Senate hearing examines bill to create East Side administrative area for Cook Inlet set-net fishery

Juneau — The Senate Resources Committee held a first hearing Feb. 13 on Senate Bill 158, a technical measure that would direct the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission to create a separate administrative area for the East Side set-net fishery in Upper Cook Inlet.

Senator Jesse Bjorkman, sponsor of SB158, told the committee the measure is narrowly focused and “does not propose to change the allocation of fish in Cook Inlet” but would let CFEC redraw administrative boundaries so permit holders who fish six identified statistical areas can be managed separately. Bjorkman said the East Side fishery has been subject to paired restrictions and closures that, since 2017, have often reduced fishing opportunities for those permit holders to “0 or nearly 0.”

The bill would require CFEC to publish regulations defining the new area, open an application period and issue reassigned limited-entry permits to eligible holders. Conrad Jackson, staff to Bjorkman, explained the bill’s sections include an uncodified public-interest finding, explicit area definitions, reassignment rules, a provisional-permit and appeals process and a requested effective date of Jan. 1, 2027.

Glenn Haight,…