The Board of Fish meeting ended February 26 at 7:15pm.  The meeting was confusing, you couldn’t report on what was happening until the final gavel came down as it kept changing. I will keep posting as I get the actions for each committee typed up. 

NET FISHERIES COMMITTEE:

The Board of Fish accepted the Joint RPT Consensus and backed up and acknowledged all parts of the agreement and working through Proposal #273.  They put into regulation will be a one to one ratio between gillnet/seine after the third Sunday in June in Deep Inlet for the 2009 season through the end of the 2011 season; a one to one ratio between gillnet/seine in Anita Bay for the 2009 season through the end of the 2011 season; and after June 20 a ratio of one to one between the gillnet/seine when a rotational fishery occurs in Neets Bay.

Because of the acceptance of the joint RPT action they took no action on Proposals 244, 245, 246, 267, 268, 269, 271, 273, and 274.

Proposal #247:  No action taken by board to allow trolling in District 8 beginning July 1 consistent with the drift gillnet openings.

Proposal #248: Passed – Yakutat proposal to uncouple the troll and set gillnet openings during the summer troll season, from Aug 7 through September 20, and would make the management of the each fishery independent.

Proposal #249-252:  Passed – the Board passed regulations to allow both troll and gillnet gear to be onboard at the same time with either the net bagged and tied shut below deck or the cannonballs below deck and the requirement that all fish from one fishery must be unloaded before entering the next fishery.  And to allow troll gear to be onboard while seining with the cannonballs stored below deck, when trolling the seine net must be removed from the vessel when trolling and the requirement that all fish from one fishery must be unloaded before entering the next fishery.

Proposal #86:  No action to repeal the length limit of seine vessels

Proposal #253:  Proposal to increase the allowable length of the salmon seine vessels in SE to 75 feet hull length was moved to the restructuring committee.

Proposal #254:  Failed – to change the measurement of seine vessels as hull length exclusive of rollers on the bow, stern rollers or other extensions including platforms.

Proposal #255:  Failed – to allow additional fishing time for permit holders who acquire a second entry permit for the gillnet fishery.  Dept opposed due to management concerns.

Proposal #256:  Failed – to allow additional gear for permit holders who acquire a second entry permit for the drift gillnet fishery.

Proposal #257 & 258 – Failed to change the start date of the gillnet fishery to Mondays.

Proposal #259 – Passed – changes the start time of the District 8 gillnet fishery for one more week in the month of June under the King Salmon Management Plan.

Proposal #260 – Failed 1/5      – would open a portion of District 7 outside of Anita Bay THA to seining whenever gillnetting is open in the adjacent area of District 8.

Proposal #261 – no action taken as the intent of the proposal was unclear – Proposal was for management plans for the seine fleet in Districts 11, 12 & 14.

Proposal #262 – Fails – would have placed additional restrictions on the seine fishery in upper Chatham Strait and would have prevented ADFG index fishery at Point Augusta from being conducted.

Proposal #263 – Failed – allow two legal limits of seine gear on board a vessel in SE Alaska

Proposal #264 – No action – would close commercial salmon fishing form July 1 through July 15 in the Klawock area.

Proposal #265 – Passes – Amend regulations to change the opening and closing dates for sockeye in the Klawock area.

Proposal #272 – Fails – requests the development of a management plan for Gunnuk Creek Hatchery at Kake.  The proposal would limit the common property harvest to seining and trolling and that the seine fishery be an equal split fishery in the THA.

Proposal #275-285:  Passed – ADFG housekeeping proposals on hatchery management plans.

McDonald Lake Sockeye Salmon Action Plan – the McDonald Lake was accepted as a stock of concern and the action plan was adopted.  The action plan consists of the restrictions in the gillnet and seine fleet as it has been the past couple of years.

WASHINGTON, DC — U. S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced funding for Alaska contained in the Fiscal Year 2009 (FY 09) Omnibus Appropriations Bill. 

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to take up the legislation later this week, followed by consideration in the Senate. 

 

The FY 09 Omnibus includes the nine remaining appropriations bills that Congress failed to pass last year. The Omnibus will fund the federal government through September 30, 2009. 

