the A Quarterly Newsletter for Fishing Guides and Charterboat Operators
Charter Published by the University of Alaska Marine Advisory Program
Log Issue 40, Spring 2002
Inside this issue...
Sample Reveals Differences in
Sample Reveals Differences in
Operator Perspectives on IFQ’s . 1
Operator Perspectives on IFQ’s
If the sampling provided by a small informal commented that they don’t really want the
New Coastal Endorsements may
survey this spring is indicative, charter boat IFQ but prefer it to the GHL which has
be required .................................. 2 operators are divided on the IFQ plan, already been mandated by the North Pacific
Task Force Addresses Annual and are having different results from the Fishery Management Council
9/11 tragedy.
King Limits ................................. 2 On question #2 most did not have a reply.
Halibut Dropped from ADF&G Just before this issue went to press, I sent a Those that did indicated they would
Charter Logbook ........................ 3 brief questionnaire by e-mail to a short list of diversify their charter business, do longer
charterboat operators around the state trips, do multi-species trips, or reduce their
GHL Implementation Delayed ... .3 derived from a contact list provided by Bob involvement in halibut fishing.
Coast Guard Withdraws < 13 Ward. There was no attempt to randomize
or to adjust for sample biases based on On questions #3 and 4 most respondents did
PFD Rule ................................... .4
geographical location or that could result not answer or answered that it is premature
New License Forms in Use from using a list of indi-viduals who had to guess what share values would be.
this Year ...................................... 4 asked to keep informed about industry Among those that provided figures, the
political developments. This survey has no range was $3 to $9 per pound to sell and $2
Preston Replaces Ward on AP .... 4 scientific or policy significance but was to $9 to buy.
Fish Magazine and Some merely an attempt to get a sense of the mood
Useful Websites ........................... 5 of the industry going into the 2002 season. Most operators reported that their bookings
to this point in the spring are about the same
Halibut Subsistence and I posed six questions, summarized here: as last year. Three reported bookings down
Community IfQ’s ......................... 5 1. Do you favor the IFQ plan? and seven reported them up.
2. Are you changing your business in
NewMarine Engines Soon Coming
anticipation of the IFQ program? On question #6 pertaining to insurance rates,
On Line ....................................... 6 3. If you could sell what you anticipate to five reported them the same, while one said
OSHA Authority is Limited ......... 6 be your quota shares, how much would up less than 5%, one said up $50, three said
you ask for them? up 10%, one said up 20% and two said up
Southcentral Regulation 4. If you could buy out someone else’s by 30%.
Changes Summarized ................. 7 right to their shares, how much would
Drug Testing-Failure to Test ...... .8 you pay now? Several respondents included articulate and
5. Are your bookings up or down this even elegant explanations of their
season? positions on the issues. Clearly there is a lot
6. Is your boat insurance premium up or of concern about the implications of IFQs
down this season? and many find the idea repugnant even if
they feel the situation the industry is in
On short notice some 19 operators replied warrants it.
to the questionnaire, and their answers
differed widely. Thanks to those who replied to my survey.
If you would like to suggest questions for
The clearest difference was evident on the future informal surveys, send them to me at
IFQ question: seven are in favor, and 12 rftlj@uaf.edu.
opposed. Respondents on both sides - Terry Johnson, Ed.
Near Coastal Endorsements may be Required
The Coast Guard Marine Safety some of the prime fishing grounds out Coast Guard will not accept operating
Detachment Kenai reports quite a bit of of ports like Craig, Port Alexander, days for qualification that were
response to a recent newsletter they Sitka, Pelican and Elfin Cove. At the obtained illegally by operators carrying
distributed to Kenai River guides in outer boundary of Prince William passengers for hire outside the line.
which they reminded operators of the Sound the line runs from Point
need for a Near Coastal endorsement Whitshed to Hinchinbrook to Schooner Guides with “Rivers” licenses obtained
on their licenses if they plan to operate Rock to Montague Island to Point for guiding on the Kenai and other
outside the Boundary Line. Erlington to Cape Puget to Cape rivers cannot operate on any tidal
Resurrection to Aialik Cape. waters without upgrading to an Inland
In Cook Inlet the Boundary Line runs or Near Coastal license.
