Staying Afloat and Alive

Shipyard news roundup

www.pacificfishing.com THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR FISHERMEN n JANUARY 2016 Staying afloat and alive

US $2.95/CAN. $3.95 01 • The bait business 63126 • FDA and supersalmon AGGRESSIVELY TRYING TO BUY YOUR FISH

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ALASKA SEAFOOD IN THIS ISSUE Editor's note Wesley Loy ® A winning THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR FISHERMEN INSIDE strategy The U.S. Food and Drug Administration finally spoke on genetically engineered salmon. And the ruling wasn’t good for wild salmon harvesters. Safe, said the FDA. Genetically engineered salmon are perfectly fine to eat. What’s more, the production of such salmon isn’t likely to harm the environment, the agency said in its Nov. 19 announcement. “That’s because the multiple containment measures the company will use in Bait matters • Page 10 the land-based facilities in Panama and Canada make it extremely unlikely that the fish could escape and establish themselves in the wild,” the FDA said. The FDA decision pertains specifically to a line of fish known as AquAdvan- tage salmon, from Massachusetts-based AquaBounty Technologies Inc. Naturally, defenders of wild salmon are dismayed. “I am furious about this decision,” said U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. She and other lawmakers have been working for years to thwart genetically engineered salmon. At a minimum, they want a requirement that any such salmon be labeled for consumers. Safety focus • Page 12 Now that we have the FDA decision, wild salmon harvesters are understand- ably apprehensive about what comes next. Many Pacific salmon fishermen have painful memories of how the rise of global salmon farming crushed their industry a few years back. The industry since has recovered its health and staked a strong market position for wild-caught salmon. But could the FDA decision unleash another calamity as AquaBounty and perhaps other companies start mass-producing their genetically enhanced Atlantic supersalmon? Around the Yards • Page 16 At this point, we don’t know much about AquaBounty’s near-term plans, nor its financial and physical capacity to produce on a large scale. But ominously, Ronald Stotish, AquaBounty CEO, declared in a Nov. 19 press release that AquAdvantage salmon is “a game-changer.” Maybe so. But let’s keep a few things in mind. First, it’s unclear whether consumers will accept genetically engineered salmon. Even if they do, Pacific salmon fishermen and processors should feel confident in their ability to survive a big new competitor, given their resilience in the aquaculture era. Corked at Karluk • Page 23 The efforts to force AquaBounty or other producers to label genetically engineered salmon might fail. No problem. Wild-caught salmon harvesters can ON THE COVER: Deckboss Gus Molan busts ice aboard counter this by clearly labeling their own product as non-GE. the pollock trawler Columbia in the Bering Sea near the Most importantly, fishermen and processors in Alaska, British Columbia, Pribilof Islands. His dad and the captain, Jack Molan, Washington, Oregon, and California must strive to deliver the highest quality took the photo. natural salmon possible. That’s a winning strategy against any challenge.     VOLUME XXXVII, NO. 1 • JANUARY 2016 Be safe! January is our annual safety issue, and we have articles starting Pacific Fishing (ISSN 0195-6515) is published 12 times a year (monthly) by Pacific on page 12 that could save your life. Jennifer Lincoln, of the National Institute Fishing Magazine. Editorial, Circulation, and Advertising offices at 1028 Industry for Occupational Safety and Health, analyzes a remarkable, fatality-free year Drive, Seattle, WA 98188, U.S.A. Telephone (206) 324-5644.  Subscriptions: and the value of proper emergency training. And we publish insightful marine One-year rate for U.S., $18.75, two-year $30.75, three-year $39.75; Canadian subscriptions paid in U.S. funds add $10 per year. Canadian subscriptions paid in accident reports on the demise of two commercial fishing vessels. Canadian funds add $10 per year. Other foreign surface is $36 per year; foreign airmail is $84 per year.  The publisher of Pacific Fishing makes no warranty, express or implied, nor assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the information contained in Pacific Fishing.  Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, Washington. Postmaster: Send address changes to Pacific Fishing, 1028 Industry Drive, Seattle, WA 98188. Copyright © 2016 by Pacific Fishing Magazine. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. POST OFFICE: Please send address changes to Pacific Fishing, 1028 Industry Drive, Seattle, WA 98188

