submitted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game
January 15, 2016
ALASKA BOARD OF FISHERIES

FINDINGS AND DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO ADOPT AND AMEND REGULATIONS ESTABLISHING BAG, POSSESSION, AND ANNUAL HARVEST LIMITS FOR CERTAIN FISH STOCKS IN THE SUBSISTENCE AND PERSONAL USE FISHERIES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA AREA, THE PERSONAL USE FISHERIES IN THE YUKON AREA, AND THE SUBSISTENCE FISHERIES IN THE NORTON SOUND-PORT CLARENCE AREA AND THE PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AREA

2016-__-FB

The Board of Fisheries ("board") makes the following findings:

1.The board has adopted regulations at 5 AAC 01.001-.040 (statewide subsistence finfish),5 AAC 01.150-.190 (Norton Sound-Port Clarence Area subsistence finfish), 5 AAC 01.600-.648 (Prince William Sound Area subsistence finfish), and 5 AAC 01.700-.760 (Southeastern Alaska Area subsistence finfish), providing a reasonable opportunity for subsistence uses of finfish, including salmon in the Norton Sound-Port Clarence Area (including chum salmon in Subdistrict 1 of the Norton Sound District) and Southeastern Alaska Area, and of freshwater finfish in the Prince William Sound Area.

2.The board has adopted regulations at 5 AAC 77.001-.035 (statewide personal use fishery),5 AAC 77.650-.699 (Southeastern Alaska Area personal use fishery), and 5 AAC 77.150-.190 (Yukon Area personal use fishery), that, among other things, allocate salmon and shrimp resources to personal use fisheries in the Southeastern Alaska Area, and whitefish resources to personal use fisheries in the Yukon Area.

3.For certain fish stocks in the subsistence fisheries in the Norton Sound-Port Clarence Area(including Subdistrict 1 of the Norton Sound District) and Prince William Sound Area, in the subsistence and personal use fisheries in the Southeastern Alaska Area, and in the personal use fisheries in the Yukon Area, bag, possession, and annual harvest limits are necessary to ensure sustained yield of those stocks.

4.Pursuant to 5 AAC 01.015(b) and 5 AAC 01.180(b) for certain subsistence salmon fisheries in the Norton Sound-Port Clarence Area (including Subdistrict 1 of the Norton Sound District), 5 AAC 01.015(b) and 5 AAC 01.730(e) for certain subsistence salmon fisheries in the Southeastern Alaska Area, and 5 AAC 01.015(b) and 5 AAC 01.630(b) for certain subsistence freshwater finfish fisheries in the Prince William Sound Area, and consistent with 5 AAC 39.222(c)(2)(B), which states in part that "unless otherwise directed, the department will manage Alaska’s salmon fisheries, to the extent possible, for maximum sustained yield," the Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) establishes and amends bag, possession, and annual harvest limits by permit for certain fish stocks in these subsistence fisheries and manages these fisheries, to the extent possible, to ensure maximum sustained yield of these fish stocks. Full document attached.