Alaska Charter Association

To Protect the Rights and Conserve the Resources of Alaska's Sport Fishery
ACA News September 2017
 
ACA Membership Renewal Due for the 2018 Season

Note: As many charter businesses in Alaska wrap up for the end of the season, it's time to renew your ACA membership and stay engaged in the fishery management process to ensure the future o f your  business. Dues are $200/year, which is less than the average cost for a d ay on the  water for one cl ient. 

This investment includ es your membership in the National Association of Charterboat Operators (NACO), our partner on federal issues. Existing members will soon be receiving an invoice from ACA as an annual reminder.
 
Each full member gets a vote in the Board of Directors election, a link on the ACA website directly to your business' site. When anglers are doing research on their choices for future fishing trips in Alaska they like to know they are supporting a operators who are involved in the protection of their fishing access and the sustainability of marine resource. 

If you are already a member of the Alaska Charter Association this year, and paid using PayPal, you will automatically receive an invoice for the 2018 season soon. If you're a new member, consider using the PayPal feature on our website to ensure you get an annual reminder to keep us at the table. Remember: if we're not at the table - you're on the menu! Not a member?  Use this handy link and take a few minutes to start your new membership.

ACTION UPDATE: Upcoming Meeting of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council October 2-10: Key Issues

WHO: The Alaska Charter Association will be there providing guidance for the decision-makers, based on input from our members.

What: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is taking up several issues that could significantly affect your business if you own a charter halibut permit, operate a fishing lodge or run a charter boat. 

Where: at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, 500 W. 3rd Avenue, Anchorage, AK.

When: October 2-10, 2017

Why: The NPFMC is discussing new rules for a potential annual registration of Charter Halibut Permits, and the mixing of guided and unguided halibut on floating lodges, motherships and other modes of guided and unguided fishing such as boat rentals. 

 
North Council October Meeting Highlights

Agenda Item C1:  

Proposal for an Annual CHP registration: The Council is not taking final action at their October meeting, but will be narrowing the range of options for an annual permit registration process that would require CHP holders to regularly renew their permits in order to identify how many vessels are in the fishery, and potentially to identify non-transferable permits that are being used improperly. The low allocation for the guided angler sector makes it difficult to predict how many fish will be landed under existing regulations without knowing exactly how many participants there are in the fishery. The Advisory Panel (AP) is scheduled to take this item up, along with Item C2 (Mixing Guided and Unguided Halibut) at 8am Tuesday Oct. 3rd. The Council takes it up at 1pm, Wed. Oct 4th, depending on their workflow.




Agenda Item C2: 

Mixing Guided and Unguided Halibut: Floating lodges, mothership operations and other modes of fishing have guided and unguided anglers' fish on the same vessel, leading to problems in enforcement and issues of skirting around existing regulations designed to limit the access of guided anglers in Alaska. There is confusion in the regulations about the definition of a "fishing vessel." Operators who rent vessels to anglers, or carry anglers on a mothership for fishing in kayaks for example, could be negatively affected by the decision being made here. 


Click here to visit the post with our comments on Item C2. Feel free to use these comments as a guide and submit your own.



Also of interest are the initial discussions about a Fishery Management Plan for salmon in the state waters of Southcentral Alaska. A federal court decision required the Council to develop an FMP, which could result in major changes compared to existing state management of the fishery. Item C8 on the agenda begins this process.

Agenda: 

Each agenda item has a link to any files and discussion papers associated with the issue. 

Deadline for Comment: Tuesday, Sept. 26th, 2017 by 5pm
Email your comments to: [email protected]

The deadline for public comments for the North Council's October meeting in Anchorage is 5:00 pm (AST) Tuesday, September 26, 2017.The meetings are open to the public and written comments can be submitted in  person at the meeting as well. Public testimony is welcomed and encouraged.


  • Because you find most of your time is being spent in damage control brought on by regulations that continue to decrease fishing opportunity for your clients.
  • Because you have no time to attend important meetings that may further impact your future. 
  • You belong to the Alaska Charter Association.
If your dreams include flying scales and full fish totes, you 
need the Alaska Charter Association to inform, educate, and fight for you 
at these important fisheries meetings. 

It's easy :