Clarification for the Record

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Intolerable Willful Destruction": 

1.  So these are the Highest numbers you can find? 
2.  Doesn't surprise seeing as how the shore based catcher vessels (which aren't include in your graph really) are observed 30% and they can easily avoid showing what they are really doing out there. 
3.  Bring out the 30% observed numbers and you can see where the games are played. 

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1.  Not so hasty there.  These figures are a sort of the NMFS spreadsheet.  They are sorted for the highest bycatch recorded by observers in the fleet of draggers operating in the Gulf of Alaska for the week of column one.  If you don't think 875 Chinook for four observed tows isn't high, you are an idiot.

2.  Catcher processors are shown in red.  It is easy, for the most part, to see who is a shore delivering (shore based) dragger; just look at the number of observed tows.  Few observations are shore deliver draggers (in purple). Under the new observer program, only about 13% of shore delivering draggers are observed.  Since the observers are alone on the dragger and are working twelve hours a day, some would argue that is really only 6.5% observed, because draggers may operate 24 hours a day.  Night fishing is the dirtiest, and should be outlawed, or have two observers.

3.  See #2.  6.5% observed.  There are no 30% figures, stay informed.  But if the PacStar were observed 100% could they have 875 Chinook X 50 or 100 tows (4,375 or 8750), who can say?  Without 100% observed dragging, expect your Chinook and halibut and crab to continue to diminish.  Below are the top 61 bycatch draggers in the Gulf, year to date.

The preponderance of the data suggests that 100% observed draggers (catcher processors) have the highest bycatch rates because they have few 'tools' with which to hide their dirty fishing.  If all draggers 100% observed, the bycatch rates would be shockingly higher than this poor data.  The occulting of data by draggers with a wink from NMFS is a continuing outrage.

Shoreside draggers in purple, catcher processors in red.

There are more but this should be demonstrative of the point.

Keep yer flippers wet.

Intolerable Willful Destruction

Sorted from: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/2013/pscinfo.htm

This is the end of Chinook as we have known them, all for targeted species that have a very low value.

Do not assume that the new proposed measures by the NPFMC will contain 100% observer coverage.  If 100% observer coverage were tolerable, they would have it now.  The dirty secret is that trawling is too dirty a kind of fishing to be sustainable for long.  If the truth were widely known as to the outright wanton waste of our national resources, we would close them down.  The Gulf of Alaska is not long for its productivity as long as we put up with this destruction.



Keep yer flippers wet.

As We Have Contended All Along

Compass: Commercial, charter fishermen target trawl fleet's bycatch

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2013/05/04/2889745/compass-commercial-charter-fishermen.html#storylink=cpy

By KIP THOMET and DAVID BAYES

Commercial and sport fishing interests in Alaska are no strangers to allocation battles over the resources that fuel our businesses and ways of life. It's a rare but important occasion when those of us usually on opposing sides can agree to get together to speak out for the conservation and health of the very resource we depend on. The current threat to our businesses and livelihoods we are united to address is bycatch.

On the commercial side, halibut quotas continue their downward slide leaving many in the lurch with large quota payments. Commercial salmon trollers, who take great care in delivering a quality product that demands a premium price, sit by and watch as the trawl fleet catches and wastes Chinook while dragging the bottom for fish that are valued at a nickel a pound. Setnet fisheries from Cook Inlet to the Yukon River have seen complete closures and limited openings that have resulted in the Secretary of Commerce declaring disasters in those fisheries.

Recreational and charter fishermen have been greatly curtailed in recent years with many rivers shut down completely and not meeting escapement goals. Direct users of these fish species, like ourselves, are taking massive hits in our pocketbooks due to declining stocks. The impacts to our communities and local economies due to low abundance have soared into the millions. Yet, we hear time and time again how the trawl fleet cannot handle further reductions because of economic impacts, while we endure them firsthand. It is hard to accept this rationale and the mismatch in management.

For many years, individual fishermen and groups have come before the council and asked that bycatch be lowered. The council has responded with some measures that have proved beneficial, but more must be done.

For example, there currently is no limit to how many chinook can be taken as bycatch in non-pollock trawl fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska. This is unacceptable. The council is currently considering a bycatch cap ranging between 5,000 and 12,500 chinook and will take action to address this critical issue at the June 3-11 meeting in Juneau. If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can let the council know that a meaningful cap on chinook bycatch in Gulf of Alaska non-pollock trawl fisheries must be put in place by submitting comments tonpfmc.comments@noaa.gov. The deadline to submit comments is Tuesday, May 28.

