Last Call for King Salmon Comments as PSC Totals Continue to Mount

The June meeting of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council is coming up shortly (June 6-14 in Nome), and this is your last opportunity to write a letter to the NPFMC regarding king salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska.

"Written comments and materials to be included in Council meeting notebooks must be received at the Council office by 5:00 pm (Alaska Time) on TUESDAY May 31, 2011. Written and oral comments should include a statement of the source and date of information provided as well as a brief description of the background and interests of the person(s) submitting the statement. Comments can be sent by mail or fax—please do not submit comments by e-mail."  Address your letters to Eric Olson, Chair, Fax 907 271 2817.

Call Governor Sean Parnell's office and voice your concern as well, as this is a state's rights issue over our fisheries.  http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/contact/email-the-governor.html

As you can see from the PSC catch information below, the GOA draggers are on schedule to exceed the proposed cap again this year.  It is important that the cap on king salmon be implemented ASAP and be held to at least the 22,500 fish as listed in the Councils' preferred alternative.

Don't put it off, your input has convinced the NPFMC to begin a review of the terrible bycatch waste in the GOA by draggers, and perhaps we can sustain this forward momentum, but only through your involvement.  It has been years since the NPFMC has taken a hard look at the waste of resources in the GOA.  You have finally moved them. Next we'll push them to stop the killing off of our halibut by these same irresponsible draggers.

A dragger crewman's account available at: http://www.alaskacafe.blogspot.com/

Find out more about the Council's meeting agenda at :http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/Agendas/611Agenda.pdf

Listen in to the proceedings: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/audio.pdf

Keep yer flippers wet.

Halibut Bycatch by Longliners Targeting Sablefish

All gear groups must be held responsible for their bycatch.  The latest stats from the NMFS (http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/2011/pscinfo.htm) reveal that the observed longliners (over 60 feet) targeting sablefish, are catching (and releasing) very large percentages of halibut. 

• Clipper Surprise had 64% halibut bycatch in 6 observed hauls
• Clipper Epic had 61% halibut bycatch in 5 observed hauls
• Baranof had 47% halibut bycatch in 8 observed hauls
• Evening Star had 33% bycatch in 15 observed hauls

While longlined halibut are not killed outright, like most trawl bycatch,  "...injuries are most frequently caused by improper release methods used by vessel crews. Other significant factors include the length of the soak time, which can exacerbate the mortality caused by hooking injuries and also increase the potential for amphipod predation."  Soak time is an underdiscussed issue for vessels targeting halibut, as well, since long soak times are especially lethal on undersize fish, with regard to sand fleas and other predation. If the NPFMC is going to revisit PSC bycatch for trawlers, they also need to examine the unacceptable levels of bycatch by the autobaiting longline fleet, limiting soak time for halibut longlines, the impact of early halibut openings on the late season spawning halibut.  

The last two issues are under the purview of the IPHC, but a good kick in the pants by the NPFMC won't hurt to help the IPHC re-examine their season timing with the changes going on in the Gulf as a result of the climatic shifts we are seeing.

Keep yer flippers wet.

Dirty Dozen Halibut Trawlers

NOAA sources (http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/2011/pscinfo.htm) show that the GOA non-pelagic draggers are continuing to damage halibut stocks at unacceptable levels.  The Chellissa, bottom dragging for pollock, is thus far the worst offender, killing 31 % of her total pollock poundage in halibut.  Fishing this dirty is criminal behavior.  The fact so few of these drags are observed more than likely means this wastage of the halibut resource is only the tip of the iceberg.  

Arrowtooth is a worthless fish, "This is the nastiest fish I have ever tasted!" (http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/alaska-flatfish-pudding-now-wal-mart-near-you), for which the highest price fish in the GOA is being wasted.  Apparently draggers can make a dime off of it by delivering the bycatch of other species like cod, to support fishing arrowtooth.  

