Alaska Board of Fisheries to Consider Proposal That Would Impact Hatchery Production
A proposal to reduce hatchery production of pink and chum salmon by 25% is expected to be considered at the Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting taking place Dec. 1-16 in Cordova, Alaska.
The effort is led by the Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corp. (PWSAC) and the Valdez Fisheries Development Association (VFDA).
Proposal 78, by former Alaska Board of Fisheries member Virgil Umphenour of Fairbanks, argues that there’s significant evidence that there’s an ocean carrying capacity that is exacerbated by the proliferation of Alaskan and Asian hatchery releases into the North Pacific Ocean.
The proposal contends that this is of particular importance to Chinook salmon as stocks have declined dramatically all over Alaska, including the Yukon River drainage, where they are critical to the food supply of village residents.
The proposal also contends that the situation with Chinook on the Yukon River has become a statewide problem, with the Nushugak, the Kenai and other Alaskan rivers having to put in place conservation plans because of Chinook declines.
While hatcheries are not the only factor in salmon decline, they’re in the top five, according to the proposal, along with climate change, bycatch, intercept and disease.
The Salmon Hatcheries for Alaska organization last week launched a protest against Proposal 78, urging hatcheries, harvesters and coastal communities to learn more about this and other proposals and their potential impact, and to send their comments to the Board of Fisheries before the Nov. 26 deadline.
Salmon Hatcheries of Alaska said that the proposal would have a direct impact on the Cordova economy, family fisheries and the sustainability of both hatchery and wild salmon stocks.
“Hatcheries play a critical role in supplementing salmon returns, supporting local jobs, and stabilizing the availability of salmon for all Alaskan user groups, including subsistence, person use, sport and commercial fisheries,” the group has argued.
It urged opposition to Proposal 78 to, it said, ensure a strong future for Cordova and Prince William Sound and other salmon-dependent communities across Alaska.
