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 William 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:
- Salmon Fishery Management Plan
- 77 FR 75570, December 21, 2012. Regulations to implement Amendment 12 to the Fishery Management Plan for Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off the Coast of Alaska. Amendment 12 comprehensively revises and updates the FMP to reflect the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's salmon management policy and to comply with Federal law.
- 77 FR 21716, April 11, 2012. Proposed rule to implement Amendment 12.
- 77 FR 19605, April 2, 2012. Notice of availability for Amendments 10, 11, and 12.
- Amendments 10, 11 and 12
- Final EA/RIR for Amendment 12: Revisions to the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ Off the Coast of Alaska, June 2012.
- Bering Sea Bycatch Management
- Fishing Capacity Reduction
- 77 FR 41754, July 16, 2012. Notice of industry fee collection system effective date to repay the $13,133,030 reduction loan to finance a fishing capacity reduction program in the Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon fishery. Fee payment collection to begin on July 22, 2012.
- 77 FR 26744, May 7, 2012. Notice of reduction payment tender of Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon permits. The public has until June 6, 2012 to inform NMFS of any holding, owning, or retaining claims that conflict with the representations of bids as presented by the Southeast Revitalization Association.
- 77 FR 12568, March 1, 2012. Notice to inform persons of their eligibility to vote in the fishing capacity reduction program referendum for the Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery. Public meetings to be held March 5 and March 7, 2012. Comment period through 5 p.m. EST March 16, 2012.
- 76 FR 61985, October 6, 2011. Final rule to implement a fishing capacity reduction (buyback) program and an industry fee system to repay a $23,476,500 loan for the Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery. Effective November 7, 2011.
- Fishing Capacity Reduction Programs
- Overfishing Definitions:
- Approval of Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan for Salmon Fisheries, January 2002
- Environmental Assessment, December 2001
- Notice of Availability, October 2001
- Habitat
- Salmon Fishery Management Plan
- NMFS Northwest Regional Office:
- ESA Section 7 Consultations for Listed Salmon Taken in the Salmon Troll Fisheries
- Endangered Species Act Section 7(a)(2) Consultation Biological Opinion and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Essential Fish Habitat Consultation: Consultation on the Approval of Revised Regimes under the Pacific Salmon Treaty and the Deferral of Management to Alaska of Certain Fisheries Included in those Regimes
- 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 Fisheries Research