As you know Chum salmon levels have been very low for Western Alaska, and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) is now considering a cap on Chum salmon bycatch in the commercial pollock fishery.

Fishery Management
The State of Alaska regulates fisheries within 3 miles out  from the shoreline. The Federal government manages fisheries up to 200 miles out from the shoreline. The federal government manages all fisheries in federal waters through the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (www.npfmc.org)

What is Chum bycatch? It is the unintended harvesting of Chum salmon, when trying to harvest other fish, like pollock. All salmon caught as bycatch in the pollock fishery die. The Chum salmon bycatch numbers are in the hundreds of thousands annually. At this meeting, the NPFMC will consider a cap on Chum salmon bycatch, and other measures to reduce Chum salmon bycatch.

Attend the Meeting and/or Provide Comments or Testimony

Discussing this issue, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council will meet April 1-9, at the Hilton Hotel, in Anchorage, and you can join in via zoom or call in on your phone! If you would like to join through ZOOM, here is the link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81451130091 and enter the following meeting ID: 814 5113 0091

If you would like to join the meeting via phone, call the following number: 1-253-215-8782 and enter the following meeting ID: 814 5113 0091

The e-agenda will contain a discussion on Chum salmon bycatch.

Your comments are important, and we encourage you to share your comments with the Council. The Council’s discussion on Chum bycatch is currently scheduled to happen on the following days: April 4, 5, 6, and possibly 7.

Written Comments
The Council is accepting written comments until 12 pm on March 29th. You can submit comments on Chum bycatch (agenda item C2) via this link:  https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/3039

Live Testimony
You can also share your comments by providing up to 3 minutes of individual testimony, or up to 6 minutes as a representative of your Tribe or organization. You can sign up to provide testimony at the following link once the council reaches this agenda item at: https://www.npfmc.org/current-or-next-council-meeting/

Watch livestream
You can also watch the live stream of meeting on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@npfmclive4407/streams

Please contact the following individuals if you have questions:

Brenden Raymond-Yakoubian sandhillcc@gmail.com

Lisa Ellanna lellanna@kawerak.org

Julie Raymond-Yakoubian juliery@kawerak.org