Yukon River Panel Joint Technical Committee

The Joint Technical Committee (JTC), responsible for getting the best science and management expertise possible to support the Yukon River Panel, was established as an international advisory committee to evaluate management plans and escapement goals for the transboundary stocks of salmon within the Yukon River drainage. The JTC is comprised of representatives from both State and Federal agencies, and local and regional organizations in the US and Canada. The JTC meets twice a year and is charged with various tasks related primarily to Yukon River salmon stock assessment and management, including but not limited to:

• Reporting on preseason outlooks and postseason reviews to the Panel;
• Examining management regimes and recommending how they may be improved to achieve management and escapement goals;
• Evaluating the status of Canadian-origin salmon stocks and making recommendations for adjustments to rebuilding programs;
• Technically reviewing and evaluating proposals submitted to the Restoration and Enhancement Fund (R&E Fund); and
  Coordinating special research projects.

Providing technical support to the Panel, the JTC prepares standard season summary reports, including a review of all the fisheries (commercial, sport, subsistence, First Nation, etc.), status of spawning stocks, and R&E Fund project summaries. The JTC also reviews the status of escapement goals, marine fisheries information, and project proposals for the R&E Fund.

In March 2005, the JTC completed a strategic plan for salmon research in the Yukon River drainage. The JTC Plan is intended to guide the use of funds, made available through the R&E Fund and from various sources, toward filling informational gaps. The 2005 plan is the first drainage-wide plan to include all aspects of research and not be limited to restoration and enhancement. Lack of knowledge makes managing the salmon fishery difficult. The plan provides guidance for managing, protecting, restoring and aiding the sustainable use of Canadian-origin salmon stocks.