AFN to consider asking Commerce secretary to overturn king salmon bycatch limitPublished on October 22nd, 2009 By ALEX DEMARBAN
The Alaska Federation of Natives will consider several resolutions on Saturday, including one asking U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to reject a decision by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council limiting the amount of king salmon that can be caught by the pollock fishing industry. AFN, the state's largest Native organization, is holding its annual meeting in Anchorage this week. It will consider several resolutions on Saturday, setting the political course for the group. The federal fishery council's decision, made earlier this year, has been controversial, especially for Yukon River fishermen. The fishermen endured unusually strict fishing restrictions this year as fishery managers tried to revive struggling Yukon king runs. They say the limit will do little to reduce the "bycatch" of king salmon, allowing the high-seas pollock industry to continue catching tens of thousands of king salmon a year. Pollock fishing crews toss those salmon overboard or give them away. In 2007 alone, 120,000 kings were caught as bycatch. Yukon fishermen say the pollock industry is catching kings that would be bound for their river. The AFN resolution describes a proposed limit of 60,000 hard cap a year and a performance cap of 47,591 salmon a year Alex DeMarban can be reached at alex@alaskanewspapers.com, or by phone at 800-770-9830, ext. 444 |
Copyright 2010
The Arctic Sounder is a publication of Alaska Newspapers, Inc. This site, its design and contents are
© 2010 and may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher and
owner, including duplication on not-for-profit websites. Alaska Newspapers, Inc. may not own copyright to
portions of articles published; those sections are reproduced here with permission and Alaska Newspapers, Inc.
makes no provisions for further distribution
Copyright 2010
The Arctic Sounder is a publication of Alaska Newspapers, Inc. This article is © 2010 and limited reproduction rights for personal use are granted for this printing only. This article, in any form, may not be further reproduced without written permission of the publisher and owner, including duplication for not-for-profit purposes. Portions of this article may belong to other agencies; those sections are reproduced here with permission and Alaska Newspapers, Inc. makes no provisions for further distribution.