CITY OF HOMER

HOMER, ALASKA

Mayor

RESOLUTION 03-142

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOMER, ALASKA, SUPPORTING A GULF OF ALASKA GROUNDFISH RATIONALIZATION PLAN THAT UNLOCKS THE VALUE OF OUR RENEWABLE FISHERY RESOURCES, ENSURES COMPETITIVE PROCESSING MARKETS (AND ALLOWS FOR REASONABLE GROWTH) FOR KENAI PENINSULA PORTS, AND PROMOTES CONSERVATION OF OUR FISHERY RESOURCES:

WHEREAS, in 2002 Homer was the third most important fishery port in Alaska by value (eleventh in the nation); and

WHEREAS, the combined value of Kenai Peninsula ports (82.1 million dollars) is second only to Dutch Harbor in 2002 for Alaska and the third highest by value in the nation; and

WHEREAS, the majority of Homer’s groundfish fleet are fixed gear vessels (longliners and pot boats) who are generally owner-on-board, independent family fishermen; and

WHEREAS, the majority of Homer’s processing businesses are generally small entrepreneurial enterprises specializing in fresh high-valued products; and the strength of Homer’s waterfront is the ability to innovate and meet changing market demands and consumer tastes for fishery products; and

WHEREAS, certain “processor provisions” and “community protection” measures (closed class of processors, linkages to processors, and regionalized landings), which are stated goals of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Rationalization Plan, may advantage non-Kenai Peninsula ports but seriously curtail economic development of the GOA groundfish resources processed on the Kenai Peninsula; and

WHEREAS, the City of Homer previously passed a Resolution opposing processor quotas; and

WHEREAS, the City of Homer has spent countless millions of dollars to promote economic development in the groundfish fisheries by building and operating an icehouse, boat harbors, docks, fish crane, etc. and receives revenues from land leases to processors; and

WHEREAS, fish taxes that support our communities are derived from ex-vessel fish prices; and rationalized fisheries with free markets with open delivery patterns generate the highest value for our fishery resources; and

WHEREAS, rationalized fisheries generally slow down the race for fish, promote safety at sea, allow for more orderly management, and promote conservation benefits such as reduced bycatch and wastage; and

WHEREAS, the City of Homer supports the retention of bycaught halibut (by longliners who own IFQs for halibut) in a rationalized winter cod fishery, as this would reduce wastage of halibut and would also bring high-valued halibut into port for the fresh market, effectively extending the halibut season; and

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Resolution 03-142

City of Homer

WHEREAS, the City of Homer supports measures in the GOA Rationalization Plan to include Prohibited Species Caps and/or trawl area closures to provide for the recovery of tanner and king crab and to reduce the bycatch of Kenai king salmon; and

WHEREAS, the City of Homer supports measures in the GOA Rationalization Plan to allow voluntary gear conversions so that trawlers would be allowed to fish cod with pots, as this measure could significantly reduce halibut bycatch and lessen adverse affects on marine habitat; and

WHEREAS, the City of Homer supports adequate fishery observer coverage to insure that the conservation goals of the program are being met; and

WHEREAS, the City of Homer generally supports maintaining an owner on board fleet of harvesters where fishermen remain vitally connected to the waterfronts of our coastal communities; and

WHEREAS, the City of Homer supports including hired-skippers in allocations of harvest shares based on their historical participation; and

WHEREAS, the City of Homer supports maintaining entry level opportunities for young fishermen in any rationalized fishery; and

WHEREAS, the City of Homer recognizes that the trawl fleet, the large processors they deliver to, and the communities where they operate may have different needs for their region’s economic stability;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Homer supports options in the Gulf of Alaska Rationalization Plan that increase the value of our fisheries resources; and allows open deliveries, without processor restrictions, for the entire fixed gear catcher fleet; that provides opportunities for our small processors to purchase high quality groundfish; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, if any regionalized landing requirements are imposed in the Plan, that the Kenai Peninsula be allowed reasonable incremental growth in groundfish landings to provide for economic development into the future.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council this 27th day of October, 2003.

CITY OF HOMER

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ATTEST: JACK CUSHING, MAYOR

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MARY L. CALHOUN, CMC, CITY CLERK

Fiscal Note: NA.