 

Many of the projects contained in the Omnibus package were secured by Sen. Stevens last year as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

 

The following items of interest to Alaska were funded through the Energy and Water Section of the Omnibus: 

 

Feasibility Studies: 

•     $263,000 for Alaska Regional Ports 

•     $96,000 for Anchorage Harbor Deepening 

•     $382,000 for Barrow Coastal Storm Damage Reduction 

•     $96,000 for Homer Harbor Modification 

•     $96,000 for Kenai River Bluff Erosion 

•     $96,000 for Matanuska River Watershed 

•     $143,000 for Valdez Harbor Expansion 

•     $669,000 for Yakutat Harbor 

 

Construction funds: 

•     $3,328,000 for Alaska Coastal Erosion 

•     $478,000 for Seward Harbor Breakwater Extension 

•     $478,000 for Sitka Harbor Breakwater upgrade 

•     $2,871,000 for St. Paul Harbor 

•     $2,871,000 for Unalaska 

Operations and Maintenance Funds: 

•     $16,338,000 for the Anchorage Harbor 

•     $2,065,000 for Chena River Lakes 

•     $780,000 for the Dillingham Harbor 

•     $575,000 for the Homer Harbor 

•     $982,000 for the Inspection of Completed works 

•     $235,000 for the Lowell Creek Tunnel 

•     $325,000 for the Ninilchik Harbor 

•     $724,000 for the Nome Harbor 

•     $511,000 for Project Condition Surveys 

Continuing Authorities: 

•     $7.177 million for navigation projects from which Savoonga harbor will receive some of the funds 

•     $4.306 million for shore protection from which Unalakleet will receive funds for shore damage reduction 

 

Additionally, funds were included for the following projects in the Energy and Water Section of the Omnibus: 

•     $475,750 for a Renewable/Sustainable Biomass Project 

•     $3,806,000 for the Arctic Energy Office 

•     $2,854,500 for a Southwest Alaska Regional Geothermal Energy Project 

•     $951,500 for Unalaska geothermal energy 

•     $713,625 for the Anchorage Regional landfill 

The following items of interest to Alaska were funded through the Interior and Environment Section of the Omnibus:  

•     $250,000 to the City of Craig for a water and wastewater improvements project 

•     $350,000 to the City of Haines for a water and wastewater infrastructure project 

•     $300,000 to the City of Ketchikan for a water facilities construction project 

•     $1,000,000 to the City of North Pole for a wastewater system improvements project 

•     $1,000,000 for Tongass National Forest Road Improvements 

•     $400,000 for the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge 

•     $2,560,000 to Denali National Park for construction 

•     $2,000,000 for the multi-state Small Public Water Systems Technology Assistance Program, some of which will go to Alaska 

•     $11,500,000 for the multi-state National Rural Water Association, some of which will go to Alaska 

•     $18.5 million for Alaska Native Villages under State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) for wastewater and drinking water facilities 

•     $33 million for Alaska Conveyance at the Bureau of Land Management 

•     $18.5 million for the Alaska Native Village State and Tribal Grant Program for water and sewer infrastructure projects 

The following items of interest to Alaska were funded through the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Section of the Omnibus: 

•     $2,250,000 to FAA Aviation Safety for the Medallion Program 

•     $5,000,000 to FAA Air Traffic Control for the NAS Interfacility Communications System 

•     $2,375,000 to FAA Facilities and Equipment for Approach Lighting 

•     $1,900,000 to the Alaska Trails Initiative for Federal Highways 

•     $190,000 to RuralCAP for Home Investment Partnerships 

•     $332,500 to the Covenant House Alaska Crisis Center for Home Investment Partnerships (Anchorage) 

•     $5,700,000 to the Denali Commission for Federal Highways 

•     $798,000 to the City of Fairbanks for bus acquisition 

•     $665,000 to the Mat-Su Borough for Bus Bay Expansion 

•     $570,000 for Statewide Bus and Bus Facility Enhancements 

•     $475,000 to the Chilkat Indian Village/Klutwan for Heritage Center Construction 

