PETITIONS
Start A Petitionbrowse
MENU

Support Solutions to Reduce King Salmon Bycatch in Alaska

In 2010, levels of king salmon (Chinook) bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska groundfish trawl fishery hit a record high of 51,000 fish incidentally caught. This occurred at the same time that many of the Gulf king salmon runs are suffering from historic low returns. Ailing king salmon runs across the Gulf of Alaska are having a negative impact on sport, subsistence and commercial salmon fisheries that are vital to the economies and culture in Alaska's coastal communities who depend on healthy salmon runs.

Currently, there are no incentives for the Gulf groundfish fleet to minimize their salmon bycatch. However, in March of 2011 the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) took action on measures to address Chinook salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska pollock trawl fisheries. The NPFMC voted for a bycatch cap of 22,500 chinook as the 'preferred alternative'.  Final action is scheduled for June, 2011. Your voice is needed to ensure that the NPFMC follows through with their chosen preferred alternative and sets a meaningful catch on king salmon bycatch.

Visit www.akmarine.org for more information.
read petition letter ▾

May 31, 2011

Mr. Eric Olson, Chair                                                 Governor Sean Parnell
North Pacific Fishery Management Council                P.O. Box 11001
P.O. Box 103136                                                       Juneau, AK 99811
Anchorage, AK  99510

RE: Agenda item C-4 Final Action on GOA Chinook Salmon Bycatch in Pollock Fishery

Dear Chairman Olson and Governor Parnell,

We, the undersigned, urge the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) to take final action in June to adopt a prohibited species catch (PSC) limit on Chinook salmon bycatch in Gulf of Alaska pollock trawl fisheries.

We support the preliminary preferred alternative (PPA) of a 22,500 hard cap selected by the NPFMC as a starting point to reduce Chinook salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska. While we feel that 15,000 is a more appropriate hard cap because it represents an actual reduction from historical averages, we support the PPA as an important%u2014and long overdue%u2014first step at placing limitations on the waste of Chinook salmon in the GOA pollock fishery. We support expanded observer coverage for trawl vessels which currently carry no observers and increased observer coverage for all pollock trawl vessels within the restructured observer program to increase confidence in the accuracy of the data. We support the requirement for 100% retention of all salmon species to provide additional data on which to base sound management decisions.

Chinook salmon are a vital and essential component of our communities, our cultures and our economies in the Gulf of Alaska.

Significant and unrestricted Chinook salmon bycatch has been occurring in the Gulf of Alaska for decades. This level of bycatch is unacceptable, particularly in a time in which many Gulf of Alaska salmon stocks are struggling, and puts undue hardship on Alaska%u2019s commercial, sport, recreational, personal use, and subsistence Chinook salmon harvesters. The time is now to address this issue by putting a meaningful limit on Chinook salmon bycatch in the pollock trawl fisheries.
Sign Petition
Sign Petition
You have JavaScript disabled. Without it, our site might not function properly.

Privacy Policy

By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.

Having problems signing this? Let us know.