A public workshop is planned for April 24-25 in Seattle to review how, and how well, halibut bycatch is estimated in the trawl and longline groundfish harvests off Alaska.
Deckboss imagines many of you would argue the estimates, especially in the Gulf of Alaska, are not nearly good enough.
Anyway, this three-page workshop overview is definitely worth checking out.
Showing posts with label bycatch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bycatch. Show all posts
More albatross trouble in Bering Sea
We've noted before the serious matter of short-tailed albatross bycatch in Alaska's longline fishery.
Now comes word that another endangered albatross has been taken, the third since August 2010.
Now comes word that another endangered albatross has been taken, the third since August 2010.
56 hours in Dutch Harbor
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is meeting this week way out in Dutch Harbor.
As usual, the agenda is packed, with a total of 56 hours of meeting time scheduled.
Deckboss is hard-pressed to find much excitement in this meeting, as the council isn't expected to take final action on any major issues.
One item likely to stir some interesting conversation, however, concerns the council's intent to reduce the allowable bycatch of halibut in the Gulf of Alaska.
The council in April put some options on the table for cutting the halibut bycatch limit by 5 to 15 percent for Gulf trawl and fixed-gear fleets.
Council members are expected to chew on the numbers further in Dutch Harbor, then select a "final preferred alternative" at their December meeting in Anchorage.
When all is said and done, regulators could implement tighter halibut bycatch limits early next year.
Bycatch, of course, is a hot topic these days due to recent declines in Gulf halibut biomass and rising tensions between two competing fleets — charter boats and commercial longliners — dependent on the fish.
Here's the council's draft analysis on the halibut bycatch issue. The first page has a nice summary. Thorough types are welcome to continue through the remaining 464 pages.
As usual, the agenda is packed, with a total of 56 hours of meeting time scheduled.
Deckboss is hard-pressed to find much excitement in this meeting, as the council isn't expected to take final action on any major issues.
One item likely to stir some interesting conversation, however, concerns the council's intent to reduce the allowable bycatch of halibut in the Gulf of Alaska.
The council in April put some options on the table for cutting the halibut bycatch limit by 5 to 15 percent for Gulf trawl and fixed-gear fleets.
Council members are expected to chew on the numbers further in Dutch Harbor, then select a "final preferred alternative" at their December meeting in Anchorage.
When all is said and done, regulators could implement tighter halibut bycatch limits early next year.
Bycatch, of course, is a hot topic these days due to recent declines in Gulf halibut biomass and rising tensions between two competing fleets — charter boats and commercial longliners — dependent on the fish.
Here's the council's draft analysis on the halibut bycatch issue. The first page has a nice summary. Thorough types are welcome to continue through the remaining 464 pages.
Trawlers shrink grounds to avoid chum bycatch
The Bering Sea pollock industry might close itself out of as much as 5,000 square nautical miles of fishing grounds in an effort to reduce chum salmon bycatch.
Here's the press release.
Here's the press release.
Council said to pass Gulf Chinook bycatch limit
Deckboss has been remiss in failing to note that the North Pacific Fishery Management Council has been meeting the past several days in Nome.
It's the first time the council has ever convened in that exciting and faraway town.
And the council, evidently, has used the occasion to achieve yet another first: a limit on Chinook salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery, says this press release from the Alaska Marine Conservation Council.
It's the first time the council has ever convened in that exciting and faraway town.
And the council, evidently, has used the occasion to achieve yet another first: a limit on Chinook salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery, says this press release from the Alaska Marine Conservation Council.
'Politically dangerous'
Salmon seiners along the south Alaska Peninsula are sacrificing early fishing time rather than risk high chum bycatch while in pursuit of sockeye.
Here's a press release from the Aleutians East Borough.
Here's a press release from the Aleutians East Borough.
Work advances to control Chinook bycatch in Gulf
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is making progress toward controlling the incidental capture, or bycatch, of Chinook salmon in Gulf of Alaska pollock trawl nets.
How can we tell?
Check out this 295-page analysis posted this week on the council's website.
The analysis is a necessary step for meetings coming up later this month and in June, when the council could elect to impose a "hard cap" on the pollock fishery. That means the fishery would be closed down once a certain number of Chinook are taken as bycatch.
Chinook bycatch last year in the Gulf pollock fishery was an alarming 43,915 fish, according to the chart on page 21 of the analysis.
