The Kuskokwim River Salmon Management Working Group (KRSMWG) held its preseason meeting this past Monday and Tuesday, May 3 and 4, 2021, by teleconference. A quorum was established and held throughout the two-day meeting.

The next Working Group meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 2 at 10:00 a.m. by teleconference.

An audio recording of the meeting and other materials will be made available on the ADF&G Working Group webpage at: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyareakuskokwim.kswg

Meeting Motions:

Motion 1: Approve the agenda as amended. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 2: For the Working Group to support the Emergency Federal Special Action, and actions therein, taken by the US Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge Manager. Failed (6 yes, 3 no)

Motion 3: To add a trawl bycatch report to each Working Group meeting agenda. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 4: For the 2021 Front-end and rolling closures to mirror that from last year – starting June 1 in Sections 1 and 2, June 3 in Section 3, June 9 in Section 4, and June 11 in Section 5. Failed (2 yes, 4 no, 1 abstention)

Motion 5: Adjourn the first day of meetings at 4:57 p.m. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 6: For the Working Group to recommend to ADF&G that the Front-end closure begin June 9 in Section 4 (from YK Delta Refuge boundary near Aniak to the Holitna River Mouth) and June 11 in Section 5 (Above the Holitna River mouth to the headwaters of the Kuskokwim River) Passed (6 yes, 2 no, 1 abstention)

Motion 7: For ADF&G to follow what the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission has presented for Sections 1, 2, and 3 to close on June 1. Failed (2 yes, 7 abstentions)

Motion 8: For the Working Group to recommend that ADF&G close fishing with gillnets in non-spawning tributaries from their confluence with the Kuskokwim River upstream 100 yards. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 9: For the Working Group to recommend to ADF&G to allow use of selective gear types (beach seines, fish wheels, rod and reel, dipnets) with live release of Chinook salmon requirements in the mainstem and tributaries of the Kuskokwim River. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 10: For the Working Group to recommend to ADF&G to not have concurrent setnet and driftnet openers to those announced by the US Fish and Wildlife Service during a Federal Special Action. Passed (6 yes, 1 no, 2 abstentions)

Motion 11: To follow ADF&G recommendations for a setnet fishing opener to occur in Section 4 during a Front-end closure, June 1-11. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 12: For the Working Group to take no action on Sections 1, 2, and 3 while those sections are under Federal Management. Passed (7 yes, 2 no)

Motion 13: To amend the Working Group bylaws as to replace the Processor seat with a second Member at Large seat, with the stipulation that a processor could hold this seat in the future. Passed (7 yes, 1 no, 1 abstention)

Motion 14: To immediately fill the second Member at Large seat. Passed (8 yes, 1 no)

Motion 15: To elect Mary Peltola as the primary member of the second Member at Large seat. Passed (8 yes, 1 no)  

Motion 16: To elect Fred Bobby as first alternate member and Ruby Egrass as the second alternate member of the Upriver Subsistence seat. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 17: To elect Kevin Whitworth as the primary member of the Western Interior RAC Working Group seat, and for Rebecca Wilmarth to be his alternate. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 18: To elect Walter Morgan as the primary member of the Middle River Subsistence seat. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 19: To elect Fritz Charles, Alissa Rodgers, LaMont Albertson, Mary Peltola, and Barbara Carlson as the 2021 Working Group Co-chairs. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 20: To schedule 2021 inseason Working Group meetings for Wednesday’s from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 21: To schedule the next Working Group meeting for Wednesday, June 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 22: For LaMont Albertson to serve as a representative of the Working Group at Kuskokwim River Intertribal Fish Commission meetings. Passed (Unanimous)

Motion 23: To designate Fritz Charles as LaMont Albertson’s alternate to represent the Working Group at Kuskokwim River Intertribal Fish Commission meetings. Passed (Unanimous)