SEAGO Special Announcement

SEAGO, Charter Industry,
Win Results at Board of Fisheries Meeting

SEAGO and its allies in other charter fishing organizations can feel good about the results of their efforts over the last ten days at the winter BOF meeting in Sitka. When it concluded Thursday, the BOF had denied nearly every adverse proposal that had been proposed by commercial interests. In a couple of cases we still didn’t like the results, but we avoided many truly harmful proposals and for the most part emerged either unscathed or better off than before. This was a true win for the charter industry and shows the value of working together. Here’s a quick summary of the most important good results and the not-so-good. For the complete list, go to this page on the ADF&G website. (It may not be updated immediately, so check back.)

Results we liked:

Defeated	Change in the definition of possession to limit your clients to a total of two daily bag limits, processed or not
Defeated	Annual limits for Coho (as low as 12) for non-residents
Approved	The 48-inch minimum size rule for king salmon in years of lower abundance was replaced by a one per-day, one per-season regulation starting July 1.
Defeated	Enforcement access to all charter fishing vessels, lodges, or freezer facilities at all times
Defeated	Daily bag limits on all species (all voted down except blackcod*)
Approved	Allow your guests to keep one trophy lingcod per year in excess of 55 inches
Defeated	Restrictions on use of charter boats for subsistence fishing
Defeated	Additional harvest reporting requirements beyond the already-complete and effective tools of statewide harvest survey, creel survey, and log books
Defeated	Implementing a fish-ticket system to monitor in-season harvest by guided sport fishery
Defeated	Increased restriction on fishing around hatchery terminal areas

Results we didn't like:

Defeated	Increase of Demersal Shelf Rockfish by-catch to sportfish allocation. This is significant because it would have reduced the possibility of a time and area closure in the event that excess DSR were caught during other fishing.
Approved	Black cod limits were established as 2 per day, 4 in possession, and 8 annually. (ADF&G directed to collect data to ground future decisions on scientific basis)

Kudos

Acting as an umbrella organization, SEAGO collaborated with many individuals and charter fishing groups throughout Southeast Alaska to achieve this effort, as we’ve reported in recent letters. We especially appreciate the efforts of Rick Bierman, of JCBOA, Theresa Weiser, President of SCBOA, and Stan Malcom, SEAGO board member, but also to all 50 of the individuals who came to testify and monitor the Board process. We know this was a real commitment and we appreciate it so much – we couldn’t have succeeded without your participation

Now What?

Of most immediate importance, ADF&G made a very clear statement that they will not shut down sport fishing in 2009 on the DSR issue. In the meantime, we support efforts to decrease mortality, improve conservation, and advance scientific understanding of the issue.

Next, of course, you know you should never prepare for the next battle by expecting to use the plan from the last one. Our adversaries may respect us more now, but we should assume that they will try harder next time to undermine our industry. We, too, learned many lessons this time, but we cannot rest on our laurels.

While very successful, this was a major effort requiring a lot of time and money. SEAGO needs your support now. Please contact John Blair at or go online to this page on SEAGO’s website.