The NPFMC will not consider halibut bycatch at their June meeting in Nome, but have moved to consider alternatives to push back halibut bycatch by 5, 10, or 15%. http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/halibut_issues/halibutPSCmotion411.pdf  Obviously these proposed reductions to halibut bycatch are far too small to have any real effect on the decline of halibut and the criminal waste of this high value resource.

1. Chellissa  dragging pollock  took 31% halibut in 6 observed tows
2. Pacific Star dragging arrowtooth took 17% halibut in 9 observed tows
3. Cape Kiwanda dragging cod took 16% halibut in 3 observed tows
4. American No 1 dragging arrowtooth took 15% halibut in 5 observed tows
5. Caravelle dragging arrowtooth took 13% halibut in 7 observed tows
6. Ocean Alaska dragging arrowtooth took 11% halibut in 7 observed tows
7. Michelle Rene dragging cod took 10% halibut in 16 observed tows
8. Miss Sarah dragging cod took 9% halibut in 3 observed tows
9. Sea Mac dragging cod took 9% halibut in 13 observed tows
10. Vaerdal dragging rex sole took 8% halibut in 18 observed tows
11. Ocean Alaska dragging arrowtooth took 8% halibut in 11 observed tows
12. Peggy Jo dragging cod took 8% halibut in 15 observed tows

Keep yer flippers wet.

In Case You Didn't Hear…

http://www.alaskanewspapers.com/article.php?article=1118federal_subsistence_board_wants_lower_salmon


 “Members of the Federal Subsistence Board …voted at its May 3-4 meeting in Anchorage to recommend a hard cap of 15,000 king salmon caught as bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska Pollock fishery, and a hard cap of 50,000 chum salmon in the Bering Sea pollock fishery.”
Although the subsistence board is no friend of mine (allowing the ‘take’ of sealions by Alaska Natives) they see that the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s  preferred alternative for the limit on king salmon bycatch is not tough enough, and represents the status quo, not an effective cutback on the waste of this resource.  Final action is scheduled for June.

Keep yer flippers wet.

NOAA Halibut and Chinook Mortality Report Ending April 16th

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NOAA Mortality Link  Multiply halibut numbers times 2200lbs!

As you can clearly see, the draggers are pounding the hell out of the halibut and king salmon in these screen shots of the extrapolated observed numbers, (heavily gamed as they are).  These represent, at best, hints of the destruction going on in the Gulf of Alaska.  My advice: SCREAM at the agency, the governor, your senators and representatives, and the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, and bring down the house.  Just saying...if you want a future.  Do it.  Your discouragement is an ally to the draggers.

Here is the NPFMC contact information.  Most important is to contact the Alaska delegation, voting members, and James Balsiger.  The outsiders don't care what you say, really!

Keep yer flippers wet.

Rumors: Draggers Hammer Halibut in Pursuit of Flats

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It seems that even as the draggers are wailing, weeping, gnashing their teeth, and licking their wounds over their apparent loss at the NPFMC regarding their excessive bycatch of king salmon, they are hammering the halibut in pursuit of their near worthless flats (flatfish).  This is known in psychology as a murderous rage.

Reports are that halibut boats on particularly good fishing, are being followed by draggers working the same edge.  Intentional or accidental, the damage to the halibut stocks remains at an unacceptable level.(IPHC)  While Gulf of Alaska halibut fishermen see smaller and smaller halibut, and fewer of them as well, and their quotas shrink by double digits, the unconstrained drag fleet sweeps halibut into oblivion.  At least 70% of the drag fleet is unobserved, the observations are skewed by carefully selecting clean areas to drag while observed.  And since only 30% of the drag time is observed, only half of that really is observed since the observers are only allowed to work 12 hour days.  So 15% percent observation results in the data that is projected by extrapolation (a kind of mathematical hocus pocus) to be the bycatch.  This is a crime.

