Building Northern Cook Inlet coho salmon returns

That is what the Matanuska -Susitna Borough FIsh and Wildlife Commission will be advocating for at the Statewide Board of Fisheries Meeting in Anchorage March 17 - 21. The commission met last week planning which members would participate during the meeting, and considering how to encourage public participation from Mat-Su residents and other Alaskans.

A goal may be consistent fisheries management that would attain Northern Cook Inlet coho salmon sustainable escapement goals (SEGs) and also provide reasonable coho salmon harvest opportunities for all user groups throughout entire fishing seasons.

The only issue the commission will be working toward at the Board of Fisheries meeting is gaining board approval of concepts in Proposal 186, that would adjust the Central District Drift Gillnet Fishery Management Plan to allow more Upper Cook Inlet coho salmon to swim through the Central District into Northern Cook Inlet and also into the stream drainages where they return to spawn. The first opportunity for public participation in the Board of Fisheries meeting was to submit public comments in support or opposition of specific proposals by the Monday March 2 midnight deadline.

I personally submitted support from Proposal 186 and some additional proposals, which I believe necessary to maintain sustainable wild salmon stocks throughout Alaska. I then put together an email encouraging a few groups and individuals to do likewise. I expressed my belief that since some board members had already recognized that Proposal 186 addressed a conservation purpose, there is higher likelihood the board may take positive action in March 2026.

I heard from two individuals that submitted public support for Proposal 186 within a couple hours of when I started sending emails. I also followed some of my emails up with phone calls, and had several other individuals commit to providing support. Stefan Hinman with the Mat-Su Borough put out a social media post asking for support for Proposal 186. I also emailed a contact with Fish Alaska Magazine, and later learned that the magazine must have made an online post or email dealing with the need to better conserve Northern Cook Inlet coho salmon stocks for sustainability.

I was pleased to see or hear of several Mat-Su anglers taking ownership and submitting public comments supporting Proposal 186. I heard a comment that some individuals sometimes feel like a broken record — repeating the same message over and over during different years. I understand, however, failing to support management of Mat-Su salmon stocks to meet established SEGs can — and has — resulted in Northern Cook Inlet salmon stock declines.

As mentioned, the first opportunity for public participation in the Board’s public process closed at midnight on Monday March 2, and I am happy that there was a considerable amount of public support for amending the management plan to allow adequate passage of coho salmon into Northern Cook Inlet drainages. For Mat-Su anglers or Mat-Su residents who may still want to participate in this public effort to rebuild Northern Cook Inlet / Mast-Su Valley coho returns, the next opportunity to participate in the board process will occur when the Statewide Board of Fisheries Meeting starts — I suspect at (8 a.m.?) on Tuesday March 17. With the start of the meeting there will be an opportunity for individuals or groups to sign up for public testimony, and record copies (RCs) may be submitted online throughout the meeting, until the Board starts deliberating on the specific proposal an RC would talk about. In addition, during meeting breaks or meal breaks the public also has opportunities to express their concerns to individual board members. There are many folks at a Board of Fisheries meeting willing to assist people who may want help participating for the first time. I’ve assisted many individuals myself, and there are often a couple Alaska Department of Fish and Game Board Support employees at a desk where questions may be asked and meeting RCs submitted.

AOC Alaska Gubernatorial Candidates Forum The Alaska Outdoor Council hosted a forum at the Sydney Lawrence Auditorium in Anchorage last Saturday (February 28) providing 6 governor of Alaska candidates an opportunity to explain their positions on public access, hunting and fishing issues and policies they would support if elected. Mat-Su anglers may want to see what they had to say on a YouTube video of the event: https://www.youtube.com/live/8cCcX8UP_ZI?si=7rz_8Mg5d3yl0VOr

In hopes of more coho salmon in Mat-Su drainages — this summer and beyond!

Andy Couch is a member of the Matanuska - Susitna Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee the thoughts and opinions expressed in this column are his own - unless noted otherwise.