[Jump
to the main content of this page] |
|||||||||||||||
Tongass National Forest |
|||||||||||||||
|
Tongass Home » Newsroom » News Releases Redoubt Lake Sockeye ClosureContact:Terry Suminski (907) 747-4204 Tongass National Forest, Alaska, July 17, 2008- Sitka, Alaska
FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE FISHERY FOR SOCKEYE SALMON CLOSED IN REDOUBT LAKE NEAR SITKA, ALASKA
Sitka , Alaska - The Sitka District Ranger, as in-season manager, is closing the Federal subsistence sockeye fishery to all users in Federal public waters of Redoubt Lake due to a low adult sockeye return in 2008. The closure will be effective 11:59 p.m. , Friday, July 18, 2008 and continue until 11:59 p.m. , September 17, 2008 .
District Ranger Carol Goularte has announced that she is acting immediately to protect sockeye salmon in Redoubt Lake near Sitka . The Federal Subsistence Board has delegated to her this in-season management authority.
From July 18 to September 17, 2008, Redoubt Lake will be closed to all fishing for sockeye salmon. Any sockeye caught must be immediately returned to the water unharmed.
Based on weir counts, the Redoubt Lake sockeye return is low in abundance in 2008. Although it is possible that the run may be later than normal this year, indications are that the run is extremely low. A weir operated by the Forest Service is located at the lake outlet. As of July 15, 2008 the weir count was 1,322 sockeye salmon. The projected total escapement of sockeye salmon to Redoubt Lake is 5,500 fish based on an escapement model which is based on 28 years of weir operation at Redoubt Lake . The return of sockeye salmon is below the desired escapement range for Redoubt Lake as described by the Redoubt Bay and Lake Sockeye Salmon Management Plan. If the projected escapement increases, the Federal subsistence fishery for sockeye salmon at Redoubt Lake may re-opened by a subsequent special action.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has also taken emergency action to close Redoubt Lake and Bay to commercial, sport and subsistence fishing for sockeye due to the low numbers of sockeye. This closure was effective 11:59 pm July 16, 2008 .
The USDA Forest Service manages Federal subsistence fisheries in fresh waters of the Tongass National Forest . The ADF&G continues to manage all fisheries in marine waters. This special action has been coordinated with ADF&G and is in compliance with the Redoubt Bay and Lake Sockeye Salmon Management Plan. Both USDA Forest Service and ADF&G managers will continue to monitor Redoubt Lake sockeye salmon. If numbers of sockeye salmon improve, both agencies may take action to supersede these emergency actions as outlined in the Redoubt Bay and Lake Sockeye Salmon Management Plan .
For additional information, please contact Maureen Clark, Office of Subsistence Management, toll-free at 800-478-1456 or (907) 786-3888; Terry Suminski at (907) 747-4204; or Phil Sammon at (907) 228-6201. Additional information on the Federal Subsistence Management Program can be found on the web at http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/home.html.
|
||||||||||||||
top | |||||||||||||||
USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest |