Managing many nets: Possible scenarios and impacts for the expansion of Cook Inlet personal use fisheries

Abstract

Abstract In 2020, the Alaska Board of Fisheries created a new personal use fishery on the Susitna River, effectively expanding the fishing opportunities for personal use fishermen in the already contentious atmosphere of Cook Inlet fishery allocation conflicts. The opening of this fishery happened in tandem with the removal of a “stock of yield concern” status for Susitna River sockeye and additional restrictions for the Cook Inlet drift fishing fleet in order to minimize intercept of salmon bound for the Susitna River drainage. Given the long history of inter-gear group conflicts in this area, these changes are likely to have social and, perhaps, ecological impacts on the salmon stocks and user groups of Cook Inlet fisheries. This article uses scenario development to offer four possible scenarios organized around the potential popularity of the new fishery, and the potential demand for harvestable abundance. These scenarios are intended to give all involved stakeholders an opportunity to understand the landscapes opened up by the new personal use fishery, and the potential winners and losers of each. By drawing from social-ecological coexistence theory, this study also gives thought to how the equity between user groups (inclusive of the environment) may be affected in each scenario, considers the impacts of politicized fisheries management on power dynamics within the region, and discusses how least equitable scenarios might be improved using equalizing mechanisms. https://soundcloud.com/conservechange/pubcast-managing-many-nets