Early Season Anxiety at Kuskokwim Working Group

Bethel Test Fishery numbers are behind 2014 so far. (File photo by Ben Matheson/KYUK)
Bethel Test Fishery numbers are behind 2014 so far. (File photo by Ben Matheson/KYUK)

As early June turns to the middle of June, early season worries were evident at the Kuskokwim River Salmon Management Working Group meeting Wednesday. So far, the Bethel Test Fishery Chinook numbers are behind last year’s pace. Federal In Season Manager Neil LaLonde is not drawing any conclusions, yet.

“We want to be prepared with numbers if they don’t improve, [we’ll know] what our triggers are alternative management techniques. The answer is yet we’re in discussion. Like everyone, we’re paying close attention. We realize it’s early, but we also realize it is significantly less than 2014,” said LaLonde.

The Kuskokwim River is restricted to a weekend set net fishing schedule with small mesh nets for whitefish, plus several tributary closures. But, there is still some fishing power. Federal staff recently counted 227 set nets between the Johnson River and Tuluksak, while a small permit system for king salmon just began. Mark Leary of Napaimute wanted managers to be careful.

“I urge extreme caution. I feel like we’ve been here before already, where everyone says it’s early, it’s early. Be careful,” said Leary.

Dual management is again creating complications and frustration. While the federal managers downriver are conducting a limited community harvest fishery for king salmon, there’s no similar program in state managed waters above Aniak, although upriver communities can seek out designated fishermen to catch fish in the refuge for them.

2015 so far is slower than 2014 but above 2013. (Image courtesy ADF&G)
2015 so far is slower than 2014 but above 2013. (Image courtesy ADF&G)

The group voted to request a limited fishery in the mid and upper river in the form of an “elder’s fishery.” That could open up some king salmon fishing for people 60 and older. The state is not planning on that for now.

A recent special action closed all fishing in refuge waters to non federally qualified users. That was intended to close a loophole they discovered last week that would have allowed people to fish for non-chinook salmon during the closures with any gear and in the process catching king salmon. Federal managers can’t close just part of a state fishery, so it had to close fishing completely all to non-local residents. Barb Carlson of Sleetmute expressed some frustration.

“I would really, really like to see people act like adults, and speak with each other and find a way to reword that special action so it would do what we hoped it would do and not be so overreaching. I realize there are limitation with both the feds and the state, but I feel we’re not making any attempt to work to together and using this legalese language to hide behind,” said Carlson.

The working group asked the managers to talk more. The working group meets again next Wednesday.

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