January 5, 2010

Thanks for your continued support!
Happy New Year to all! We wish you a prosperous and safe 2010. As always, we would like to thank you for taking the time to read through our newsletters and for your comments and feedback. SEAGO works hard to represent your point of view and effective two-way communications are the cornerstone to success.

In this Newsletter

• IMPORTANT - SEAGO Kicks off 2010 Membership Drive - Upcoming regulations and legislation already on the table will have a devastating impact on guided sportfishing if we lose (details when you click thru). We need your support now to:

  • Fight against halibut regulations that will result in less than one fish per day, and worse,

  • Defeat Board of Fisheries’ proposals that will reduce allocations, restrict fisheries management policies, and limit our gear, and

  • Stop bills designed to harm the guided sport fishing industry at the upcoming AK State legislative session.

It takes time, money, and lots of dedication to defend your interests across multiple fronts and without your help we can’t continue. Please join us today - it’s urgent!

• Halibut Issues - Your 2010 halibut season could very well see restrictions beyond the one per day bag limit. Yes, we’re talking annual limits, size limits, closed days of the week or a shortened season.  Also, the halibut license Moratorium which limits the number of guides eligible to fish is moving ahead. SEAGO is taking a pragmatic approach to protect sportfishing interests for both 2010 and beyond.

• Save Alaska Sportfishing Program - 100,000 sports fishermen visit Southeast each year and we need them to speak out.  Since its introduction at the end of November, signups have been far greater than anticipated showing the willingness of our clients to help. Your voice will be much better heard when you add your clients’ message to yours.  Read below for an easy, no cost way for you to get your clients involved.

• SEAGO Participates in Pacific Salmon Treaty Mitigation Funding Utilization Taskforce - This is a key program meant to compensate stakeholders who participated in the 15% salmon catch reductions. Initial meetings have begun.

• Halibut Moratorium Implementation Delayed by NMFS - Originally scheduled for 2010 implementation, only registration will take place in 2010 with program enforcement to begin in 2011.

• Board of Fisheries Update - SEAGO attended the combined BOF/NPFMC December ‘09 meeting in Anchorage. The BOF has also published a list of proposals to be considered at the State wide meeting next March. More than 20 proposals are designed to penalize sportfishing.

• Public comments requested for the national catch share program - NOAA released the draft catch sharing policy and are accepting comments through April 10, 2010.

• News from Around the Web - SEAGO’s pick of articles from the Internet that matter to you.

We want to hear from you - Have concerns or comments? We're listening. You have questions, and we work hard to get the answers! As always your feedback and comments are much appreciated. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to other interested parties or email John Blair at john@seagoalaska.org to be added to our mailing list.

SEAGO 2010 Membership - Your financial support is appreciated now!

SEAGO kicked off its 2010 membership drive in December with a strong track record of accomplishment and a promise to increase our efforts even more this year.

 “We have tackled issues at the Board of Fisheries, at the Alaska legislature, and with the various federal agencies, and we are getting results”, says John Blair, Executive Director. “SEAGO has worked very hard to solidify our standing in sportfishing matters, and I think all would agree that we have proven to be dedicated, persistent, and most of all, respected for taking a professional approach to our problem solving. In a sentence, SEAGO speaks with the voice of reason.”

You Need to Step Up
The days when you could just sit on the sidelines and hope that someone else would go to bat for you or that things would just work out on their own are long gone. The bar has been raised. Our counterparts are very well organized, have literally raised $millions to promote their message, and have introduced legislation and regulations harmful to sportfishing in Southeast.

More Drastic Issues than Ever
The threats have increased over the past 18 months and several will put us out of business if not defended in a thorough and competent manner. This is not hypothetical. Just this year, the feds could reduce our halibut catch an additional 40% (off an already reduced catch in 2009) effectively shutting us down.  We could suffer in-season closures due to rockfish restrictions, proposals have been submitted to severely reduce bag limits for other sport fish, and regulations have been submitted to restrict the type of gear we use. In addition, changes in definition of possession, regulation changes that will severely restrict managers’ ability to manage fisheries, and other toxic proposals are all on the agenda for this year. We need to fight off all of these threats or suffer the dire consequences.

