Federal Subsistence Board approves Wildlife Delegation of Authority revisions and two Fisheries Temporary Special Action Requests

The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) met May 16–17, 2018, in Anchorage, to complete several non-regulatory items from their April 2018 regulatory meeting. During the May meeting, the Board approved revisions to Wildlife Delegation of Authority Letters as recommended by the Office of Subsistence Management, which were intended to clarify language and increase consistency.

05/21/2018
Last edited 01/25/2022
Contact Information

Caron McKee
(907) 786-3880 or (800) 478-1456
caron_mckee@fws.gov

The Board approved Temporary Special Action Request FSA18-01 with modification and took no action on Temporary Special Action Request FSA18-03 based on the action taken on FSA18-01.  From June 12 through July 15, 2018, Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River drainage will be closed to the harvest of Chinook Salmon except by Federally qualified subsistence users. During the timeframe the drainage is under Federal management, the In-season manager may implement a community-based allocation system among Federally qualified subsistence users for the purpose of allowing more Chinook Salmon subsistence fishing opportunity than would otherwise be provided.

The Board approved Fisheries Temporary Special Action Request FSA18-02 regarding the Kenai River community gillnet fishery, modifying the portion of the request related to the retention of early-run Chinook Salmon less than 46 inches or 55 inches and longer in length. For the 2018 season, early run Chinook Salmon may be retained if the most current preseason forecast from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) projects the inriver run to be within or above the Optimal Escapement Goal (OEG) range for early-run Chinook Salmon; and requiring live early-run Chinook Salmon to be released if the lower end of the OEG range for early-run Chinook Salmon is not projected to be met by ADF&G’s most current preseason forecast or their inseason inriver run assessment information.

Additionally, the Board heard a presentation by a Partner for Fisheries Monitoring Program representative on the Copper River Ahtna Inter-Tribal Resource Conservation District, and discussed upcoming meeting dates. The Board will hold a summer work session in Anchorage
August 7–8, 2018, and will hold the Fish and Shellfish Regulatory Public Meeting in Anchorage January 29–February 1, 2019.

Additional information on the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska.

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