NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING OF THE JOINT PROTOCOL COMMITTEE BETWEEN THE BOARD OF FISHERIES AND THE NORTH PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

What is this notice about?

A joint committee made up of three members of the Alaska Board of Fisheries and three members of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council will meet in Anchorage on October 16, 2026, starting at 8:30 a.m. The committee will hear presentations and talk about trawl fishing in state waters of the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska, including how it affects habitat and ways to reduce harm. The public can testify in person at the meeting or send written comments by October 9 at 5:00 p.m.

Why was this notice issued?

The Alaska Board of Fisheries is giving public notice of a meeting of its Joint Protocol Committee with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

What action is being taken?

The committee will receive presentations on and discuss: pelagic (midwater) and non-pelagic (bottom) trawl fisheries operating in state waters in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska; federal measures in effect to reduce harm from trawl fisheries, such as closed areas and gear changes including salmon excluders; legal requirements for assessing how council-managed groundfish fisheries affect habitat, and the tools the council uses; ongoing research on pelagic trawl gear impacts (Gear Innovation Initiative), how well bottom contact sensors work, and other innovations; and council actions underway on habitat (Essential Fish Habitat, or EFH, 5-year review) and bottom contact (pelagic trawl gear performance standard).

Who is involved: Alaska Board of Fisheries; North Pacific Fishery Management Council; committee board members Tom Carpenter (chair), Märit Carlson-Van Dort, and Mike Wood; trawl fisheries in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska.

How can the public respond?

Respond by Fri, Oct 9, 2026 This deadline has passed.

“Written comments are due no later than Friday October 9 at 5:00 pm.”

Ways to respond

Online form https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/6150
Testify at hearing In-person testimony during the October 16, 2026 meeting at the Marriott Hotel, Kenai/Denali meeting rooms, 2nd floor, 820 W 7th Avenue, Anchorage

What to include

Written comments must be submitted through the council's website. The meeting agenda and other meeting documents will be posted at https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/6150 as they become available. People with a disability who need a special accommodation to participate should contact Art Nelson at (907) 267-2292 by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday October 14, 2026.

Contact

Art Nelson
Alaska Board of Fisheries, ADF&G Boards Support Section
art.nelson@alaska.gov
907-267-2292

Will there be public meetings?

Joint Protocol Committee meeting: Fri, Oct 16, 2026, Beginning at 8:30 am
Marriott Hotel, downtown Anchorage, Kenai/Denali meeting rooms, 2nd floor, 820 W 7th Avenue
Livestream online at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89752081977; in-person testimony available at the meeting.

Key dates

Oct 9, 2026: Written public comments due by 5:00 pm
Oct 14, 2026: Deadline (5:00 p.m.) to request a disability accommodation from Art Nelson at (907) 267-2292
Oct 16, 2026: Joint Protocol Committee meeting begins at 8:30 am in Anchorage and online

Original notice text

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING OF THE JOINT PROTOCOL COMMITTEE BETWEEN THE BOARD OF FISHERIES AND THE NORTH PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL The Alaska Board of Fisheries (board) Joint Protocol Committee with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (council) will meet on Friday, October 16, 2026 beginning at 8:30 am. This committee is composed of three board members from the board and three members from the council. Tom Carpenter (chair), Märit Carlson-Van Dort, and Mike Wood are the three board members on this committee. The committee will be receiving presentations on and discussing: • Pelagic and non-pelagic trawl fisheries operating in state waters in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska • Federal fishery management measures in effect to minimize adverse impacts of trawl fisheries (e.g., closed areas, and gear modifications including salmon excluders) • Statutory requirements for assessing the impacts of Council-managed groundfish fisheries on habitat, and tools the Council uses • Ongoing research on understanding pelagic trawl gear impacts (Gear Innovation Initiative), operationality of bottom contact sensors, and other innovations • Council actions underway related to habitat (EFH 5-year review) and bottom contact (pelagic trawl gear performance standard) This meeting will take place at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Anchorage in the Kenai/Denali meeting rooms on the 2nd floor. The address is 820 W 7th Avenue. The public will have an opportunity to provide in-person testimony to the committee during this meeting. The meeting will also be livestreamed and can be accessed online at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89752081977 Written public comments can be submitted for this committee meeting. Comments are due no later than Friday October 9 at 5:00 pm. Written comments can be submitted through the council’s website at https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/6150. The meeting agenda and all other relevant meeting documents will be posted as they become available, at https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/6150. If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation to participate in this meeting, please contact Art Nelson at (907) 267-2292 by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday October 14, 2026 to make any necessary arrangements. For more information about the meeting, contact Art Nelson, Board of Fisheries Executive Director at art.nelson@alaska.gov or 907-267-2292. /s/ Art Nelson, Executive Director September 29, 2026 ADF&G Boards Support Section Date

This summary was written by an AI model (Claude) from the official notice text. This is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm deadlines and instructions in the official notice. Legal disclaimer.