from the southernmost extremity of the Mariners are responsible ensuring that
Kenai Peninsula to the East Amatuli they have the proper Coast Guard The Coast Guard office in Anchorage
Island Light to the northwesternmost license endorsement for the waters they says that several charter boats from
extremity of Shuyak Island at Party want to fish, and for knowing the Cook Inlet have been found to be
Cape, and to the easternmost extremity locations of the Boundary Line. The operating outside the Resurrection Bay
of Cape Douglas. This means that it is line was established long before line and that any operators caught
possible to fish most of the Barren creation of local fishing district doing so will be prosecuted.
Islands waters with an Inland boundaries and has no relation to any
endorsement, but to circumnavigate the state designations; it delineates the If you have any questions about your
islands or to go around to Kenai Fjords dividing line between waters where situation, check with the Coast Guard
requires Near Coastal. Inland and International rules of the or with Marine Advisory for a detailed
road apply. description of the Boundary Line
The boundary of Resurrection Bay is Skippers who got their license locations in your waters.
from the southernmost extremity of qualifying time on tidal waters behind
Cape Resurrection to Aialik Cape, the Boundary Line in most cases only Also, be aware that during the winter
which leaves some of the prime sport qualify for Inland endorsements and the Anchorage regional exam center
fishing grounds outside the line. can’t carry passengers outside those has a four to five week delay in license
lines. If they wish to do so they must application processing, and that time
Boundary lines for Southeast Alaska apply for an extension of route, and to gets longer during the busy spring
generally run headland to headland do that they must show the required 90 period.
along the outside coast, and bi-sect operating days outside the line. The
Task Forces Address Annual King Limits
The local area management plan and largely unknown, and that the Kodiak and Jim Calhoun, with Bob Moss as
(LAMP) process will get its first good fishery is “growing moderately.” alternate.
workout in Cook Inlet and Kodiak this
year as task forces are organized to find The moves drew vehement protests and On the Kodiak group are: Fred
alternatives to the five-king-salmon special meetings with Board members, Christonson, Mike Anderson, Allen
annual limit. but the Board has not changed its Thielen, David Olsen, Mike Amberg,
position. Instead it appointed LAMP Chris Lund, Pete Danielski, Andy
The Board of Fisheries angered anglers task forces in the two areas and charged Christoferson and Al Burch.
and guides in Kodiak and lower Cook them with devising alternatives to the
Inlet buy declaring kings in those areas five-king limits that would meet the The groups are to meet over the next
fully utilized and capping anglers’ Board’s objective of slowing or halting four months and may, by August 30,
catches by including Cook Inlet’s six- growth in the fisheries. submit agenda change requests to the
month “winter king” fishery within the Board to submit proposals to reform the
five-fish limit, and by imposing the Appointed to the Cook Inlet group are: regulations.
same limit on Kodiak area anglers. The Lynn Whitmore, Marvin Peters, Frank
Board justified its action by claiming Libal, Don McLean, Keith James,
that the origins of those fish are mixed Bruce Peska, Don Donich, Don Flynn,
2
Halibut Dropped from ADF&G Charter Logbook
By Scott Meyer, ADFG Homer logbook could not be used to manage a charter Enforcement of the logbook was inadequate to
IFQ fishery because of the time delays in ensure total compliance, and ADF&G lacked the
Beginning in 2002, Department of Fish and processing logbook data. If an IFQ program is resources to track down all discrepancies in a
Game charter logbooks no longer have a put into place, it is the National Marine Fisheries timely manner. Given the data issues and costs
column for reporting halibut. The department Service’s responsibility to institute a involved, ADF&G decided it would be
dropped the requirement because of data quality reporting system, and they currently favor some irresponsible to continue to collect questionable
issues, the cost of gathering and analyzing type of electronic reporting. halibut harvest information for a fishery in which
halibut data, and the fact that the department they lack management authority.
lacks management authority for the halibut Last fall the Department of Fish and Game
fishery. evaluated the logbook by comparing data from The Department of Fish and Game is required by
1998, 1999, and 2000 to harvest estimates from regulation to continue the logbook program for
The lack of ADF&G logbook data will not the statewide harvest survey (SWHS) and by other species, and it still provides valuable
constitute an obstacle to implementation of the comparing daily logbook data to matching information needed by the Board of Fisheries.
