Board of Fisheries Forms

Agenda Change Requests (ACRs)

ACRs are requests to consider proposals that aren't part of the current cycle. Read the Agenda Change Request Submission Policy (PDF 8 kB) for further info.

You may submit a completed Board of Fisheries Agenda Change Request Form (Word doc 27 kB) to the Board of Fisheries by:


   Online:

• Submit form online

Emergency Petitions

The Boards of Fisheries and Game recognize that in rare instances circumstances may require regulatory changes outside the regular process. The problem outlined in an emergency petition needs to justify a finding of emergency. In accordance with state policy expressed in AS 44.62.270, emergencies will be held to a minimum and are rarely found to exist. Read the full policy on emergency petitions (PDF 25 kB) or contact the Boards Support office for information at (907) 465-4110.

About the Proposal Process

1. Call for Proposals Issued (PDF 303 kB)

   Each board determines what subjects will be considered at their meetings during the coming year and then issues a "Call for Proposals" for those subjects, including a deadline for receiving proposals.

2. Proposal Books Distributed

   After the deadline for receiving proposals has passed, a proposal book is published which is distributed statewide for comment.

3. Public Comment Invited

   The board accepts written public comment on proposals before each meeting. Submit written comments (100 single-sided pages or less) online on the Board of Fisheries home page; by mail to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Boards Support Section, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811-5526; or by fax to (907) 465-6094.

   Comments are due two weeks prior to the meeting during which the topic will be considered.

   After the comment deadline, written comments are accepted via fax and in person at the meeting. Comments are limited to 10 single-sided pages in length from any one individual or group, and will not be inserted in board member workbooks until the beginning of the meeting. Once deliberation of proposals begin at a board meeting, the board will ONLY accept written public comments that are not more than five single-sided pages, or the equivalent double-sided pages, unless specific information is requested by the Board that requires more pages than allowed under this standard.

4. Board Meeting Held

   At the board meetings, the board hears reports from department staff and comments from the public. The board deliberates each proposal and acts by either adopting, rejecting, or amending proposals. The board meetings are open to the public during the entire process, with the exception of executive sessions which are rare and held only for issues of pending legislation, personnel, or confidential matters.

5. Regulation Filed

   Adopted or amended proposals are then written into the proper legal format and submitted to the Department of Law for review and sent to the lieutenant governor for filing before becoming effective.

6. Summary of Actions Distributed

   Staff prepare a written report summarizing the actions taken by the board to explain the reasons for the board's actions. The reports are distributed to advisory committees and posted on the website.

Long-Term Cycle

Proposed changes to regulations (proposals) are considered for each region once every three years, on the schedule outlined below.

1. Meeting years: 2025-2026, 2028-2029, 2031-2032
   • Alaska Peninsula/Bering Sea-Aleutian Island/Chignik Areas Finfish
   • Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Areas Finfish
   • Bristol Bay Area Finfish
   • Statewide Provisions for Finfish
2. Meeting years: 2026-2027, 2029-2030, 2032-2033
   • Cook Inlet Area Finfish
   • Kodiak Area Finfish
   • Statewide (except Southeast/Yakutat, and Prince William Sound Tanner Crab) King and Tanner Crab*
3. Meeting years: 2027-2028, 2030-2031, 2033-2034
   • Prince William Sound Finfish and Shellfish (except shrimp)**
   • Southeast/Yakutat Finfish and Shellfish
   • Statewide (except SE/Yakutat/PWS) Shellfish

*Starting in 2021-2022, the Statewide (except Southeast/Yakutat/PWS Tanner Crab) King & Tanner Crab meeting will become part of Statewide (except SE/Yakutat/PWS) Shellfish. Starting in 2023-2024, this meeting cycle will have only two meetings, Cook Inlet Finfish and Kodiak Finfish.

The board may also consider subsistence proposals for other topics (including other areas), if proposals are submitted by the typical annual deadline in April and the board determines they meet the criteria in either 5 AAC 96.615(a)(1) or (2).