we spoke, was anyone listening?

I see the potential for a beginning of cooperative problem-solving on the horizon.

I see the possibility of diametrically opposed user groups who, historically, have relished pointing fingers at each other and accusing the other guy of being the root cause of milk souring, bread molding and, more commonly, fish disappearing in Cook Inlet, coming together to solve a common problem. I’m hearing talk of setnetters, drifters, sport-fishing guides, dipnetters and just plain anglers finally recognizing that we all need to work together to address the salmon problems and management concerns in Cook Inlet.

OK, I’m being a little overly dramatic here. The meeting in Willow this past Wednesday involving Fish and Game and the approximately 190 members of the public held some surprises for me. Did I learn anything new from Fish and Game officials? Not really. They presented their usual and expected answers to most of the questions the public asked.

The public in attendance was the point of interest. There were two Board of Fisheries (BOF) members present and listening — they asked no questions and made no comments. There were Valley folks: anglers, guides, business owners and local and state government representatives. There were setnetters, drifters and processors from the Kenai. There was even a nonresident gentleman who spoke to the lost opportunities and fading reputation of the Mat-Su as a fishing destination for tourists. And they all had a common message for Fish and Game and the BOF: something significant must to be done to revive Cook Inlet salmon stocks.

For over five years now, I’ve been pushing the various fisheries user groups in Cook Inlet to put their differences aside and begin talking about how to better manage the Inlet’s salmon populations, not only for the benefit of the resource, but for users too. There were times when I felt I was wasting my time – folks seemed to prefer arguing to problem solving. In talking with several individuals before the meeting, listening to folks during the meeting and talking with a small group of setnetters after the meeting, I am encouraged that folks are beginning to understand that arguing isn’t making anything better. I hope that spirit of cooperation and interest in problem solving continues.

Before I get too carried away, I want to thank the Fish and Game commissioner, Cora Campbell, Commercial Fisheries Division director Jeff Regnart and Sport Fish Division director Charlie Swanton for coming to the Valley and taking on some of the hard questions they were asked. I hope they understand that many of us realize managing Cook Inlet salmon fisheries is a very complex issue, but they also need to know that “business as usual” is no longer acceptable for managing salmon stocks originating in the Northern District.

One other person who accompanied the Fish and Game crowd needs to be mentioned. Curtis Thayer is the deputy commissioner of Alaska’s Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (ADCCED). Thayer presented a short overview of some new programs the state has only recently developed and passed into law that provide loans for noncommercial fisheries small businesses impacted by the failure of the Chinook and coho sport fisheries around the state. If you want to learn more about these programs and how to qualify, you can contact the ADCCED office in Anchorage or your local state legislator for information.

The final point I want to make is the economic hardship many in the Mat-Su and on the Kenai are feeling as a direct result of how the salmon stocks were managed this 2012 season. Setnetters from the Kenai spoke to their respective situations. Lodge owners, campground operators, sport fish guides and others from the Mat-Su spoke to their business losses as a result of sport fishery restrictions and closures.

As mentioned earlier, the nonresident guy mentioned how he was no longer booking fishing trips in the Valley nor bringing clients and employees of his business to Alaska to sport fish because there were no fish to catch. He also touched on how this negative reputation probably will impact the sport fishing industry for years to come. I hope the Fish and Game folks were listening and see how their decisions impact more than just the commercial fishing industry.

I also want to thank all the Valley folks who came to this meeting and expressed their concerns and shared their stories. This is exactly what Fish and Game and the BOF need to hear!

Howard Delo is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. You can leave him a message by emailing sports@frontiersman.com.