Board Of Fisheries Extends Proposal Comments For Upcoming Finfish Meeting

The following is courtesy of the Alaska Board of Fisheries:

Comment Deadline Extended for Upcoming Board of Fisheries Statewide Finfish Meeting

Hatchery Committee Meeting Cancelled

The Alaska Board of Fisheries will meet March 10–14, 2023 in Anchorage at the Egan Civic and Convention Center, to consider over 20 proposals related to statewide finfish and supplemental issues, including the Nushagak-Mulchatna King Salmon Management Plan. The public has an additional three days to submit written comments to the board under the new comment deadline set for 11:59 p.m. Sunday, February 26, 2023.

Additionally, the Hatchery Committee meeting that was scheduled for March 9 is cancelled. The board intends to hold a meeting of the Hatchery Committee during the 2023/2024 meeting schedule.

Proposals at the statewide meeting have been submitted by the general public, fishing organizations, local Fish and Game Advisory Committees, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The proposals can be found on the board’s website at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.proposalbook

All portions of the meeting are open to the public and a live video stream is intended to be available on the board’s website at www.boardoffisheries.adfg.alaska.gov.

In addition to submitting written public comments for the board’s consideration, the public is invited to give in-person oral testimony during the meeting, beginning March 10. Any person intending to testify must sign up at the meeting site in Anchorage no later than 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 10. Public testimony will continue until members of the public who signed up before the deadline and are present have been given an opportunity to testify.

All documents relating to this meeting, including the agenda, roadmap, agency reports, and public and advisory committee comments will be available on the meeting website at: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.meetinginfo&date=03-10-2023&meeting=anchorage or by contacting Boards Support Section at 907-465-4110. Documents submitted to the board during the meeting will be posted online throughout the meeting.

Written comments on specific proposals will be accepted during the meeting and can be submitted online through the meeting website provided directly above. Comments submitted during the meeting must not exceed 10 single-sided or 5 double-sided pages in length from any one individual or group. Once deliberations on specific proposals begins, the board will ONLY accept written public comments not more than five single-sided pages, or the equivalent double-sided pages. The board may relax this requirement if specific information is requested by the board requiring more pages than allowed under this standard. Individuals not in attendance can also submit written comments by fax to (907) 465-6094.

Following public testimony, the board will hold multiple sessions of their “Committee of the Whole” and meeting attendees can participate in this committee process to bring additional information before the board. The meeting roadmap and agenda show which proposals are grouped into each of the committee sessions. The agenda and roadmap can be found on the meeting website listed above.

The Department of Fish and Game and the board are pleased this important meeting is open to the public. However, the COVID-19 virus still poses a serious risk to certain segments of the population and could potentially halt the meeting. To help minimize the spread of COVID-19, any person who is experiencing flu-like symptoms is encouraged to stream the meeting online.