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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes2021-007I CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA RESOLUTION 2021-007 Sponsored by: Regis A RESOLUTIONOFTHE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA, SUPPORTING REGIONAL AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATIONS AND STRONGLY OPPOSING PROPOSED CHANGES TO MANAGEMENT PLAN OF KACHEMAK BAY STATE PARK AND STATE WILDERNESS PARK THAT WOULD DISPROPORTIONATELY AND NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE SEWARD COMMUNITY WHEREAS, the State of Alaska Division of Natural Resources (DNR) recently proposed management plan with intent -to -adopt, which includes effective elimination of the "Fishery Enhancement - Hatcheries" category with respect to Kachemak Bay State Park (Park) and its Turks Bay Lagoon Hatchery (TBLH); and WHEREAS, built by the State of Alaska, the Tutka Bay Lagoon Hatchery is a regular component within the Park and nearly as old as the Kachemak Bay State Park (1970) itself, and it is currently operated by Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association (CIAA) and has been serving the greater Seward community continuously since 1978; and WHEREAS, CIAA is a private, non-profit, regional aquaculture corporation that works with regional stakeholders to engage in salmon fisheries enhancement and habitat work throughout the Cook Inlet region for the benefit of commercial, subsistence, sport, and personal use fishing; and WHEREAS, CIAA activities bolster salmon throughout their entire lifecycle and the nutrients that they provide uniquely support land -based ecosystems; and this marine -to -land transference of biomass is rare biologically and critical to inland wildlife populations near Seward; and WHEREAS, one distinguishing feature of Alaskan aquaculture is that fisheries enhancement is designed to provide salmon harvest opportunities while maintaining the sustainability of wild salmon through science -based programs; and this concept and terminology should not be confused with environmentally offensive "fish fanning" - a controversial, offshore practice that remains illegal in the State of Alaska; and WHEREAS, citizens of Seward and visitors to Kachemak Bay directly benefit from CIAA activities from at least the following run fisheries: Sockeye salmon providing sport, personal use, and commercial fishing harvest at China Poor River and waterfall, Kachemak Bay Sockeye salmon released at Hazel Lake, returning to Kachemak Bay for sport and commercial fishing harvest Pink salmon providing sport, personal use, and commercial fishing harvest at Port CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA RESOLUTION 2021-007 Graham Bay, Kachemak Bay Pink and sockeye salmon providing sport and commercial fishing harvest at Turks Bay, Kachemak Bay Cohn salmon providing sport, and personal use fishing harvest throughout Kachemak Bay (CIAA-initiated Caribou Lake stock) Monitoring natural salmon colonization at Paint River (via CIAA-built fish ladder), Kamishak Bay, Cook Inlet, with the goal of opening up common property fishing there Sockeye salmon providing sport and commercial fishing harvest at Kirschner River, near Brain Bay, Kamishak Bay Monitoring stations (modem fish weirs) for natural sockeye salmon runs at Delight River and Desire River, Nuka Bay (near Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park) From 2015 — 2020 CIAA has released 2,819,299 Cohn in the Seward area, primarily Bear Lake. From 2015 — 2020 CIAA released 22,937,518 sockeye in Resurrection Bay and Bear Lake. Processing in Seward ties directly in with our hatcheries and the fisheries in the lower Cook Inlet. Tutka Bay Lagoon hatchery has provided cost recovery pink ' salmon harvest of 12,678,000 pounds over the past five years. WHEREAS, a corollary to local benefited fisheries, the largest sector of tourism in and around Homer and Seward involves sport fishing; and these visitors also represent the largest user group (volumetrically) of the Seward Harbor and its facilities; and WHEREAS, citizens of Seward reap economic benefits from CIAA activities associated with TBLH, including support of Seward -based marine trades and businesses, fish processing jobs, State and City fish processing tax (landing tax), and related industry jobs that support both sport fishing and commercial fishing fleets in Seward; and WHEREAS, common property harvest at TBLH fills a strategic gap in the mid -season timing of the Commercial Lower Cook Inlet Salmon Fishery and some years the "Tutka Run" has represented the most substantial harvests; and TBLH also represents crucial operations for CIAA that allow salmon enhancement and monitoring regionally throughout Kachemak Bay and Lower Cook Inlet; and WHEREAS, within the Park the majority of seasonal traffic directed at Tutka Bay and Tutka Bay Lagoon is due to sport fishing supplied by TBLH; and heavy Park usage directed at the China Poor Dip Net Fishery also relates to TBLH and CIAA; and WHEREAS, proposed changes to the management plan for Kachemak Bay State Park ' and cessation of the TBLH would harm the largest usage of the Park, diversity of users within CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA RESOLUTION 2021-007 the Park, and current and historic economies of the Seward community; and furthermore it would severely or permanently limit salmon deliveries to the local Seward docks, encumber fish - processing and fish -transporting businesses, potentially eliminate related business niches, commercial and sport fishing operations based from Seward, families that rely on personal use fishing for subsistence, regional tourism in a widespread manner, and - generally - the citizens of Seward; and WHEREAS, in summary, implementation of plans proposed by DNR would unfairly and disproportionally affect the livelihoods of citizens and the economy of two communities, Homer and Seward; and WHEREAS, continued support and operation at TBLH as a Park -compatible asset is in the interest of the citizens of Seward and the numerous stakeholders surrounding Seward. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA that: Section 1. The Seward City Council affirms its general support for regional aquaculture associations and their programs, and for Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association (CIAA) in particular. Section 2. The Seward City Council supports scientific and unbiased methods to assess the interaction of aquaculture programs with marine ecosystems. Section 3. The Seward City Council is strongly opposed to proposed changes in the Kachemak Bay State Park Management Plan that would encumber, restrict, or terminate continued operations of the long-standing the Talks Bay Lagoon Hatchery (TBLH) due to widespread economic and historic/cultural benefits for the greater Seward and Homer communities and owing to its clear compatibility within Kachemak Bay State Park. Section 4. The Seward City Council is strongly opposed to proposed changes that could specifically cause economic hardship for Lower Cook Inlet commercial fishermen, Homer and Seward -based marine trades and businesses, wharfage, fish processing jobs, state and city fish processing tax (landing tax), and related industry jobs that support our commercial fishing fleet in Seward. Section 5. The Seward City Council calls on the Division of Natural Resources to work dutifully with the regional aquaculture associations, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Board of Fisheries, commercial fishermen, and marine scientific organizations to further its understanding of the importance of Alaskan aquaculture programs for all Alaskans and our visitors to Kachemak Bay State Park and Wilderness Park. CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA RESOLUTION 2021-007 Section 6. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption. PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Seward, Alaska, this 1 la' day of January, 2021. AYES: Osenga, McClure, Casagranda, DeM( NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: City 04 SEAL • OF