Hello All

Seiners.
We got this website about a decade ago while I was VP of SEAS. We never used it but now we are firing it up a bit. Probably once a week would be optimistic to get on here.
In any event, SEAS is working on a few things this session and this winter.
1. Fleet consolidation. Held up a bit until fall but we're on track for finishing prior to the 2007 season.'
2. PSTreaty. Working on strengthening the homefront for future negotiations.
3. HB484/SB296. Closes the loophole that could reissue permits without renumeration after we'd already bought them out. CFEC supports. Representative_Bill_Thomas@legis.state.ak.us needs encouragement to hear hb484 for us. Senator_Thomas_Wagoner@legis.state.ak.us could hear about your support for SB296 as well as HB218, as he hears them both next in his committee, probably not until mid-April at the earliest.
4. HB218 Cost Recovery bill. To allow a statutory assessment to replace cost recovery in situations where hatcheries can agree to do so. Over 80% of fishermen in the SE seine fleet support changing cost recovery. Weigh in with Senator_Bert_Stedman@legis.state.ak.us if you care.
5. Board of Fish issues in January Ketchikan meeting. SEAS was successful in our only proposal there, BOF Proposal #270. Unfortunately, however, access to Nakat Inlet was curtailed, with the schedule for seiners looking like a gooseegg after 2007. Seiners are going out on the low end of our range for the 2nd year on a 5 year rolling average ( board procedure stipulates that changes are made only after 3 years on a 5 year rolling average-- although of course, SEAS helped the gillnet fleet with as much enhancement production support as possible even though they never did have 3 years out on a 5 year rolling average--)
So with seiners going out for a 2nd year(in 2007, it is likely that seiners will be out 3 years in a row on a 5 year rolling average), what are the gillnetters doing?
Here's what. If gillnetters catch more than 14% of the value of enhanced salmon in SE, they will be out 3 years in a row on a 5 year rolling average in 2006.... This year.
6. the ASMI budget proposal increment, which has been hammered down to $500K from $2.3 million. this needs your support.
7. the AFMB which will meet later next month or May.
8. ADFG budget, which is in need of repair, especially since the managers and scientists we need that is critical for our fishery health, need to be better compensated.
9. Chatham Strait Subsistence issues with Angoon primarily.
10. New Governor. Is the heir to FHM out there for fishermen?
bobbyt