2014-12-02 Special Meeting Kodiak Island Borough
Assembly Special Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, December 2, 2014, 7:30 p.m. Borough Conference Room
Page
1. ROLL CALL
2. CITIZENS COMMENTS (Limited to Three Minutes per Speaker)
3. CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS IN THE CALL FOR THE SPECIAL
MEETING
2 - 10 A. Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDB) Proposal 26 "Trip Limit"
Letter of Support
Info Submission Proposal.pdf
KIB City Proposal 26 -final draft.pdf
AGDB Comments - Proposal 26.pdf
4. ADJOURNMENT
This meeting was called by Mayor Friend and Assembly members Rohrer, Skinner, and
Peterson.
Page 1 of 10
AGENDA ITEM #3.A.
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PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Glenn Haight,907-465-6095
For Inunediale Release: November 7,2014
Alaska Board of Fisheries to Meet in Cordova, December 3-8, 2014 on Prince
William Sound and Upper Copper and Upper Susitna Rivers Finfish
The Alaska Board of Fisheries(board)will meet December 3-8,2014,at the Mt. Eccles Elementary
School,201 Adams Street, Cordova,Alaska. During this six day public meeting, the board will meet to
consider 57 proposals regarding Finfish issues submitted by the general public, fishing organizations,
local Fish and Game Advisory Committees,and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
In addition to submitting written public comments,the board invites the public to give oral public
testimony during the meeting beginning December 3. Any person intending to testify must sign up at
the meeting site at the Mt. Eccles Elementary School in Cordova. The tentative deadline for signing up
is 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 3. Public testimony will continue until members of the public
who signed up before the deadline and are present have been given an opportunity to testify.
All portions of the meeting are open to the public and a live audio stream is intended to be available on
the Board of Fisheries website at www.boardoffisheries.adfg.alaska.aov. Documents submitted to the
board are intended to be posted online throughout the meeting. Copies of advanced meeting materials,
including the agenda and roadmap,are available from Boards Support Section, 907-465-4110, or
online at: http:/Jwww.adfe.alaska.gov/index.ctin?adfe=fisheriesboard.meetineinfo.
The board encourages the public to submit written comments on specific proposals and is accepting
on-time public comment until November 21. After November 21,written public comments are limited
to 10 single-sided or 5 double-sided pages in length from any one individual or group.These comments
are recorded as record copies and inserted in hoard member workbooks at the beginning of the meeting,
and accepted until the board begins deliberation of proposals.
Once proposal deliberations begin, the board will ONLY accept written public comments not more than
five single-sided pages, or the equivalent double-sided pages. The board may relax this requirement if
specific information is requested by the board requiring more pages than allowed under this standard.
See lutp:/A+naw.adfe.alaskapov/index.cfm?adfe=process.comments for details on public comment.
During the meeting,written public comments from any one individual or group may be submitted by
hand delivery at any time if28 copies are provided. As a practical matter,comments submitted after the
board begins deliberations on relevant proposals are likely to receive less consideration than comments
submitted earlier. Individuals not in attendance can submit written comments by fax to(907)465-6094.
Training opportunity: The Boards Support Section is offering a new training course, How to be
Effective at Board Meetine.The training course is open for public and advisory committee members. It
will be held twice at the Mt. Eccles Elementary School in the committee breakout room, starting at
7:00 p.m.on December 2 and 3.Call Boards Support,907-465-4110, for more information.
Page 2 of 10
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDB) Proposal 26 "Trip Limit" ...
AGENDA ITEM #3.A.
Page 3of10
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDS) Proposal 26 "Trip Limit" ...
AGENDA ITEM #3.A.
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PROPOSAL 26—5 AAC 28.263. Prince William Sound Pollock Management Plan.
PROPOSED BY:Bill Fejes for Polar Seafoods.
WHAT WOULD THE PROPOSAL DO?This proposal would establish a trip limit of 200,000
lb and prohibit use of tenders during the PWS walleye pollock pelagic trawl fishery.
WHAT ARE THE CURRENT REGULATIONS? The PWS walleye pollock pelagic trawl
fishery harvest limit is 300,000 lb per trip(5 AAC 28.073). Tenders are limited to possessing no
more than 600,000 lb of unprocessed walleye pollock onboard in a single calendar day(5 AAC
28.073).
WHAT WOULD BE THE EFFECT IF THE PROPOSAL WERE ADOPTED?The fishery
would be prosecuted at a slower pace because fishermen would be required to stop fishing and
offload after retaining 200,000 lb of walleye pollock in a given trip. The slower pace could
facilitate more timely management decisions in regards to bycatch limits. Increased transit times
and fuel costs would be significant, especially for the majority of the fleet that deliver their
harvest to Kodiak processors. Kodiak is 275 miles away from central PWS.