IFQ program approved by the North Pacific interviews from port sampling and creel surveys. ADF&G also intends to continue on-site
Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) in The total halibut harvest reported in the logbook sampling and interviews to monitor the harvest
April 2001. The Council has already established was higher than the SWHS estimates, and the for changes in the species and sizes of harvested
the amount of halibut that would be allocated to discrepancy increased each year. The evaluation fish. ADF&G will continue to evaluate logbook
the charter fleet under either a GHL or IFQ also revealed poor correlation between logbook data and will consider modifying the program as
program, and has established the rules for reports and information provided through on-site needed to ensure that it is providing the best
determining how the charter quota share will be interviews. In Southcentral Alaska in 1999, for possible information. For additional information
distributed to individual charter operators based example, the number of halibut reported kept in contact Mike Jaenicke (Juneau, 465-4301) or
on logbook data collected prior to 2000. In the logbook was more than 5 fish higher or lower Scott Meyer (Homer, 235-1742).
addition, the federal halibut management than what was reported during interviews 16% of
agencies decided in April 2001 that the ADF&G the time.
GHL Implementation Delayed by Technical,
Legal Problems
The halibut charter boat GHL has run into a undertaken, and government lawyers say accurate way of reporting catches can be
couple of snags at the NMFS level and will that imposing catch restrictions in applied, neither the GHL nor the IFQ can be
not be implemented this season. subsequent years after the charter fleet effectively managed.
exceeds the GHL falls under that Various enforceable means of reporting
Despite the NPFMC’s vote last requirement. In other words, the remedies landings have been proposed, including tail
fall to initiate an IFQ program on the fishery, that would be triggered by exceeding the tags issued to operators and magnetic cards
the GHL had received prior approval and GHL would have to undergo a review like those used by the commercial fleet.
had been scheduled for implementation this process that would take so long that it would Ginter says that even if ADFG doesn’t
year. NMFS and the Council staff had probably be two years later that they could design its logbooks to be used for reporting
anticipated it would take two to three years be applied. NMFS is looking at ways to halibut landings, NMFS could devise its
to finalize IFQ language and secure rewrite the GHL plan to avoid this lengthy own logbook system for that purpose.
Secretary of Commerce approval, and that delay, and will probably publish another
approval is not certain in the face of political proposed rule on the GHL. It is virtually While many charter operators would like to
opposition back east. So the two agencies certain that this cannot be done in time to see both the GHL and IFQ go away, that’s
are proceeding with the process of GHL apply it to this fishing season, says Jay not likely to happen. What might occur is
implementation as required until the IFQ Ginter with NMFS, and it’s not certain that that NMFS decides that with this new
program is put into place. it can even be done for next season. wrinkle in the GHL program that will delay
its implementation by one or two years, the
However, NOAA General Counsel The other problem pertains to reporting. agency might just save itself staff time and
attorneys have turned up two problems with ADFG does not include halibut in its charter go straight to finalizing IFQ. However,
the GHL, one administrative and one boat logbook program and says that with organized resistance to IFQ mustered
technical. logbooks are not an accurate way of in D.C. it’s likely that NMFS will be forced
reporting landings. Without a reliable to continue to iron out GHL so that it will be
Under the Administrative Procedures Act means of recording landings NMFS has no ready to go in case IFQ gets stopped on
each time a regulatory measure is to be put way of establishing whether charter catches political grounds.
