Our Blog
Sept 4th- Deep Inlet Update - We continue to assess chum recruitment into Bear Cove and are getting closer to our fall chum brood stock goal. Recruitment is steady but has slowed with the recent shift back to sunny weather. NSRAA will attempt to collect chum brood from the head of Deep Inlet this weekend in order to assure we have […]
August 27th-Deep Inlet Closure - The Deep Inlet THA will close to common property fishing on August 31st due to fall chum brood shortages at Medvejie Hatchery. Currently there is an estimated 40,000 chum brood in Bear Cove. To complete fall chum egg takes an additional 50,000 brood are needed. There has not been a meaningful increase in chum brood […]
August 21st-Return Update - Fall chum returns to Sitka Sound and the Deep Inlet THA have remained strong since reopening the THA this past Saturday. In the past two weeks over a million fall chum have been harvested between the Sitka Sound common property troll/seine fisheries and the Deep Inlet openings. This week the total Deep Inlet chum return […]
August 13 – Deep Inlet Re-Opening Announcement - Deep Inlet has met the Cost Recovery goal this season. Deep Inlet will reopen Saturday, August 15th, with Troll and will continue with the standard rotation. An ADFG announcement will be posted shortly.
August 11-Deep Inlet Cost Recovery Progress - Cost recovery in Deep Inlet on Saturday and Sunday made significant progress on cost recovery and currently 81% of the goal has been harvested. Cost recovery will resume Wednesday, August 12th. Due to the increase in cost recovery harvest it is likely that our goal will be achieved over the next two days. A reopening […]UPDATE: “WE CAN GO FISHING” – Federal Court rules in favor of the Wild Fish Conservancy
June 21, 2023 – “We can go fishing”
Following excerpt from ADF&G Advisory Announcement on 6.21.2023:
“Today, June 21, 2023, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay of the vacatur order and halted the
implementation of a U.S. District Courts decision that would have shut down the Chinook salmon troll fishery in
Southeast Alaska/Yakutat beginning this summer. Further information is provided in the Alaska Department of
Law press release issued earlier today, June 21, at the following address:”
“A summer troll fishery advisory announcement will be issued within the next 24-48 hours providing
information on the general summer troll fishery. This announcement will include an estimate of the
summer troll Chinook salmon allocation and the target harvest for the first summer troll Chinook salmon
retention period, which will open by regulation July 1.”
Ruling here
May 30, 2023 – ADF&G Troll announcement here
May 23, 2023 – Judge Jones denies the State’s request for a stay
“Today, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Jones denied the State’s request for a stay of his May 2 order that vacates the incidental take statement (ITS) for the Southeast Alaska winter and summer commercial Chinook troll fisheries. The ITS gives these fisheries coverage for the incidental “take” of species listed under the Endangered Species Act which include 4 stocks of Chinook salmon, Southern Resident killer whales, and other marine mammals. This order has the practical effect of closing the directed summer and winter Chinook troll fisheries until a new ITS is in place.”
Statewide press release and further information on this ruling provided below:
Click to access NR-23-1049.pdf
Order denying motion here
May 23, 2023 – U.S. Department of Justice has filed an Intent to Appeal
that the U.S. Department of Justice, representing NOAA, has filed an Intent to Appeal the Jones Decision in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
Notice of appeal here
May 10, 2023 – State of Alaska files for Partial Stay of Ruling
Motion for partial stay here
May 6, 2023 – ATA News Bulletin
News Bulletin 5/6/23: ATA received confirmation from ADFG late yesterday that the troll coho and chum fisheries will occur this year as normal, although without Chinook retention.
May 5, 2023 – State of Alaska and ATA file to appeal Ruling
Notice of appeal here
May 3, 2023 – ATA Press Release in Response to Judge Jones May 2nd Decision
On May 2, 2023, Judge Jones ruled on the WFC lawsuit. Attached is the order we received. This order adopts Judge Peterson recommendations, vacating the Incidental Take Statement that governs the SEAK summer and winter fisheries.
The Court’s order will cause irreparable harm to the communities of Southeast Alaska with no measurable benefit to Southern Resident Killer Whales.
Our ATA attorney is working with the State of Alaska and the United States (NMFS) in evaluating potential next steps. The ATA board will be relying on our counsel to advise us of our legal options and more information will be posted to our website as to our next step by the end of this week: www.aktrollers.org
We are prepared to appeal this ruling. The ATA will continue to fight for the way of lives of its members and the communities of Southeast Alaska.
