Announcements

Below is a letter from KRPGA Master Guide Joe Hanes and another from Lee Young.  As KRPGA webmaster, an associate member of the organization, and a property owner on the Kasilof River, I have strong opinions in regard to this issue. Without the approval of the KRPGA board and risking the possibilty of being fired, I will take a moment to editorialize about this topic. 

Being a California resident, I have seen the decimation of steelhead and salmon resources over the past 5 decades.  Steelhead and silver salmon are now listed as an endangered species in many California and Oregon rivers. The pink, chum and sockeye are now extinct in California as well as in many Oregon rivers.  This trend of decimation is moving north, affecting Washington State and British Columbia.  In a few decades this trend will affect Alaska if action isn't taken now.

100 years ago, California Fish and Game estimates that over 2 billion king salmon entered the San Juaquin and Sacramento watersheds in California each year.  This does not include the numbers of sockeye, chum, pink, silver salmon and steelhead.  Today, if the king salmon run reaches 2 million fish, it is considered a banner year. This is only 0.1 percent of historical numbers and the king salmon is not considered endangered.  The reasons for this demise are mismanagement, pollution, dams, diversion of water flow in rivers for agriculture and power generation, commercial fishing and the lack of concern by voters. 

The message I bring is to speak your mind!  If you do not take action, there will be no legacy for your children or mine in Alaska.  Let us all take action, contact our legislators and support the KRPGA in spearheading an effort to effect a positive change.  As a group, we have a louder voice. 

Here is Joe's letter:

Here we go again!

The latest maneuver by the Commercial Fish Division of Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game is astounding. Some how when native stocks need the most protection they have convinced the Alaska state board of fish to allow MORE fishing time for commercial fishers. Amazingly every weekend when most Alaskans can fish, Fish and Game has allowed extra fishing time for commercial harvest. This has occurred the last several years, a coincidence? A fluke? Maybe just happenstance? I don't think so! They have seem to forgotten these fish belong to you! The Daily News reports on Friday “fishing is good”. Then when you arrive commercial fish division issues “back to back” openings for the commercial fishers. You are now fishing in a desert! For those that are not familiar with the situation we face, commercial. fishers have continually supported a program to stock the Kasilof and Kenai Rivers with millions of sockeye fry for the last 20 plus years. Historic numbers (provided by fish and game) show returns of approximately 35,000 -125,000 fish to the Kasilof River. Surprisingly since 6.2 million fry a year have been dumped into Tustemena Lake this run has been inflated to returns of over 400, 000 (this means odds are the nets are in) . This is the cruncher. If an enhanced sockeye returns to Cook Inlet and makes it to spawn its offspring are now considered "wild". That's why commercial fish division say's, oh no, only 10% of are return is stocked. Meanwhile thousands of native Sockeye, Silver and King Salmon must survive the continual emergency orders issued by AK comm. Fish Division. This is the exact scenario that has decimated salmon runs throughout the world .One enhanced strong stock, Sockeyes, other less abundant natural stocks(kings, chums and silvers). Let's face it folks, mankind doesn't have a very good track record with salmon....something like zero and a thousand. Another interesting fact to this argument is that for the last two years we have heard about the "lack of public process" in the management of our fisheries expressed by our local advisory boards and commercial fishers. Many people have spent thousands of hours and spent countless days in motels to come to a compromise to solve biological and social fisheries issues. I do not blame commercial fishers for fishing. If someone told me it was ok. to fish I would too, but it is obvious that the long standing feud between Sport and Comm. divisions of the ADF&G has reached a level where the fish don't matter anymore. Suddenly after an hour phone call, the entire Cook Inlet management plan has been radically changed. A new precedence has been set. Our community is going to suffer and our economy will suffer. Most importantly Salmon are in more danger than ever. If the people of Alaska don't step up and let their concerns be heard our native stocks will meet the same demise as others worldwide.

Good luck next weekend!!!!

Joe Hanes, Soldotna AK 907-262-6388

Here is Lee Young's letter:

I fish the Kasilof River the last 2 weeks of July a lot. Over the past 5 years I have obtained historical data and traditionally it is a good run. The run this year is not materializing as it has historically. There are two scenarios........the commercial netting is wiping out the late run on the Kasilof or it is a poor run and needs protection. It's also possible that it is a weaker run and the nets are putting the hurt on this river and decimating the king fishery. For the benefit of netting sockeye the Kasilof River is losing its July run of fish.

Sincerely,

Lee Young

Emergency Alert!!! 