in place a public review process has to be are staying within the GHL. Until an
3
Coast Guard Withdraws <13 PFD Rule
Shortly after it was published in the life jackets. However, state jurisdiction PFD or lifejacket while on board a
Federal Register the Coast Guard has stops at the three-mile line. There is no recreational vessel, except when in the
withdrawn a rule that would have exemption for uninspected charter cabin or below deck.
required children under 13 years of age vessels. Inspected passenger vessels
to wear a PFD while on deck. are exempt because they are built with The Coast Guard rescinded the federal
railings and other features to keep rule March 27 after learning that it may
The change makes little difference in children from going overboard. be in conflict with laws in other states
Alaska since state law already requires that set different maximum ages for
children in that age group to wear their Alaska’s law requires that persons mandatory PFD use.
under the age of 13 wear an approved
New License Forms in Use this Year
Boat operators renewing, upgrading, or part in which vessel days is entered is Documentation System (MMLDS).
applying for their first merchant called Record of Underway Service. The new license will look neater and
mariners licenses this year will will have space for incorporating
confront a new application form. The new forms can be view and printed STCW (Standards of Training ,
from the Coast Guard’s website Certification and Watchkeeping)
The Coast Guard has determined that at’www.uscg.mil/STCW/m-pers.htm. qualifications, eliminating the need for
57 per cent of application packages a separate STCW form.
submitted to the Regional Exam Also starting this year, Coast Guard
Centers contain errors requiring licenses will have a new look. The The change comes about because the
corrections or additional information. service is using a new form, CG-2849, service was running out of the old
These errors cost Coast Guard staff for all merchant mariners licenses, forms and reproducing them would
time to process and contribute to the including Master, Chief Engineers and have resulted in poorer quality.
average four to eight week processing Radio Officers. Furthermore, because the old forms
time that applicants endure. A task came from two different government
force determined that most errors The new form will use the same printing offices, text alignment was
resulted from complex forms or graphics and border designs, but will imperfect. The new forms, printed by
confusing instructions, so the service not have the pre-printed text with blank the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and
issued a new application form last fall spaces for name and route entries. Printing, will have precise alignment
for a six-month trial period, and will Instead, the text will be printed on the and will look more professional, says
likely make additional changes before license using the Coast Guard’s the Coast Guard.
issuing the final version. Merchant Marine Licensing and
In addition to the application page
itself, high error rates were associated Preston Replaces Ward on AP
with the physical exam form, the sea
service form, and the drug test
documentation, so these sections have Jim Preston of Juneau has replaced Bob charter boat catch. He spearheaded the
been revised. The new application uses Ward as the charter industry’s represen- move to develop an IFQ program to
larger, easier to read type and some tative on the Advisory Panel to the replace the GHL as a way of protecting
sections are in bold face to help clarify North Pacific Fishery Management individual charter operators’ ability to
instructions. Council. stay in business. The IFQ plan was
adopted by the Council and will soon
Because the physical requirements for Ward was the first charter industry be sent to Washington, D.C. for
initial issuance are different from those participant on the AP and worked on Secretary of Commerce approval.
for renewal and raise in grade, the several thorny issues including the
physical exam form (719K) has industry’s unsuccessful effort to head Preston is owner of big Jim’s Charters
instructions that direct persons doing off the Guideline Harvest Level (GHL) and runs a 34’ twin diesel Catalina
renewal and raise in grade only to the proposal that was introduced by the Islander doing day trips for fishing and
required sections. The format of the commercial halibut industry to cap the whale watching out of Auk Bay.
sea service form has changed and the
4
New Fish Magazine and Some Useful Websites
A new magazine and several websites Pacific Lure Communications, serves as the voice for the Alaska
are providing a range of information on apparently as a medium for advertising Salmon Action Committee, which has
Alaska’s fisheries and the sport fishing fishing tackle as well as providing formed to fight new restrictions such as
industry. focused editorial content on halibut the five-king-salmon annual limit. But
fishing destinations, regulations, the site and postings sent to an e-mail
Fish Alaska published issue Vol. 2, no.1 equipment and techniques. It includes list by the Libals contain useful updates
in January of this year, and March and classified ads, a “halibut directory” and on regulation changes and other news.
