Board Of Fisheries Planning Meeting To Discuss Bristol Bay Finfish, Nushagak Salmon

Alaska Board of Fisheries to meet in Anchorage for Bristol Bay Finfish

November 29-December 3, 2022

The Alaska Board of Fisheries (board) will meet in Anchorage, regarding Bristol Bay Finfish, November 29–December 3, 2022, at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center located at 600 West 7th Avenue. During this 5-day public meeting, the board will consider 52 proposals regarding finfish issues for the Bristol Bay Area. Proposals have been submitted by the general public, fishing organizations, local Fish and Game Advisory Committees, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The board will also consider an Action Plan to address Nushagak River Chinook salmon being designated as a stock of concern.

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 oral testimony during the meeting, beginning November 29. Any person intending to testify must sign up at the meeting site in Anchorage, no later than 4:00pm on Tuesday, November 29. 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 meeting information 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=11-29-2022&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 above. Comments must not exceed 10 single-sided or 5 double-sided pages in length from any one individual or group. Once proposal deliberations begin, 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.

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. Social distancing, frequent hand washing, and masks are encouraged for meeting participants but not mandated. To help minimize the spread of COVID-19, any person who is experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms is encouraged to watch the meeting online.

Learn More about the Board of Fisheries Process: The Boards Support Section is hosting a training course, How to Navigate the Board Process, roughly ten minutes following the noon adjournment on November 29 in the main meeting room. While the training is designed for those new to the board process, all are welcome to join.