Sign Up Now
SEAGO is there to fight on your behalf. It is time consuming and expensive to defend our industry on multiple fronts and we need your financial contribution to continue. We fully understand the difficult economy and have reached out with an installment payment plan, a ‘pay what you can afford’ approach, and more.   

• For detail information about our accomplishments, 2010 plans, and registration info, read the membership package, or
• If you already know all the great things SEAGO does to support guides and lodge owners, just open the registration form and instructions.

Investing a couple of minutes of your time now will ensure that you have a voice of reason representing you throughout the year. And because there is strength in numbers, ask a friend to join too!

SouthEast Alaska Guides Organization Dedication, Accomplishment, and the Voice of Reason

Thanks in advance for your continued support of SEAGO. If you have any questions in advance, please contact John Blair at john@seagoalaska.org

Short Term - First, preliminary catch recommendations for 2010 have been announced by the International Pacific Halibut Commission limiting the guided sport catch to 788,000 lbs for Area 2C, down another 40% from last year. By comparison, the guided sport catch in 2009 was 1.3M lbs down 50%+ fish from the prior year due to implementation of the one-fish rule last June and general economic conditions. This will effectively limit us to less than one fish per day or worse. Multiple commercial fishing groups have called for additional restrictions, (just two examples, here and here.) They intend to recommend imposition of annual limits, in-season closures, and catch size limitations. SEAGO will be attending the IPHC annual meeting at the end of January to fight on your behalf. If you can attend, please do.

Moratorium - Enforcement of the halibut license Moratorium for charter boats has been delayed until 2011. NMFS will begin the registration process this year, perhaps as early as March/April. SEAGO will offer a permit buy/sell information exchange forum to assist guides in Southeast. We hope to have this up and running by February/March. In addition, the final ruling is complex and will require significant clarification. SEAGO will offer an open exchange for questions and answers. NMFS has forecast a significant impact (more than 40% of businesses who operated in 2008 will not qualify) from this program and recently updated their Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review.  

Lawsuit Update- The legal ruling against the Charter Halibut Task Force lawsuit was announced last month. Recent discussions have been undertaken to determine if an appeal should be submitted. SEAGO has gone on record opposed to an appeal. We believe that the odds for success are low and the cost too high. There is little likelihood that winning an appeal would result in saving our 2010 season from restrictions beyond the one halibut bag limit. Further, any favorable outcome is certain to be overwritten by the upcoming catch sharing plan and legal challenges by the commercial industry. 

Longer Term -  The halibut Catch Share Plan (CSP) is scheduled for implementation in 2011. SEAGO Board members and management recently met with NPFMC representatives and it appears that there is very little motivation to change any details. If this plan is implemented as currently written, your clients will be subjected to a one fish bag limit forever and face additional size limitations and in-season closures for the foreseeable future. SEAGO will continue to focus efforts on working to modify the CSP.  We have also begun work on strategic alternatives/enhancements that could provide some relief. These strategies need large scale industry support – that means you. Information about the Catch Sharing Plan can be found at:

http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/halibut_issues/
CHIPFinal_supp1008.pdf  and

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Save Alaska Sportfishing Campaign

SEAGO is building a coalition with recreational anglers to make our combined efforts more effective.  “Finally someone has created an effective way for the individual angler to be heard by decision makers”, says John Blair, SEAGO’s Executive Director.  “As sportfishers join forces with guides and lodge owners, SEAGO will magnify their voices in speaking out on key issues. More information:

http://www.seagoalaska.org/newsletters/2009-11-30_special_email.html

http://www.seagoalaska.org/documents/SportfisherFlyer.pdf

We are engaging our customers in the upcoming fight for our halibut rights and during the next AK legislative session so time is of the essence. The more people we can get on board in the next two months, the more strongly our voice will be heard.

We have developed a multipoint communication program to get your customers involved. It’s easy to implement, doesn’t cost you anything, and early feedback shows that it enhances your reputation with your clients. Please contact John Blair, john@seagoalaska.org  right away for details.

SEAGO Participates in Pacific Salmon Treaty Mitigation Fund Utilization

SEAGO President Tom Ohaus and Board Member Russell Thomas were invited by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game to participate in a stakeholders panel organized to develop recommendations for the Governor’s Fisheries Subcabinet for measures to mitigate the economic impacts to the region’s Chinook fisheries resulting from Chinook harvest reductions under the Pacific Salmon Treaty.   Details of this taskforce are presented here.

