The Northern Norton Sound Fish and Game Advisory Committee has considered a slate of proposals that will impact hunters and fishermen in the state.
The state-sponsored committee is composed of representatives from Elim to Wales who advise the Board of Fish and the Board of Game. They looked at five proposals—two regarding crab, and one each for moose, caribou, and brown bear—and supported all but the moose proposal, which would reauthorize the option for an antlerless (cow) moose hunt in Units 22C and 22D.
Fish & Game biologist Tony Gorn explained that the moose population is in decline and the department has no plans to open a cow hunt. However, they would like to have the hunt as a management tool in case they ever need it. This proposal must be looked at and reauthorized each year, and this year, a majority of the Northern Norton Sound Committee voted against it—symbolizing concern over the declining moose population
In other wildlife discussions, the committee voiced support for a brown bear “tag fee” exemption proposal, that would remove the $25 fee to hunt bear. In Western Alaska, our relatively small brown bears don’t attract many trophy hunters, so this proposal would enable local hunters to take a bear more easily. According to committee members, it seems that the brown bear population is booming.
Kawerak Subsistence Director Brandon Ahmasuk said there are too many predators putting pressure on herds of muskox and moose—and that hunting regulations need to be liberalized. However, Gorn says that probably wouldn’t have much of an impact.
“I oftentimes wonder if we’ve just reached a brown bear harvest saturation point,” said Gorn. “We continue to liberalize brown bear seasons and bag limits all over the unit, but we don’t see an increase in harvest.”
The final wildlife proposal considered by the committee concerns the Northwest Arctic Caribou Herd. The plan would shorten the non-resident season, change the non-resident bag limit from 5 caribou to 1 bull, close the non-resident cow season, close the same day airborne season for Unit 22, and prohibit the take of calves by all hunters. All changes were supported by the committee
Shifting the conversation to red king crab fisheries, the Northern Norton Sound group considered—and voted to approve—two proposals. The first sets an 8 percent allowable harvest to the winter commercial fishery, allotting 92 percent to the summer commercial harvest. The second proposal would trim both ends of the winter commercial red king crab fishing season, which is currently November 15 to May 15. The new dates would be January 15 to April 30, though they could be changed with an emergency order from the department.
At the meeting, Fish & Game biologist Scott Kent explained one reason for shifting the season.
“More robust market interest for live red king crab has made the winter fishery far more lucrative than it was historically,” he said. “The department is concerned that high levels of fishing effort in the winter fishery, coupled with unstable ice conditions in some years, could result in continually high annual pot losses.”
In the past six years, about 30 crab pots were lost each winter during the commercial fishery. But last year, well over 100 pots were reported lost during ice formation and ice retreat. Kent said while pots are required to have biodegradable escape mechanisms, the lost pots could still entrap crabs and other marine organisms for several years. Opening the season later and closing it earlier would reduce the likelihood of lost commercial gear. To further that goal, Committee Chairman Charlie Lean and member Adem Boeckman proposed adding a 20-pot limit for commercial permit holders during the winter season. The group voiced unanimous support for both proposals.
The Northern Norton Sound Committee is one of 84 groups throughout the state that advise the Boards of Fish and Game. Lean will present the group’s positions when the Boards hold their triennial meetings this March.
