Chitina dipnetters:
I hope you had a fun and productive dipnetting trip to Chitina this year.
The Tazlina DOT crew, using monies from the $15 Chitina Personal Use dipnet permit fee, were back at work this October clearing the O'Brien to Haley Creeks trail used by dipnetters to access the Woods Canyon section of the Copper River. They began where they left off (5.2 mile) in the fall of 2018 and, after removing 2 large rock slides, were able to complete another mile of trail repair. I have attached several pictures of their work. More and higher resolution pictures are available at our website or our Facebook page. The crew hopes to continue work in spring and fall of 2020. Barring any new land slides, work should go quickly up to the landslide at Haley Creek.
The Copper River Watershed Project (CRWP) will conduct a two day Copper River salmon harvesters roundtable in February, 2020. It will be held in the Copper River Valley. This will be the third roundtable get together. The initial meeting was held in 2017 during the Board of Fisheries meeting in Valdez; the second in 2018 in the Copper River Valley. The Chitina Dipnetters Association has been invited to attend again. Several of our board members will attend. CRWP covers all participant expenses for the meetings. The rountable will feature professional presentations about new and ongoing salmon research. The various user groups are asked to concentrate on aspects of salmon research and management that we can all support. Discussion of salmon allocation issueas are avoided.
In December, 2020, the Alaska Board of Fisheries will be meeting to address proposals submitted for changes to the Prince William Sound and Copper River fin fish regulations. Proposals for this meeting must be submitted by May, 2020. If you have ideas for new regulations or changes to existing regulations that would benefit our fishery, please email your suggestions to board@chitinadipnetters.com. Don't be shy. Let us hear from you! If a majority of the board agrees with your ideas, we will submit a proposal to put your suggestion into regulation.
Christmas will be here before you know it and Chitina dipnetter apparel makes a great gift for that dipnetter on your list. Come shop CDA apparel at http://shop.chitinadipnetters.com.
Happy Holidays from the CDA board!!
Chuck Derrick, President
Chitina Dipnetters Association
PO Box 72665
Fairbanks, AK 99707
cderrick@chitinadipnetters.com