The first round of meetings took place in November/December with additional reviews scheduled in January. Initial funding secured in the pending federal budget would be appropriated by the Alaska Legislature in the spring of 2010 and available for expenditure after completion of the state budget process (likely after July 1, 2010). 

Stakeholder panel recommendations should be prepared before January 15, 2010 and final decisions are expected by February 15.

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Board of Fisheries Update

SEAGO will attended the combined BOF/NPFMC meeting in Anchorage during the second week of December.

• A research report was presented by ADF&G suggesting that saltwater logbook data will be a good substitute for the current SWHS methodology.

• Preliminary harvest results were published by ADF&G and there was an extended conversation about the guided halibut catch with many negative comments/suggestions discussed.

• The delay in implementation of the Moratorium was announced.

The BOF has published a list of proposals to be considered at the State wide meeting next March which includes twenty nine proposals that will require our intervention. You can download a copy here: http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo/2009-2010/state-props.pdf

The BOF meeting schedule for 2009-10 is here: http://www.boards.adfg.state.ak.us/fishinfo/meetinfo/fcal.php.  SEAGO is planning to attend all meetings to represent Southeast sportfishing issues.

Public Comments requested fo rthe national catch share program -

NOAA released the draft catch sharing policy and are accepting comments through April 10, 2010. View draft policy at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/domes_fish/catchshare/docs/ draft_noaa_cs_policy.pdf

News from Around the Web

SEAGO searches the Internet for articles that have relevance to Alaska fishing. Please forward any interesting articles you find to John Blair john@seagoalaska.org  and we will publish them in our next newsletter. Note that some of the links are time sensitive and may be non-functional by the time you receive this newsletter; we apologize in advance.

Finally, please understand that SEAGO does not necessarily agree the contents of any of these articles.  Here are some recent stories found around the internet:

• IPHC releases 2009 Year-end Halibut Stock Assessment - http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/research/sa/papers/
  sa09.pdf

• ADF&G Preliminary Budget Request – Governor Parnell request is $188.6 million, a 4.1 percent increase - Comfish, $61.7 million, up less than 1 percent, and Sport Fish down a hair to $47.5 million - http://deckboss.blogspot.com/2009/12/fish-and-games-budget-prospects.html

• Halibut Coalition wants additional restrictions on AK Charter Industry - The Halibut Coalition wants the National Marine Fisheries Service to use its emergency authority to curb any potential overharvest by the charter sector in 2010, said President Linda Behnken, who also acts as executive director of the Alaska Long Line Fishermen's Association -  http://juneauempire.com/stories/121509/loc_535926293.shtml

• Petersburg, AK - Council votes in support of reduced halibut catch rates: Following a presentation by the Petersburg Vessel Owners Association, the Petersburg city council voted unanimously against Resolution #1914 asking the (IPHC) to revise how they regulate the halibut fishery. http://www.petersburgpilot.com/www/stories/122409halibut.htm

• Fishing permit sales take a dive - Sales of fishing permits and catch shares are a good way to gauge how confident people feel about the economy, and brokers say the past year has been a mixed bag in their business. - http://www.adn.com/money/welch/story/1063047.html

• NOAA Releases National Catch Share Policy – Document available for comment: - http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/
  20091210_ catchshare.html

• Rep Barney Frank to tackle Magnuson-Stevens Act - growing questions about the flawed science and National Marine Fisheries Service's data collection that has prompted today's industry-strangling mandates require that the process for establishing these regulations be revised to include, among other things, far more industry input in the information gathering process - http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story
  _334222328.html? keyword=secondstory

  • and Congressman sets date for Magnuson caucus - http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_
    344233047.html

  • and Congressman delays meeting till new year - http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_
    350232303.htm

• National fishermen's protest set for Feb. 24 - The target of the protest is Congress at a time when efforts are under way to modify the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act - http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/
  local_story_ 349223921.html

• CCA Hails Breakthrough on Catch Share Management - Congress directs fisheries managers to address impacts to recreational angling - http://www.joincca.org/media%20room/Federal%20Fishery%
  20Issues/CJS_language.htm

• Catch share debate heats up nationally - A draft policy created by a special task force for Jane Lubchenco, administrator of NOAA, is scheduled for release and three months of public comment on Dec. 10 - http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_
  336002100.html

