1 STAFF ANALYSIS FSA19-02 ISSUES Temporary Fishery Special
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FSA19-02 STAFF ANALYSIS FSA19-02 ISSUES Temporary Fishery Special Action Request FSA19-02 was submitted by the Akiak Native Community, representing the Akiak IRA Council, on March 1, 2019, and requests that the Federal Subsistence Board take the following actions: • Close Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River drainage to the harvest of Chinook Salmon except by Federally qualified subsistence users possessing a community harvest permit between June 1, 2019 and July 1, 2019 • Reduce the pool of eligible harvesters within the Kuskokwim River drainage based on the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) Section 804 Subsistence User Prioritization that was implemented in 2017 • Conduct tribal consultation about developing an appropriate Chinook Salmon harvest allocation strategy with the Federally recognized tribes named in the 2014 Office of Subsistence Management (OSM) Section 804 analysis • Allow fishing under a community allocation system with harvest reported to community harvest monitors. DISCUSSION The applicable Federal regulations are found in 50 CFR 100.19(b) and 36 CFR 242.19 (Temporary Special Actions) and state that: . After adequate notice and public hearing, the Board may temporarily close or open public lands for the taking of fish and wildlife for subsistence uses, or modify the requirements for subsistence take, or close public lands for the taking of fish and wildlife for nonsubsistence uses, or restrict take for nonsubsistence uses. The proponent states Kuskokwim Chinook Salmon subsistence harvests have declined precipitously over the recent decade, and a poor run size and harvest are projected for Chinook Salmon in 2019. Therefore, to ensure the continued opportunity for subsistence uses and to ensure the continued viability of Kuskokwim Chinook Salmon stocks, the Board should close Federal public waters to the harvest of Chinook Salmon by non-Federally qualified users and further reduce eligibility in the fishery by closing to all but a prioritized pool of Federally qualified subsistence users. The proponent states “Failure to first restrict Chinook salmon harvest to federally qualified subsistence users forgoes the Board’s additional responsibility to restrict within subsistence users” (emphasis included in original) in order to fulfill its duties and responsibilities as set forth in ANILCA Title VIII. 1 Federal Subsistence Board Public Meeting April 2019 Supplemental FSA19-02 The proponent states that Chinook Salmon community allocations in 2015 strengthened relationships and trust between tribal communities, the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, and the Kuskokwim River Inter-tribal Fisheries Commission due to frequent communication and consultation. The proponent clarified the timing of the closure in its request, from June 1, 2019 to July 1, 2019. The proponent also clarified details of the requested allocation system. In 2015, only designated fishermen could use gillnets to harvest a community’s allocation of Chinook Salmon. This year, the harvestable surplus is much higher, and any harvest of Chinook Salmon should be reported to community harvest monitors instead. The Federal in-season manager is hereafter referred to as the the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Manager or Refuge Manager. Closing Federal Public Lands and Waters Sections 804, 815, and 816 of ANILCA describe three types of closures to the harvest of a fish stock or wildlife population on Federal public lands and waters. If the population of Kuskokwim Chinook Salmon was sufficient to support the harvest demands of all user groups without endangering the health of the resource, then all uses authorized by the State (such as sport and commercial fishing) would be allowed on Federal public lands and waters. If necessary for the conservation of a healthy populations or to continue subsistence uses of Kuskokwim Chinook Salmon, Section 815(3) of ANILCA and 50 CFR 100.14(b) of Federal regulations authorize closures on the taking of Kuskokwim Chinook Salmon for nonsubsistence uses (such as sport and commercial fishing) on Federal public lands and waters. When implemented, all harvesting authorized by the State would be closed. Special Action Request FSA19-02 asks the Board to implement this type of closure. If nonsubsistence uses were eliminated on Federal public lands and waters, but it remained necessary to restrict the taking of Kuskokwim Chinook Salmon on Federal public lands and waters by subsistence users in order to protect the continued viability or to continue subsistence uses of Kuskokwim Chinook Salmon, the Board would take the next step and establish a priority among subsistence users, authorized in Section 804 of ANILCA and 50 CFR 100.17. Special Action Request FSA19-02 asks the Board to implement this type of closure. Existing Federal Regulation §___.27(e)(4) Kuskokwim Area—Fish (ii) For the Kuskokwim area, Federal subsistence fishing schedules, openings, closings, and fishing methods are the same as those issued for the subsistence taking of fish under Alaska Statutes (AS 16.05.060), unless superseded by a Federal Special Action. 