How to fix Kenai Dipnetting: A modest proposal

[Erik in AK]

Dipnetting...
That annual, uniquely Alaskan exhibition of entitlement, waste, litter and all-around bad-behavior where thousands of gimmee gimmee gimmee Alaskans get there's while the gettin's good and wreck the place every single summer. A heady spirit of GET (edited) OUTTA MY WAY fills the air as people, real Alaskans mind you, climb over each other to get to the water. Not to mention crapping everywhere, racing around on ATVs, staggering around drunk, and offering to fight anyone who might call them out on their bad behavior.

All in the name of 100 pounds of red fillets.

I recognize that free stuff is the basis of life here in the Greatland so here's what I propose: Fish wheels on the Kenai

And not just any old ramshackle home-built fishwheels...State of Alaska fishwheels.

Yup. Outlaw dipnetting entirely and have ADF&G contract for 20 wheels and set them up just far enough upstream for the current to put them to work. 4 "sets" of 5 wheels, side by side, scooping up as much of the red run as possible. Have a floating dock tying the wheel sets together and to the shore. Have a crew of summer hire/intern types supervised by a fisheries technician or jr. biologist working the wheels and returning non-targeted species to the water.

This same crew will haul fish-barrows of fresh reds to shore where Alaskans with valid permits simply pick up "their" fish. Permits are valid for staggered 3 day windows to minimize crowding at the wheels. Clip your fins, punch your ticket and go home and break out the canner. No nets, no waders, no muss, no fuss.

People get fish and the mouth of the Kenai no longer smells like Bangkok.

[BigDipper]

Sheer brilliance.


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[BRWNBR]

Boorrrrriiinnnngggg! Come on Erik at least let us stand by and yell at the wheel or jr bio's!

[JuliW]

I was discussing a similar proposal with my significant other...while at the get go it sounds nice, in the end I don't think the idea would work...I think when you include the folks who DO dipnet and work to get their fish with all the people who don't want to actually go out and work to take a little salmon home would result in utter and complete chaos at the pick up locations, and in the end fewer fish for everyone.

Personally I think families, no matter the number in the household, ought to be limited to 45 fish max. That is nearly one a week per family. Anyone who claims this is an important resource for low income needs to consider the cost of going down to get fish - dip nets, canners, jars/cans, coolers, ice, time away from work, gas money, freezer, etc etc etc...It isn't a cheap way to get food - healthy yes..cheaper than the store...yes...but still not FREE...Besides how many times do we see on CL that people have FREE salmon to give away because they did not EAT it? Instead they let it freezer burn and become inedible. People tend to take MORE than they need when something is 'free'...almost always....

One thing's for sure, as things continue to get more and more crazy, there will be more and more reason for restrictions of some sort.

Juli

[4merguide]

...I think when you include the folks who DO dipnet and work to get their fish....

Work...??? Really..... you call that "work"...??? Other than having your head on a constant swivel to hopefully spot the guy that's about to ram your boat, what kind of "work" are we talking about...???

Try standing on the bank with rod and reel dodging hooks and sinkers for awhile. Now THAT'S work.......lol.

[Erik in AK]

On second thought, a big weir would be better. And cheaper.

Catch every single red, release the number needed for escapement and give the rest away. Truck a few tons to Anchorage & Mat-Su to minimize suicide runs.

[4merguide]

People get fish and the mouth of the Kenai no longer smells like Bangkok.

btw.....I LIKE IT...!!!

(but the lack of the element of "danger" may deter a few)..........lol

[4merguide]

Truck a few tons to Anchorage & Mat-Su to minimize suicide runs.

That sounds even better, BECAUSE...... After work today I tried to buy some beer at Freddies only to find the line wrapped halfway around the store, so I "had to" turn around and walk out.....

I like the way you think.......lol

[BRWNBR]

drawing tags, that give you a three day window to dip. only allow so many household boat permits and shore permits. eases congestion on the river and the banks and the roads and the stores....might even be able to still get your beer!

