NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE
REGULATIONS OF THE ALASKA BOARD OF FISHERIES
The Alaska Board of Fisheries proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 5 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with fishery and aquatic plant resources in the areas designated below, including the following:
- IN THE COOK INLET (INCLUDING KENAI PENINSULA, KENAI RIVER DRAINAGE, COOK INLET-RESURRECTION BAY SALTWATER, ANCHORAGE BOWL DRAINAGES, KNIK ARM DRAINAGES, SUSITNA RIVER DRAINAGE, AND WEST COOK INLET SPORT FISH MANAGEMENT AREAS), KODIAK AND CHIGNIK AREAS FINFISH FISHERIES REGULATIONS; AND STATEWIDE KING AND TANNER CRAB (EXCEPT SOUTHEAST/YAKUTAT AREAS) FISHERIES REGULATIONS:
A. In the commercial, sport, guided sport, personal use, and aquatic plant fisheries: fishing seasons, periods, opening and closing times; bag, possession, size, sex, and harvest limits, harvest levels, thresholds or quotas; bycatch provisions; districts, subdistricts, sections, subsections, areas, and other management boundaries; locations open and closed to fishing; methods and means; gear and vessel restrictions, marking, definitions, operational requirements and limitations, registration and permit requirements; registration areas (including exclusive and super exclusive registration areas), permits, harvest record, harvest marking requirements; management plans for conservation, development and allocation among beneficial uses; guiding principles; require, restrict or prohibit the retention, tendering, sale, release, or purchase of fish; methods of release; registration and reporting requirements for fish guides, guided anglers, catchers, processors, buyers and transporters; onboard observer requirements; fish storage and inspection requirements.
B. In the subsistence fisheries (finfish): identify subsistence uses and users; fishing seasons, periods, opening and closing times, harvest levels; methods and means; size, age, and sex limitations; districts, subdistricts, sections, subsections, areas, and other management boundaries; locations open and closed to fishing; gear and vessel restrictions and operational requirements; harvest limits, registration and permit requirements, requirements for marking and possession of fish; management plans for conservation, development and allocation among beneficial uses, and users; identify customary and traditional uses of fish stocks, determine amounts reasonably necessary for subsistence uses, and establish, change or adjust subsistence and personal use fisheries.
2. The following additional topics will be addressed during the CHIGNIK FINFISH Meeting (December 5-6, 2013):
A. IN THE GENERAL PROVISIONS: In the Board of Fisheries policy for changing board agendas, consider changing the deadline for submitting agenda change requests from 45 to 60 days from the date of the first board meeting in the fall. (newly assigned Proposal 368-BGP1)
3. The following additional topic will be addressed during the KODIAK FINFISH Meeting (January 7-11, 2014):
A. IN THE MISCELLANEOUS SHELLFISH COMMERCIAL FISHERY: In the State-Waters Weathervane Scallop Management Plan, consider establishing a management plan for an open-access weathervane scallop fishery in the waters of Alaska. (newly assigned Proposal 369 – formerly ACR8)
4. The following additional topics will be addressed during the STATEWIDE KING AND TANNER CRAB (except Southeast / Yakutat) AND SUPPLEMENTAL ISSUES Meeting (March 17-21, 2014):
- A. IN ALL REGIONS OF THE GROUNDFISH COMMERCIAL FISHERY: In all regions of the Groundfish commercial fishery, consider modifying groundfish possession and landing requirements to specify when groundfish bycatch levels are assessed on board a vessel. (newly assigned Proposal 370 – formerly ACR1)
- IN THE YUKON AREA FINFISH COMMERCIAL FISHERY: In the Yukon Area salmon management plan, -
- Consider changing dip net size, configuration, or operation specifications for the Yukon Area districts 1-3 commercial summer chum salmon fisheries. (newly assigned Proposal 371 - formerly ACR3)
- b. Consider allowing and establishing specifications for the use of a lead for commercial fish wheel operations. (newly assigned Proposal 372 – formerly ACR7)
- Consider removing the exception allowing for dead king salmon to be taken but not retained in the Yukon Area Districts 1-3 commercial dip net and beach seine summer chum salmon fishery. (newly assigned Proposal 373 – formerly ACR9)
- IN THE BRISTOL BAY FINFISH SPORT FISHERY: In the Bristol Bay Sport Fishery, consider modifying the time period the Nushagak River single-hook restriction is in effect. (newly assigned Proposal 374 – formerly ACR12)
For a copy of the proposed regulation changes contact the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Boards Support Section, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811-5526, tel. (907) 465-4110 or go to the Internet at: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.main.
You may comment on the regulation changes, including the potential costs to the private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written public comments limited to no more than 100 single sided or 50 double sided pages to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Boards Support Section, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811-5526, or by fax to (907) 465-6094, so that the comments are received no later than two weeks prior to the meeting during which the topic will be considered. Unless otherwise specifically specified for a particular meeting in a published notice, written public comments over 100 single sided or 50 double sided pages in length from any one individual or group relating to proposals at any one meeting will not be accepted. Written public comments limited to 10 single sided or 5 double sided pages in length from any one individual or group will also be accepted after the two-week deadline, but will not be inserted in board member workbooks until the beginning of the meeting, and will only be accepted until the board begins deliberation of proposals.
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT STANDARD: Once deliberation of proposals begin at a board meeting, the board will ONLY accept written public comments that are not more than five single-sided pages, or the equivalent double-sided pages, unless specific information is requested by the board that requires more pages than allowed under this standard.
During the meeting written public comments from any one individual or group may be submitted by hand delivery at any time if 27 copies are provided; but, as a practical matter comments submitted after the board begins deliberations on relevant proposals are likely to receive less consideration than comments submitted earlier. Oral comments may also be presented as explained below.
