Posted On June 22, 2013 By In kpfa With 2864 Views

KPFA Newsletter

Date: Friday, June 28th 2013

ATTENTION ALL COMMERCIAL SETNET FISHERMEN:

The Kenai Peninsula Fishermen’s Association 2013 Annual meeting

Where: Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association (CIAA) community meeting room which is located at: 40610 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Mile 16.5, Kenai, Alaska 99611, 907-283-5098

You are invited as well as your family and friends of the commercial salmon industry!

Agenda: (tentative as time will allow)

Time: 1:00 – 1:09 PM Meet and Greet
1:10 – 3:59 Guest Speakers; (this year we have invited)
Pat Shields Commfish Division (CF), Robert Begich
Sportfish Division (SF), Suzanne Maxwell (CF)
Sockeye Sonar, Debby Burwen (SF) King Sonar, David W.
Welch PhD. King Salmon Project, Susan Saupe CIRCAC,
Lynda Giguere CIRCAC, Robert Ruffner KWF, Gary
Fandrei CIAA, Caroline Cherry CIAA, Arni Thomson ASA,
and our State and local community leaders
4:00 – 4:09 Annual Meeting Begins with Presidents’ Report
and Discussion From the Members
4:45 – 4:59 Nominations and Elections of Directors
5:00 – 5:50 Potluck Dinner
5:50 – 6:00 Election results
6:00 – 6:30 BOD meeting, election of officers, discussions

Door prizes will again be apart of the fun and a potluck dinner (barbecue) will be held before the end of the meeting. Please bring your favorite dish!

KPFA needs your support with your 2013 membership or a small donation to support the purchase of food for the potluck dinner. Donate online, through the mail or in person!

Call our Office Manager, Chris Brandt 252-1080 for more information or to offer assistance!

KPFA members and other Cook Inlet setnet fishermen:

Here we are already in our 2013 salmon season. KPFA members have worked extremely hard this last winter attending meetings which included a series of task force and several Alaska Board of Fisheries sessions. Many of you attended the Statewide Regulatory process where decisions to support the Department of Fish and Game’s recommendation for Late Run Kenai River escapement goals were accepted by the BOF. All of us are concerned in the manner of which our fisheries managers will regulate our opportunities this summer. Will they continue using the precautionary approach which restricts opportunity in season? Or will the State step in and allow prudent decisions considering the huge social and economic effects of continued onerous restrictions on our fleet. The question is of balance and that is what many of your KPFA leaders have been requesting. We encourage you to participate in the governance process, question the decisions that are being made that effect your livelihood and more important your Alaskan lifestyle. We do not have to tell anyone in our industry that we are at a pivotal point in defining our future. To lay back and assume others will speak for you is not the way to make a stand on what you believe is your right to continue to pursue your chosen path in life. More than ever each and every one of you needs to participate, stay involved and above all, be prepared to make the commitment in time and money if you wish to remain a viable commercial set net fishing person in Cook Inlet.

This year your KPFA Board has several Board Director positions up for election. Even if you are not able to commit the time to be a Director you can still participate as a committee member. Most KPFA Directors meetings are open to active members of the organization. We teleconference frequently our meetings and you are always welcome to attend. If you have a specific issue you would like to better understand or to express an idea, the KPFA Board of Directors is always available to listen and debate ideas.

Please visit our website at: kpfaalaska.org or our Face Book page

Please plan to attend your Associations meeting in Kenai on the 28th of June. If you can’t make it send someone from your family or group that will listen and speak to the issues so that your area you fish within will understand what options are available.

Without your support, KPFA cannot exist! Without KPFA your decisions will be made for you by groups that are not interested in promoting commercial fishing. The decision is yours!

Guidelines for nominations, voting, proxies and ballots:

• Member must be current and in good standing
• Member must be 16 yrs or older to vote
• No voting by mail, fax or email
• Nominations will be presented by proxy or written on the day of the annual meeting only, by members
• Vote for one person only
• One ballot per membership
• One proxy per member
• One vote per membership
• One vote per proxy
• Original proxy must be submitted on or before the Annual Meeting to the Board of Directors
• Proxy must designate whom the proxy is for and who has the privileges (form available on website or from KPFA office)
• Votes will be counted by 2 random members and staff and overseen by the Secretary/Treasurer of the Kenai Peninsula Fishermen’s Association