The fix was in. More than 240 written comments opposed Alternative 4. Thirty-four oral testimonies today strongly opposed Alternative 4, including Borough and City governments, for economic reasons.
Immediately after today’s comments, Council member and ADF&G Deputy Commissioner Rachel Baker presented the motion to approve Alternative 4 and then filibustered for almost an hour with her pre-prepared arguments for destroying the UCI commercial fishing industry. [Some listeners commented that her statement must have taken the state administration and the Alaska Board of Fish at least 2 weeks to compose.]
Baker’s primary argument was that the State of Alaska refuses to accept oversight by the federal government in their management of Cook Inlet salmon so there was no point in doing anything other than closing the EEZ. Ms. Baker also said, many, many times, that the extra costs of managing the Cook Inlet fishery would be just too unreasonable if they had to work with the federal government. In other words, a few additional management expenses would not be worth preserving an historic, valuable commercial fishery and all of the communities that depend on commercial fishing.
Other council members did plenty of breast-beating and claims of heartbreak but they all voted for Alternative 4, except for Dr. Balsiger, who abstained. A couple of council members made spurious remarks about how they wouldn’t have had to take such a drastic approach if they weren’t under a court-ordered deadline. These are the same members who have been obstructing the development of a workable FMP for over three years.
The Dunleavy Administration orchestrated this as payback to Bob Penney for campaign contributions. Thanks Governor!
This ruling has to spend another year working its way through the National Marine Fisheries Service before it will be enacted. The EEZ should not be closed this coming season.
Thank you members and friends!
Two hundred and twenty-three individuals, organizations and municipalities sent in written comments to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council objecting to their last minute “Alternative 4” option for a Cook Inlet Fishery Management Plan that would simply close the federal waters in Cook Inlet to commercial salmon fishing.
One (1) comment was posted in support of Alternative 4. Not surprisingly, that comment is from the Kenai River Sportfishing Association that, under Bob Penney’s command, has been striving to eliminate commercial fishing in Cook Inlet for over 30 years.