The Upper Lynn Canal Fish and Game Advisory Committee met last week for its annual elections, voting in Ryan Cook and re-electing Randy Jackson to three-year seats.
About 50 people showed up to vote. Commercial fisherman Terry Pardee was also elected to fill out the rest of former committee member Julia Heinz’s term, which ends in one year. Pardee topped residents Zack Ferrin and Derek Poinsette to win the seat.
Cook and Jackson edged out Ferrin and incumbent Tim McDonough to win the three-year seats.
After the Dec. 4 elections, the committee reconvened Monday to discuss Board of Fisheries and Board of Game proposals. Of the dozens upon dozens of proposals, several concerning Dungeness crab and a local proposal about black bear baiting stirred the most discussion.
The committee voted to endorse a proposal submitted by Haines resident and marine biologist John Norton that, if implemented, would more tightly regulate the commercial crabbing season to avoid the handling and associated mortality of soft-shell crab.
The committee also voted to amend and endorse a proposal of its own, which originally stipulated the Dungeness fishery would close to commercial fishing if it dropped below a certain threshold, called a “catch per unit effort.” The committee ultimately changed the proposal so the fishery wouldn’t close unless the catch per unit effort remained below the established threshold for two consecutive years, not one.
The years-old debate on whether or not the Dungeness fishery in the Upper Lynn Canal is in danger of collapsing broke out again, but state fisheries management coordinator Scott Kelly held the state’s line that there isn’t a problem.
“At this point in time, we do not have conservation issues with Dungeness crab in the region,” Kelly said.
Kelly pointed out that this year’s commercial harvest looks like it will be the third-highest on record. “The proof is in the pudding, so to speak,” Kelly said.
The committee voted unanimously to oppose a proposal from resident Al Gilliam asking the Board of Game to delay the use of black bear bait stations in subunit 1D, the hunting area surrounding Haines, until after the spring brown bear hunt.
The Board of Game will meet Jan. 9-13 to discuss proposals from Southeast. Comments on the proposals must be submitted by Dec. 26.
The Board of Fisheries will meet Jan. 21-27 to discuss shellfish proposals from Southeast and Yakutat. Comments on the proposals must be submitted by Jan. 7.
Committee members include Cook, Pardee, Jackson, Kip Kermoian, Jamie King, Johnnie Gamble, Dean Risley, John Katzeek, Luke Rauscher and John Tronrud.