[titobandito]

Public Resources & Capacity

Copy of my post on the "fees" thread:

If the demand for a public resource (fish, camping sites, sanitation facilities, roads, etc.....) exceeds supply then the responsible public entitiy (city, county, feds, etc...) increases capacity through management of the activity and/or operations/construction projects. These techniques usually cost more and require higher user fees and capital/maintenance expense.

If demand still exceeds capacity then the responsible entity must reduce demand by either (1) increasing user fees so less people are willing to participate, or (2) direct reduction through lottery system to stay within capacity, or (3) turning people away when capacity is exceeded.

When an activity is deemed unsafe, then it is either shut down or immediately radically altered to make it safe.

Responsible public entities should conduct timely due process and public voting/decisions that represent their constituents regarding the start, stop, or continuance of an activity or project within their jurisdiction.

Regarding public resources, just about everything needs to (1) be defined as to who has jurisdiction and is the responsible public entity (2) determine capacity, (3) identify and quantify the users and determine/decide allocation, (4) then look at the options and decide how to bring the activity within final capacity of the resource.

Whenever any of these steps or practices are violated then people have a right to be unhappy about it.

However, if these steps and practices are followed, then if you don't like the result, you are left with voting with your feet and choosing not to participate and/or reside in the affected area, or you can run for office, lobby, or file suit to change the result.

It might help the dip net discussion if people would focus and define their issues/ideas with respect to the public process.
For example if you want to argue about jurisdiction then focus on that, if you want to argue on allocation then focus on that.
This would allow for quicker conclusions and less emotion.

I personally belive the dipnet system will go to a lottery system.

Have fun !

[JuliW]

Work...??? Really..... you call that "work"...??? Other than having your head on a constant swivel to hopefully spot the guy that's about to ram your boat, what kind of "work" are we talking about...???

Try standing on the bank with rod and reel dodging hooks and sinkers for awhile. Now THAT'S work.......lol.

Work in relation to 'drive up window' salmon delivery. LOL... besides trying to maintain your balance from a boat, while in the dishwasher/wash tub that the river becomes certainly ain't easy. but it is fun to do and fun to watch all the other yahoos that are also along for the ride...like the folks who were trying to dipnet from their boat while traveling UPSTREAM. Now that was priceless...Then again, maybe they know something the rest of the 'fleet' did not. LOL

I pretty much SUCK at the Kenai Flip... so you won't likely find me standing on the bank with rod and reel in hand.

[tekla]

My favorite is the 80 year old couple with a 45 foot motorhome towing a boat trying to launch at the city dock during low tide so the wife can sit with the tied up boat for fifteen minutes while the husband tries to park. Haha. I would love for there to be some changes to make it less of a mad house. anything would be better. It's still fun and I will be there Saturday with the rest of anchorage.

[jkb]

Is there going to be a similar proposal for Nelchina and 40 mile caribou???

[Brian M]

That sounds even better, BECAUSE...... After work today I tried to buy some beer at Freddies only to find the line wrapped halfway around the store, so I "had to" turn around and walk out.....

Stop by St. Elias or Kenai River Brewing instead. Got a growler filled at St. Elias twice in the last week and a half with no wait at all. Better beer, too. :topjob:

[iofthetaiga]

..........

Dipnetting...
That annual, uniquely Alaskan exhibition of greed, entitlement, waste, litter and all-around bad-behavior where thousands of gimmee gimmee gimmee Alaskans get there's while the gettin's good and wreck the place every single summer. A heady spirit of GET THE F**K OUTTA MY WAY fills the air as people, real screwballs mind you, climb over each other to get to the water. Not to mention crapping everywhere, racing around on ATVs, staggering around drunk, and offering to fight anyone who might call them out on their bad behavior.

I recognize that free stuff is the basis of screwballs moving here to the Greatland so here's what I propose: [a big weir] on every highway. Catch every single would-be end-of-the-roader, redneck, knuckle dragger, and slack jawed drooling mouth breather; release the number of civilized humans needed for escapement and [Truck] the rest away.

Yup. Outlaw dipsticks entirely [....] and the mouth of the Kenai no longer smells like Bangkok.