Posted On July 25, 2012 By In kpfa With 2492 Views

Potential Talking Points

Potential talking points when you call your legislators.

-Overescaping the sockeye salmon in the Kenai River is damaging future sockeye runs.

-As high as 40% of Eastside king salmon harvest is jack kings (kings under 30 inches). These are not included in commercial guide harvest catch records.

-The DIDSON SONAR system does not include kings under 30 inches.

-99.6% of total Eastside setnet harvest is sockeye salmon.

-Every king caught in Eastside setnets is considered a Kenai-bound fish, without genetic confirmation.

-Eastside setnet is the only fishery not fishing while every other user group has been given more opportunities to fish. Guides have been allowed 19 days to fish targeting kings; dipnetters are allowed 24 hour fishing. Sport fishing limits have been increased. Kasilof has been given 3 days to fish, Kenai has been given one.

-Beyond their 19 days of commercially guided king trips, Kenai commercial guides continue to work touring sockeye and personal use charters on the Kenai river. As of August 1st, the river will open for Coho fishing with unavoidable bycatch of Chinook salmon, while Eastside setnetters remain on the beach.

-ADF&G does not enumerate (count) real-time fish passage rates for king salmon. Final harvest numbers are done post-season
(ADF&G currently does not report the Kenai River king escapement until after the season)

-Over 80% of S04H (Cook Inlet) permit holders are Alaska residents. 56% are Kenai Peninsula Borough residents.

-400 local fishing businesses will have major economic loss this season, which affects all of the Kenai Peninsula and Alaska. Former Governor Palin rallied daily for the loss of 60 Agrium jobs on the Kenai Peninsula; our current governor has refused to address our crisis.

-At the 2011 Board of Fish meeting, only a single proposal presented by KPFA was passed. Proposals presented by Kenai River Sports Association (KRSA) had over 50% passage rate.