A coalition of groups says the Department of Fish and Game wrongfully allowed personal watercraft like jet skis, like the Sea-Doo Fish Pro pictured above, to be used in Kachemak Bay. The group says the commissioner violated the administrative procedures act because, they say, there was a predetermined outcome, the decision was arbitrary and ignored scientific data.
The plaintiffs are Cook Inletkeeper, Kachemak Bay Conservation Society, the Alaska Quiet Rights Coalition, and Friends of Kachemak Bay State Park, using lawyers Scott Kendall and former Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth, the same lawyers behind such things as the recall of Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
The groups are challenging Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang’s repeal of a prohibition of personal watercraft in the bay and Fox River Flats Critical Habitat Areas.
The groups allege the commissioner made an unconstitutional appropriation favoring personal watercraft.
In their complaint, they say this is a “violation of Alaskans’ constitutional right to the use and enjoyment of the critical habitat areas by unconstitutionally prioritizing the rights of personal watercraft users over all other Alaskans.”
All critical habitat areas in the state allow personal watercraft except the Izembek Lagoon near King Cove.
Under the new rules, a few people have been using personal watercraft in Kachemak Bay this spring to troll for winter king salmon during the winter king salmon derby. Some fishing models are available by Sea-Doo and Yamaha.
Read the entire complaint at this link:
Is this basically a noise complaint? Not sure I understand who’s harmed and what the harm is, exactly.
Ungh, SeaKarens.
Jet Ski’s are great(where its warm) but the a skiff and motor are about the same cost and much more useful.
Seakarens is perfect.
This is navigatable water ways. Don’t take away the rights of all Americans because of a very few very noisy entitled wealthy individuals.
You can’t limit what watercraft are allowed in federal waters. People wanting to outlaw these are just greedy people who want to enjoy Alaska and keep it all to themselves. They forgot to learn how to share when they were in kindergarten.
They want to block all forms of motorized transportation. This way the wealthy elites can have a park all to themselves, even though few would use it because no one can get there. Personal watercraft, not “Jet Ski” (that is a stand up model produced by Kawasaki), are very friendly these days with new 4 stroke technology. They’re about as clean as you can get.
Always a “constant” barrage and assault on personal rights, freedoms and liberties!!! If the citizenry continues to allow this aberration, what specific personal rights, freedoms and liberties do you think will remain for you and generations to come? WHEN(!!!) … Will the good people and citizens stand up?
This is just a case of some people wanting to control the rest of us. They have no case, jet skis aren’t any different than a skiff with an outboard. A bunch of meddlesome psychopaths trying to limit the enjoyment of others.
Personally I do not favor Jet-Skis, I believe they are inherently unsafe in Alaskan Waters and are way to fast for my comfort. However this is about the rights of the individual to choose whatever means of water transport they desire. These folks are showing their Elitist colors here and cloaking their argument with the use of the word ” Science.” Science is the new authoritarian catch phrase, Science= DON’T QUESTION AUTHORITY. BTW, aside from your silly constitutional reasoning, have you any valid research demonstrating how a Jet Ski is more damaging to the environment than say an out board motor?
Personal watercraft are required to meet all state and federal emissions guidelines. Many go beyond that with the stricter EU guidelines. Like outboard motors, they were once noisy and smoky two strokes but that was years ago. They are just as clean and quiet as today’s modern outboards.
Its a boat. Not sure what makes them think that they can stop a boat from operating on a navigable waterway no mater what the activity is. Is it a navigable waterway? Is there a right operate a marine vessel?
I’d love to see ordinary Alaskans standing up against these environmental bullies. They been using Alaskans as punching bags and doormats far too long. It’s time the punching bag punches back and the door mat pulls itself up under their feet making them fall on their bum.
Well, Scott Kendall did lose on the recall petition of Governor Dunleavy, as well as the attempt to use fraudulent methods to elect bear-meister Al Gross. Ha. Kendall was successful in using fraud to get his pot-smoking father-in-law’s son into the state house ☹️. Other than that, Kendall is kind of a loser and spends his time thinking of ways to harass Governor Dunleavy. Bill Walker, the disgraced former governor who hired Kendall to protect him (that didn’t work so well?), still sits in the shadows waiting for good news, even while Byron Mallott’s underage sex target gets to pose for magazine covers. Hilarious!
So if some guy wants to plop his environmentally-friendly kayak into Kachamek Bay and go for a brief paddle, Cook Inletkeeps opposes this?!?!?! I thought their primary political fight was against a coal mine on the other side of the Inlet? So commercial charter boats and commercial fishing boats are OK but a kid in a canoe paddling in Kachemek Bay is persona non grata?
What a joke. How about regulating the water taxi business? During the summer their incessant noise is as aggravating as a swarm of mosquitoes!
These people are determined to turn Alaska into a California Soviet Socialist Republic.
Comments are closed.