  • and Catch shares, and government 'thievery' of the commons - http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_
    334222425.html

  • and Lack of fed cash final nail in catch share plan -  Lubchenco soliciting funds from conservation groups and corporate sponsors because her budget is unfunded: http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion
    /local_story_ 336225240.html?keyword=topstory

• Global recession takes a bite out of wild salmon prices - Although the coast wide supply increased by 16.8% over last year, the average dock price of $.51/lb. was a drop of 20.3% - but still an improvement over the $.44/lb. average in 2007. http://www.sitnews.us/LaineWelch/113009_fish_factor.html

• Feds admit plan means loss of jobs  -Fishermen wonder why government pushes economic loser: http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/
  local_story_ 357214046.html?keyword=secondarystory

• Out-of-state commercial fishermen expected to receive $70 million refund - the Alaska Supreme Court says license fees were unconstitutionally high. http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/120209/loc_
  531198218.shtml

• Alaska awaits word on fisheries disaster - Closures to the Yukon River king salmon fishery this summer shut off crucial income opportunities for fishermen, and also impacted their ability to fish for food. http://www.alaskadispatch.com/dispatches/rural-alaska/
  3191-alaska-awaits-word-on-fisheries-disaster

  • and Aid proposed for Yukon River salmon research - http://www.newsminer.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Aid+proposed+for+Yukon+River+salmon+research%20
    &id=5097197-Aid+proposed+for+Yukon+River+salmon
    +research&instance=local_news

  • and Parnell proposes $1.3M for salmon research - funding to help figure out why Yukon River salmon runs have been declining. - http://juneauempire.com/stories/121409/sta_
    535641131.shtml

• Pebble Mine and Board of Fisheries - The Alaska Board of Fisheries decided  on Saturday to send a letter to state legislators asking them to consider more regulatory protection for salmon in the Bristol Bay river drainages downstream of the proposed Pebble mine. http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/1042571.html\

• Vancouver Island trollers plead for cash from Ottawa by Christmas - Chinook catch reduction amounts to 'economic genocide,' they say: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Vancouver+
  Island+trollers+plead+cash+from+Ottawa+Christmas/
  2371119/story.html

• Conflicting views on the economic recovery  - Fed survey finds recovery gaining momentum - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091202/ap_on_bi_go
  _ec_fi/us_economy;_ylt=AhZome3ub0fp_1lHNYnQ8A1zfNdF

  • And V is for Vicious Cycle - http://www.forbes.com/forbes
    /2009/1130/finance-recession-consumer-economy
    -financial-strategy.html

  • and CEO Confidence Index Declines Overall But Signs of Recovery Begin to Show http://www.chiefexecutive.net/ME2/
    Audiences/ Default.asp?AudID=328DCF73ACA1493A
    BBD34BF8AB37D74A

• Huge Columbia River spring chinook run forecast - Fishery scientists forecast that some 470,000 spring chinook will return to the Columbia River next year, which would be the largest run since 1938. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/
  2010477902_regr11.html

• Fish Farming Moves Offshore - a growing number of entrepreneurs are raising fish in large pens in the open ocean, hoping to avoid the many environmental problems of coastal fish farms. - http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2216

• Fish Farming in Switzerland – High tech fish farm to produce sustainable caviar in the Swiss alps - http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/index/
  Sustainable_caviar.html? cid=7948436

• ps: If anyone has access to venture capital and interested in an AK based geothermal powered fish farm, please contact John Blair – john@seagoalaska.org

• Critical Habitat for Cook Inlet Beluga Whales Proposed – NOAA announced that it is seeking public comment today on a proposal that identifies more than a third of Cook Inlet in Alaska as critical habitat for the remaining approximately 300 endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales. http://www.nationalfisherman.com/news.asp?
  ItemID=1559&rcid=103&pcid=102&cid=103

• Increasingly acidic ocean threatens fish - Alaska's rich fisheries scientists are "deeply concerned by recent, rapid changes in ocean chemistry and their potential within decades to severely affect marine organisms, food webs, biodiversity and fisheries." http://www.adn.com/opinion/compass/story/1048590.html

• 10,000 tons of herring in one hour of fishing – largest catch ever - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV-Eju09Ios

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