Alaska Board of Game and Board of FisheriesPostpone Regulatory Meetings to 2021/2022 CycleThe Alaska Board of Game and Board of Fisheries met January 21 and 25, respectively, to discuss rescheduling the 2020/2021 regulatory board meetings due to the impacts by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both boards postponed the regularly scheduled board meetings to the 2021/2022 meeting cycle, and each will meet again in March to address regulations requiring board action this year. The Board of Game will address proposals such as reauthorization of the antlerless moose hunts and brown bear tag fee exemptions. The Board of Fisheries will address sunsetting provisions in the Southeast commercial salmon fishery. As for future meeting cycles, the Board of Game postponed all meetings by one year, while the Board of Fisheries will stay on the current schedule and merge this cycle’s meetings with those scheduled for 2021/2022 pending a budget increment.The following information summarizes the changes for each board’s schedule and call for proposals.Board of Fisheries:
- Postponed the 2020/2021 meetings to 2021/2022 with dates to be determined.
- Scheduled a one-day regulatory meeting on March 8, 2021 to set the board meeting dates and address three “sunset provisions” in 5 AAC 33.
- Maintained its current 2021/2022 meeting schedule as planned.
- Extended the current call for proposals (for Bristol Bay, Arctic, Yukon, Kuskokwim, Alaska Peninsula, Chignik, Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea finfish, and statewide finfish), to May 10, 2021.
- Clarified that emerging issues for Southeast, Yakutat, Prince William Sound, and shellfish statewide may be submitted as agenda change requests by August 23, 2021.
Board of Game:
- Rescheduled the Central/Southwest Region and Statewide Regulations to the following dates in 2022.
- Central/Southwest Region: January 21 – 28, 2022, Wasilla
- Statewide Regulations: March 4 – 11, 2022, Fairbanks
- Scheduled a one-day regulatory meeting on March 18, 2021 to act on the following topics:
- Proposals to reauthorize antlerless moose hunts and brown bear tag fee exemptions;
- Proposal 194 to shorten the sealing requirement for wolves in Unit 2;
- Options for the Call for Proposals for the Central/Southwest Region and Statewide Regulations meeting;
- Options for establishing a delegation of authority to ADF&G and/or other protocols for handling emergencies;
- Options for developing a plan to hold regulatory meetings via web-conference if the pandemic continues to impact the board’s ability to meeting in person.
More information will be posted to the boards websites as it becomes available. www.boardoffisheries.adfg.alaska.gov; www.boardofgame.adfg.alaska.gov; For more information, contact Kristy Tibbles at 465-6098, or via email at kristy.tibbles@alaska.gov for the Board of Game schedule or Glenn Haight, 907-465-6095, Glenn.haight@alaska.gov for the Board of fisheries.