N. Pacific Council meets out of its jurisdiction in OR to palaver* over “pelagic”
The federal North Pacific Council that set the rules for the bulk of the fish catches taken from Alaska’s waters is meeting this week in Oregon, a region that is not part of its management jurisdiction.
After enjoying a Surf and Turf schmooze for the “Council Family” at Newport’s Bayfront Yacht Club – sponsored by the Newport-based Midwater Trawlers Cooperative – Council members will get down to business all weekend (June 6&7) discussing one of its most contentious agenda items: the DEFINITION of, wait for it… Midwater (pelagic) Trawl Gear!
The fish policy makers won’t be able to ignore the public outcry directed at their foot-dragging over midwater gear definitions and denials.
There are over 90 written comments from concerned constituents deriding the Council for ducking behind definitions; nearly 500 additional signatures were submitted in a group letter urging the Council to clarify “that pelagic trawl gear does not operate on the seafloor.”
SEE THE COMMENTS ON PELAGIC TRAWL HERE
“The term pelagic has become a loophole, not a gear type. A branding gimmick that lets the fleet trawl in closed areas, avoid habitat protections, and claim they’re doing less harm than they are. It’s a lie, and this doc shows the council and NMFS know it. Classify all trawl as a single gear type and outlaw its use in existing habitat conservation and protection areas and in any other areas needed to preserve stocks and habitat.”
Sarah Mayer in her npfmc comment
NPFMC snubs its nose at NOAA Fisheries pelagic definition
NOAA Fisheries defines pelagic (midwater) fishing gear as “gear used to target fish that live in the water column, away from the seabed, in the open ocean.”
Definition of the gear has been unchanged since 1993.
The conversation began in earnest in April 2022 after the NPFMC’s own scientists revealed that midwater gear is fishing on the bottom up to 85% of the time, even more with large catcher-processors.
“It’s been known all along by many,” said Stephanie Madsen, former director of the At-sea Processors Association at a November 2022 Alaska Bycatch Task Force meeting.
More than three years later – and after more than four decades of (Americanized) trawl fishing in Alaska waters – members this week will begin discussing “Regulatory amendments to revise the existing definition of a pelagic trawl, implement a performance standard for trawls, and define a non-pelagic trawl.”
Julie Bonney, AK Groundfish Data Bank
The Council discussion will be based on a 90-page draft report titled “Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review.
The Abstract says: “The North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s purpose for this action is to update the regulatory definition of pelagic trawls in Alaska to clearly allow commonly used components in cod ends and bycatch excluder devices, allow instrumentation necessary to monitor and adjust net performance, and remove unnecessary outdated text. Measures under consideration include revising the pelagic trawl gear definition to allow flotation and metallic components in the cod end, remove outdated text related to parallel line trawls, allow flotation aft of either 5.5 inch or 15 inch stretched mesh, allow instruments capable of adjusting the fishing gear, or observing or monitoring gear, catch, fishing activity, or fishing environment to be attached, and to specify where metallic components are allowed.”
Sounds to most Alaskans like a whole lot of talking…
(*palaver: unnecessarily elaborate or complex procedure)
“The Council needs to talk about what midwater trawl IS and what it DOES. That’s very different. There is much anger and confusion and a huge disconnect with the public on how this is being addressed.”
linda kozak, former chair of AK bycatch council
