Policies Governing AlaskaPolicies Governing Alaska’’s Salmon s Salmon ManagementManagement

Charles O. SwantonCharles O. SwantonAlaska Dept. of Fish and Game,Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game,

Division of Sport FishDivision of Sport Fish

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Presentation Overview

ESCAPEMENT GOAL POLICY•Development •Terms and Examples•Elements and principles •Goal Development

SUSTAINABLE SALMON FISHERIES POLICY•Policy Development•Inputs, Terms and Definitions •Initial implementation

•SUMMARY

Policy for Statewide Salmon Escapement Goals

• Policy development Initiated in 1989-memo

• Central theme-”to achieve a constant level of escapement regardless of run strength”.

• As information improves escapement goals will be improved and developed for increasing sustained harvest level.

• A professional and scientific approach is required for establishing and changing goals.

The 1992 working draft included:

Data quality, scientific methods, informing the pubic and users,allocation implications directed to BOF.

Codified Escapement Goal Policy:Key Elements

1) Establish BEGs and SEGs for stocks that are actively managed for.

2) Document all analyses used to establish goals.

3) Establish SETs if needed.

4) Review goals within a region every BOF cycle.

BEG: Biological Escapement Goal

• A goal that provides the greatest potential for MSY;

• Primary management Objective;

• Based on best available biological information;

• Expressed as a range;• Seek to maintain

escapements evenly within the range.

Building a Brood Table

• Escapement Estimates• Harvest Estimates • Age Composition of Escapement and

Harvest• Stock Identification and Run

Reconstruction • 20-30 years of DATA

YearYearYearYear EscapementEscapementEscapementEscapement ReturnReturnReturnReturn

1972197219721972 457,800457,800457,800457,800 362,587362,587362,587362,587

1973197319731973 249,015249,015249,015249,015 856,936856,936856,936856,936

1974197419741974 411,133411,133411,133411,133 1,338,6571,338,6571,338,6571,338,6571975197519751975 900,967900,967900,967900,967 843,132843,132843,132843,132

1976197619761976 511,475511,475511,475511,475 2,926,4442,926,4442,926,4442,926,444

1977197719771977 358,771358,771358,771358,771 1,321,2971,321,2971,321,2971,321,297

1978197819781978 307,270307,270307,270307,270 1,187,3051,187,3051,187,3051,187,305

1979197919791979 280,537280,537280,537280,537 979,514979,514979,514979,5141980198019801980 492,676492,676492,676492,676 1,744,5581,744,5581,744,5581,744,558

1981198119811981 1,486,1821,486,1821,486,1821,486,182 2,779,1912,779,1912,779,1912,779,191

1982198219821982 444,581444,581444,581444,581 988,061988,061988,061988,061

1983198319831983 362,912362,912362,912362,912 1,220,4801,220,4801,220,4801,220,480

1984198419841984 891,028891,028891,028891,028 2,928,1932,928,1932,928,1932,928,1931985198519851985 1,080,2431,080,2431,080,2431,080,243 1,141,6201,141,6201,141,6201,141,620

1986198619861986 1,189,6021,189,6021,189,6021,189,602 1,203,3671,203,3671,203,3671,203,367

1987198719871987 455,876455,876455,876455,876 1,480,5991,480,5991,480,5991,480,599

1988198819881988 1,125,4491,125,4491,125,4491,125,449 628,815628,815628,815628,815

1989198919891989 636,906636,906636,906636,906 1,318,3631,318,3631,318,3631,318,363

1990199019901990 403,627403,627403,627403,627 1,300,4121,300,4121,300,4121,300,4121991199119911991 847,772847,772847,772847,772 1,588,2121,588,2121,588,2121,588,212

1992199219921992 775,626775,626775,626775,626 1,233,7191,233,7191,233,7191,233,719

1993199319931993 517,409517,409517,409517,409 467,159467,159467,159467,159

Spawner-Recruit Data(Anvik River chum salmon)

SEG: Sustainable Escapement Goal

– Level of escapement indicated by an index or escapement estimate that is known to provide for sustained yields over a 5-10 year period

– Used when stock-specific catch data is lacking.

– Stated as a range taking into account data uncertainty

OEG: Optimal Escapement Goal

• A specific management objective for salmon escapement that considers biological and allocativefactors.

• Expressed as a range with lower bound above that of an SET

• Set by the Board of Fish (not ADFG)

• Example: lower a goal to allow for subsistence harvest; or raise a goal because of data uncertainty.

• CountingTowers

Mark-Recapture

Picket Weir

Floating Weir (Takotna R.)