April issues are now on the streets. fishing trip stories from Washington,
The glossy, well-illustrated magazine, British Columbia and Alaska. The public review draft of the statewide
averaging around 80 pages, is stocking plan for recreational fisheries
published by Fish Alaska Publications Considerably more local and political is is available at http://www.sf.adfg.ak.us/
LLC of Anchorage. Publishers are Alaska Outdoor Journal (http:// statewide/hatchery/html/stkpln02.stm.
Melissa Norris and Marcus Weiner, and alaskaoutdoorjournal.com), which is
editor is Troy Letherman. It appears to taking a strong stand on issues such as A lot of misinformation is currently
be well supported by local Alaska changes to salmon management on the being circulated about the halibut
advertisers. Sections include Alaska Kenai River. It also contains a lot of charter GHL and IFQ plans. The facts
Fishing News, Gear Review, Featured useful information, and has sections are available on the GHL in the form of
Fish Recipe and a letters to the editor including Outdoor Tips, News Briefs, the Federal Register, Vol. 67 No. 18,
section. Each issue contains several Salmon Run Charts, Events Calendar, which can be downloaded at http://
well-illustrated feature articles about Tide Charts, Weather Central, www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/
particular Alaska sport fishing Classified Ads and much, much more. aces140.html. The factually correct
destinations. The site is published by Visual Media Summary of the Halibut Charter IFQ
Design & Alaska Outdoor Journal. Program, produced by the North Pacific
Not Alaska-based, but of interest to Fishery Management Council is
Alaska anglers and guides is a website Another fact-filled and useful site is available at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/
dedicated to the pursuit of the wily circulated by Frank and Donna Libal npfmc/Committees/Halibut%20Issues/
halibut, is a website called and is found at http://www.pensac.org. 401IFQmotion.pdf.
www.halibut.net. It is produced by It has an activist bent as well, and
Halibut Subsistence and Community IFQ’s
The North Pacific Fishery Alaska Native tribes, would be eligible to purchase commercial quota shares
Management Council has approved for halibut subsistence rights. which can then be leased to community
two plans that could have some impact residents. The revision does not
on charter boat operators that target In Cook Inlet halibut subsistence fishing provide for free issuance of quota
halibut. would be allowed only south of shares, but allows the communities to
Seldovia. purchase shares from existing holders,
One formally conveys subsistence something that previously only initial
fishery rights to qualified rural Charter operators are divided on recipients or qualified crewmembers
residents and native tribe members. whether the new regulation will impact were permitted to do. The intent of the
The plan, if approved by the Secretary their business. Some say that codifying program is to provide a means for
of Commerce, would allow subsistence subsistence in law and permitting cash remote village residents who received
fishermen to take up to 20 halibut per sales will result in increased harvests few if any shares in the original halibut
day, instead of the two allowed under that will have to be subtracted from IFQ program to gain entrance to the
sport fishing rules, and would allow sport and commercial quotas. Others fishery.
use of non-sport gear, such as say that the specifics of the plan will
longlines. It also would allow prevent any significant increase in Although the new plan does not
subsistence fishermen each to sell up subsistence harvest, and all it does is directly affect the charter industry,
to $400 worth of halibut per year. decriminalize a traditional activity. speculation is that communities will bid
up prices for commercial q.s., making it
According to a recent Anchorage Daily The other, a revision to the Gulf Fishery more difficult for charter operators to
News article, up to 82,000 persons, Management Plan, provides for certain buy the additional shares they may
including residents of 117 rural small communities located on the coast need to fill out their seasons.
communities and members of 120 adjacent to halibut areas 2C, 3A and 3B
5
New Marine Engines Soon Coming On-Line
If you’re planning to build or re-power a Mercury will continue offering everything from 4- to 225-h.p. according
boat any time in the next four years it’s carbureted two-strokes until 2006, when to BIIOL, its DI engines are mainly
time to start paying attention to changes it will discontinue the line in the U.S. It directed at the freshwater bass boat
coming in marine engines. Makers of currently sells carbureted two-strokes, DI market.
