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Date Posted: 04:12:47 04/28/04 Wed
Author: Don Johnson
Subject: A GUIDE ONLY PRIMARY FISHERY & GUIDE ZONING

A GUIDE ONLY PRIMARY FISHERY & GUIDE ZONING

HISTORY OF FIRST RUN PROBLEM SOLVING WITHIN THE KRPGA



The KRPGA Early Run Solution Committee generated the below solutions
which were read at its monthly meeting on 12/10/02.

We Recommend:

1.] No mandatory general hook & release on the 2003 Kenai River early king run.
2.] Create a first and second stage mandatory king slot limit for the 2003 Kenai River early run.
Begin the season with a 45 - 55 inch slot limit and if the ADF&G projects that it will not be able to
make its minimum king escapement, expand the first stage slot limit into a second stage 28 - 55 inch
slot limit before going to mandatory general hook and release.05 / 01 / 03 - 06 / 30 / 03.
3.] Create a long term economic incentive which treats Kenai king salmon much like harvesting
a moose or any current big game. Increase the price to kill a large king salmon and require it to
be registered at the ADF&G. Intent is to slow effort on larger kings. Target impelmentation 05 / 01 / 04.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CURRENT KENAI FIRST RUN PROBLEM SOLVING WITHIN THE KRPGA [ PROSPOSAL # 434 ]

At the 01/14/02 KRPGA monthly meeting Joe Hanes introduced a Kenai River early run solution which is intended
to address the Alaska Board of Fish proposal # 434. The Alaska Board of Fish requested that the ADF&G
write a fisheries proposal which would address the "crossing-over" of anglers from the Kenai River to the
Kasilof River during first run Kenai king salmon restrictions. The ADF&G generated proposal # 434 to act as a
place holder proposal so the Board could legally address this cross-over problem at its March meeting.

Joe proposed that the KRPGA support the idea of only guides register for a single "Primary Fishery".
This concept would require a guide to select only a single fishery they would fish if the first run of kings in the
Kenai were restricted. If the Kenai first run were restricted, guides only ( would be able to fish other fisheries )
but ( would not be able to fish for kings within those fisheries ).
Joe discribed this concept as a primary fishery concept and when asked by other members
"why guides only", there was not a definite answer. Some members specifically generated
more general alternatives which would include the entire sport fish public and reduce the guided angler impact.
Joe wanted little to do with these general solution and instead pressed for a guide only primary fishery.

The purpose of the primary fishery idea is to address Alaska Board of Fish Proposal # 434.
Proposal # 434 claims that "large numbers of both guided and nonguided anglers turn to the Kasilof River."
when the Kenai River is restricted. Proposal # 434 requests that the Alaska Board of Fisheries create
regulations to prevent both guided and nonguided anglers from attempting this fishery shift.
The guide only primary fishery, GOPF idea ignores the fact that # 434 is addressing the general public but this
solution specifically only addresses the guide angler. The GOPF idea also ignores the fact that it may
stop the guides from fishing kings within a different fishery but it cannot stop that guides clients from fishing that fishery.
The entire goal of proposal # 434 is to stop both guided and nonguided anglers from shifting to other fisheries
but that shift can only be affected if you also stop the general public from traveling to other fisheries.
ADF&F data is currently showing that the Kasilof harvest of king salmon breaks down into about a 55% bank fishery
harvest and a 45% guided harvest.
A GOPF solution would not address more than half of the current Kasilof king harvest.

Within proposal # 434 the ADF&G is requesting a method to prevent the general public from shifting
to other fisheries during Kenai first run restrictions. The GOPF idea suggests that proposal # 434 may ask
for a guided and nonguided solution but it will only offer a guided solution.
This primary fisheries idea specifically avoids addressing part of proposal # 434 like it does not exist.
Even if the primary fisheries idea were a true solution it still fails to address part of the problem within proposal # 434.
A non-guided public fisheries shift during restrictions is also part of the problem stated within
proposal # 434 but the GOPF idea specifically ingores that part of the proposal.

A primary fishery for guides may prevent the guide from catching kings within another fishery but a single telephone
call by a guide would still move his clients to those same fisheries. There would be much financial
motive for guides to make that call. The GOPF idea does not address how it will prevent guides from sending clients
to other fisheries. A GOPF could result in a solution if it also prevented the client from fishing kings within other fisheries.
There is no known way to prevent both guides and clients from calling and making fishing reservations.
A GOPF idea is at best really an "illusion solution".
If this illusion solution were implemented it would have a great impact on who makes the money from a charter
and it may also earn the telephone companies a few dollars.
A GOPF is very unlikly to have any real impact on the people movement problem described within proposal # 434.

--------------------------------------------------
ZONING & PRIMARY FISHERY

Many KRPGA members still remember the many hours they put into fighting the guide zoning issue years ago.
Many of these same members are now asking why would the KRPGA attempt to do now what it fought so hard
against then?
Zoning guides all the time on the Kenai and enforcing a GOPF on guides (only during Kenai restrictions)
may appear to be two different subjects. These two subjects appear to be different subjects but when examined
they become a single issue and therefore produce much the same results.
Much study has been done on the zoning of fisheries. Most of todays fisheries zoning information shows that
zoning increases the total amount of fishing effort in general. Zoning increases fisheries effort because the public
anticipates even more future restrictions so they attempt to jump into the business or a productive area before
more restrictions arrive.
Zoning works well within limited entry fisheries because total users numbers cannot continue to grow
with time, thus avoiding a constant user / effort build-up.
A GOPF idea would only function if the guided fishery were limited entry.
If the guided Kenai River king fishery were made a primary fishery only during restriction it becomes a zoned fishery.
A guide only, zoned fishery must be controlled by limited entry in order to function.

Therefore the success or failure of a GOPF rests within legally applying limited entry law to Kenai River guides.
A GOPF without limited entry appears to be totally non-functional.

---------------------------------------------
ASKING QUESTIONS

Now is the time for KRPGA members to start asking questions about why it is now supporting
a concept which will nodoubt result in year around guide zoning within a few short years.
There is a wave of fear and doubt sweeping over the KRPGA.
Some members see the subsistence issue, the anti-guide issues, resource issues and the ecomony
as monstrous threats to their business and family.
This fear appears to be affecting the membership like the frantic passengers on a sinking ship.
The KRPGA ship is not sinking.
This new Guide Only Primary Fishery issue is in fact, our old enemy, the Guide Zoning issue.
The only really difference is the new packaging surrounding the old issue.

This Guide Only Primary Fishery title is functioning like "conservation wrapping paper"
on a very old "year around guide zoning present".
Many KRPGA members still remember the reasons for fighting the guide zoning issue years ago
but apparently some do not.

Don Johnson
ccpwow@gci.net

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