President's Message

December 2005

Webmaster's Prelude:   I still need photos for rainbow trout to post on the Fish of the Year page, 2005.  Send me the best that you have.

The next Kenai River Professional Guide Association (KRPGA) meeting is coming up quickly and will be held on Tuesday, December 13, 7 P.M. @ the Riverside House here in Soldotna. At this meeting we will be asking for nominees to fill four positions on the KRPGA Board of Directors. The four spots are currently being held by Secretary Ray Debardeladen, Member at Large Joe Hanes, Member at Large Ty Van Lier, and Member at Large Monte Roberts. Any current KRPGA Professional Member that is interested in serving on the KRPGA Board of Directors is strongly encouraged to get their name on the ballot. The way to do this is to get nominated at the December KRPGA meeting with the election to be held immediately after the nomination process. After the election is finalized all KRPGA Board of Director Members will meet and decide on who will fill the Officer positions of President, Vice president, and Secretary-Treasure for this coming year. At this time eight people have been nominated to fill the four open spots on the KRPGA Board of Directors. They are Andy Szcznesny, Jerry Strieby, Monte Roberts, Chris Murray, Mike Mann, Ty Van Lier, Ty Goggia, and Ray Debardeladen.

The Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee will be hosting a public meeting with Fish and Game Commissioner Mckie Campbell from 7 – 10 pm on December 7 at the Wasilla High School auditorium. Mr. Campbell will be explaining some of Alaska Department of Fish and Game strategies and goals. This would be a great opportunity for some of our Anchorage area KRPGA members that normally do not get to attend the KRPGA meetings in Soldotna to meet Mr. Campbell. Plus, it should be a real interesting meeting seeing how Mat Su Valley area systems were closed to sport fishing for sockeye salmon in 2005 while at the same time the Cook Inlet Commercial Fishing fleet had a banner year catching sockeyes. Not to even mention the fact the that the Yetna River (historically among the largest producers of Mat Su systems for

Sockeye) has not even met its minimum escapement goal four out of the last five years.

The Department of Natural Resources, division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, is proposing changes in Alaska Administrative Code that deals with sport fishing guides on the Kenai River. A public hearing is scheduled on December 5 from 7 – 9 pm at the Kenai River Center in Soldotna. The proposed changes are as follows.

1) Minimum age of 18 years to be able to obtain a guide license through Alaska State Parks.

2) Random Drug testing for all Kenai River Guides.

3) Valid Alaska Sport Fishing license in two prior calendar years.

4) New guides would not be eligible if they have been convicted of a felony in the previous five years.

5) New guides would not be eligible if they have more than one misdemeanor conviction involving fishing violations in the previous five years.

6) All new guides would have to take and pass the Kenai River Guide Academy course.

7) Existing Kenai River Guides would have to take and pass the Kenai River Guide Academy course. Time requirements to take the course would depend on how long one has been guiding on the Kenai River.

8) A strict enforcement on all State Park stipulations would be enacted with Kenai River Guide license being suspended from 3 to 30 days depending on the infraction. Multiple infractions could lead Alaska State Parks to revoke Kenai River Guide Permit.

9) Fees to increase for Kenai River Permits. Rental boat owners would be charged $150 per boat. Resident and non resident Kenai River Guide permit fees would increase $250 a year. Also, requirement to pay for three years at a time would go into effect. For example, a resident Kenai River Guide permit in 2005 was $500. In 2006 it would increase to $750 and you would be required to pay for the years of 2006, 2007, and 2008 at the same time. So, this spring it would cost a resident Kenai River guide $2250 to obtain their Alaska State Park Kenai River permit. If for some reason you decide not to guide on the Kenai River in 2007 or 2008 the $750 a year would be refunded if you notify State Parks before the season starts on those calendar years. No payment would be required for the Kenai River Guide permit for the years of 2007 & 2008 and then in 2009 it would be time to pay $2250 for the three years at a time once again.

The Kenai River Working Group did come up with most of these proposals. I will say a couple things about this. One, the fee increase was only agreed upon in my mind because Alaska State Parks was going to raise the fees this year no matter what. But, Alaska State Parks was looking at a $500 increase a year instead of $250. The Working Group argued that $500 was obsessive and a compromise was reached. Second, one part of this whole package is equal to the sum. In other words the Kenai River Working Group voted to accept this package only if the Kenai River Working Group was called back together to deal with nonguided issues next. In other words Kenai River Guides went first and we took some hits. With the agreement in mind that the general public was going to go second and take some as well. If the Kenai River Working Group does not reconvene and start to deal with nonguided Kenai River issues then I will be among the first to speak at the meeting on December 5 and voice my extreme disappointment. Third, change is hard. I know this. But sometimes status qou just does not work anymore. I honestly believe that this is one of those times. I believe that the time has come for Kenai River Guides as a whole to decide the direction our fishery takes. This is simply a step in that direction and in my mind it is a step in the right direction at that.

The KRPGA annual Christmas Party will be held on December 10, 6 pm, @ the Elks Lodge in Soldotna. The cost is $30 per person or $50 per couple. RSVP is required prior to December 7 with Monte Roberts at 262-8518. Dinner will be served and we will be having a silent auction and raffles with the top prize at this time being a Fly out Bear Hunt for two.

I hope to see you at all these meetings and at The Christmas Party. Remember that the next KRPGA meeting is scheduled for December 13, 7pm, @ the Riverside House in Soldotna. See You There!

Agenda

1) Nominees for KRPGA Board of Directors

2) KRPGA Board of Directors Election

3) Election Results

4) Mat Su AC meeting update

5) Kenai/Soldotna Advisory committee update – Mel Erickson

6) Master guide Committee Update – Reuben Hanke

7) KRSMA Update – Joe Connors

Good of the Order

Adjournment