•     $332,500 to the City of Craig for Redevelopment of Abandoned Cannery 

•     $380,000 to the City of Kotzebue for Construction of Recreation and Fairgrounds Area 

•     $475,000 to the City of Wrangell for Construction of Recreation and Fairgrounds Area 

•     $475,000 to the Kodiak Island Borough for an Emergency Shelter 

•     $950,000 to the City of Gustavus for Public Dock and Floats Construction 

•     $1,187,500 to the City of Akutan for Airport Construction 

•     $950,000 to the City of Fairbanks for Road Upgrades  

The following items of interest to Alaska were funded through the Agriculture and Rural Development Section of the Omnibus: 

 

•     $4.545 million to Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service for wood utilization projects in 10 states, including Alaska 

•     $864,000 thousand to Alaska Association of Conservation Districts for conservation operations 

 

The following items of interest to Alaska were funded through the Commerce, Justice, and Science Section of the Omnibus:  

•     $200,000 to Alaska Sea Grant, Fairbanks, for research on stock enhancement for rehabilitation of depleted king crab stocks in Alaska 

•     $1.5 million to the Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward, for pinniped research, marine mammal rescue, and Resurrection Bay salmon enhancement 

•     $190,000 to the Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association, Anchorage, for salmon research and restoration projects in Western Alaska and interior river systems and ongoing marine productivity research 

•     $150,000 to the Gulf of Alaska Coastal Communities Coalition, Anchorage, for the organization to serve as an advocate for small boat community-based fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska 

•     $700,000 to the Kenai Peninsula Borough for Cook Inlet Beluga Whale research 

•     $250,000 to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Anchorage, to enhance research on ice seal populations 

•     $150,000 to the State of Alaska, Juneau, to support private industry participation in two international fishery advisory groups 

•     $300,000 to the Alaska Sea Otter and Steller Sea Lion Commission, Anchorage, for Steller Sea Lion Comanagement, Biosampling and Outreach/Education 

•     $500,000 to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, for advanced submarine surveys to establish new U.S. claims for seabed resources 

•     $100,000 to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks,  for research on coastal vulnerability to climate change 

•     $180,000 to the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association, Anchorage, to continue monitoring, research, and education efforts for subsistence and commercial fisheries along the Yukon River 

•     $80 million for the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund, from which Alaska will receive a portion of the funding 

•     $1.683 million for the National Weather Service for Alaska Data Buoys for local warnings and forecasts 

•     $200,000 to the Alaska Native Justice Center, Anchorage, for attorney referrals, information and resources to support Natives involved in legal issues 

•     $200,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska, Anchorage, for a statewide at-risk youth mentoring program involving, faith based organizations, schools, and non-profit entities 

•     $500,000 to the Northwest Arctic Borough, Kotzebue, for Public Safety Planning and VPSO Hiring and Training 

•     $200,000 to the State of Alaska, Juneau, for alcohol interdiction for investigation and prosecution of bootlegging crimes as part of statewide effort to reduce Fetal Alcohol Syndrome 

•     $250,000 to the State of Alaska, Juneau, for training of VPSO’s and the acquisition of emergency response and search and rescue equipment for rural communities 

•     $235,000 to the State of Alaska, Juneau, to develop a network to allow remote access to criminal justice information from a single point of access, thus allowing law enforcement and other courts within the state to access court records 

•     $210,000 to the State of Alaska, Juneau, to train law enforcement officers to teach drug abuse resistance education 

•     $400,000 to the State of Alaska, Juneau for sexual assault/domestic violence education, victim assistance and prosecution 

 

The following items of interest to Alaska were funded through the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Section of the Omnibus: 

 

•     $476,000 to Akeela House Recovery Center in Anchorage for residential substance abuse treatment 

•     $571,000 to Alaska Adaptive Recreation Alliance of Anchorage for programs to provide adaptive and therapeutic recreation to Alaskans with disabilities 

•     $490,000 to Alaska Addictions Rehabilitation Services, Inc./Nugen’s Ranch in Wasilla for facilities and equipment 

