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Home My WebLink About10212020 PACAB Special Mtg. Laydown - Tony Baclaan/ 0,2) doo?e' PA C'1qP y Sponsored by: Baclaan WAIXI a W N. =. MUMMILM I I LXIWLW� ARESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA, IN SUPPORT OF BOROUGH RESOLUTION TO 20;20- 074 A RESOLUTION ADVOCATING FOR A REDUCTION OF HALIBUT BYC4,TCV. WHEREAS, it has been more than five years since the State of Alaska, through the federal North Pacific Fishery Management Council, agreed to lower Pacific halibut bycatch caps in the face of a diminishing biomass; and WHEREAS, despite efforts on both sides for five years, tying the management of halibut bycatch to the halibut abundance is still not a reality; and WHEREAS, while the federal council struggles with the abundance -based management issue, Alaska's small boat commercial, charter, sport and subsistence fleets and their coastal communities bear the short and long-term impacts that high halibut bycatch creates; and WHEREAS, short-term impacts are felt every year when halibut fishermen in the Bering Sea lose a part of their annual allocation that is tied, not strictly to abundance, but to the forecasted landings of bycatch; and WHEREAS, long-term impacts are felt by halibut fishermen beyond the Bering Sea, as all sizes (including sub-legals) are removed from the entire biomass forever; and WHEREAS, the loss, of the juvenile halibut to future catches in Southeentral and Southeast Alaska represent more than a 1:1 loss to those fishing communities; and WHEREAS, managing the prohibited species bycatch of halibut without tying it to an accurate abundance index of the halibut stocks is a political decision, while managing bycatch using abundance indices for the stock as a whole, is a sustainability decision; and WHEREAS, politically based management decisions that impact a long- lived, wide-ranging species such as Pacific halibut, are indefensible and if the overarching goal is sustainability, abundance -based bycatch management is the only approach; and WHEREAS, tying halibut bycatch to abundance is especially important CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA RESOLUTION 2020-999 during low levels of abundance, a situation we have been in for the past eight years., and the halibut population is particularly vulnerable to high caps that leave the gate open for high- Resolution 2020-074 Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska Page 2 of 3 take levels that could mark a point of no return for several year -classes of Pacific halibut; and WHEREAS, abundance -based management (ABM) would bring immediate positive results to Alaska's rural coastal communities as ABM control of bycatch means coastal communities are more sustainable because they can rely on rigorous and informed management strategies which are not only more consistent and responsive to the health of the resource, but are also more equitable, managing all halibut users on abundance, including those harvesting as bycatch; and WHEREAS, the revenue generated by Alaska's coastal communities mean the state's economy is more stable long-term, as well as more diversified when coastal communities thrive and they cannot thrive with the uncertainty of high prohibited species catches looming over them each year; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA that: SECTION 1. Pacific halibut is important to Alaskans culturally, economically, and socially. Halibut, salmon and crab are Alaska's most iconic seafoods. Coastal communities rely upon them but are sadly losing access to them. SECTION 2. The Seward City Council strongly encourages the Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) to take the lead in this issue when it comes before the North Pacific Fishery Management Council this October. Actions to reduce all halibut bycatch caps to levels that are directly tied to the best available scientifically informed indexes of abundance will ensure that all sectors share in conserving the resource. SECTION 3. That a copy of this resolution shall be provided to the Commissioner of ADF&G and shall be provided as testimony during the October 14, 2020 public comments section of the NPFMC meeting. SECTION 4. That this resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption. CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA RESOLUTION 2020-999 PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Seward, Alaska, this 13t�' day of January, 2020. THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA Christy Terry, Mayor AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTEST: Brenda J. Ballou, MMC City Clerk (City Seal)