It has been brought to our attention that data regarding commercial fishing activity in the Kasilof Sub District was misstated in our previous announcement. While Kasilof set gill netters and drift gill netters were allowed their two regular 12 hour openings, along with 36 hours of additional fishing time (Emergency Orders), they have been allowed to prosecute this fishing time at the most optimal time of the tide cycle: when the majority of upbound sockeye, king salmon and soon silver salmon, are present. So, while the commercial fisheries have not been allowed to net 24/7, as incorrectly stated in our previous announcement, they have been intercepting the vast majority of our wild salmon stocks bound for both the Kasilof and the Kenai Rivers, five out of seven days per week, beginning July 8.

This extreme harvest of native king salmon and sockeye salmon stocks is being justified due to an excessively large run of sockeye salmon to the Kasilof River. This return has been largely propagated by the Tustamena Stocking Program, which was recently rendered illegal in the Wilderness Society v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service case heard by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. As a result of this hatchery based sockeye run, wild late-run Kasilof and Kenai King salmon are being excessively harvested in commercial nets targeting "excess" sockeye salmon returns. Unconfirmed data suggests commercial king salmon harvest numbers in the Kasilof Sub District has been significantly higher than any previously recorded exploitation. This seems particularly ironic since ADF&G recommendations and subsequent Alaska Board of Fisheries actions took away total harvest of Early-Run Kasilof Crooked Creek Natural King Salmon from sport anglers, based on the premise that they had no prominent data regarding escapement and overall viability of this stock. For the last two seasons, sport anglers have not been able to retain wild (natural) king salmon in the early run of the Kasilof king salmon fishery and have only been allowed to retain adipose clipped hatchery origin king salmon, while population and escapement data of the wild portion of this early run were established. Some will reasonably argue that this wild component of early-run Kasilof (Crooked Creek) king salmon are now hybrid wild/hatchery fish, as for nearly a decade, Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association released nearly 300,000 unclipped hatchery king salmon into the Kasilof River. Surely this propagated influx of fish interbred with resident king salmon, in addition to establishing a "natural" run of hatchery fish that spawned on their own within Crooked Creek. The late-run of wild King salmon in the Kasilof River is completely undocumented by ADF&G and there is little or no data on run strength, annual escapement figures, run timing, etc... This truly wild (not "natural") late-run return of Kasilof King salmon is now being excessively harvested by commercial gill nets to avoid "overescapement" of hatchery origin sockeye salmon. This is one of the most genetically unique runs of king salmon in the entire state with fish that rival the large Kenai River Chinook in size.

During the management week of July 11 to July 17, ADF&G actually allowed two three hour commercial drift gillnet openings within the lower Kasilof River itself, again at the optimal part of the tide, therefore having a highly detrimental effect of this unique late-run Kasilof King salmon stock, that again, ADF&G has no current data on regarding overall population and sustainability. To acerbate this mismanagement even further, rumor holds that managers are set to hold an emergency meeting with the Alaska Board of Fisheries to declare this season's Kenai/Kasilof Sockeye return in excess of 4 million fish and therefore allow them even more fishing time: 60 hours of emergency order time, in addition to their regular two 12 hour openings with only a mandatory 36 hour weekly window to allow fish to migrate into their natal rivers.

In sum, we again ask that all concerned guides and sport anglers voice their concern over this excessive commercial activity to the Governor's office (907-465-3500) and ADF&G commercial and sportfish managers. Together we can make a difference in saving the truly valuable native runs of salmon in Upper Cook Inlet before they too are decimated by excessive commercial harvest, as has been the case in the majority of the world's once viable fisheries. Thank you very much for doing your part.

As of this update, it seems ADF&G com. fish is asking for even additional fishing time above and beyond the above stated excessive prosecution. When additional news and decisions are made public, this announcement will be updated.

KRPGA Board of Directors

As a new member benefit, the KRPGA will now be hosting web sites at a member discount of $75 per year.  This is a great opportunity for members to save money and support the organization at the same time.  If you are interested in hosting your web site with the KRPGA, submit your payment to Ray Debardelaben, 262-7415, KRPGA, P.O. Box 3674, Soldotna, Alaska 99669

Contact the KRPGA webmaster for additional details and to have your domain set up as soon as your payment has been processed.

NEW!  due to the efforts of several KRPGA members efforts, there is now a brand new first-class stainless fish cleaning table at the Kasilof river put in COURTESY OF ADF&G (not state parks!) and that anyone coming in contact with Barry Stratton should personally thank him, as it was him personally that 'made this happen!'

Attention Professional Guides, We Need You Help!- Kasilof Launch Closure!

Congratulations to KRPGA professional and associate members for their newly acquired seats on the Kenai Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee. Professional members Joe Hardy and Mel Erickson were elected as sportfish guide representatives and associate member Jim Kuhnsman was elected to an at large seat. Special thanks to all that attended the meeting and helped support our members. The positive turnout made a big difference. Best of luck to these new AC board members.

Joe Conners will have the Boat Wake Study duplicated and copies will be available at the UPS store in Soldotna.  Members may pick up a copy at that location.