Alaska s Salmon Fishery Management - 50 Years of Sustainability - John Hilsinger, Director Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Commercial Fisheries
Presentation Objectives Review the relevant policies and approaches Explain key elements of management Describe stock status and trends in salmon fisheries, annual harvests, and exvessel values Consider some challenges for the future 2
Providing for Sustained Yield Constitution: Article VIII, Sec(4). Fish, forests, wildlife, grasslands, and all other replenishable resources belonging to the State shall be utilized, developed, and maintained on the sustained yield principle, subject to preferences among beneficial uses. Statute: AS 16.05.020(2). The commissioner (of the Department of Fish and Game) shall manage, protect, maintain, improve and extend the fish, game and aquatic plant resources of the state in the interest of the economy and general well-being of the state. 3
Providing for Sustained Yield Knowledgeable local managers Inseason management by emergency order Escapement goals or other management objectives designed to sustain yield over the long term Subject to little political intervention 4
Providing for Sustained Yield Alaska Board of Fisheries Setting seasons, harvest guidelines, methods and means, regulatory management plans Setting policy and direction for the management of the state s fishery resources Charged with making allocation decisions 5
Providing for Sustained Yield Policies and regulations Policy for the Management of Mixed-Stock Salmon Fisheries, 5 AAC 39.220 Policy for the Management of Sustainable Salmon Fisheries, 5 AAC 39.222 Policy for Statewide Salmon Escapement Goals, 5 AAC 39.223 Salmon fishery management plans 6
Escapement Goals Biological Escapement Goal (BEG) The escapement that provides the greatest potential for maximum sustained yield (MSY) Sustainable Escapement Goal (SEG) A level of escapement, indicated by an index or an escapement estimate, that is known to provide for sustained yield over a 5 to 10 year period, used in situations where a BEG cannot be estimated Optimal Escapement Goal (OEG) An escapement objective that considers biological and allocative factors an OEG will be sustainable 7
Escapement Enumeration 8
Success Meeting Escapement Goals 2001-2007 Ave. number of goals 279 Ave. number below goal 39 (14%) Ave. number within goal 107 (38%) Ave. number above goal 133 (48%) 9
Alaska Commercial Salmon Catches and Value 1878 2007 (All species combined) Millions of Fish 220 210 200 190 180 170 160 150 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Salmon images courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Value Limited Entry Begins 1878 1881 1884 1887 1890 1893 1896 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1917 1920 1923 1926 1929 1932 1935 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 Year State Management Begins $800 $700 $600 $500 $400 $300 $200 $100 $0 Exvessel Valu ue (Millions) 10 10
Alaska Commercial Pink Salmon Catches and Value - 1878 2007 160,000 $160 140,000 Value $140 Thousand ds of Fish 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 Salmon images courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. $120 $100 $80 $60 $40 Exvessel Value (Millions) 20,000 $20 0 1878 1881 1884 1887 1890 1893 1896 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1917 1920 1923 1926 1929 1932 1935 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 Year $0 Courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. 11 11
Alaska Commercial Sockeye Salmon Catches and Value - 1878 2007 70,000 $450 60,000 Value $400 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 $350 $300 $250 $200 $150 $100 Thousands of Fish Exvessel Value (Millions) Salmon images courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. 10,000 $50 0 1878 1881 1884 1887 1890 1893 1896 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1917 1920 1923 1926 1929 1932 1935 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 Year $0 12 12
Alaska Commercial Chum Salmon Catches and Value - 1878 2007 30,000 $120 25,000 Value $100 20,000 15,000 10,000 $80 $60 $40 Thousands of Fish Exvessel Value (Millions) 5,000 $20 0 1878 1881 1884 1887 1890 1893 1896 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1917 1920 1923 1926 1929 1932 1935 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 Year $0 13 Courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. 13
Alaska Commercial Coho Salmon Catches and Value - 1878 2007 10,000 $70 Thousan nds of Fish 9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 Salmon images courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Value $60 $50 $40 $30 $20 Value (Millions) Exvessel 2,000 1,000 $10 0 1878 1881 1884 1887 1890 1893 1896 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1917 1920 1923 1926 1929 1932 1935 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 Year $0 Courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. 14 14
Alaska Commercial Chinook Salmon Catches and Value - 1878 2007 1,200 $35 1,000 Value $30 s of Fish 800 600 $25 $20 ue (Millions)
Challenges for the Future Increasing management complexity Increasing variability in timing and run size Dealing with assessment and certification of sustainability Hatchery and wild stocks Interest in resource development 16
Thank you. Questions? 17