As one halibut fishermen was heard to say, "The end is near."  Some would argue that the drag fleet feels the sooner the halibut are gone, the sooner they can do as they will with the flatfish in the Gulf.  They tried it with king salmon. It happened to red king crab in the Gulf, why not the other highly valued species; once they are gone, why protect them and constrain the draggers?

Extrapolated catch of 904,00 pounds total, with 184,000 pounds taken the week ending April 9th.

Ex-vessel value of this unconscionable waste is $5,424,000 at $6 per pound. 

Three times that to the consumer market!  How much to the charter fleet?

How high is the true loss to productivity, to sustainability?

Keep yer flippers wet.

Belize Gets Rid of Trawlers to Preserve Fisheries' Health

Belize, which has one of the most forward looking fisheries management systems in the Caribbean, has rid itself of the destructive practice of trawling.  Belizean fisheries cooperatives have much sway in the way Belize handles its fisheries.  We might some day do as well.

Read here.

Keep yer flippers wet.

NPFMC Constrains Trawler PSC of King Salmon!

The NPFMC set a PSC hard cap of 22,500 king salmon for the Gulf of Alaska pollock fleet today as their preferred alternative for analysis in a stunning move toward enlightened and responsible resource management. There is plenty of credit to pass around, to all the groups and individuals who pushed for this new day in the management of the Gulf of Alaska.  Final action is scheduled in June, so do not take off the gloves yet.

But to be fair, this could not have happened without members of the NPFMC finally recognizing their responsibility to the king salmon resource.  Alaska's Governor Sean Parnell made a promise to reduce bycatch, and his choice of Fish and Game Commissioner, Cora Campbell made the successful motion.  The arguments were heated, emotional, and dramatic.  In the end the NPFMC voted to do the right thing.  This is a huge victory for the State of Alaska toward the end of colonialism in its fishery resources; a huge victory for all the little people who have been marginalised for too long.

Read more here:

• Seward Phoenix Log
• Alaska Journal of Commerce
• Alaska Dispatch
• Anchorage Daily News

Keep yer flippers wet.

GOA Trawlers Violate Two International Treaties and Endangered Species Act

The excessive trawler bycatch of at least 51,000 king salmon in the Gulf of Alaska, has triggered a "consultation" on the ESA.  Likely bycatch of remaining endangered kings from rivers all down the West Coast as far away as the Merced and Sacramento Rivers is the concern.  That is why there has been so much foot dragging over genetic analysis by the agencies.  It might expose some real problems.

Bycatch of treaty kings from Canada and the IPHC finally confessing that trawler bycatch is dangerous to the halibut resource (see story below), indicts Gulf of Alaska trawlers for violating two international treaties.  Will NOAA continue to back this group against the good health of our fisheries?  The US is famous for breaking treaties with its aboriginal peoples, how about with Canada? How about the Endangered Species Act?  The agencies made some provisions to control trawling after they (and others) practiced genocide on my species.

Keep yer flippers wet.

IPHC: Halibut PSC limits were based on inadequate data.

 "The existing GOA Prohibited Species Cap (PSC) limits have been in place for trawl fisheries since 1986 and for fixed gear fisheries since 1996."

"Monitoring of both historical and current bycatch mortality is inadequate, and the PSC limit for trawl fisheries should be reduced as a precautionary measure until the improved observer procedures are implemented, at which time the estimated bycatch mortality levels can be re-evaluated in the context of halibut stock dynamics."  http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/halibut_issues/IPHC_PSCdiscpaper311.pdf

This has been an open secret for fifty years, as far as domestic trawling in the Gulf of Alaska is concerned.  We know it.  We have plenty of living witnesses.  But few have had the balls to make it public.  That rare video tape that you find on this blog illustrates the point that lies and deception have ruled the day.  Money does indeed talk.  So when the stodgy folks at the IPHC finally come clean and say that trawling on halibut stocks threatens the survival of those stocks, well, take heart.  I smell change in the air.  Or am I down wind of the haulout?

Keep yer flippers wet.