Project: Chignik Intertribal Coalition Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) of fisheries at Chignik.
Project Description: To date, Research has focused on sockeye, habitat and the socio-economic impacts resulting from the chronic disaster declarations in the Chignik Management Area. We would like to expand research to include the human or management interactions within the Chignik fishery. MSE can be used to identify and objectively quantify the trade-offs associated with a set of alternative candidate strategies. To date, no objective management strategy evaluation has been performed on Chignik fisheries so the trade-offs among different strategies remain largely speculative. An MSE would do the following:
1. Provide a formal mechanism to bring groups together to identify alternative ways to manage these fisheries and decide which metrics will be used to define success and failure of different strategies. An MSE can be used as a broad tool to bring parties together to agree on the process and co-develop the analysis of the findings.
2. Effectiveness for achieving management objectives of different combinations of research, methods of analysis and subsequent processes leading to management actions.
3. Specific management and understanding impacts of various management actions would be more thoroughly understood through this process. Trade-offs that could be considered might involve exploring ways to maximize commercial values, protecting at-risk stocks (such as Chinook), providing adequate subsistence opportunities, etc.
4. The CIC supports this theme as a priority for research funding because we recognize that the cause of these fish disasters spans more than one fishery area and/or salmon species.
People/Organizations responsible for completing these steps: Chignik Intertribal Coalition, Chignik Bay, Chignik Lake, Chignik Lagoon, Ivanof Bay, Perryville, Bristol Bay Native Association,
Cost Estimates:
Costs: $150,000-$300,000
Timeline: 2021-2025
Funding Partners: USDA, EDA, Tribes, US Fish & Wildlife, US Department of Commerce, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Intertribal Agriculture Council, Native American Agriculture Fund, Lake and Peninsula Borough
Evaluation Measures:
-Evaluation completed.
-Metrics Identified.
-Objective Management Strategy identified.
Key Project Contact:
Name: George Anderson
Title: President
Organization: Chignik Intertribal Coalition