While a comprehensive bycatch plan is moving forward that may help to end the race for fish in the Gulf, we know there are things that can and must be done to reduce the impact of bycatch now.

The State of Alaska has a tremendous stake in the future health of our salmon resources, and can be a strong voice for cleaner fishing and bycatch reduction. The state has a seat on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and should use that wisely as a voice for the people and our local industries that are suffering and are demanding a reduction in waste. The Alaska Legislature can also help by giving a voice to the people that are unable to invest the time and money into traveling to council meetings to testify.

In this year's session of the Alaska Legislature, Sen. Peter Micciche of Soldotna introduced and successfully passed SR5, a resolution urging the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to work to reduce Chinook bycatch in both the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. This resolution was co-sponsored by a dozen other senators and passed unanimously.

Ultimately, bycatch decisions will rest with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Yet, the state can wield influence by weighing in both on the Council as a voting member, and through the voice of our Legislature. A strong state voice will help see that these critical decisions take into consideration the needs of many user groups, not just a few well-represented fleets. Alaskans who depend on fisheries need both the state and the council's help in preserving their livelihoods.

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Kip Thomet has been a commercial fisherman in Kodiak for 30 years. He is active in the Kodiak Regional Aquaculture Association, the Northwest Setnetters Association and on the Kodiak Advisory Committee to the Board of Fish and Game. David Bayes owns and operates the charter vessel Grand Aleutian at Deepstrike Sportfishing LLC. He is president of the Alaska Charter Association and a member of the Homer Advisory Committee to the Board of Fish and Game.

Thank you, www.adn.com
***
But without at least 100% observer coverage, how will we know what is really going on?

Keep yer flippers wet.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2013/05/04/2889745/compass-commercial-charter-fishermen.html#storylink=cpy

Bering Sea Video

When truth is of benefit to you, it seems self evident; but when truth requires your sacrifice, you resist believing it. But it is still the truth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfFeOvnGbY4

The Gulf of Alaska has similar management concerns. But lousy observer coverage of trawlers makes them especially dire.

Keep yer flipper's wet.

Projected Mortality for King Salmon and Halibut Bycatch

The actual mortality is probably far higher since only something like 13% of the the trawlers are actually observed.  This as a result of the new restructured observer program which favors the trawlers and burdens the other gear types.  The burden is a pay back for all the trouble we have given the trawlers for trying to force them to clean up their act.

Halibut is in metric tons, 1000 kilogram increments.  Chinook are in projected numbers.

Keep yer flippers wet.

Without Safeguards This Could be Coming to a Gulf Near You

Actually it looks a bit like the Bering Sea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azg8nX-uJnI

Keep yer flippers wet.

Mining the NMFS Data Base for Vessel Specific Bycatch

Bycatch of king salmon is shockingly high for bottom trawlers (non-pelagic trawl).

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Bycatch of king salmon appears to be much less in these midwater trawlers, but the failure of the NMFS to have those vessels observed 100% of the time allows them to "game' their fishing and to prevent accurate oversight.  Notice the small 'sampled haul' numbers.

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Of course king salmon are not the only prohibited species being decimated by trawling, halibut, an unofficial stock of concern, is continually hammered by several gear types.  In trawling the halibut mortality is officially around 80%!  Notice the Vaerdal is here again as a especially dirty player; in the running too for dirtiest king salmon bycatch.

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Longliners can be dirty fishers too, auto-longline gear, set in huge lengths can be very dirty.  Here the Freyja stands out as the dirtiest.  If she were fishing during halibut season she might have to keep her legal sized fish, if she had enough IFQ.  Season openings to allow halibut legal catch during other specie targeting would help control this waste, as would requiring ownership of sufficient quota to cover the unintended bycatch.

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Finally a gear type that is clean fishing for most species, pots.  The 'dirtiest' boat here is remarkably clean for fishing cod.  Tanner crab bycatch does occur in pot codding, but otherwise a very clean gear type.

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Isn't about time (long past time) to clean up our act?  We have several species (shrimp, king crab, tanner crab, halibut, and king salmon) now suffering steep declines due to the uncontrolled bycatch and over harvest rates being allowed by the agencies.  It is time for a change in fisheries management.  We do not want to end up like the East Coast.  It can happen here.