diesel inboards, IOs and outboard motors two-strokes and four-stroke engines but
all have plans to change technologies and not in the same horsepower sizes. Suzuki plans to drop the equivalent two-
offer new product lines. stroke model for every four-stroke it adds
Honda, the company that really proved to its line, and all the two-strokes will be
The Japanese business press recently the four-stroke outboard, has no reason to eliminated by 2006. Its U.S. offerings
announced a three-way joint venture deviate from an all-four-stoke lineup. It now are 91 per cent four-stroke and it has
involving’Toyota, Yamaha and Yanmar is planning to fill the horsepower gap introduced four-strokes in Europe in the
to develop a new diesel engine line for between its 130 and 200 h.p. models. 4- and 5-h.p. sizes.
small recreational vessels. It will be
based on Toyota’s successful 4.2 liter Consumer preference is expected to All outboards 30-h.p. and less offered by
sport utility vehicle engine block. Each determine the direction Yamaha takes Nissan and Tohatsu will soon be four-
of the three companies will market the since it already offers four-stroke, DI stroke and all 40-horse and over will be
engine under its own brand name, both in two-stroke and carbureted two-stroke DI. The company doesn’t plan to build
their own boats and through other boat models. Its DI lineup currently includes anything bigger than 140-h.p. By 2006
manufacturers. only 150, 175 and 200 h.p. models, all carbureted two-strokes will be off its
Cummins Marine and Mercury Marine whereas its four-stroke offerings cover U.S. product line.
have formed a new venture, Cummins
MerCruiser Diesel Marine, to develop
integrated propulsion systems. The plan OSHA Authority is Limited
is to make the company the leader in
integrated diesel marine propulsion units.
Cummins will supply various lines of Alaska charter boat operators do not uninspected vessels, OSHA has the
diesel engines in sizes 15 liters and have to worry about being boarded by right to do so.
smaller, says the trade publication inspectors from the federal
Boating Industry International Online. Occupational Safety and Health It ain’t gonna happen, says the
Mercury will supply diesel engines in the Administration. That’s the word from Anchorage office of OSHA, at least not
1.7, 2.8, 4.2 and 7.3 liter sizes, plus stern the Anchorage OSHA office. to charter boats. The agency has far too
drive units and electronic controls. Both much work to do and few people to do
companies will retain their other product Earlier this year the National it, and sport fish charter boats are not
lines. Association of Charterboat Operators considered a dangerous work
(NACO) and marine industry journals environment. OSHA could conceivably
Outboard Changes Coming sounded the alarm about a court case be called in to investigate in the case of
In outboard motors the impetus for that raises the specter of OSHA agents a serious accident involving death or
change is the EPA’s emission regulations applying workplace safety and injury of a crewmember resulting from
that go into effect in 2006. Some ergonomics standards on uninspected unsafe working conditions.
companies already are switching their passenger-carrying boats.
lines to 2006-compliant models, so if you In the past OSHA has claimed authority
want to buy a carbureted two-stroke In January decision the U.S. Supreme over uninspected vessels in the
engine you better do it now while they’re Court ruled that uninspected vessels, commercial fishing industry, and there
still available. which includes “six pack” charter has been concern about possible
boats, fall under the OSHA authority. requirements for hearing protection,
Another article in Boating Industry The decision came in the case of an oil equipment guards, and protections
International Online provides a rundown drilling barge in Louisiana which against repetitive motion injuries.
of company plans. sustained an explosion that killed four However, the agency has confined its
crewmembers and injured two others. inspections to processing vessels and
Bombardier, which bought the OMC Although the company that owned the left fishing boats alone, even though
lines, is emphasizing the Ficht type direct barge didn’t dispute the findings about fishing vessels constitute the most
injection (DI) two-strokes offered as the incident, it challenged OSHA’s hazardous workplace in the country.
