Multiple Options On The Table As Board Of Fish Ponders Nush Salmon Management

As the Alaska Board of Fish planned to meet concerning how to manage Bristol Bay’s salmon, including the critical Nushagak River salmon stocks, the board has come up with multiple proposed plans to management then Nush’s Chinook. First, here’s some background from Bristol Bay’s KDLG radio:

At the statewide Bristol Bay finfish meeting this week, the Board of Fish will decide which of those tools to put into an action plan. There could be significant restrictions to fishing in the Nushagak District, and that could have widespread impacts on the entire fishery.

The Nushagak River is on the west side of the commercial fishery. It’s the last place in Bristol Bay where the state still counts king salmon. In recent years, sockeye runs have boomed while king runs have dropped. That’s created a problem for managers, who are tasked with providing fishing opportunity for sockeye and controlling that escapement while also preserving the kings.

The plan organizes potential actions into three sections: Commercial, sport and subsistence.

The Board of Fish’s complete report can be found here. But here are a few of the proposed plans

Action #1: Status Quo

Specific actions: Manage according to current regulation

Background: Management in the Nushagak District is largely guided by the Nushagak-Mulchatna King Salmon Management Plan. However, the department has been operating well outside of the management plan triggers in response to large sockeye returns and weak king salmon runs. Production levels of both sockeye and king salmon have changed since the time when the management plan was developed in the 1990’s.

Action #2: Develop new regulations that would allow early season opening of the Wood River Special Harvest Area (WRSHA).

Specific Action: Allow the Wood River Special Harvest Area (WRSHA) to be opened for commercial fishing to harvest Wood River sockeye salmon while the Nushagak District remains closed to allow king salmon to pass through the district into the Nushagak River.

Background: The WRSHA was originally created to allow fishing opportunity on Wood River sockeye salmon while protecting Nushagak River coho salmon. In 1997 it was modified to again provide harvest opportunity on strong Wood River sockeye salmon returns while protecting weak Nushagak River sockeye salmon returns. The last several years the department has delayed fishing in the commercial district to protect weak Nushagak River king salmon returns. Delaying fishing results in managers having to fish harder once fishing starts in an attempt to control Wood River escapement. 

Action #3: Create an Optimum Escapement Goal for Nushagak River sockeye salmon. Specific Action: For example, establish an OEG as follows
When Nushagak River king salmon are not projecting to meet the inriver goal by June 25 and

1. When Nushagak River sockeye salmon forecast is 3 million fish or less the department shall manage for a Nushagak River sockeye salmon escapement OEG of 370,000 to 1.5 million.  When Nushagak River sockeye salmon forecast is 3-6 million fish the department shall manage for a Nushagak River sockeye salmon escapement OEG of 370,000 to 2.4 million.
2.  When the Nushagak River sockeye salmon forecast is greater than 6 million fish the department shall manage for a Nushagak River sockeye salmon escapement OEG of370,000 to 3.5 million.
3. When the Nushagak River sockeye salmon forecast is greater than 6 million fish the department shall manage for a Nushagak River sockeye salmon escapement OEG of370,000 to 3.5 million.

Action #4: Reduce net mesh size and/or net length.

Specific Action: Develop new regulations to provide authority to reduce mesh size and net length to reduce king salmon commercial harvest.