For you wonks who want to follow up the accuracy of my data mining.
Goto: www.fakr.noaa.gov
Select: "Fisheries"
Select: "Commercial Fisheries"
Select: "Catch Reports"
Select: "2013 Catch Reports and Stats."
Select: "2013 Vessel Specific Bycatch"
A familiarity with spreadsheets is helpful.  Mine, sort, and be revolted.

Keep yer flippers wet.

Who Can Kill the Most Chinook Salmon?

From a concerned fisherman, mining the NMFS database:

"It’s a close race to see who can kill the most Chinook salmon in the GOA.  As of today the Golden Fleece and the Vaerdal are neck and neck.  1123 Chinook for Golden Fleece and 1099 for Vaerdal including monumental effort of 574 Chinook on the last trip dated 4/13.   Curious that the Chinook counts are the highest on Catcher/Processors that are chasing mostly arrowtooth and some sole in the GOA and not the pollock trawlers that get so much press.   Extended trips with high observer sampling of 20-30 tows per trip.    Then they come in to the Majdic dock in Kodiak and unload into freezer vans and ship the money south.  There has got to be a better way!"

"The Chinook bycatch is now 8,811 fish on the count or 35% of the 25,000 cap."

But the cap only applies to pelagic pollock trawling!

Keep yer flippers wet.

Dead Wrong

A friend of the resource writes:

"NMFS is poised to make appointments to the International Pacific Halibut Commission 

Stephanie Madsen, director for the factory trawl fleet, is pushing hard for the Alaska seat.

Trawlers are responsible for over 90% of the halibut bycatch off Alaska and are now taking more halibut as bycatch in some areas than is left to the coastal residents who depend on the directed halibut fisheries.  That is dead wrong. 

Why would NMFS allow the trawl industry to run the Halibut Commission?

DON"T LET IT HAPPEN!!!

CALL TODAY and demand the Alaska commissioner be a halibut fishermen who cares about the halibut resource and the halibut industry.  

I support Linda Behnken--she is the best qualified for the job--but whoever you support--weigh in NOW against trawlers running--and ruining-- your halibut fishery!"

Phone numbers are below:

Bob King (Senator Begich staff) 202 375 0344 or (907) 586-7705

Jay Sterne (Senator Murkowski) 202 224-6665 (Corrected)

Dave Whaley (Congressman Young) 202 226 2311

Eric Schwaab (NMFS) 202 482 6255

Governor Parnell 907 465 3500

Keep yer flippers wet.

Recognize our Mortal Sea as we prepare to give away the Gulf of Alaska.

As we prepare to give nearly 45% the Gulf of Alaska away to the draggers, perhaps we need to be reminded of what has happened to our East Coast neighbors. If we are to judge by what has gone before, our management strategies, of which we are so confident, are flawed.  Our 'need' for development and growth and economic expansion are all inclined to reduce our Gulf of Alaska to the same empty sea as the Atlantic.

Take for instance the failure of king crab stock, once so abundant they could be picked up out of the shallows at low tide, now only a memory, a stock that should be declared endangered in the GOA. What about the shrimp, such incredible abundance...gone.  Tanner crab scarce enough only a few hundred thousand pounds for harvest, when there were once tens of millions.  Regime shift?  Decadal oscillation? Where are the halibut, 35 million small fish gone missing?  Avarice, over confidence and mismanagement have resulted in these losses.  King salmon are there now too, on the missing fishes list.  And the NPFMC can't control the arrogance of the drag fleet, who must already 'suffer' because they have to leave quota 'stranded' if they are to conform to the PSC caps.  The Gulf is not limitless.  The arrow tooth are taking over because the resident stocks are damaged.  The balance is upset.  So to solve it, we give the Gulf away, piecemeal to the draggers, then the pot boats, and finally the longliners.  They are all screaming there won't be enough for them.  They are right you know, but there won't be enough left for anyone unless action and not some flaccid good intentions are brought to bear by management.  The sea is mortal, like the buffalo, you can indeed kill them all. Watch. You will see.

Give a listen to the abundance that was once the Atlantic:  http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/04/10/the-mortal-sea

Winslow Homer, Fog Warning, 1885.

And keep yer flippers wet.