Contact:
Tom Taube
UCUS Area Management Biologist
Phone: 907-822-3309

During the December 1-6, 2005 Board of Fisheries meeting, the Board addressed 34 proposals regarding Copper River District commercial (3), Glennallen Subdistrict subsistence (7), Chitina Subdistrict personal use (7), and Upper Copper/Upper Susitna Management Area sport fisheries (9 salmon and 8 resident species).  During deliberations, the Board voted to support 11 proposals, oppose 16, and took no action on 7 of the proposals.  As a result of the Board rulings on these proposals, there will be some changes to the Glennallen Subdistrict subsistence and sport fishing regulations within the Upper Copper/Upper Susitna River drainages.

 

The Board adopted three proposals that impact the Glennallen Subdistrict subsistence fishery.   Specific to the Glennallen Subdistrict, fish wheels must be checked and all fish removed at least once every 10 hours.  A second proposal requires that only one opening can occur inside of the barrier islands, during each of the first two statistical weeks in the Copper River District.  The intent of the Board regarding this proposal was to provide for upper Copper River subsistence harvests and escapement of the early king and sockeye salmon stocks.  Thirdly, the Board generated a proposal that set Amounts Necessary for Subsistence (ANS) in the Glennallen Subdistrict.  To measure subsistence harvests, particularly in the upper portion of the subdistrict, the Glennallen Subdistrict was divided into three components and set the amounts of salmon that are reasonably necessary for subsistence uses at: 1) 25,500 to 39,000 salmon for that portion of the Glennallen Subdistrict from the Chitina-McCarthy Road Bridge to the Tonsina River; 2) 23,500 to 31,000 salmon for that portion of the Glennallen Subdistrict upstream of the Tonsina River to the Gakona River; and 3) 12,000 – 12,500 salmon for that portion of the Glennallen Subdistrict upstream of the mouth of the Gakona River to the Slana River and including the Batzulnetas fishery.  Previously, the ANS for the Glennallen Subdistrict was set at 60,000 to 75,000 for the entire subdistrict.

 

No proposals were adopted for the Chitina Subdistrict personal use fishery.  The Board ruled that there was no new information or that there was no error in the C&T determination for the Chitina Subdistrict during the 2003 Board of Fisheries meeting in Cordova.  As a result, the Chitina Subdistrict remains a personal use fishery.

 

Regarding salmon and resident species sport fisheries the Board adopted nine proposals.  Specific to salmon, the upper Susitna River drainage upstream of the Oshetna River drainage is closed to salmon fishing.  This action was taken to protect the small stocks of salmon that may spawn in the Susitna River upstream of Devils Canyon.

 

Specific to rainbow trout/steelhead two proposals were adopted.  The first reduced the bag and possession limit for rainbow trout/steelhead in Lake Louise, Susitna, Tyone lakes and the Tyone River drainage to two fish, of which only one may be over 20 inches.  This aligned the regulations on those lakes with the background regulations recommended by the Cook Inlet and Copper River Basin Rainbow/Steelhead Trout Management Policy.  The second proposal, established catch and release regulations in the entire Hanagita River drainage.  Previously, a harvest of 2 fish, one over 20 inches was allowed upstream of lower Hanagita Lake.  This action was taken to protect the relatively small population of steelhead that spawns above lower Hanagita Lake. 

 

Three proposals were adopted specific to Arctic grayling.  The first incorporated Moose Lake, Our Creek and the Gulkana River drainage upstream of Paxson Lake under the conservative management category in the Wild Arctic Grayling Management Plan.  The remaining two proposals set the bag and possession limits for Arctic grayling in Moose Lake and Our Creek at two fish, no size limit, and an open season of June 1 – March 31; and the bag and possession limit for Arctic grayling in the Gulkana River drainage upstream of Paxson Lake at two fish, of which only one may be 14 inches or greater in length.  Previously, the Arctic grayling fisheries in Moose Lake and Our Creek were under the background bag and possession limits of 5 fish, no size limit for the entire year.  Department data indicates the Arctic grayling population in this system has declined and the conservative management strategy will allow the population to recover to historic levels.  The Gulkana River drainage upstream of Paxson Lake was previously under catch and release regulations to provide a trophy fishery.  Input from local advisory committees for a desire to harvest fish in this area resulted in a modified proposal that allow a minimal level of harvest that will also maintain a large proportion of Arctic grayling above 14 inches in the population.

 

One proposal was adopted for the Tonsina River drainage to allow bait in the entire Tonsina River drainage downstream of Tonsina Lake.  This was a housekeeping proposal to correct an oversight in the regulations that occurred following the 2003 Board of Fisheries meeting that inadvertently prohibited the use of bait in the Tonsina River tributaries when the mainstem was opened to bait by a proposal at that meeting.

 

Two proposals were adopted by the Board for lake trout.  An Upper Copper/Upper Susitna Management Area Lake Trout Management Plan was adopted by the Board.  This plan sets bag and possession limits and management strategies to guide the department for lake trout management and the Board and public for addressing future proposals.  The second proposal allowed the use of bait in Paxson and Summit lakes from November 1 to April 15, and reduced the bag and possession limit of lake trout from 2 fish over 24 inches to one fish any size, to align those regulations with the Lake Trout Management Plan guidelines.  Previously, bait had been prohibited in Paxson and Summit lakes to reduce hooking mortality in released lake trout.  Under the new regulations, hooking mortality should be reduced and harvests maintained at sustainable levels.

 

These regulations will take effect in the new regulatory year, beginning April 15, 2006.  Any questions regarding these changes to the Copper River fisheries can be directed to Tom Taube at the Glennallen Fish and Game office (907) 822-3309.