Each meeting will generally start at 8:30 a.m. on the first day of the meeting dates noted below. The public hearing portions for each regulatory meeting will begin immediately after staff reports and continue until everyone who has signed up and is present has been given the opportunity to be heard. Additional public hearings with Board Committees may be held throughout the meeting before consideration and adoption of proposed changes in the regulations for the various areas. An agenda will be posted daily during the meeting. The board will take oral testimony only from those who register before the cut-off time announced by the board chair at each regulatory meeting. The length of oral statements may be limited to five minutes or less. Anyone interested in, or affected by, the subject matter contained in this legal notice should make written or oral comments if they wish to have their views considered by the board.
TENTATIVE MEETING SCHEDULE
Chignik Finfish
December 5-6, 2013
Egan Civic and Convention Center, 555 West Fifth Avenue, Anchorage, AK
Lower Cook Inlet Finfish
December 8-11, 2013
Egan Civic and Convention Center, 555 West Fifth Avenue, Anchorage, AK
Kodiak Finfish
January 7-11, 2014
Kodiak Harbor Convention Center, 211 E. Rezanof Drive, Kodiak, AK
Upper Cook Inlet Finfish
January 31-February 13, 2014
Egan Civic and Convention Center, 555 West Fifth Avenue, Anchorage, AK
Statewide King and Tanner Crab, and Supplementary Items
March 17-21, 2014
Sheraton Hotel, 401 East Sixth Avenue, Anchorage, AK
Any changes to meeting locations, dates or times, or rescheduling of topics or subject matter will be announced by news release. Please watch for these announcements in the news media or call (907) 465-4110. Please carefully review the PROPOSAL INDEX available for the meeting for specific proposal issues to be addressed by the board. Copies of the proposal indices are in the proposal book, available online at: http://ww.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/, and at the relevant meeting.
Anyone interested in or affected by subsistence, personal use, commercial fishing, sport, guided sport, or regulations is hereby informed that, by publishing this legal notice, the Board of Fisheries may consider any or all of the subject areas covered by this notice. Under AS 44.62.200(b), the board may review the full range of activities appropriate to any of the subjects listed in this notice. The board may make changes to the personal use, sport, guided sport or commercial fishing regulations as may be required to ensure the subsistence priority in AS 16.05.258. On its own motion, after public hearing, the board may adopt, amend, reject, supplement, or take no action on these subjects without further notice. In addition, the board may adopt other regulations necessary to implement, administer, or enforce the regulations adopted. THE BOARD IS NOT LIMITED BY THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE OR CONFINES OF THE ACTUAL PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE PUBLIC OR STAFF. The language of the final regulations may be different from that of the proposed regulations. YOU SHOULD COMMENT DURING THE TIME ALLOWED IF YOUR INTERESTS COULD BE AFFECTED.
If you are a person with a disability who may need a special accommodation in order to participate in the process on the proposed regulations, please contact Glenn Haight at (907) 465-4110 no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of each meeting to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.
Statutory Authority: AS 16.05 - AS 16.20, AS 16.40
Statutes Being Implemented, Interpreted, or Made Specific: AS 16.05 - AS 16.20, AS 16.40
Fiscal Information: The proposed regulatory actions are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
_______________________________ ___11/01/2013_____
Glenn Haight, Executive Director Date
Alaska Board of Fisheries
ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS NOTICE INFORMATION
(AS 44.62.190(d))
1. Adopting Agency: Alaska Board of Fisheries.
2. General subject of regulations: IN THE COOK INLET (INCLUDING KENAI PENINSULA, KENAI RIVER DRAINAGE, COOK INLET-RESURRECTION BAY SALTWATER, ANCHORAGE BOWL DRAINAGES, KNIK ARM DRAINAGES, SUSITNA RIVER DRAINAGE, AND WEST COOK INLET SPORT FISH MANAGEMNET AREAS), KODIAK AND CHIGNIK AREAS FINFISH FISHERIES REGULATIONS; STATEWIDE KING AND TANNER CRAB (EXCEPT SOUTHEAST/YAKUTAT AREAS) FISHERIES REGULATIONS; AND SUPPLEMENTAL ISSUES, INCLUDING GENERAL PROVISIONS, COMMERCIAL SCALLOP AND GROUNDFISH FISHERIES IN THE STATE, COMMERCIAL SALMON FISHERIES IN THE YUKON AREA, AND SPORT FISHERY IN THE BRISTOL BAY AREA.
3. Citation of regulations: 5 AAC 01 - 5 AAC 77.
4. Reason for proposed actions: Implement, interpret, or make specific the provisions of AS 16.05 - AS 16.20.
5. Department of Law file number (if any):
JU2013200534 – Chignik Finfish
JU2013200535 – Lower Cook Inlet Finfish
JU2013200536 – Kodiak Finfish
JU2013200537 – Upper Cook Inlet Finfish
JU2013200538 - Statewide King and Tanner Crab (except Southeast/Yakutat)
6. Program category and RDU affected: Natural Resources and all RDUs.
7. Cost of implementation to the state agency and available funding: It is not possible to estimate the costs. However, these actions are not expected to require any additional costs.
8. The name of the contact person for the regulations:
Glenn Haight, Executive Director
Alaska Board of Fisheries
PO Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
(907) 465-4110
Email: glenn.haight@alaska.gov
9. The origin of the proposed action:
[X] staff or state agency
[X] general public
10. Date: October 31, 2013 Prepared by: ____________________
Glenn Haight, Executive Director
Alaska Board of Fisheries
(907) 465-4110