New Susitna River Dipnet Fishery

[cdubbin]

Looks like the BOF is um, dipping a toe in:

https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Di...902t4R5Exi0B8Q

[kasilofchrisn]

I'm all for this one!
We've been needing a way to alleviate some of the congestion on the Kenai Peninsula the last few years.
It's gotten so bad that some of my friends who live in Kenai and own legal riverboats don't even go anymore due to the crowds, rude disrespectful people, poor boat handling skills etc.
Maybe there's a way they can stock some fish up there just for this fishery to expand it a little in the future?

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[4merguide]

I'm all for this one!

You and me both!!!:topjob:

[gunner]

While I am all for reducing the congestion and craziness of the kenai dipnet fishery, this new p/u ( or mybe pu) fishery show, just how unfair and incompetent this board is. They curtail the kodiak seine fleet from fishing off the capes,and limit the uci drift fleet from their so called conservation corridor out of concern for northern district salmon escapements, and then open a brand new dipnet fishery on the very stocks they were concerned enough about to limit those two fisheries. Stupid is as stupid does. Thank you mr. Penny.

[TR]

Boat access only. Well, I've been looking for a reason to get a river boat.

[kwackkillncrew]

Can only fish Wednesdays and Saturdays I wouldn't hope that the kenai will be free of the crazies yet.

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[4merguide]

Can only fish Wednesdays and Saturdays I wouldn't hope that the kenai will be free of the crazies yet.

Oh for sure it won't. It will take a lot more than another dipnet fishery opening up to do that. BUT....every little bit helps!....lol.

Personally I believe that one of the big problems on the Kenai is river bank access for people that actually want to wet a line. I'm sure there are lots of folks like myself that would rather fish for their salmon than dipnet for them. My kids and I can catch all the fish we need for the winter via rod and reel. But, for a long time, I said I didn't need a boat to get my fish, and I didn't. Really didn't want any part of that sh*t show out on the river. But now, seeing that every other fisherman has to pretty much combat fish in "prescribed" areas, I finally had to break down and get a legal boat for the Kenai. I know that many just like to get their fish for the year in a couple outings and be done with it, thus are the dipnetters. But for many being out on the river is a real pleasure. I know I'd be out there with a rod in my hand everyday of the summer if I could. But many don't want to combat fish either, so they just decide to dipnet instead.

[kwackkillncrew]

Shoulder to shoulder fishing does suck. I use to fish at night and wouldn't have to deal with it. Little tougher to do that with a family so we try to ge our reds other ways then the kenai.

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[TR]

I doubt this will relieve pressure on the Kenai. A lot of people I talk to at Fish creek are there because it's close by or in my case, dip the Kenai anyway because the fish are superior

[kasilofchrisn]

I wonder if this fishery will be listed in conjunction with our other dipnet fisheries in South Central as far as limits and such?
Or will it be a stand alone with additional limits not including what you get elsewhere?
I didn't see anything about it in the article.

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[cdubbin]

I wonder if this fishery will be listed in conjunction with our other dipnet fisheries in South Central as far as limits and such?
Or will it be a stand alone with additional limits not including what you get elsewhere?
I didn't see anything about it in the article.

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...............

PROPOSAL 234
5 AAC 77.540. Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use Salmon Fishery Management Plan. Create a personal use salmon fishery on the Susitna River, as follows:
5 AAC 77.540. Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use Salmon Fishery Management Plan.
(h) In the Susitna River, salmon may be taken by dip net only as follows:
(1) from July 10th through August 15th, Wednesday 6:00 am to 11:00 pm, Saturday 6:00 am to 11:00 pm, and Sunday 6:00 am to 11:00 pm
(2) from a boat or from shore between ADF&G regulatory marker located 1 mile downstream from Susitna Station to Bell Island/Alexander Creek cutoff ADF&G regulatory marker.
(3) the annual limit is as specified in 5 AAC 77.525, except that no king salmon may be retained and any king salmon caught must be returned to the water unharmed. Northern pike caught must be retained.
(4) a permit holder for this fishery shall report to the department as specified in permit conditions, the department may alter, time, area, species retained and limits based on salmon abundance.
(5) When the department projects that both sockeye and coho abundance will be above the midpoint of all 4 escapement goals: Larson, Judd, Chelatna Lake and Deshka River the commissioner may extend, by emergency order, the personal use fishery through August 31st
What is the issue you would like the board to address and why? Provide Alaskan residents an opportunity to harvest chum, sockeye, coho, and pink salmon in the Susitna River. Residents of the Mat-Su Valley would like the option of a PU fishery on the Susitna River and not having to travel hundreds of miles away to the Kenai or Copper Rivers. The most recent ADFG abundance estimates indicate there are inriver fish to harvest. Recent abundance and harvest of these stocks indicate to us there is a harvestable surplus of salmon inriver and a limited PU fishery is warranted. If there is not a harvestable surplus of salmon in river then the BOF needs to shift the allocations slightly and direct the commercial fishery to share in the harvest (or lack of harvest) with other users and uses.
PROPOSED BY: Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee (HQ-F19-040)
************************************************** ****************************

[kasilofchrisn]

Thanks.
Made me look up that administrative code.
Doesn't completely answer my question but some of it anyway.


5 AAC 77.525. Personal use salmon fishery

(a) Only one personal use salmon fishing permit may be issued to each household per year.

(b) Repealed 7/21/91.

(c) In the personal use taking of salmon, unless otherwise specified in 5 AAC 77.500 - 5 AAC 77.548, the total annual limit for each personal use salmon fishing permit is 25 salmon for the head of a household and 10 salmon for each dependent of the permit holder.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision in 5 AAC 01 - 77, in the Cook Inlet Area, a person may possess sport-caught and personal-use caught salmon on the same day.

History: Eff. 6/20/82, Register 82; am 6/30/83, Register 86; am 7/1/86, Register 99; em am 4/30/91 - 5/30/91, Register 118 [not printed]; am 7/21/91, Register 119; am 6/22/2002, Register 162

Authority: AS 16.05.251



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[TR]

Seems like it should be included in the upper cook inlet limit.

[kasilofchrisn]

Seems like it should be included in the upper cook inlet limit.

That's what I was thinking.
As it stands you could legally harvest a limit from this fishery as well as the copper and the Kenai/Kasilof fisheries.
Not very many people would do that but still surprised they made it possible.

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[TR]

PWS fish, UCI fish, different management plans I guess