On Friday, May 24, the National Marine Fisheries Service issued a positive 90-day finding on the Wild Fish Conservancy’s petition to list Chinook stocks that spawn in rivers that flow into the Gulf of Alaska as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. These stocks include Chinook populations that range from Kodiak Island, Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound to Southeast Alaska. The Wild Fish Conservancy, an anti-small boat commercial fishing group from Washington State, claims that Alaska is degrading Chinook habitat, overharvesting Chinook, and failing to implement measures that provide protections for Alaska’s Chinook stocks.
NMFS’ 90 day finding begins a 60-day public comment period seeking information about Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon from the public, government agencies, Alaska Native organizations, scientists, conservation groups, fishing groups, and other interested parties. The agency seeks information on Chinook ecology and abundance trends, fishery impacts, threats, habitat conditions, and the effectiveness of ADF&G management measures. The comment deadline July 23, 2024. Fishermen can submit comments to Gulf of Alaska Chinook Salmon Petition, docket# NOAA-NMFS-2024-0042 at the regulations website: https://www.regulations.gov The Wild Fish Conservancy’s petition is available at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/endangeredspecies-conservation/candidate-speciesunder-endangered-species-act .