BACKGROUND:The walleye pollock pelagic trawl fishery begins January 20, which coincides
with the opening of federal Gulf of Alaska walleye pollock trawl fishery. Harvest in this state-
waters fishery has ranged between a high of 6.33 million lb in 1995 and 1.40 million lb in 2008
(Table 26-1). Annual participation has ranged from fewer than 3 vessels to 19 vessels. Vessel
participation has been high in recent years with 14 vessels participating in 2013 and 19 vessels in
2014,the highest levels in the history of the fishery. Although allowed by regulation,no tenders
have participated in this fishery.
The length of the season has varied. In the earliest years of the fishery, the season lasted
approximately one week(Table 26-1). Between 1999 and 2010,season length varied between 36
days and 84 days. The season has shortened in recent years (2011-2014) with the 2014 season
only 7 days long. The average delivery size in the past 10 years was 261,812 lb with a high of
319,569 lb(over the trip limit)and a low of 25,198 lb,both in 2014.
In the 2014 season,all participating vessels except for one delivered their harvest to a processor
in Kodiak;that one exception delivered to a processor in Seward,90 miles from central PWS.
Although bycatch in this fishery is low relative to other groundfish fisheries, bycatch rates have
sometimes warranted management measures; bycatch is shown in Table 26-2 as both pounds
harvested and as a percentage of round weight of walleye pollock harvested. In 2002, there was
a dramatic increase in bycatch rates for all species. At the following board meeting, the
department committed to encourage cleaner fishing practices in the PWS walleye pollock fishery
by apportioning the bycatch percentage to the following groups: rockfish (0.5%), salmon
(0.04%), sharks(0.96%), squid(3.0%), and other species(0.5%). Inseason bycatch information
is transmitted to the department but is not always very accurate and full accounting of bycatch
may not be available until after the closure of the fishery,when all fish ticket data are reviewed.
48
Page 4 of 10
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank(AGDB) Proposal 26 "Trip Limit" ...
AGENDA ITEM #3.A.
In 2008,2009,and 2014 the pollock fishery was closed because bycatch limits for rockfish were
exceeded,and in 2014 the bycatch limit for squid was also exceeded.
DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: The department is NEUTRAL on this allocative proposal.
COST ANALYSIS: Approval of this proposal could increase fuel costs for participants in the
fishery.
Table 26-1.—Annual guideline harvest level (GHL), season length, number of vessels, and harvest
from the PWS walleye pollock trawl fishery, 1995-2014.
GHL Season Harvest Harvest Test fish
Year (million lb) days Vessels (Ib) (%of GHL) (Ib)
1995 2,1-4.4 26 9 6,325,575 144% 215,025
1996 3.1 5 II 3,265,740 106% 421,137
1997 3.9 8 10 4,319,707 98% 539,123
1998 3.9 7 II 4,031,725 102% 631,751
1999 4.6 36 6 4,673,074 106% 490,761
2000' 3.1 70 4 2,256,504 72% 366,724
2001 3.1 64 " b b 381,502
2002 3.8 70 3 2,364,143 62% 177,071
2003 3.8 84 3 2,421,773 55% 54,224
2004 2.0 68 3 1,928,458 95% 400,677
2005 2.0 48 6 1,677,157 38% 317,183
2006 3.6 58 8 3,486,449 96% 590
2007 3.6 69 5 2,339,978 53% 259,155
2008 3.6 56 5 1,395,933 38% 0
2009 3.6 60 8 3,249,441 74% 300,806
2010 3.6 42 11 3,662,919 101% 311,853
2011 3.6 17 7 3,377,325 77% 339,683
2012 6.1 24 9 5,785,295 95% 0
2013 5.8 14 14 5,770,151 100% 496,856
2014 8.6 7 19 5,220,121 61% 0
Average
2000-2014 4.0 50 7 3.210,338 73% 299,768
' Walleye pollock harvest sections were created in 2000.
b Confidential information.
49
Page 5 of 10
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDB) Proposal 26 "Trip Limit" ...