Thanks to all our supporters who contributed to the ATA legal fund as we will be needing it.
************************************
Press Contact: Amy Daugherty, ATA Director (907) 723-2244
Alaska Trollers Association
130 Seward #205
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 586-9400
alaskatrollers@gmail.com
www.aktrollers.org
State press release here
Judge Jones Order available here
SOLD OUT – Medvejie Hatchery: Salmon Bake and Tours
NSRAA will be offering hatchery tours and a BBQ lunch at Medvejie Hatchery on Saturday, July 1st. Lunch will consist of barbecued King Salmon, baked potato, green salad, rolls, watermelon and non-alcoholic drinks. Tickets are $15.00 per person- CASH or CHECK ONLY and can be purchased during office hours at NSRAA- 1308 Sawmill Creek Road. (8-5 Mon-Fri)
We are providing two tours on Saturday for you to choose from.
Tour 1
9:00am – 12:15pm
Tour 2
12:30pm – 4:00pm.
Transportation to and from Medvejie Hatchery will be provide by Allen Marine. Our port of departure/arrival is Crescent Harbor. Boats depart promptly at 9 and 12:30 so don’t be late! Physical ticket will be needed to board & no refunds.
This will be a great chance to see King Salmon returning to the hatchery, and to hear about our fisheries enhancement program. We hope you can join us!
For more information, call 747-6850.
Deep Inlet Closure Likely
The Deep Inlet Terminal Harvest Area (THA) is expected to close to all gear groups in mid-August for the purpose of chum brood stock preservation.
NSRAA is forecasting exceptionally weak four-year-old chum returns to Medvejie Hatchery this season, making fishery brood stock closures in Bear Cove and Deep Inlet a near certainty. The NSRAA Board approved brood stock management actions that will close the Deep Inlet rotational fisheries during stat week 34. Unless otherwise indicated by in-season run evaluation, the inlet will close beginning Sunday August 20th, through Saturday August 26th, by ADFG Advisory Announcement. Closure may be extended if adequate brood stock preservation has not been achieved by weeks end.
Re-opening will be done in a manner that ensures pre-season harvest rotation splits are maintained.
NSRAA will also request that ADF&G close the Sitka Sound chum Troll fishery during the coho troll closure in the Sitka Sound subdistrict (113-41). Such a request is at the discretion of ADF&G, however every effort must be made to ensure the viability of our brood stock. In light of the recent court ruling closing the Chinook troll season, the NSRAA Executive Committee met on June 10th and reaffirmed the full board decision made in March to make this request.
Regular in-season updates will be available on the NSRAA website.
New Seafood Donation Inquiry Form via ALFA / ASFT
The Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) and Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust (ASFT) are inviting community and tribal leaders, organizations, fishermen, and others to share via a new Seafood Donation Network Inquiry online form, whether they are struggling with access to local seafood or have seafood that they would be willing to contribute to families in need. Their invitation is part of ALFA and ASFT’s Seafood Donation Network, which was created in March 2020 as a program of ALFA but has since evolved into a statewide network of communities, organizations, businesses, and fishermen concerned about seafood insecurity in Alaska.
Deep Inlet/Bear Cove Closure
The Deep Inlet terminal harvest area will close to common property fishing at end of day Saturday (9/10) for chum and coho brood stock concerns at Medvejie Hatchery, and a likely shortfall of chum cost recovery from Crawfish Inlet. We are just over 50% complete on the fall chum egg take goal of 92 million at Medvejie and estimate that we may need an additional 5-10k fish for brood, depending upon additional recruitment, and final sex ratio. Additionally, the coho return to Bear Cove and Deep Inlet continue to perform below forecast. Bear Cove will close to retention of coho salmon at midnight Wednesday (9/7) for both commercial troll and sport fish. The Deep Inlet coho return has been especially poor, with less than 6% of forecast returning to date, indicating additional closures to protect coho brood are necessary at this time.
Cost recovery at Crawfish Inlet has dramatically dropped off over the past several days, and as of Wednesday afternoon (9/7), are currently at 85% of goal. Only 150k lbs have been harvested in Crawfish Inlet since the last fishing effort that ended on Saturday (9/3). We have an estimated 400k lbs left of our pre-season goal and based upon run trajectory will unlikely meet goal. Any chum salmon in Deep Inlet, surplus to brood stock needs, will be utilized to make up any cost recovery short fall from Crawfish Inlet. We will continue to monitor returns to both Deep Inlet and Crawfish Inlet but additional common property openings this season are not anticipated.
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