Alaska Salmon Fisheries
Alaska Salmon Fisheries Management
The salmon fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off Alaska are managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off the Coast of Alaska (salmon FMP). The salmon FMP allows a commercial troll fishery in the EEZ off Southeast Alaska, and closes the remaining EEZ off Central and Western Alaska to commercial salmon fishing. Through the salmon FMP, the NPFMC and NMFS intend to conserve and manage the salmon resources in the North Pacific Ocean. All other salmon fishing occurs either in state waters or in one of three historical State-managed net fishing areas that extend into the EEZ. The salmon FMP does not cover the fisheries in these three State managed fishing areas; Cook Inlet, Prince Williams Sound, and Alaska Peninsula.
The salmon FMP defers management of the commercial troll fishery in Southeast Alaska to the State of Alaska and, under the Pacific Salmon Treaty, the U.S.-Canada Pacific Salmon Commission. The Southeast Alaska troll fishery is a mixed-stock, mixed-species fishery that primarily targets chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho salmon (O. kisutch), with pink salmon (O. gorbuscha), chum salmon (O. keta), and sockeye salmon (O. nerka) taken incidentally.
The NMFS Northwest Region has jurisdiction over the salmon species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
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Salmon Fisheries Management
- NMFS Alaska:
- Bycatch Management
- 74 FR 31700, July 2, 2009. Notice of a workshop to solicit comments from the Bering Sea Pollock fishing industry and other interested persons/parties on draft reporting forms for a proposed Chinook salmon bycatch data collection program. The workshop will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2009, at the Nordby Conference Room at Fishermen’s Terminal, Seattle, WA.
- Bering Sea non-Chinook Salmon Bycatch Management Analysis
- Bering Sea Chinook Salmon Bycatch Environmental Impact Statement
- Overfishing Definitions:
- Habitat
- Bycatch Management
- NMFS Northwest Regional Office:
- ESA Section 7 Consultations for Listed Salmon Taken in the Salmon Troll Fisheries
- Final Programmatic EIS for Pacific Salmon Fisheries Management off the Coasts of Southeast Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, and in the Columbia River Basin, January 2004
Salmon Research
- NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center
- NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center
- State of Alaska