The Shumagin Islands Immature Salmon Test Fishery Operational Plan 2023 2025 PDF Download

This document provides commercial salmon fishers and buyers on the South Alaska Peninsula with information and guidelines that will be used to conduct the Shumagin Islands immature salmon test fishery during 2019, 2020, and 2021. The presence of immature salmon in South Alaska Peninsula waters has warranted restrictions to commercial salmon fishing in some years. In 1990, a test-fishing program was instituted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in the Shumagin Islands to determine the presence and abundance of immature salmon in South Alaska Peninsula waters prior to commercial salmon fishing periods in July. In 1998, the Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted regulations in the Post-June Management Plan (5 AAC 09.366(i)), mandating that the test fishery be conducted to assist management staff with making commercial fishery management decisions. The Shumagin Islands test fishery will be operated beginning July 2 with one purse seine vessel making a minimum of six sets per day. The objective of the test fishery is to assess the marine abundance of immature salmon in the vicinity of the Shumagin Islands. Test fishing will be conducted prior to the first July commercial purse seine fishing period in the Shumagin Islands. Additional test fishing may be required if the abundance of immature salmon harvested during the commercial fishery is above the regulatory threshold.