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PREFERRED PUBLICATION OF: It’s FREE! It’s DAILY!* It’s the best commercial fishing news digest ALASKA INDEPENDENT Fish available in the North Pacific. Here’s some of FISHERMEN’S MARKETING ASSOC. Wrap what you missed by not reading FishWrap. CORDOVA DISTRICT FISHERMEN UNITED Big Bristol Bay forecast: The Alaska expenses. – aws.state.ak.us OREGON DUNGENESS Department of Fish and Game is projecting a Bristol Bay sockeye situation: A new analysis CRAB COMMISSION harvest of 29.5 million sockeye salmon next year. finds hopeful signs in the frozen market but – deckboss.blogspot.com cause for concern in the canned market. UNITED FISHERMEN Conserving halibut: Public comment is now – bbrsda.com OF ALASKA open on an amendment to reduce halibut Feedback wanted: The Bristol Bay Regional WASHINGTON DUNGENESS bycatch limits in Bering Sea groundfish fisheries. Seafood Development Association spells out its CRAB FISHERMEN’S ASSOC. – alaskafisheries.noaa.gov strategies and constraints, and invites its mem- WASHINGTON REEF NET Budget cuts, fishing cuts: Alaska spending bers to submit suggestions. – bbrsda.com OWNERS ASSOC. reductions will lead to more conservative Sunny outlook for setnetters: Cook Inlet management and less fishing opportunity, salmon setnet fishermen could see much more WESTERN FISHBOAT state officials tell an industry group meeting in fishing time in 2016, Alaska Department of Fish OWNERS ASSOC. Petersburg. – kfsk.org and Game managers say. – alaskapublic.org Seafood jobs edge up: Alaska’s commercial ‘Safe and nutritious’: The U.S. Food and fishing employment grew by 0.7 percent in Drug Administration has approved genetically 2014, primarily driven by increased groundfish engineered salmon for human consumption. To Subscribe: harvests, the state Department of Labor reports. – nytimes.com www.pacificfishing.com – ktuu.com Ph: (206) 324-5644, ext. 221 More Dungeness delays: Oregon and Sound numbers: A record pink salmon catch Main Office Washington have joined California in postponing 1028 INDUSTRY DRIVE was among the highlights of the 2015 Prince the start of their commercial crab seasons due TUKWILA, WA 98188 William Sound commercial salmon season. to domoic acid. – seattletimes.com PH: (206) 324-5644 – adfg.alaska.gov ‘I am furious’: Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski Domoic acid dims Dungeness outlook: announced steps to fight the FDA’s approval of Chairman/CEO/Publisher MIKE DAIGLE California has delayed the start of recreational genetically engineered salmon. [email protected] Dungeness crabbing, and the same could – murkowski.senate.gov Associate Publisher happen with the commercial season set to open CHRISTIE DAIGLE Bering Sea pollock outlook: Prospects appear [email protected] Nov. 15. – sfgate.com good for another strong harvest quota in 2016. A big year: The 2015 Kodiak area salmon harvest – deckboss.blogspot.com EDITORIAL CONTENT: was well above average at 37.3 million fish, the Sitka herring outlook: The quota for the Editor Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports. 2016 season is up sharply to 15,674 tons. WESLEY LOY – adfg.alaska.gov [email protected] – deckboss.blogspot.com Ph: (206) 324-5644, ext. 234 Conservative management: Lack of funding for Fukushima and fish: New tests “continue to Field Editor a counting tower could cut salmon fishing time MICHEL DROUIN show fish from Alaska waters are safe from next summer at Togiak. – kdlg.org Copy Editor radionuclides related to the nuclear reactor BRIANNA MORGAN Humpy forecast: The Department of Fish damage in Japan.” – dec.alaska.gov and Game is predicting a harvest of 34 million More ASMI moves: The Alaska Seafood PRODUCTION OPERATIONS: pink salmon next year in Southeast Alaska. Marketing Institute, which recently installed a Production Manager – deckboss.blogspot.com DAVID SALDANA new executive director, has hired sustainability [email protected] Blustery Unalaska: High winds blowing and technical directors. – scribd.com Art Director, Design & Layout through Wednesday caused considerable ERIN DOWNWARD Halibut outlook: The stock looks stable and so [email protected] disruption. – kucb.org do potential 2016 quotas, according to a staff BBRSDA’s new skipper: The Bristol Bay Regional presentation to the International Pacific Halibut SALES & MARKETING: Seafood Development Association has named a Commission. – iphc.int Advertising Sales Manager DIANE SANDVIK new executive director. – deckboss.blogspot.com Bristol Bay debate: The Alaska Board of Ph: (206) 920-5516 [email protected] Cutting costs: Alaska’s fish and game boards Fisheries hears mixed views on permit stacking

Ad Support plan to explore options to save on meeting proposals. – kdlg.org CANDICE EGAN Ph: (206) 324-5644, ext. 221 [email protected] *You can subscribe to Fish Wrap by sending an email to [email protected]. Write your first name, your last name, and the words “Fish Wrap.” Do it now, before you go another month without Fish Wrap. CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION: [email protected]

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15_IP-MobileCast_MASTER_Fishing.indd 1 12/9/15 2:10 PM COMMENTARY by ERIK HUEBSCH No more business as usual in Alaska – we can’t afford it laskans are starting to understand the new economic reality Alaska residents is employed in the seafood industry. With a shift in Athat this state is facing. We are all more or less aware of the fishery management policies to a business model approach where problem, and opinions vary wildly as to the solutions. The bottom efficiencies are realized, where goals must be met, and where line is that business as usual must be a thing of the past. We, as a accountability and maximum sustained yield are factored into state, simply can’t afford it. decision making, we could employ 20 percent of Alaska residents The governor is clearly aware of the new economic paradigm and double our contribution to the state economy. and has said on several occasions that we must “monetize the Let’s talk about food security. Everything we do in the seafood resources of the state.” We in the commercial fishing industry industry is about putting food on a dinner plate – that is our entire certainly appreciate that message. We are the first link in the food purpose, and we are good at what we do. If we need to make more chain. We feed people and provide jobs, and we begin the process of our state seafood resources available to Alaskans, then let’s have of monetizing our abundant and renewable fishery resources. the discussion about how to utilize our efficiencies and improve The seafood industry is the largest private sector employer in the food network in our state so that everyone benefits. the state, creating over 63,000 direct jobs. Currently, 1 out of 7 There is no doubt that we can better utilize many of our fishery resources. Last year in Cook Inlet, just in the Kenai and Kasilof rivers, the unharvested surplus sockeye escapement totaled about 45 percent of the actual commercial harvest of those stocks. That’s right – after the personal use fishery, the sport fishery, and the subsistence fishery all had an opportunity to harvest, there were still over a million sockeye that could have been harvested while still meeting the escapement goals. This is a recurring problem. Over the last five years, the unharvested surplus sockeye escapements just in the Kenai and Kasilof rivers have cost the commercial seafood industry at least $60 million at the first wholesale value level. If you add in the unharvested surpluses of other species, that number is easily doubled. Because of illogical and irrational management plans, the commercial fishery harvests only about 10 percent of the coho, about 2 percent of the pinks, and about 6 percent of the chums in Cook Inlet. Allowing the surplus of all these species to go unharvested is costing the regional and state economies tens of millions of dollars per year. While Cook Inlet may exemplify the worst in fishery management practices, it is not the only example. All across the state there are numerous instances every year where surplus finfish and shellfish stocks could be harvested and monetized. Responsibly harvesting these surpluses could then create increased employment and generate additional tax (24 hrs, 7 days a wk) revenues to the state, the boroughs, and the municipalities. This is the new paradigm. Fishery management must change to meet the new challenge. We simply can’t afford not to. 