Evinrude engines. It will also offer four- authority, claiming that the Coast Also, OSHA authority applies only to
strokes made by Suzuki with the Guard has purview in marine safety working conditions of employees, so it
Johnson label. matters. The court ruled that since the has no say in safety matters aboard
Coast Guard does not inspect vessels run by a single individual.
6
Southcentral Regulation Changes Summarized
The Board of Fisheries has been hard at larger may be retained, one per day, and •Ship Creek is closed to fishing 11 p.m. to
work since last summer changing single hook unbaited artificial lures only. 6 a.m. May 15-July 13.
regulations pertaining to sport fishing. June 11-30 only kings 55 inches and longer •Indian Creek is closed to salmon fishing
Following is a brief list of changes for the can be kept, one per day and in possession, upstream of the Seward Highway bridge.
Southcentral part of the state. This is not but bait is allowed. All kings 55 inches and Below the bridge it is open year-around for
necessarily a complete listing, but only lists longer must be sealed by ADFG in fishing except for king salmon. Bag and
those changes highlighted by ADFG in Soldotna. possession limits are three, of which only
recent mini-publications. Changes in •Daily and possession limits on other two may be coho.
Southeast, Northern and Western Alaska are Kenai river salmon are reduced to three, •Fish Creek is open to dipnetting only by
not included herein. Old regulations remain including no more than two coho, except emergency order.
in effect until the new reg books reach the that pinks can total six. •Wasilla Creek, including Rabbit slough
vendors, which should have occurred by the In the Kenai between Moose River and is re-opened to salmon fishing (except
time you read this newsletter. Skilak Lake no rainbow/steelhead 18 kings) on Saturdays and Sundays, 6 a.m. to
inches or longer may be retained. 6 p.m. downstream from the railroad
Two of the changes are turning out to be •Dipnetting is closed 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. in bridge, June 15-April 14. Bag and
highly controversial. One is the five-king- the Kenai. possession limits are three, of which only
salmon annual limits imposed in Cook •The Kenai between Skilak Lake and the two may be coho.
Inlet and Kodiak. Previously the Cook Inlet Mile 53 Sterling Highway bridge is closed •Parts of the Chulitna River are open to
limit pertained only to the summer fishery May 2-June 10. catch and release only fishing. See regs for
and the “winter king” fishery was regulated •On the Kenai River below Skilak Lake details.
solely on a two-fish-a-day bag limit. Both unguided fishing and drift-only fishing is •In the Deshka River waters open to king
guides and anglers in places like Homer are permitted on Mondays in May and June. salmon bait fishing is allowed June 8-Aug.
very unhappy about this decision and plan to •The Kasilof river is open to drift-only 31.
fight it in the courts or wherever feasible. fishing Jan. 1-July 31. •The Little Susitna is closed to bait fishing
The Board’s apparent rationale was that it is •In the Kenai at the Killey Rivers area, the during the king salmon fishery
a mixed stock fishery, and that the new closure of the “Third Hole” has been •Larsen Creek, from a quarter mile above
limits bring those two area into alignment extended upstream. From the mouth of the Talkeetna River, is closted to all salmon
with other parts of the state like the Alaska Upper Killey River to Skilak Lake only fishing.
Peninsula and Bristol Bay that have five- unbaited single-hook artificial lures are •The Nancy Lake drainage from a quarter
king annual limits. allowed Aug. 1-Dec. 31. mile above the Little Susitna, is closed to
•In the Kenai River above Upper Killey all salmon fishing.
The other is a change pushed through by River only one Dolly Varden per day and •The Theodore & Lewis rivers are open to
some Kenai River guides that prohibits in possession is allowed, and none 18 catch-and-release fishing for kings Jan. 1-
retention of kings between 40 and 55 inches or longer. From Aug. 3 to Dec. 31 June 30.
inches long in the early season and all kings anglers can continue to fish for rainbows •Parts of the Clearwater and Roscoe
under 55 inches in the later season, while and Dolly Varden after taking their bag Creeks are closed year around to all sport
allowing bait in the trophy-only fishery limit of coho. fishing.