Floating Weir (SF Koyokuk)

• Sonar

• Aerial Counts

Sustainable Salmon Fisheries Policy Development:

1997-1999

• ADF&G/BOF Sustainable Fisheries Committee

• Synthesis of published scientific information

• Department panel for technical review

• Public advisory panel

• Over 30 public meetings

• External scientific peer review conducted

I. Principles and criteria for sustainable salmon fisheries management

II. Implementation Steps

III. Definitions of terms

IV. Courtship & subsequent marriage to BEG policy (Feb 2001)

PARTS OF THE POLICY

Principles

• Protect wild salmon and habitat to ensure sustained yields.

• Manage for escapement ranges that sustain production & maintain normal ecosystem functioning.

• Apply effective management systems which regulate human activities.

• Encourage public support and involvement.

• Manage conservatively commensurate with uncertainty.

General policy Implementation

• At BOF meetings/work sessions (normal cycle)

ADF&G provides stock by stock review for consistency with principles and criteria.

• Each stock status report will discuss escapement goals, habitat issues, and Identify concerns.

• If concern is identified, ADF&G/BOF crafts an action plan.

Terms and Definitions

44 terms are defined

- MSY

- Burden of conservation

- Stock

- Yield

- 3 types of Escapement goals (BEG, SEG, OEG)

- 3 levels concern (yield, management, conservation)

Levels of Concern

• Yield Concern: results from a chronic inability to maintain yields or harvestable surplus above escapement needs

• Management Concern: results from a chronic inability to maintain escapements within the bounds of a BEG,SEG, or OEG.

• Conservation Concern: results from a chronic inability to maintain escapements above a sustainable escapement threshold (SET).

Chronic inability - continuing or anticipated inability to meet escapement threshold (goals) over 4-5 year period (generation time of most spp.) despite use of specific management measures.

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Year

Esc

apem

ent

SET

Escapement Goal

Management ConcernManagement ConcernManagement ConcernManagement Concern

Conservation ConcernConservation ConcernConservation ConcernConservation Concern

Yield ConcernYield ConcernYield ConcernYield Concern

Average Average Average Average

YieldYieldYieldYield

Action Plan Elements

• Habitat restoration, protection measures

• Stock rebuilding goals, objectives

• Management actions

• Performance measures

• Research plan

• Communication with other agencies

First time Implementation: Western Alaska Fisheries 2000-2001

• The Board requested specific focus on Western AK stocks after the 2000 season.

• The Department provided stock-status reports (Sept. 2000 meeting);

• The Board defined levels of concern (Sept 2000);

• The Board and Department developed action plan options (November 2000)

• Board held a special BEG meeting(Dec. 2000)

Western Alaska Salmon Stocks of Concern:

• Yield Concern1. Kuskokwim chinook salmon

2. Kuskokwim chum salmon

3. Yukon fall chum salmon (except Toklat and Fishing Branch stocks)

4. Yukon chinook salmon

5. Golovin Bay & Moses Pt. chum salmon

6. Kvichak sockeye salmon

Kuskokwim ChinookYield Concern Designation

(Escapement)• 1996-1997 escapement goals achieved; parent

year escapements judged good-fair

• 1998-2000 escapement goals not achieved; parent year escapements judged good

• 2001 outlook is for a poor chinook run

Kuskokwim ChinookYield Concern Designation

(Harvest)• Non-directed commercial chinook catch 1988-92

Avg=47,000, whereas 93-00 Avg=12,000.

• 1996-97 Subsistence Harvest Avg=79,500; Commercial Avg=8,900

• 1998-99 Subsistence Harvest Avg=77,000; Commercial Avg=11,000

• 2000 Subsistence Harvest ~70,000?; Commercial Harvest=444

• 2001 Outlook is for a poor run.

Kuskokwim Chinook(Salmon Rebuilding Plan)

• Intent and Objectives articulated-stocks managed during June and July to meet escapement goals and subsistence needs– Subsistence fishery open 4 consecutive days/week applied

temporally within drainage; adjustments via E.O.– Commercial fishery (chum Salmon), when indicators suggest

subsistence needs met, in co-op with Working Group, and after notifying BOF, may open chum salmon fishing-GHR for chinook 0-50,000

– Sport fishery restrictions made commensurate with abundance; Aniak R. reduction of bag limit and establishment of annual limit.

– Gear and gear specifications-ADF&G given E.O. authority.

Sustainable Salmon Fisheries Policy

• Provides an analytical structure for the BOF process

• Articulates ADF&G and BOF approach to salmon management

• Encompasses a large geographic, multi-stock, multi-species scope

• Is implemented in a public forum - the Board of Fisheries process

Summary Summary

• Constitution mandates fish resources be developed and maintained for sustained yields.

• SSF and EG Policies built on a harvest strategy based on fixed escapements.

• Fixed escapements offer the opportunity for greater yields than with other harvest strategies

• Regular evaluations of goals and management strategies under the SSFP ALMOST assure sustainability.