Erik Huebsch, of Kasilof, is a lifelong Alaska commercial fisherman and vice president of the United Cook Inlet Drift Association. He is also a founding board member and vice president of the Alaska Salmon Alliance.

6 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM NEWS NET Some hopeful signs seen in challenged sockeye market n analysis prepared for the Bristol All of these segments are at least some- ABay Regional Seafood Development what challenged, but positive glimmers can Association found some positive signs in be found. the sockeye salmon market. Unit values of frozen H&G Alaska sock- For one thing, U.S. grocery stores have eye are down considerably. But frozen H&G “significantly increased promotions of key export volumes and U.S. retail sales of sock- sockeye products,” said the report, pre- eye fillets are increasing. pared by the McDowell Group and released “If these trends continue, the increase in in mid-November. sales volume should result in lower inven- “Canned sockeye promotions were rela- tories heading into 2016,” the report said. tively rare in 2014, as retailers resisted low- Canning is a “venerable product form,” ering retail prices on product which was but still very important at Bristol Bay. In purchased at higher wholesale prices. How- 2014, canned product accounted for 32 per- ever, the volume of canned sockeye sold on cent of Bristol Bay sockeye first wholesale promotion has roughly tripled thus far in value. 2015,” the report said. “Recent sales trends are encouraging, but Tough season: Bristol Bay is a major there is a substantial amount of inventoried source of sockeye, producing 44 percent of product that needs to be sold and recent the world’s annual harvest volume since sales volume is still below past years which 1990. produced significant canned sockeye vol- But the 2015 season was troublesome, as umes,” the McDowell analysis said. Bristol Bay gillnetters received an average Following the 2015 fishing season, the U.S. grocery stores have increased promotions base price of 50 cents per pound, far below U.S. Department of Agriculture purchased of key sockeye products. Wesley Loy photo the $1.20 seen the prior year. $30 million worth of canned sockeye, which Market conditions remain challenging, downward pressure on price. helped move inventory. the McDowell analysis said. The market is Market segments: McDowell analyzed The McDowell analysis is posted at well-supplied after two years of large har- the market situation for the four main sock- tinyurl.com/gkunfja. vests, and the strong U.S. dollar has made eye product forms: – Wesley Loy Alaska fish significantly more expensive for frozen headed-and- foreign buyers. Farmed salmon remains a gutted fish, canned constant competitor. What’s more, another sockeye, frozen big Bristol Bay sockeye catch is forecast sockeye fillets, and this season, which could continue to place frozen sockeye roe. Alaska fisheries economist Gunnar Knapp to retire ULTRA CROSS KNOTLESS NETTING THE VERY BEST Gunnar Knapp, one of the most recognized names in Alaska’s salmon industry, plans to retire in June from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Knapp, a fisheries economist, also will retire as director of the university’s Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER). “I have worked at ISER for 35 years – my entire career,” Knapp said in a letter to colleagues. “I can’t imagine a more interesting and rewarding career than studying and teaching about Alaska’s resources, economy and society.” Knapp plans to continue working part-time with ISER, focusing on Alaska’s fiscal challenges. He also will continue his decades-long research on Alaska’s salmon industry and salmon markets, which has earned him an international reputation as a fisheries economist, ISER said. His plans include finishing a book on the economics of fish. “Most importantly, I need to spend more time with my family,” Knapp said. “Before I get too much older and slower, I want to do a lot more skiing, biking, hiking and enjoying the beauty of Alaska which so entranced me when I first came here. I want to play a lot www.net-sys.com • Tel: (206) 842-5623 • Fax: (206) 842-6832 more music.”  7910 N.E. Day Rd West, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 USA – Laine Welch

WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 7 NEWS NET Alaska seafood tests free of Fukushima-related radiation Editor’s note: The following is a Nov. 30, 2015, press release from the inspections of commercial fishing processors. Fish samples were Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. collected using FDA statistical protocols and were then shipped to the FDA’s Winchester Engineering Analytical Center for ollowing the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami in laboratory analysis. FJapan, there have been public concerns about potential impacts The results of testing conducted on Alaska fish in 2014, and on Alaska seafood from the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Although previously reported by DEC, showed no detection of Fukushima- modeling and other analyses have not demonstrated a poten- related radionuclides Iodine-131, Cesium-134, and Cesium-137. tial riskTraining to Alaska fish, the programs Alaska Department ofdedicated Environmental Because to scientists the safewere predicting return the concentrations of Conservation (DEC) has been coordinating with the Department radionuclides in North Pacific waters could peak in 2015, DEC of Health and Social Services (DHSS) as well as other state, federal, continued the sampling program this summer. Samples in 2015 and internationalof men agencies and organizations women to address whocontinued workwere again analyzedon the for Fukushima-related water radionuclides© M.A. Barnowl and, as public concerns. in the previous year, had no detectable levels of Fukushima-related Through these efforts, DEC was able to partner with the Food radionuclides. These data, along with modeling and monitoring and Drug Administration (FDA) to have Alaska fish sampled and data from multiple agencies and organizations, continue to show tested for Fukushima-related radionuclides and report test results fish from Alaska waters are safe from radionuclides related to the to the public. The testing in 2015 continues to confirm that the nuclear reactor damage in Japan. quality of Alaska seafood has not been impacted, with all tests Water quality data from a crowd-funded project spearheaded showingThe sea“non-detect” can be for hostile. radionuclides associatedHazards withabound. the by the non-profit Cook Inletkeeper also appears to support this Fukushima nuclear disaster. conclusion. In 2014, they tested waters in Lower Cook Inlet DisasterDEC’s Fish Monitoring and risk Program of injuryand Food Safetyare andnever Sanitation far away.for radiation, and the results reported were also non-detect for Program developed a plan to collect and test representative Fukushima-related radiation. Scientists at the Woods Hole samples of Alaska fish species that spend part of their life cycle Oceanographic Institution have also tested along the Pacific West in theFremont western PacificMaritime Ocean is a committed world leader in the field and are important to subsistence, Coast and found no levels of concern. sport,Winterof marine safety and survival training. and 2012 commercial PFR – 1fisheries. These species included:We are proud king toThe help collaborative effort of the Alaska Fish Radiation Radionu- salmon,professional mariners do a difficult job well, reduce their risk chum salmon, sockeye salmon, pink salmon, halibut, clide Sampling Partnership has resulted in a national group rec- pollock, sablefish, and Pacific cod. DEC environmental health ognition award in 2015 from the FDA. The award, which included officersof on-the-job accidents and injuries, and help them come around the state collected the samples during their regular DEC and DHSS staff, recognized exemplary service to the state home safe to the people who care about them. of Alaska in providing sampling techniques and quality control measures for fish. Their work not only alleviated the public’s concern WHAT WE DO: WE ASPIRE TO: over a primary food source in Alaska, but also strengthened the reputation of Alaska’s • Provide hands-on learning • Be the maritime industry’s commercial fisheries as one of the most experiences first choice for safety and wholesome food sources on the planet. • Utilize purpose built emergency procedures According to DEC Commissioner Larry training facilities training Hartig, “The state’s ability to point to lab analyses in confirming the health of Alaska’s • Provide tools and • Employ only exceptional fisheries is important to consumers in Alaska The sea can be hostile. motivation to help our instructors and to the national and international markets Hazards abound. students improve safety in for our seafood.” • Partner with companies their workplace  Disasterwho pro-actively support and risk of injury their employees’ safety • Build lasting professional Two appointed to IPHC are never far away. realtionships through • Conduct initial and exceptional customer on interim basis recurrent training for Training programs dedicated service The U.S. Department of State has appoint- thousands of professional ed two men to serve on the International to themariners safe returnevery year of men and• Establish pride through women who work on the water.professionalism Pacific Halibut Commission on an interim basis pending presidential appointments. Robert Alverson, who already was on the commission, was named to the seat reserved for a non-Alaska resident. Alverson is manager of the Seattle-based Fishing Vessel Owners’ Association. Jeffery Kauffman was named to the Alaska resident seat. He’s chief executive COME HOME.officer SAFE. for the Central Bering Sea Fisher- men’s Association. Kauffman replaces Donald Lane, a Homer fremontmaritime.com commercial fisherman, on the commission.  – Wesley Loy

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Experience the MSI Port-A-Weigh advantage: season after season durability. Visit www.msiscales.com/fishing to request more product and custom software information and to schedule a product demonstration in your area.

800-472-6703 www.ricelake.com OPERATIONS by DANIEL MINTZ Bait matters Pacific fishermen rely on a global supply chain to keep their hooks and pots baited, and today’s market is under stress

10 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM he variety of gear and vessel equipment involved in commercial fishing is fairly vast. But a basic commodity – T bait – may be one of the most underrated necessities. “When you really think about it, bait is one of the most important pieces of commercial fishing,” said Chuck Paiva, president of International Marine Industries Inc. “If you don’t have good bait, you’re not going to catch as much.” Headquartered in Newport, Rhode Island, Paiva’s company supplies a variety of bait products on a global scale. Contracting with bait fishermen worldwide, IMI is a major supplier to longline and pot fishing vessels in Alaska and on the West Coast. There’s more to bait than meets the eye – fat content, hook retention, and per-piece weight are all important considerations. Argentine squid is “considered as the best bait squid in the world for longline operations,” Paiva said, and it’s one of his company’s most popular products. It’s mainly caught off the south Atlantic coast and the coast of Argentina. Trawling is one method of catching Argentine squid, but a Longliners at ease in Kodiak. higher quality product is jig-caught one squid at a time, hand-laid, and frozen immediately, Paiva said. Australia, and anywhere else that has significant commercial Of all bait squid, Argentine squid has the thickest skin mantle, fishing activity. and longliners value its effective hook retention. The company also transports its products across the United “A tremendous amount of volume goes into the longline States via rail and trucking, from the East Coast to Alaska, Seattle, fishery,” Paiva said. and Southern California. California market squid is another commonly used bait product. When the West Coast sardine season is active, IMI sells at least Smaller than the Argentine variety, market squid is primarily sold 3,000 metric tons of sardine a year. Sales of Argentine squid top to longliners who hand-bait. 7,000 tons annually. Sizing it up: For higher-volume longlining, Argentine squid It’s a product that has to be carefully chosen. needs to be a specific size – 150 to 200 grams per squid – to fit “Bait involves a lot of complicated issues, especially when you’re auto-baiting equipment. Continued on page 37 “That’s the perfect size for an automated longline baiting system,” Paiva said. The global tuna fishing industry generally needs squid sized 200 to 300 grams. That makes the timing of squid catches an important consideration, as squid have one-year life cycles and their size when caught determines how they’ll be used as bait. Pot-fishing bait has different requirements. Sardine is another IMI mainstay and is used to bait crab and “anything else caught in a pot,” Paiva said. Atlantic herring is a commonly used bait for crab pot fishing in Alaska and Nova Scotia and is also shipped to Maine for use in the East Coast lobster fishery. Another popular bait product is Atlan- tic mackerel, which has a robust market in eastern Canada’s crab fishery, Paiva said. The 2015 closure of the West Coast sardine fishery has opened a hot market for an alternative bait product – Pacific saury, an Asian import with the high fat content sought by pot fishermen. Paiva said his company is having difficulty holding onto its saury inventory. “Everyone’s buying it because of the sardine shutdown,” he said. Getting it there: The company’s global sales involve an extensive network of contracted hold facilities, ships, and truck/rail transporters. Bulk carriers filled with frozen product are loaded on big ships that make stops at large bait- supplying shore plants in Alaska. Frozen bait is also container-shipped to Norway, Africa, t Chuck Paiva is president of Rhode Island-based International Marine Industries, a major supplier of bait products to Alaska and West Coast fishing fleets. Wesley Loy photos

WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 11 SAFETY FOCUS by JENNIFER LINCOLN

During the first eight months of 2015, the U.S. Coast Guard and other rescuers saved at least 28 people involved in sinkings or other trouble in Alaska seas. USCG photo A fatality-free year Marine safety training saves lives in an industry still fraught with peril A recent headline read, “No fatalities in a year in Alaska.” 2015 to August 2015, there were at least eight sinkings, capsizings, Wow! and groundings that required 28 people to be rescued by the U.S. When I started working for the National Institute for Coast Guard (USCG) or other marine rescue entities and good Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 1992 to improve safety Samaritan vessels. in the fishing industry in Alaska, we actually weren’t sure if zero Why did these 28 people survive? What did these 28 people do fatalities was possible (there were 37 fatalities in Alaska that year). effectively that resulted in their survival? Could we ever really have a year where there were no fatalities in Of course, the heroes who rescued them indeed deserve a lot of the fishing industry? credit. But these crews took action and did some things unques- The headline reflected data for the federal fiscal year of 2015, tionably well. They were able to stay warm and afloat until their in which there were no fatalities in Alaska that were due to a rescuers arrived! Immersion suits, life rafts, marine safety training, vessel loss, a fall overboard, or hazardous equipment on deck. No and monthly drills all contributed to the successful rescue of these fishermen died in Alaska while working on deck or while traveling 28 people. Knowing how to USE this survival equipment effec- to or from the fishing grounds for the first time since records have tively, especially under unexpected and stressful circumstance, been kept. What an amazing accomplishment! involves more than just having the equipment onboard. I reviewed Even though there were no fatalities, commercial fishing is still the cases to identify patterns to illustrate these factors. an extremely hazardous job, and there were many events that January 2015: The F/V Eyak ran aground, flooded, capsized, occurred in Alaska that put crew members at risk. From January and sank near Sitka. The crew called the USCG, and all four

12 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM people had donned immersion suits and inflated the life raft when rescuers arrived. One crewman, the captain, had taken a drill conductor course from the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA). February 2015: Two vessels near Kodiak, the F/V Paycheck and the F/V Savannah Ray, ran aground. The crew of three from the F/V Paycheck were rescued by good Samaritan vessels nearby. The four crew from the Savannah Ray donned immersion suits and deployed a life raft. The USCG hoisted them to safety. One crewman on the Savannah Ray had completed an AMSEA marine safety course. April 2015: Three crew from the F/V Northern Pride were rescued by the USCG after a fire started on their vessel north of A salmon drift gillnetter works gnarly waters during the 2015 season in Kodiak. After failing to extinguish the fire, the skipper said, “We Bristol Bay. Jack Molan photo made a distress call, put on our survival suits, manually launched the life raft and got in safely, turned on the EPIRB (emergency posi- It is hard to quantify just how safety training PREVENTS an tion indicating radio beacon), and waited for our heroes who came emergency from happening in the first place. However, many train- within a half hour.” ees have reported on changes they will make and have made as a : Four crew from the F/V Kupreanof issued a mayday June 2015 result of the training. call after their vessel started taking on water in Southeast Alaska. Marine safety training not only saves lives in Alaska but nation- When the USCG arrived, they found the four crewmen had donned wide. In November 2014, the F/V Blazer sank off the Oregon coast. immersion suits and were preparing to enter the water to swim Five were rescued. Four of the five had taken drill conductor train- to the life raft. The USCG swimmer deployed and assisted each ing. During the investigation, the crew raved about how well the crewman into the litter for the hoist to the helicopter. The captain training prepared them for this emergency. The captain communi- had completed an AMSEA marine safety drill conductor training cated clearly with the USCG. The crew manually deployed the life course. In an interview, the captain explained that they had just raft, and everyone got their immersion suits on and abandoned the completed drills the night before. Everyone had practiced get- vessel into the raft without issue. ting into their immersion suits, saw how to deploy a life raft, and The F/V Jamie K sank in July 2015 and all hands survived. The learned the location of the EPIRB. They were prepared to react to the emergency. Continued on page 37 July 2015: The crew of four from the F/V Revelation was rescued by a company helicopter near Naknek. On the same day, the F/V North Star, also operating in Bristol Bay, ran aground and a Bering Sea Tested good Samaritan vessel rescued another crew of four. August 2015: Two crew from the F/V Alaska Catch were hoisted by the USCG near Dutch Harbor. A satellite phone call alerted the USCG to their emergency. The crew donned survival suits at the first sight of flooding. One of the crewmen had completed an AMSEA marine safety class. Interviews with survivors have demonstrated how one trained crew member can remain calm and take effective action, and how that reduces panic in the rest of the crew. Survival gear and marine safety training save lives in Alaska. Quick thinking of skippers and the smart use of survival gear led to the successful outcomes of these events. No lives were lost. In each Gen Tech Hydraulic Powered scenario, the skipper contacted the USCG (or other would-be rescuers), and the crew used their gear and were able to stay warm and Generator System afloat until the USCG or others got on scene for a successful rescue. Reduced Fuel Costs. Emissions and Maintenance. To prevent drowning at sea, NIOSH recommends that fishermen: Your next generation power system has arrived. Put your diesel • Take a drill conductor class every five years generator on “back up” status and convert to Gen Tech’s • Practice monthly drills including man overboard, flooding, proven hydraulic powered generator system. Microprocessor fire, and abandon ship controlled, the system reduces or eliminates duplicate • Get a dockside vessel safety exam every year exhaust systems, cooling system maintenance, oil • Wear a PFD (personal flotation device) while working and filter changes – and it can be For more information on dockside exams and PFDs, go to remote mounted. fishsafe.info and cdc.gov/niosh/topics/fishing/pfds.html. NIOSH is in the business of prevention. Preventing vessels from running aground, flooding, and capsizing is the ideal situation. But that is a topic for another article. Knowing how to respond to an emergency by notifying the USCG that you need help, donning 206.634.3399 immersion suits, and launching life rafts is the key to surviving GENTECHGLOBAL.COM events. These skills are taught in marine safety classes. SEATTLE, WA

WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 13 SAFETY FOCUS

The fishing vessel Savannah Ray ran aground Feb. 16, 2015, on Long Island, about 5 miles southeast of the city of Kodiak. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter safely rescued the crew of four. The boat had 25,000 pounds of cod aboard at the time of the mishap. USCG photos Lessons learned How two commercial fishing vessels met with disaster Editor’s note: The following are marine accident briefs from the transport to shore. On the trip during which the vessel grounded, it National Transportation Safety Board. The first brief describes the was heading to port to offload its catch. grounding of the F/V Savannah Ray near Kodiak, and the second The vessel was crewed by one captain and three deckhands. examines the sinking of the F/V Blazer off the Oregon coast. Because the Coast Guard classified the Savannah Ray as an uninspected commercial fishing vessel, none of the crew members were required to hold mariner credentials issued by the Coast Guard. Grounding of the F/V Savannah Ray Further, the captain stated that he had no formal navigation training. The Savannah Ray successfully passed a Coast Guard fishing About 0048 Alaska Standard Time on Feb. 16, 2015, the commer- vessel safety examination in January 2015. Commercial fishing cial fishing vessel Savannah Ray grounded on the lee shore of Long vessel safety examinations primarily assess the lifesaving equip- Island, Alaska, while traveling in rough seas from fishing grounds ment on board a vessel and do not include hull or other machinery off Ugak Island in the Gulf of Alaska to the vessel’s home port at St. assessments required for Coast Guard-inspected vessels. Paul Harbor, Kodiak Island. The vessel then washed up on the beach According to a spring 2014 survey of the vessel, the Savannah Ray about 5 miles from St. Paul Harbor. The four crew members were had numerous navigation and alerting systems on board including rescued from the vessel by a helicopter from U.S. Coast Guard Air two Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, two depth sounders, Station Kodiak. The insured value of the Savannah Ray was $800,000, one radar, one navigation computer, and one Watch Commander Pro and the vessel was deemed a constructive total loss as a result of watch alarm system, which was installed during the 2010 outfitting the grounding. of the vessel. The captain told investigators that the watch alarm had The Savannah Ray, owned and operated by Group 5/Mystic a two-stage alarm. The first-stage alarm had a time interval that could Blue LLC, was built in 1980 and was outfitted in 2010 for pot fish- be set from three to 90 minutes; the Savannah Ray’s first-stage alarm ing and tendering. Pot fishing uses large heavy-baited steel cages to was set to sound at 60-minute intervals. If the first-stage alarm was catch fish, and a tender vessel accepts fish from “catcher” boats for not addressed within 30 seconds, a much louder second-stage alarm processing and/or transporting to shore. was supposed to sound. The Savannah Ray generally operated on a three-day round trip The captain described an approximate and intermittent dai- schedule from St. Paul Harbor to the vessel’s normal fishing grounds ly work cycle during a 72-hour work/rest period. While on the off Ugak Island. The operation exchanged newly hoisted pots fishing grounds, the crew worked daily from 0400 to 2200. Between containing fish with empty, freshly baited fish pots carried on deck. 2200 and 0400 while on the fishing grounds and when the vessel was The live catch was placed in a fish hold, and the emptied pots under way between port and the fishing grounds (and vice versa), remained on deck to be baited again and then returned to the sea each crew member was responsible for a 1.5-hour watch, called a floor. This cycle occurred about every 12 hours. After about three “jog watch,” during which the crew member minded the helm. This days of operation, the vessel would transport a load of fish to port schedule limited the crew’s opportunity for uninterrupted sleep to to offload and then resume the pot-swapping process. The Savannah a maximum of 4.5 hours per day; the only two crew members who Ray would occasionally offload its catch to another vessel (tender) for received 4.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep were the first and last