(see below). •Only unbaited artificial lures are allowed •On some Westside Susitna waters the
in the Kenai River downstream of the king salmon possession limit has been
Other changes include the following: Soldotna bridge Aug. 1-3, and coho fishing increased to two.
•In Resurrection Bay king salmon 20 remains closed during that time. •Two hooks are allowed for northern pike
inches or longer that are retained are •Personal use gilletting in the Kasilof is and in some Kenai Peninsula waters bow-
counted against the five-king annual limit. allowed June 16-24 from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and-arrow is allowed. All sizes of pike
•The Anchor River is open to king fishing only. Kasilof dipnetting is open June 25- may be retained on Trapper Lake and
only four weekends instead of five, starting Aug. 7, but no kings may be retained. additional gear types are allowed. Several
May 25 and ending June 17. A weekend is •Kasilof guides may have only one set of new lakes in the Mat-Su and Kenai
12:01 a.m. Saturday to midnight Monday. clients per day and may not fish while Peninsula were added to the list of waters
•At China Poot only sockeye may be guiding clients. Their boats must display on which five lines are allowed for ice
taken. The bag limit is six per person per an ADFG triangle number or State Parks fishing.
day. registration number in numerals at least
•Rainbows and steelhead may not be 1x6 inches. Be sure to check the detailed regulation
removed from the water if they are to be •Beads must be free-sliding the length of books for more complete information on
released. the line or pegged within two inches of these changes.
•The Kenai and Kasilof River king fishery the hook.
now has a split season. June 1-10 only Only three of the five king salmon annual
kings less than 40 inches or 55 inches and limit may come from the Kasilof River.
7
Charter Log Non-Profit
University of Alaska Organization
U.S. Postage
Marine Advisory Program PAID
4014 Lake Street #201B Permit #107
Anchorage, Alaska
Homer, AK 99603
Drug Testing – Failure to Test Letters Appearing
The Coast Guard says that it often enroll at the end of the season, and then the onus is on the mariner to ensure that
receives “failure to test” letters from take a pre-employment test when re- his or her own paperwork is completely
drug testing consortiums on enrolling before the season. in order.
employees who do not dis-enroll at
the end of the season but do not Several companies offer drug testing When selecting a company to provide
appear when called for a random test. “consortium” services for a fee, and drug testing “consortium” service it is
that fee varies widely from one advisable to check the Coast Guard’s
They letters are treated the same as a company to the next. In exchange for list of accepted consortiums, and to
positive test and can result in loss of the fee the company is supposed to inquire about not only enrollment, but
license. The same applies to failure to enter the individual into a computer also testing and analysis fees. Some
appear for a test when called during program that randomly picks names for companies include all the services in a
the season. testing on some regular basis, and is single annual fee, while others bill
supposed to generate paperwork that separately for sample collection and
Mariners have two options: they can satisfies the law. The Coast Guard analysis done at a local medical facility,
remain enrolled year around, and be cautions that not all consortiums and they mark up that facility’s fees
prepared to show up for a random actually provide full compliance and significantly.
drug test if called. The other is to dis-
Publication of Charter Log is made possible through funding from the Alaska Sea Grant Program which is cooperatively supported by the U.S. Department of
commerce, NOAA Office of Sea Grant and Extramural Programs, under grant number 86RG0050, project number A/151-01 and by the University of Alaska with
funds appropriated by the state. The University of Alaska Fairbanks, provides equal education and employment for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national
origin, sex, age, disability, status as a Vietnam era or disabled veteran, marital status, pregnancy, or parenthood pursuant to applicable state and federal laws.
Publisher: University of Alaska Fairbanks Editor: Terry Johnson, MAP Agent Design & Layout: Beverly Bradley
Marine Advisory Program 907-235-5643
Donald E. Kramer, Director rftlj@uaf.edu