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O Table 26-2.—Walleye pal lock harvest and bycatch by species or group in the PWS pollock fishery, 1995-2014.
m
N Reported bycatch ab
WYear Pollock harvest Rockfish Salmon Shark Squid Misc. Total bycatch
lb % lb % lb % lb % lb % lb %
D 1995 6,325,575 67 0.00% 76 0.00% 378 0.01% 1,346 0.02% 5,135 0.08% 7,002 0.11%
O 1996 3,265,552 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 2,724 0.08% 437 0.01% 3,836 0.12% 6,997 0.21%
CIJ O 1997 4,319,707 12 0.00% 42 0.00% 648 0.02% 17,016 0.39% 2,076 0.05% 19,794 0.46%
1998 4,013,725 10 0.00% 285 0.01% 7,825 0.19% 21,663 0.54% 11,909 0.30% 41,692 1.04%
p 1999 4,673,074 260 0.01% 2,088 0.04% 14,022 0.30% 5,968 0.13% 2,727 0.06% 25,065 0.54%
0
O 2000 256,504 1,368 0.06% 535 0.02% 2,024 0.09% 5,487 0.24% 974 0.04% 10,388 0.46%
n
N 2001 3,128,03E 4,031 0.13% 372 0.01% 4,061 0.13% 30,499 0.98% 1,594 0.05% 40,557 1.30%
rn 2002 2,364,143 28,993 1.23% 1,262 0.05% 52,480 2.22% 179,933 7.61% 3,431 0.15% 266,099 11.26%
2003 2,421,772 . 3,824 0.16% 189 0.01% 7,254 0.30% 20,417 0.84% 8,319 0.34% 40,003 1.65%
4 LA
2004 1,928,458 2,086 0.11% 151 0.01% 3,148 0.16% 10,890 0.56% 3,848 0.20% 20,123 1.04%
r
2005 1,677,157 8,289 0.49% 775 0.05% 11,483 0.68% 6,044 0.36% 9,841 0.59% 36,432 2.17%
0' 2006 3,486,499 11,303 0.32% 635 0.02% 3,461 0.10% 31,813 0.91% 17,846 0.51% 65,058 1.87%
2007 2,339,978 10,262 0.44% 836 0.04% 2,650 0.11% 11,155 0.48% 2,233 0.10% 27,136 1.16%
2008 1,395,933 20,790 1.49% 48 0.00% 1,550 0.11% 30,619 2.19% 1,066 0.08% 54,073 3.87%
2009 3,249,441 21,093 0.65% 142 0.00% 19,101 0.59% 15,747 0.48% 14,115 0.43% 70,199 2.16%
2010 3,662,919 3,594 0.10% 223 0.01% 3,133 0.09% 17,052 0,47% 21,854 0.60% 45,856 1.25%
2011 3,377,325 5,290 0.16% 50 0.00% 411 0.01% 15,006 0.44% 2,410 0.07% 23,167 0.69%
2012 5,785,295 16,904 0.29% 1,431 0.02% 1,810 0.03% 8,123 0.14% 12,682 0.22% 40,950 0.71%
2013 5,779,241 27,824 0.48% 61 0.00% 3,230 0.06% 86,116 1.49% 3,401 0.06% 120,632 2.09%
2014 5,220,121 67,446 1.29% 260 0.00% 526 0.01% 171,946 3.29% 24,322 0.47% 264,500 5.07%
' Includes at'sca discards.
b Test fish not included.
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AGENDA ITEM #3.A.
Page 7 of 10
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDB) Proposal 26 "Trip Limit" ...
AGENDA ITEM #3.A.
Alaska Board of Fisheries
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, Alaska 99811-5526
November,2014
Regarding: Proposal 26(pollock vessel trip limit)
Dear Chair Johnstone and Board Members,
The City of Kodiak and the Kodiak Island Borough have received input from local
stakeholders who participate in the Prince William Sound(PWS)pollock fishery on the
proposed trip limit modification. Both the Kodiak trawl pollock Vessels and Kodiak
seafood processors are concerned that changing the trip limit for the PWS pollock fishery
would negatively affect their operations. They believe that reducing the trip limit from
the current 300,000 pounds to the proposed limit of 200,000 pounds will affect their
ability to participate in the fishery and negatively affect the community of Kodiak as a
whole. Reducing the trip limit will reduce the valueofeach pollock trip making it likely
that vessels will discontinue pollock deliveries into Kodiak.
Kodiak is dependent on the PWS pollock fishery. The majority/of pollock harvests from
PWS are delivered into the port of Kodiak. Based on the PWS Registration Area E
Groundfish Fisheries management report, 2009-2013, recent ex-vessel value of the
fishery is approximately one million dollars,a wholesale value of approximately 2.4
million dollars. Our community has invested heavily in infrastructure to support these
landings—water,electricity,harbors,docks andtransportation infrastructure. Landings
across our docks provide jobs and wages to our resident processor labor force and tax
revenue to support our local municipalities. Our community has benefited from the PWS
pollock fishery since its inception in 1995 and has demonstrated long terns historical
dependency on the fishery.
As outlined in the management plan,ADF&G has many tools available to manage the
pace of the fishery and keep patch and bycatch within levels allowed in the fishery.
