The Alaska Board of Fisheries opened its statewide finfish and supplemental issues meeting in Anchorage on March 17, 2026, with Chair Maret Carlson-Vandort presiding over introductions and procedural matters before the board received presentations on action plans for struggling salmon stocks in Western Alaska.
Six of seven board members attended the opening session. Board member Israel Godfrey was expected to join the following day. Members present included Olivia Irwin of Nenana, Kurt Chamberlain of Wasilla, Tom Carpenter of Cordova, Greg Swenson of Anchorage, and Mike Wood of Chase. Each member disclosed potential conflicts of interest as required by state ethics law.
Wood recused himself from deliberations on Proposal 186, which addresses Cook Inlet commercial drift gillnet fishing. Wood holds a Cook Inlet setnet permit registered in the Northern District and acknowledged that changes to Central District drift fishing could potentially increase fish availability in his area, creating a financial conflict.
The board heard detailed presentations from Alaska Department of Fish and Game staff on action plans for three stocks designated as stocks of management concern: Yukon River king salmon, Yukon River fall chum salmon, and Kwiniak River king salmon in Norton Sound.
Aaron Tiernan, Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim regional management coordinator for the Division of Commercial Fisheries, outlined the history and current status of each stock. Yukon River king salmon have been designated a stock of yield concern since 2000, with the board upgrading the designation to stock of management concern in October 2025. "As you can see, no escapement goals have been achieved since 2019, which is what led to the department's recommendation and subsequent adoption by the board," Tiernan said.
The department presented three management options for Yukon River king salmon. The first maintains current management under the seven-year agreement with Canada that runs through 2030, which closes all directed king salmon fisheries and establishes a border passage objective of 71,000 Canadian-origin fish. Tiernan explained that "this agreement states that all king salmon directed commercial sport, domestic, and personal use fisheries are closed for the duration. Also, it established a border passage objective of 71,000 Canadian origin king salmon with the stipulation that all fisheries within the mainstem will be closed if this is not projected to be met." The second option would refine fish wheel specifications to make them more fish-friendly, requiring soft mesh materials and smooth chutes to reduce injury to released fish. The third option would establish harvest limits on subsistence permits during conservation periods.
For Yukon River fall chum salmon, designated as a stock of management concern in October 2025 after strong runs through 2019, the department proposed similar options. "The drainage-wide escapement goal has not been achieved since 2020, with some of the lowest escapements on record occurring during this time period," Tiernan said.
This article was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by editors before publishing. Every claim can be verified against the original transcript. If you spot an error, let us know.
Board member Olivia Irwin questioned why the department used different delisting criteria for the three stocks. Tiernan explained that Yukon River king salmon have multiple tributary goals rather than a single drainage-wide goal, so the delisting criteria requires a majority of lower bounds to be met rather than all goals consecutively.
The Kwiniak River king salmon designation proved more controversial. The department had not recommended listing the stock at the October work session, citing recent colonization, lack of directed fishery, and questions about whether the escapement goal is appropriate. The board adopted the designation anyway in November.
Zach Liller, Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim regional research coordinator, explained that the current escapement goal of 250 fish was established in 2016, reduced from 300 fish to reflect the population's history and lack of commercial fishery development. Escapements in the 1960s and early 1970s were similar to recent levels, suggesting the current small runs may represent the natural state of this northern population.
The department presented two options for Kwiniak River king salmon. The first maintains status quo management with existing restrictions on gillnet mesh size. The second would close subsistence gillnet fishing in marine waters from June 1 through July 15, allow only live-release gear types, and delay commercial fishing until July 15 or until a harvestable surplus is identified.
Tiernan noted that eliminating all harvest would be unlikely to result in the escapement goal being met in most years, and would create food insecurity and economic hardship for communities along the Yukon River and Norton Sound that depend on chum, pink, and coho salmon harvests during the same period. These communities rely on subsistence fishing not only for king salmon but for other species caught in the same gillnet fisheries during the summer months.
Board members pressed department staff on habitat considerations in the action plans. Irwin asked whether the plans included actions to address habitat and environmental changes as required by the Sustainable Salmon Policy. Tiernan acknowledged that habitat was considered but not detailed extensively in the draft reports, noting that habitat discussions are ongoing through the Yukon River Panel's king salmon rebuilding plan process and other forums. Irwin responded that "it would have been nice to see an acknowledgment in an action step of if the department receives funding, the priority will go to habitat and environment restoration."
Wood questioned the department's comfort level with catch-and-release of king salmon in fish wheels and other gear types. Tiernan said the department would be more inclined to allow fish wheel opportunity if the wheels met fish-friendly specifications, reducing injury to released fish.
Chair Carlson-Vandort asked about the assessment process for stocks of conservation concern, the most severe designation under state policy. Liller explained that establishing sustainable escapement thresholds remains a developing initiative within the department, with no clear consensus on the right technique for identifying population tipping points. The department's approach has been to stay as far away from those thresholds as possible through conservative management.
The board also received traditional knowledge reports from tribal representatives and local fishermen. Rob Sanderson Jr., third vice president of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, testified on behalf of the organization's 38,000 tribal citizens. He opposed statewide proposals that would limit subsistence access and reduce hatchery production, arguing that such changes would disproportionately harm indigenous communities.
Mike Webber of Cordova, a Kaliak Kaagwaantaan Yeti tribal member, described the traditional knowledge required to fish the remote rivers of the Lost Coast, including the Kaliak and Sioux rivers. Webber detailed how these rivers change course dramatically, sometimes moving the mouth a quarter mile in a matter of days, requiring intimate knowledge of the landscape and conditions.
Matthew Andersstrom and Darrell James of the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe testified about the Sioux River fishery, which has been commercially fished since 1932 and is the site of multiple Native allotments. James, a former three-term mayor of the City and Borough of Yakutat, described the fishery as part of a broader cultural struggle over access to resources.
Peter Olson, director of lands and natural resources for Koniag, testified about the importance of hatchery programs to the Kodiak region, particularly for potential restoration efforts for the severely depleted Karluk River king salmon run. Olson noted that "like many places throughout the state, on Kodiak Island, our natural king salmon runs are in jeopardy. Runs that used to total over 10,000 king salmon on the Karluk system in the last 2 years have not got to 100." He emphasized the value of collaborative approaches between landowners, forestry interests, and fishery managers.
John Hillsinger testified about golden king crab declines in the western Aleutians and the impact of trawling on rebuilding efforts. "The golden king crab in that western Aleutian area have declined dramatically in recent years. And even though trawling may not be the cause of the decline, it certainly is not going to help rebuild that population," Hillsinger said, highlighting broader challenges facing Alaska fisheries management beyond salmon stocks.
The meeting continues through the week, with the board scheduled to hear public testimony, conduct committee of the whole sessions, and deliberate on proposals addressing issues ranging from subsistence transportation services to trawl gear definitions to hatchery production levels.
The board operates under parliamentary procedure, with motions, amendments, and votes on each proposal. Final actions will be reflected in regulatory changes that take effect after the meeting concludes and the board's findings are published.
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