Here are the retainable percentages of incidentally caught species in the long line fishery for catcher vessels in the Gulf of Alaska: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/tab10.pdf Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/tabl11.pdf
2015/16 CRAIG/KLAWOCK HERRING SPAWN-ON-KELP POUND FISHERY
Ketchikan…. the Alaska Department of Fish and Game today announced the following information concerning the Craig/Klawock spawn-on-kelp pound fishery. The 2015/16 herring winter bait fishery in Section 3-B and District 4 had a final harvest of 898 tons of herring. The winter bait fishery was allocated 60% of the total GHL of 1,590 tons, or 954 tons. This means that 692 tons of herring will be used for the Macrocystis kelp allocation tables for the 2016 spawn-on-kelp fishery. New regulatory changes will be in effect for the upcoming season that includes modifications to the kelp allocation table, revisions on how permit holders operate and join two separate closed pounds, a new depth to which the pound webbing must be lowered at time of herring release, and an increase in how Read more…
IFQ SABLEFISH FISHING PROHIBITED IN STATE WATERS OF SOUTHEAST ALASKA
Sitka. . . .The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reminds participants in the federal Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) sablefish fishery that IFQ harvest of sablefish is prohibited in all state waters of the Southeast District. This includes internal state waters, all waters within the three nautical mile line (0-3 miles), and the waters that are east of the Fishery Limit Line between Cape Ommaney and 55°30.00′ N. latitude. The areas closed to the harvest of IFQ sablefish are outlined in the attached map on page 2. For additional information on federal IFQ fisheries for sablefish and halibut contact NOAA Enforcement at (907) 747-6940 (Sitka), (907) 586-7225 (Juneau), (907) 772-2285 (Petersburg), or (907) 247-5804 (Ketchikan). For additional information on groundfish fisheries, Read more…
Hazardous Waste Training
On Tuesday, March 15, from 8am-4pm the Southeast Alaska Petroleum Response Organization (SEAPRO) will be in Petersburg conducting HAZardous Waste and OPERations (HAZWOPER) training at the Fire Department. The class is free and open to everyone. To register please call (907) 225-7002 or email [email protected]
February NP Council Newsletter
The February NP Council Newsletter is out. Dr. Ian Stuart of IPHC was appointed to the SSC for a one-year term. The Council is currently looking at re-structuring the Gulf of Alaska groundfish trawl fisheries. They will consider: -Alternative 1 leaving the fishery continue to exist as License Limitation Program and leave the prohibited species catch (PSC) unchanged. -Alternative 2 allocating the groundfish and PSC quotas to harvester-processor cooperatives based on historical catch of LLP licenses. -Alternative 3 allocating only PSC quotas to harvester processor cooperatives based on equal share and dependency on the fishery. -Alternative 4 setting 5-15% PSC and/or groundfish for use by Community Fisheries Associations or an Adaptive Management Plan. This could be selected in addition Read more…
CFEC transferred to ADF&G
The administrative and research functions of CFEC were transferred to the ADF&G by administrative order of Governor Walker. Here is the news release: http://gov.state.ak.us/admin-orders/279.html
New Survival Craft Laws Repealed
We were all notified by the USCG in January that out-of-water survival crafts would be required in February. Now, we have all been notified that law was repealed for commercial fishing vessels. The laws for survival craft requirements will remain as they were in 2015. “Section 301 of the 2015 Coast Guard Authorization Act (CGAA) removed the language in 46 USC 3104 that prevented the Coast Guard from approving in-water survival craft….Therefore, in-water survival craft approvals may resume and commercial fishing vessels may continue to use their existing in-water survival crafts…” “please recognize that if you are currently required to carry an out-of-water survival craft on your commercial fishing vessel in accordance with statue or regulation (see 46 CFR Part 28), that requirement Read more…