These tools include mandatory check-in and check-out procedures, inseason catch
reporting,the present trip limit of 300,000 lbs. and finally the department's authority to
open and close the fishery for short fishing periods as needed. The Department has
demonstrated their ability to manage the fishery effectively during the recent time clip
from 2010 to 2013 with actual catches ranging from 94%to 102%of pollock GHL with
bycatch amounts below the allowable bycatch caps. They have also successfully closed
the fishery when either bycatch or pollock catches have reached their limits. Given this
effective management authority,the most significant effect of any trip limit change
would simply be a redistribution of landings away from Kodiak.
Our community is concerned that changing the PWS pollock trip limit will reallocate
access to the fishery and negatively affect the overall community of Kodiak. We
Page 8 of 10
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDB) Proposal 26 "Trip Limit' ...
AGENDA ITEM #3.A.
encourage the Board of Fish to reject the proposed reduced pollock trip limit. We
appreciate your consideration of our recommendation and also want to thank you for your
service to both the State of Alaska and the sustainability of Alaska's abundant fishery
resources.
Sincerely.
•
Page 9 of 10
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDB) Proposal 26 "Trip Limit" ...
AGENDA ITEM #3.A.
Groundfish Data Bank
"5 PA:901.4B6.3033 FAX 901-086.3461 P.O.BOX 788•RODJAR,Ax.99615
US Julie Bonney,Executive Director jbonney®gci.net b'
al Katy McCauley,Fisheries Biologist agdb®gci.net �
Q �
Alaska Board of Fisheries
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
P.O. Box 115526
Juneau,AK 99811-5526 November 14,2014
Dear Chaiman Johnstone and Board Memhers,
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDI3) is a member organization that includes the majority of both the
shorebased processors located in Kodiak and catcher vessels home ported in Kodiak that participate in the
Prince William Sound (PWS) Pelagic Pollock Trawl fishery. The Kodiak processors and vessels have
participated in the state managed PWS pollock fishery since its inception in 1995 and have demonstrated long
term dependency on the fishery. The community of Kodiak benefits from both the landed catch and processed
catch that occurs within the city of Kodiak. Thus not only are the Kodiak processors and harvesting vessels
dependent on the PWS pollock fishery but also the overall community of Kodiak.
Our members have grave concerns regarding proposal 26 which would change the pollock trip limit from
300.000 pounds to 200.000 pounds. Reducing the trip limit will reduce the ex-vessel value of each pollock trip
reducing the likelihood that vessels will continue to deliver pollock to both the city of Kodiak and the Kodiak
processors. The reduced trip limit also increases inefficiencies, requiring harvesters to utilize more resources
for less fish—with the high costs associated with fishing including the price of fuel this makes no economic
sense.
ADFG staff have suggested that they have the necessary tools to manage the pace of the fishery allowing them
to manage for both the guideline harvest level of pollock and the bycatch limits within the fishery These tools
include the check ins and check out system to monitor participation levels and fleet catches along with the
departments ability to open and close the fishery for shorter fishing periods as needed. The Department has
demonstrated their ability to manage the fishery effectively during the recent time clip from 2010 to 2013 with
actual catches ranging front 94% to 102% of the pollock GhlL and bycatch catches below the allowable
byeatch caps.
AGDB members respectfully request that the Board reject proposal 26. We believe successful management of
the fishery is not the core issue of this proposal — it is effectively an action that will only constrain full
prosecution of the fishery,hurting vessels,processors_and Kodiak. We appreciate the opportunity to comment
and look forward to engaging with the Board at the upcoming Prince William Sound meetings.
S/ �i`Anncc(erely,
Julie Bonney
Executive Director
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank
Page 10 of 10
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDB) Proposal 26 "Trip Limit' ...
Kodiak Island Borough
Assembly Special Meeting Guidelines
December 2, 2014, 7:30 p.m., Borough Conference Room
1. ROLL CALL
KIBC 2.16.070.... the Chair shall cause the record to reflect the absence of the member, the
REASON for the absence, and whether the absence is excused by the Assembly.
Recommended motion: Move to excuse Assembly member Griffin who is absent due
to personal leave.
VOICE VOTE ON MOTION.
2. CITIZENS' COMMENTS (These are limited to three minutes per speaker.)
A. Agenda Items not scheduled for public hearing and general comments.
ASK SPEAKERS TO SIGN IN AND STATE THEIR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
3. CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS IN THE CALL FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING
A. Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDB) Proposal 26 "Trip Limit" Letter of Support
Recommended motion: Move to authorize the Mayor to execute the Letter of
Support for the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank Proposal 26 "Trip Limit".
Staff Report — Manager Cassidy
Assembly discussion.
ROLL CALL VOTE ON MOTION.
4. ADJOURNMENT
Recommended motion: Move to adjourn the meeting.
ROLL CALL VOTE ON MOTION.
Kodiak Island Borough Assembly Guidelines
December 2, 2014 Page 1
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