BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game proposes to change regulations on
waters important to the spawning, rearing, or migration of anadromous fishes.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) proposes to adopt regulation changes in

5 AAC 95.011 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with waters important for the spawning, rearing, or migration of anadromous fish, including the following:

5 AAC 95.011(a) is proposed to be changed as follows: The Atlas to the Catalog of Waters Important for the Spawning, Rearing, or Migration of Anadromous Fishes and Catalog of Waters Important for the Spawning, Rearing or Migration of Anadromous Fishes (atlas and catalog), which are adopted by reference in 5 AAC 95.011, will be revised and updated to the June 2025 editions. 

Several revisions are proposed to be made to the atlas and catalog. The list of rivers, lakes, and streams will be updated, including additions, deletions, and changes to the legal descriptions of many of these waters. Minor revisions will be made to the introduction of the catalog. Species-specific information will be used in place of undifferentiated species information wherever possible.

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Beth Evers, Alaska Department of Fish and Game – Habitat Section, 333 Raspberry Road, Anchorage, AK 99518. Additionally, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 267-2499 and by electronic mail at dfg.hab.anadromous@alaska.gov. The comments must be received not later than 5:00 pm on May 21, 2025.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Beth Evers at beth.evers@alaska.gov Alaska Department of Fish and Game – Habitat Section, 333 Raspberry Road, Anchorage, AK 99518. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and the agency’s website at http://awc.adfg.alaska.gov.

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Beth Evers at beth.evers@alaska.gov or (907) 267-2143 not later than May 15, 2025, to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.

A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Beth Evers at beth.evers@alaska.gov or (907) 267-2143.

A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference for all six regions of Alaska (Arctic, Interior, Southcentral, Southeast, Southwest, and Western) is available at http://awc.adfg.alaska.gov and may be viewed for inspection and copying at the following locations: at the Anchorage ADF&G office at 333 Raspberry Road; at the Alaska Resource Library at 3211 Providence Drive; in the Fairbanks ADF&G office at 1300 College Road; and in Juneau at the Alaska State Library at 395 Whittier Street. The ADF&G offices in Craig, Delta Junction, Douglas, Homer, Ketchikan, Nome, and Soldotna have copies of the proposed changes and draft Atlas maps only for their respective region.

After the public comment period ends, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.

Statutory authority: AS 16.05.020; AS 16.05.871

Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 16.05.871

Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.

The ADF&G Habitat Section keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all of the ADF&G Habitat Section notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the ADF&G Habitat Section at dfg.hab.anadromous@alaska.gov, giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.

Individuals can also signup to receive automated notifications of all State of Alaska notices, including public notice for regulation changes, by subscribing to the Alaska Online Public Notices System: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx.

Date: 03/27/2024         Signed: Ben Mulligan, Deputy Commissioner - ADF&G