•     $95,000 to Alaska Brain Injury Network of Anchorage for brain injury programs and outreach services 

•     $476,000 to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services for a program to prevent, control, and reduce the incidence of obesity 

•     $1,427,000 to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium for a Statewide electronic medical records and health information system 

•     $1,427,000 to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium for the parallel development of an e-Health electronic network 

•     $238,000 to Alaska PTA, located in Anchorage, to train parents in their roles and responsibilities under the No Child Left Behind Act 

•     $285,000 to the Alaska Statewide Independent Living Council for independent living programs for rural and remote areas 

•     $381,000 to Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center for construction, renovation, and equipment 

•     $109,000 to Anchorage’s Promise for a child mentoring and support program 

•     $714,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Alaska for a rural Alaska youth fitness initiative 

•     $381,000 to Catholic Community Services in Juneau to implement child abuse prevention delivery programs in Southeast Alaska 

•     $238,000 to Central Council of Tlingit-Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska in Juneau for job training programs 

•     $285,000 to Cook Inlet Tribal Council for educational programs for low performing students in the Anchorage school district 

•     $3,378,000 to the Denali Commission for job training activities 

•     $485,000 to the Galena City School District for a boarding school for at-risk Native students from remote villages across Western Alaska 

•     $81,000 to the Literacy Council of Alaska in Fairbanks to train adult volunteers to tutor school-age children in reading, writing and mathematics 

•     $95,000 to the Literacy Council of Alaska in Fairbanks to provide educational materials for low-income students and their families 

•     $190,000 to Maniilaq Association in Kotzebue for residential substance abuse treatment 

•     $119,000 to Nine Star Enterprises of Anchorage for a job training initiative 

•     $190,000 to Northwestern Alaska Career and Technical Center in Nome for job training programs for high school students 

•     $951,000 to Providence Health System, located in Anchorage, for physician recruitment and retention 

•     $476,000 to RuralCAP of Alaska for distance learning for Head Start teachers and Parents as Teachers programs, including the purchase of equipment 

•     $951,000 to Skills Alaska for a student/teacher enhancement program across Alaska 

•     $190,000 to Southwest Alaska Vocation and Education Center in King Salmon for workforce development and training 

•     $571,000 to United Way of Anchorage for the 211 Project to provide a statewide health and human services management system for Alaska 

•     $999,000 to the University of Alaska to continue the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program for Alaska students at UAA and UAF 

•     $1,475,000 to Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation of Bethel for renovation and equipment 

•     $95,000 to YWCA of Anchorage for after school education programs 

•     $476,000 Bartlett Regional Hospital, Juneau for renovations and equipment 

•     $19.6 million for the Denali commission to support health projects and economic development activities for the Arctic region under the Denali Commission Act of 1998 

 

The following item of interest to Alaska was funded through the Financial Services and General Government Section of the Omnibus: 

 

•     $285,000 for the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership Inc. rural Alaska e-commerce training project

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today that the commercial golden

(brown) king crab fishery in the East Central Area will close at 12:00 noon Thursday, February 26,2009.

The GHL for the 2009 Sitka Sound Sac Roe fishery is 14,504 tons.  This is a 5% decrease from the preliminary announcement this fall.

Senator Gregg has withdrawn his name for consideration for the position of Secretary of Commerce.  Based on news reports the simple reason is that he could not agree with all of the new administrations policy positions.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/12/gregg.nomination/

Agenda http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo/2008-2009/Sitka/fin-agenda09.pdf

Staff Comments http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo/2008-2009/Petersburg/staff-comm.pdf

ADFG Fishery Reports http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo/2008-2009/deprep08-09.php

Ontime Public and AC comments http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/archive/bof/farch.php

NOAA Fisheries Service has decided to exempt fishermen using dinglebar fishing gear in federal waters of the Gulf of Alaska from the requirement to carry a vessel monitoring system (VMS). The agency has determined that any risk of damage posed to protected corals in the Gulf of Alaska by the dinglebar gear fishery is minor, and insufficient to justify the costs of VMS. This action is effective February 20, 2009.

For more information, read the final rule or contact Ben Muse at (907) 586-7234.