2 Supplemental Federal Subsistence Board Public Meeting April 2019 FSA19-02 Proposed Federal Regulation §___.27(e)(4) Kuskokwim Area—Fish (ii) For the Kuskokwim area, Federal subsistence fishing schedules, openings, closings, and fishing methods are the same as those issued for the subsistence taking of fish under Alaska Statutes (AS 16.05.060), unless superseded by a Federal Special Action. Federal public waters in that portion of the Kuskokwim River drainage that are within and adjacent to the exterior boundaries of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge are closed to the harvest of Chinook Salmon, except by Federally qualified subsistence users that are residents of the Kuskokwim River drainage and the villages of Chefornak, Kipnuk, Kwigillingok and Kongiganek, effective on June 1, 2019 through July 1, 2019. Federal subsistence fishing schedules, openings, closures, and fishing methods will be determined by the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge Manager. Additionally, a community-based allocation system will be implemented amongst the limited pool of Federally qualified subsistence users. Relevant Federal Regulations For other relevant Federal regulations see Appendix A. Existing State Regulations Kuskokwim Area—Subsistence Fishing 5 AAC 01.255. Description of districts, subdistricts, and sections (a) Districts and subdistricts are as described in 5 AAC 07.200. (b) During times of king salmon conservation, the Kuskokwim River may be divided into the following sections by emergency order: (1) Section 1: from a line at the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge boundary at the mouth of the Kuskokwim River at 59_ 59.96' N. lat., 162_ 30.46' W. long. to 59_ 59.95' N. lat., 162_ 11.15' W. long. to the confluence of the Johnson River and Kuskokwim River; (2) Section 2: from the confluence of the Johnson River and Kuskokwim River to a line between ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately one-half mile upstream of the Tuluksak River mouth; (3) Section 3: from a line between ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately one-half mile upstream of the Tuluksak River mouth to a line between ADF&G regulatory markers at the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge boundary near Aniak; 3 Federal Subsistence Board Public Meeting April 2019 Supplemental FSA19-02 (4) Section 4: from a line between ADF&G regulatory markers at the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge boundary near Aniak to a line between ADF&G regulatory markers located downstream of the Holitna River mouth; (5) Section 5: from a line between ADF&G regulatory markers located downstream of the Holitna River mouth to the headwaters of the Kuskokwim River. 5 AAC 07.365. Kuskokwim River Salmon Management Plan . (c) In the king salmon fishery, (1) when the projected escapement of king salmon is below the drainagewide escapement goal range, the commissioner shall close, by emergency order, the commercial, sport, and subsistence king salmon fisheries; (2) when the projected escapement of king salmon is within the drainagewide escapement goal range, the commissioner shall open and close fishing periods, by emergency order, as follows: (A) the commissioner shall close, by emergency order, the commercial, sport, and subsistence king salmon fisheries, and after June 11, to the extent practicable, the commissioner shall open, by emergency order, at least one fishing period per week for a directed subsistence king salmon fishery to provide harvest opportunity on surplus king salmon in excess of escapement needs, (B) after June 11, fishing may be opened for commercial and sport fisheries to provide harvest opportunity on surplus king salmon in excess of escapement and subsistence needs; (C) notwithstanding (c)(2)(A) of this section, before June 12 the commissioner shall open, by emergency order, at least one subsistence fishing period per week with four- inch or smaller mesh gillnets; the gillnet may only be operated as a set gillnet and no part of the set gillnet may be more than 100 feet from the ordinary high water mark; (3) when the projected escapement of king salmon exceeds the drainagewide escapement goal range, (A) the commissioner shall close, by emergency order, the commercial, sport, and subsistence king salmon fisheries, and after June 11, the directed subsistence king salmon fishery will be open seven days per week; and (B) after June 11, the commercial and sport fisheries will be managed to provide harvest opportunity on