Saturday, March 19, 2011

Top Deadliest PSC Bycatch Through March 12 (Revised)

Through March 16, here are the dirtiest boats in the Gulf of Alaska in regard to observed bycatch.  What is not seen remains secret.  (This is revised, as raw data did not accurately represent the catches.  W.)

Longliners targeting cod:
    1. Kjevolja   5.38% bycatch of halibut in 117 observed hauls
    2. Blue North   6.12% bycatch of halibut in 90 observed hauls
    3. Beauty Bay   9.31% bycatch of halibut in 49 observed hauls
    4. Zenith   4.39% bycatch in 73 observed hauls
Unless these vessels are hand releasing the halibut, substantial damage to the halibut occurs with strippers or crucifiers and therefore an unacceptable high mortality damages the resource.

Non-pelagic trawlers targeting cod or 'bottom' pollock:
    1. Chellissa   311 kg per metric ton of pollock or 31% bycatch of halibut
    2. Cape Kiwanda   160 kg per metric ton of cod or 16% bycatch of halibut
    3. Michelle Rene   103 kg per metric ton of cod or 10% bycatch of halibut  
These are hard on the bottom draggers, the halibut mortality is very high.  But remember, this is only a snapshot since there are few observations here, data distortion occurs.  It might be lower or a helluva lot higher.  No one is there to bear witness.

Non-pelagic trawlers targeting cod or pollock:
    1. Legacy   bycatch of 134 kings
    2. Pacific Star   bycatch of 67 kings
    3. Gold Rush   bycatch of 22 kings
    4. For all observed bottom trawls so far---236 kings
Hard on the bottom (non pelagic) trawlers kill kings too.  These kings are dead, they do not survive the trip to the deck.  These are actual numbers, not percentages.  Read it and weep.

Pelagic trawlers targeting pollock:
    1. Caravelle   bycatch of 67 kings
    2. Hickory Wind   bycatch of 62 kings
    3. Leslie Lee   bycatch of 50 kings
    4. For all observed pelagic trawls so far---280 kings
These kings most likely are sluiced into the fish hold along with the targeted species and end up sorted out at the processing plant...quite dead.

Evidence that pelagic does not mean 'off the bottom:'
    1. Mar Pacifico 35 kg of halibut per metric ton of cod, supposedly pelagic trawling.  Definitions for pelagic and non-pelagic need tightening.  Currently they are pretty much unenforceable and meaningless.  He was as they say, 'kissing the bottom.'  Lots of bottom kissing in trawling, apparently.
Watch for the king salmon bycatch to sky rocket during the 'C' and 'D' seasons.  'D' stands for deadly, when it comes to king salmon bycatch.

Keep yer flippers wet.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wiglaf said...

The link is in the article below.

Anonymous said...

You don't know what you are talking about.

You talk about the data as if it is absolute - it is not. You are seeing rates. You describe the data as if it is the whole picture - it is not. The bycatch rates are week-by-week. For the freezer longliners, a high bycatch rate can be explained by search mode, looking for the fish. High bycatch rates can be caused by low target species catch and the boat moving around to better grounds.

Also, so what if the longliners have fish strippers? They also have regulations requiring careful release of halibut, and 100% observer monitoring. Most boats cut the ganion or twist the hook out of the halibut's mouth. Viability (i.e. survivability) is much more important than raw bycatch weight.

Do your homework if you want anyone to pay attention to your screed.

I am interested to see if you will delete this comment or do better next time. Depending on your response, I may keep reading or consign your blog to the dustbin of amateurs.

Wiglaf said...

Dear "You don't know what you are talking about..."

Thanks for the kind 'heads up' on the data for the longliner fleet. You are partially correct. We reworked the data and see that the figures get distorted depending on the number of observations, with the Hickory Wind and the Northern Endurance showing rates of 54% and 17% respectively but that is with considering only one observation. So, agreed, there can be distortion. I reworked the catch percentages based on total observations and it all smells much better, not that I frankly give a shit if you read or don't read my 'screed.' But we do intend to represent things as accurately as is possible with the paucity of observation data out there. Hook strippers for targeted species are fine, you're killing them anyway; but when other species are stripped they are greviously wounded. We see far too much cricified halibut. By the way, all the other fish, like dogfish, skates, and sculpins count too. It is delusional to believe otherwise.

Anonymous said...

If you don't give a shit, why reply? I think you must give a shit. Glad to know you care.

By the way, the Hickory Wind and Northern Endurance are trawlers, so I really doubt they use hook strippers.

Have fun playing with the data, but you really need a few more clues about what you are talking about.

Wiglaf said...

Dear "You don't know what you are talking about..."

You need reading lessons. I don't give a shit about what YOU think.

Both the Hickory Wind and the Northern Endurance are longline registered with the State of Alaska CFEC.

Go figure.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous...Northern Endurance is a Fred Wahl steel house aft longliner, with a autobaiter on her. And yes, there is a crucifier/hook stripper. Trawl dog...pick a fight where you have a chance. Facts....facts.....facts

Anonymous said...

actually a friend of mine has pictures of longliner northern endurance stripping of halibut with crucifier way faster than a guy can legally cut gangion or twist hook out of halibuts mouth. that is the reason we are seeing more and more halibut with ripped off lips. and also why autobaiters can brag about running 20, 30, up to 50000 hooks per day. they dont care about bycatch just about how many hooks they can go through in a day.

Wiglaf said...

If the friend of yours wants to sell or share those pictures, Tholepin can find a buyer. What is right is right, no matter. We need the halibut to remain a viable fishery.

Michael said...

Dear Mr. Trawldog basher,

Thank you for telling me anonymously what you're too afraid to say to in public. I will never be defeated until I concede defeat.

Sincerely,
Trawldog Millionaire

p.s.

Fred Wahl boats are knock off of east coast Nova Scotia boats. If you want to sea a real seagoing limit seiner I would advise checking out the real deal http://www.theriaultinternational.com/. How many Fred Wahl's are there on beachs around these parts?

Wiglaf said...

Go on now...go back East to be with the trawled out grounds and the missing fish and the poverty and insanity of overcrowding. Ya bless as holy that which is a failure, like trawling, or East Coast fisheries policies. As presently configured, yer a blight.

Just4Hlbt said...

"Unless these vessels are hand releasing the halibut, substantial damage to the halibut occurs with strippers or crucifiers and therefore an unacceptable high mortality damages the resource"
IPHC has determined a mortality rate of 12% for halibut bycatch in Gulf cod H&L fisheries, based on 10years of observed injury data. Observers also report when careful release methods (required by regulation) are not used, this can result in large fines.