"Clearly, we dispute Canada's claim that there is 'irrefutable evidence' of a region-wide coho crisis. However, to the extent there are problems this year, Alaska will step up to the plate and address conservation needs," said David Benton, Alaska's commissioner to the Pacific Salmon Commission.

Coho harvest in southeast Alaska average 2-3 million fish per year. The vast majority are of Alaska origin. Dr. Jeff Koenings, head of Alaska's Coho Response Team, and author of the report noted that any conservation actions taken by Alaska will come at a significant cost to Alaska's fishing families.

• The U.S. and Canada cease all salmon fishing in the waters located in Dixon Entrance in the zone between the disputed boundaries of the U.S. and Canada;

• ADF&G will monitor coho abundance during the fishing season. If the runs are weak, and if Canada also implements complimentary and coordinated conservation actions, Alaska will implement specific fishery closures to protect upper Skeena coho;

• Each week, the U.S. and Canadian fishery managers in the northern boundary area will exchange information on coho regarding stock status, catches, and fishery management information including open areas and times for each.

In addition to these measures, Alaska is proposing that joint scientific work on Northern coho continue. Specifically, Alaska will propose:

• That Canada monitor all Canadian Northern Boundary fisheries and adequately measure coho catches, particularly in the freezer-troll fleet. Presently, Canada does not collect Coded Wire Tag data from the freezer-troll fleet, which recently accounts for an estimated 65-70% of the Canadian troll coho harvest in the Northern Boundary area.

• That further scientific and technical analyses regarding the status of northern boundary coho are needed, and that the Northern Boundary Technical Committee develop a work plan to improve stock assessment programs, inseason and postseason abundance determinations, and fishery performance data;

• That the Northern Boundary Technical Committee continue its assessment of the status of upper Skeena coho and factors affecting the health of these stocks, and report to the U.S. and Canada at the 1998 postseason review of the Pacific Salmon Commission.

  
  

The department also released a scientific analysis of Northern Boundary coho salmon, which finds no confirmation of a general conservation concern for Northern Boundary coho salmon. Furthermore, Alaska coho stocks, some of which are harvested by Canadians, were found to be in excellent condition.

A team of Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists conducted the analysis of available U.S. and Canadian data on northern coho. Unfortunately, the Canadian analysis did not include the Canadian coho harvest of substantial inriver fisheries (estimated by Canada at 30% harvest rate). The Canadian analysis also lacked information for the Canadian marine recreational fishery, incidental mortalities in the Canadian net fisheries, and Canadian freezer-troll coho harvest.

"How can we trust the validity of a Canadian report that doesn't account for all of the Canadian catches," said Benton. "That's why we are again asking Canada to finally begin monitor all their fisheries to adequately measure coho harvests, something Alaska has done for years."

According to the ADF&G report, coho escapements in the Upper Skeena River decreased in the 1960s and 1970s, but have since stabilized. The report also finds that low Skeena coho escapements in 1997 may be an isolated event unrelated to prior escapement levels, and not indicative of a long-term future trend of declining escapements.

Alaska's scientists found that a dramatic increase in the Canadian commercial net fishing for sockeye at the mouth of the Skeena River tracks almost perfectly with a corresponding decline in the number of early Skeena coho able to escape the Canadian net fishery and enter the river over the same period. Coho are caught incidentally in the Canadian gillnet fishery, which targets enhanced sockeye populations.

"This report is significant because Alaska has maintained a willingness to address Canada's concerns if conservation problems are identified, but the available information does not support Canada's claims of a region-wide threat to coho salmon," said Jeff Koenings, PhD, Special Assistant. "We will pay attention to inseason information and are prepared to address legitimate conservation concerns as they arise."

The report goes on to say that Southeast Alaska coho salmon stocks are in excellent condition and capable of supporting sustainable fisheries. Of 94 escapement counts made on twelve Southeast Alaska streams during 1990-97, 51 cases exceeded the goal range, 39 were within range and only four cases were under the range.