A hard cap, if approved, could be implemented in mid-2012.
The analysis says addressing Chinook bycatch in the Gulf is the council's highest priority.
How can we tell?
Check out this 295-page analysis posted this week on the council's website.
The analysis is a necessary step for meetings coming up later this month and in June, when the council could elect to impose a "hard cap" on the pollock fishery. That means the fishery would be closed down once a certain number of Chinook are taken as bycatch.
Chinook bycatch last year in the Gulf pollock fishery was an alarming 43,915 fish, according to the chart on page 21 of the analysis.
A hard cap, if approved, could be implemented in mid-2012.
The analysis says addressing Chinook bycatch in the Gulf is the council's highest priority.
Steller rules, Gulf bycatch, harvest limits and more
We've got the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting all week here in Anchorage, and the agenda is packed.
Here's a rundown of the major items:
• The council likely will learn the federal government's final stance on fishery restrictions in the western Aleutians to conserve prey for endangered Steller sea lions.
• The council will hear a report on crab rationalization, five years after implementation.
• The council will discuss the recent high Chinook salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska groundfish harvest. Halibut bycatch is on the agenda, too.
• Finally, the council will take care of one of its main yearly chores: setting catch limits for pollock, cod and other groundfish in the Bering Sea and the Gulf.
Here's a rundown of the major items:
• The council likely will learn the federal government's final stance on fishery restrictions in the western Aleutians to conserve prey for endangered Steller sea lions.
• The council will hear a report on crab rationalization, five years after implementation.
• The council will discuss the recent high Chinook salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska groundfish harvest. Halibut bycatch is on the agenda, too.
• Finally, the council will take care of one of its main yearly chores: setting catch limits for pollock, cod and other groundfish in the Bering Sea and the Gulf.
Council amends Tanner crab bycatch plan
After passing a plan Sunday to reduce Tanner crab bycatch in the groundfish fisheries off Kodiak, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council took up the matter again the following day and made some amendments.
Here's the final motion the council passed.
Here's the final motion the council passed.
Trawlers win!
That's right, trawlers win. But Kodiak crab stocks might be winners, too.
That's my assessment of today's action at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in downtown Anchorage.
On a 9-2 vote, the council passed a plan to minimize the bycatch of bairdi Tanner crabs off the east coast of Kodiak Island.
The council considered simply closing large blocks of water to trawlers, particularly those using bottom-dragging nets that can accidentally catch and kill crab while in pursuit of groundfish.
But for the most part, the trawlers escaped that fate. Instead, the council gave the trawlers a way to keep fishing in most of waters proposed for closure. They can do this by modifying their trawl gear to have less impact on crabs.
These "trawl sweep modifications" reportedly have worked to reduce crab bycatch mortality in the Bering Sea.
Kodiak's trawl fleet as well as the island's major processors all pushed for the modified gear approach, rather than simply booting boats out of crabby areas.
Here's how council members voted on the final motion:
Voting yes
Jim Balsiger, Dave Benson, Cora Campbell, Sam Cotten, John Henderschedt, Dan Hull, Roy Hyder, Eric Olson (chairman), Bill Tweit
Voting no
Ed Dersham, Duncan Fields
That's my assessment of today's action at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in downtown Anchorage.
On a 9-2 vote, the council passed a plan to minimize the bycatch of bairdi Tanner crabs off the east coast of Kodiak Island.
The council considered simply closing large blocks of water to trawlers, particularly those using bottom-dragging nets that can accidentally catch and kill crab while in pursuit of groundfish.
But for the most part, the trawlers escaped that fate. Instead, the council gave the trawlers a way to keep fishing in most of waters proposed for closure. They can do this by modifying their trawl gear to have less impact on crabs.
These "trawl sweep modifications" reportedly have worked to reduce crab bycatch mortality in the Bering Sea.
Kodiak's trawl fleet as well as the island's major processors all pushed for the modified gear approach, rather than simply booting boats out of crabby areas.
Here's how council members voted on the final motion:
Voting yes
Jim Balsiger, Dave Benson, Cora Campbell, Sam Cotten, John Henderschedt, Dan Hull, Roy Hyder, Eric Olson (chairman), Bill Tweit
Voting no
Ed Dersham, Duncan Fields
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