEAFA) has submitted to the Board of Fish an emergency petition to change the pot shrimp season back to the fall based on a biologically allowable resource harvest would be precluded in 2022, creating a significant burden on the shrimp permit holders.  We will post a copy of the petition on our website www.seafa.org or you can email us and request a copy.

The process for an emergency petition when the Board of Fish is not meeting within 30 days of receiving the petition is that the authority is delegated to the Commissioner to determine whether the merits of the request constitute an emergency.  If the Dept determines the emergency petition justifies a finding of emergency, it will be scheduled for a special board meeting. The Commissioner has 30 days to consider, analyze and respond to the petition.

In addition, if two Board members request to hear the emergency petition a meeting will be scheduled regardless of the Dept analysis.  You can monitor the Board of Fish website at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.meetinginfo (scroll down below the October 2022 work-session) to determine if a meeting has been scheduled (check often). Or alternatively, you can sign up to receive board of fish announcements via email, and by doing so would receive the announcement if a meeting is scheduled. We encourage you to submit comments on your thoughts between a fall or spring meeting date, market and biological considerations if a special board meeting is scheduled.

Shrimp Petition season date change final 7.1.22

At the April 2022 RPT meeting, the Joint RPT reviewed the final 2020 data and preliminary 2021 SE Enhanced Allocation status.  At the end of the meeting the RPT received four presentations on current studies that are underway.

ALLOCATIONS Spring 2022 RPT 4.06.2022 (003)

Chatham Strait Predator Study Update April 2022 RPT

McPhee_RPT_Spring2022_Sockeye

McPhee_SERPT_Spr22_Coho

RPT SEAK sport fishery sampling_Final_april6

Additional hatchery studies were presented at the Board of Fish Hatchery committee meeting

• Alaska Fishery Enhancement Program Production Trends and Planning Efforts (PDF 13,579 kB)
• Sport Fishery Enhancement Program (PDF 1,886 kB)
• An Introduction to the Salmon OCean Ecology Program and Overview of Scientific Understanding of Salmon Competition at Sea (PDF 4,044 kB)
• Statewide Fish/Shellfish Health Program in Alaska: Mitigating Disease Risks to Wild and Cultured Stocks (PDF 2,249 kB)
• Alaska Hatchery Research Program: Overview of results and products to date (PDF 1,831 kB)
• Alaska Hatchery Research Program: Study Question 1: Population Structure (PDF 7,380 kB)
• Alaska Hatchery Program Question 2: What is the Extent and Annual Variability of Straying (PDF 1,709 kB)
• Alaska Hatchery Program Question 3: Relative Reproductive Success Update (PDF 2,368 kB)
• Alaska Hatchery Program Question 3: Mechanisms Driving RRS (PDF 1,916 kB)

During May through September 2021, a team of scientists from the University of Alaska will be measuring the surface currents in Lynn Canal to better understand the speed and direction of the local ocean circulation. The measurements will be made using specialized current trackers engineered to drift with the upper 3 to 4 feet of the surface water. Each drifter has a float with a GPS and telemetry inside to send us data so we know where it is located at all times. We track each drifter position in real-time.

The photos in the attachment below show several drifters immediately after deployment, each with an orange surface float and drogue below to ensure the drifter follows the surface current.

See Lynn Canal Ocean Surface Drifters 2021 for  the location released and additional information about the study.

If you see a drifter in the water, please let it drift. If you see one washed ashore or grounded in shallow water, please note the location and let us know. If you wish to be updated on this work, or see a grounded drifter, please email:

Mark Johnson ( majohnson@alaska.edu )

Below are the links to the 2021 Salmon Management Plans

• 2021 Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Fishery Management Plan (PDF 1,379 kB)
• 2021 Southeast Alaska Drift Gillnet Fishery Management Plan (PDF 1,510 kB)
• 2021 Yakutat Set Gillnet Fishery Management Plan (PDF 407 kB)
• 2021 Spring Troll Fishery Management Plan (PDF 4,798 kB)