14 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM watchstander of the jog watch rotation. The crew took midday naps hours of consecutive sleep. During the days preceding the accident, when possible but with no regularity. Statements from the captain the captain’s sleep/wake cycle was very intermittent, and, when he indicated it was normal, during fishing season, to work long hours was able to get sleep, it was for about 4.5 hours at night and perhaps with short periods of rest. The captain said he received an average a one- to two-hour nap during the day. of between four and six hours of sleep each night during the week In addition, the physical labor required to perform his duties, before the accident. The captain also said he probably received “a especially during poor weather conditions, contributed to the little less” sleep than his crew. captain’s fatigue and inability to stay awake. The captain described According to the captain, during the day before the accident, the the physical labor required while on the fishing grounds, which crew fished the waters near Ugak Island. During the evening before included pulling the fish pots, emptying and baiting them, and then the accident, fishing ceased, and the captain set a northeasterly returning the pots to the sea floor twice per day (every 12 hours). course toward a position off Cape Chiniak, while en route to St. Paul He stated that the wind during the afternoon and evening before Harbor. He chose a northeasterly heading to have a comfortable ride the grounding, while the crew emptied and baited pots, was about in rough 15- to 18-foot seas. He obtained the heading by placing the 35 knots. cursor of his radar on a waypoint off the cape and then reading the The Savannah Ray was fitted with alarms on its depth sound- GPS-generated bearing to this position. The autopilot heading was ers that, if properly set and activated, would sound to warn of then set to this bearing value. The captain then placed the crew on shallow water depth. Additionally, the vessel’s GPS units could jog watches; turned over the conn (navigational control) of the vessel be programmed to sound alarms as the vessel approached a pre- to a deckhand; left orders to wake him up when the vessel arrived at programmed waypoint or if the vessel strayed from a prepro- the Cape Chiniak waypoint, when he would start his jog watch shift; grammed course. The captain stated he used none of those alarms. and went to bed. However, if the alarms had been used, they might have prevented The captain said a deckhand woke him to assume the jog watch this accident by alerting the captain and other crew members to take about midnight, which was earlier than expected because the ves- action to correct the vessel’s track and avoid entering shallow water. sel had made better time than anticipated. At that time, the ves- The owner/operator of the Savannah Ray stated the company did sel was near Cape Chiniak. The captain described that he went not have any written guidance for the captain and the other vessel to the wheelhouse and saw that the seas were more from the crew members or a safety policy that required the crew to use all east than expected; the vessel, due to the rough seas, had actu- available alerting and navigation alarms. The owner/operator also ally made a course over the ground of 007 degrees. Accord- stated that he had no specific knowledge of the navigation systems or ing to Automatic Identification System (AIS) information, about communication equipment on board the vessel and instead relied on 0003 on the morning of the accident, the captain altered the ves- the captain for this knowledge. sel’s course to a northwesterly direction. The new course would AIS information showed the vessel’s change of course at 0003, bring the vessel to a position northeast of Humpback Rock, where Continued on page 37 the captain planned on changing the vessel’s track to a course for entering St. Paul Harbor. The captain stated that, after setting the autopilot to the new course, he sat down in a chair next to the helm and fell asleep. Marine Safety Services – With no one minding the helm, the vessel continued past the waypoint off Humpback Rock and, according to AIS data, grounded Alaska Marine Safety at 0048 in the shallow water off the southeast coast of Long Island. Seattle, Washington – Dutch Harbor, Alaska Minutes later, strong seas shattered the aft wheelhouse window, allowing water ingress, and the vessel took a 45-degree list and lost power. With no power or lights, the crew donned immersion Complete line of Safety Equipment suits, and the captain broadcast a mayday call on the vessel’s hand- held very high frequency (VHF) radio, which he used because the LIFERAFTS: batteries to the fixed VHF radios had broken away from their connec- GUARDIAN, DBC, RFD, tions. About one hour later, a Coast Guard helicopter arrived to hoist Givens, Revere, Zodiac the crew to safety. The captain said he did not hear the watch alarm when he woke at the time of the grounding. OFFSHORE The captain’s fatigue and inability to stay awake during the hours 䴀愀爀椀渀攀匀愀昀攀琀礀 of darkness, when the body is typically used to getting sleep, likely FLARE KITS 匀礀猀琀攀洀猀 SALES resulted in part from an inadequate amount of sleep. The evening SERVICE before the grounding, the captain took the conn northeast of Cape LIFE JACKETS Chiniak, about 6 miles from the Humpback Rock waypoint. On reaching the Humpback Rock waypoint, he planned on changing the IMMERSION SUITS course toward the northwest so the vessel could pass safely into St. ROCKETS & FLARES Paul Harbor. The deckhand on the jog watch was to wake the captain LIFERAFTS, LIFE RINGS & LIGHTS just before reaching the Chiniak waypoint (which the captain estimated would have given him five to six hours of sleep). However, FLOTATION EQUIPMENT & CLOTHING the deckhand woke the captain earlier than planned because the vessel made better time than anticipated. This early awakening result- U.S. Coast Guard & Solas Approved Service Facility ed in the captain getting only two hours of sleep before beginning his TWO LOCATIONS – SAME GREAT SERVICE jog watch. The captain’s fatigue and inability to stay awake also likely result- 4255 23rd Ave. W, Seattle, WA 98199 ed from the lack of consecutive sleep. The sleep/wake cycle typically PH: Seattle (206) 782-3302 • Dutch (907) 581-2030 follows a 24-hour (circadian) schedule, which includes six to eight

WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 15 AROUND THE YARDS by MICHEL DROUIN

The F/V Nicole is being lengthened and widened at Giddings Boatworks. Photos courtesy of Giddings Shipyard frenzy Giddings bulks up two boats, and the legendary Western Flyer arrives at Port Townsend Shipwrights for a total restoration

Pacific Fishing had the opportunity, during November’s Pacific the yard was so busy he was adding a night shift. Marine Expo, to visit with shipyard representatives and catch up The two vessels were being worked in two different styles – the on all the construction and refit news. Here’s our report. Nicole’s steel is all hand-cut, while the steel for the Deliverance is     being done by computer. Ray Cox, owner of Giddings Boatworks in Charleston, Oregon, “The Nicole is all old school,” Cox said. said with two sponsoning jobs out on the parking lot, his ways was Other work at Giddings included the repowering of the Libra, still free for local maintenance work. an older 80-foot Gulf of Mexico boat, which was getting a K19 The 58-foot Deliverance was being sponsoned from 19 feet wide mechanical Cummins installed. to 26 feet wide, and the Nicole was being extended about 7 feet on     each end to 90 feet and widened to 34 feet. Chris Chase at Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op said “This is the first time we have done this,” Cox said, adding that the yard was working on the Lynda, an 87-foot steel boat out of

16 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM Ketchikan. Work included some steel plating replacement, a new shaft alley, and some rigging and wood work in the interior. The yard also was doing a repower of Stuart Deal’s seiner, the Defiance. Deal said he was having a remanufactured, mechanically injected 855-horsepower Cummins engine from Curry Marine Supply put into the seiner. The legendary old fishing vessel Western Flyer, built in Tacoma in 1937 by the Western Boat Building Co., also is in the yard. A six-week trip by John Steinbeck aboard the boat in 1940 was the origin of the author’s 1951 book, “The Log from the Sea of Cortez.” Once a sunken derelict, the vessel will get a stem-to-stern restoration, Chase said. In other news, the F/V Karluk was due in for planking and framing, and the Beryl E was coming in for planking. After sponsoning, the 58-foot Deliverance will be 26 feet wide. And Chase said Port Townsend Shipwrights had purchased an adjoining facility and now has his yard was installing a new custom-built triple rudder system for inside storage 150 feet long, 65 feet wide, and 58 feet tall. the ex-seiner Ocean Rebel. The yard previously added a trawl stern “We can put an entire limit seiner in with all the rigging up,” he to the vessel. said. “This has really opened our business up and the services we A large project Arrow is working on is nine 160-by-28-foot can offer our customers.” steel barges for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). They’ll be The building is temperature- and environment-controlled, connected together and ballasted down to make a new Chase added. breakwater at the Fairview fishermen’s breakwater expansion “We can work inside and out of the rain, and it should keep us project in Prince Rupert. within environmental laws for the next 25 years,” he said. “Outside Charles said Arrow is so busy that he’s looking for welders and work is getting harder and harder to do.” mechanics. He also said he was eager to get the first of the DFO     barges into the water to free up space at the yard. Zachery Battle, president and CEO of Mavrik Marine,     said building projects included an ST32 jet boat that was 25 Snow and Co. in Seattle was installing piping for refrigeration percent complete. in the 367-foot mothership processor Excellence. The ST32 is the latest in Mavrik’s aluminum Bristol Bay boats. It Snow also had installed Dungeness crabbing equipment on two is the widest Mavrik gillnetter at 16 feet 10 inches and is powered purse seiners and was doing other piping jobs, structural repairs, by a 1,000-horsepower main engine driving a water jet. and shaft and rudder alignments. Mavrik, of La Conner, Washington, also was building a 70-foot     catamaran for the Expeditions ferry run between Maui and Lanai. At Lovric’s Sea-Craft in Anacortes, Washington, general     manager John Lovric said his yard had been doing some plating At La Conner Maritime Fabrications, Isaac Oczkewicz said the on the bow and keel sections on the 120-foot tender Lady Angela. company was building a 39-foot combination boat to be based in A 65-foot whale-watching boat was getting a new shaft and new Kodiak, and it has a completed Bristol Bay kit available for sale. main engines. The company has another vessel for sale that was leased and fished The Wild Salmon, an 80-foot steel fish tender, was getting last summer. washed and painted from the waterline down. Other work The company also was doing a refit of another Bristol Bay included welding on channel keel coolers for a new genset. gillnetter, installing refrigerated seawater and fish hold insulation. The Cape Denbigh, a 135-foot tender, was coming in for Maritime Fabrications’ latest newbuild, the 39-foot washing, painting, and re-zincing the bottom. Dungeness crabber Shirley Rae, was ready and waiting to fish once The American Patriot, a 75-foot tender, was coming in for the California fishery opened. washing, painting, and lazarette sand blasting.     Also, the 115-foot Mary B was scheduled for arrival at Lovric’s Brian Charles at Arrow Marine Services in Richmond, British on Jan. 8 for washing, painting, and minor steel repair.  Columbia, reported that in addition to working on numerous tugs,

WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 17 SCIENCE by RICH PRESS Wild Atlantic salmon remain in ‘pretty bad shape’ hen most people in the United States think of salmon, they Wthink of Alaska or the Pacific Northwest. But although it’s hard to imagine today, salmon used to run in big numbers in New England as well. Atlantic salmon supported commercial and recreational fisheries for centuries, sustained Native American populations for millennia, and played a vital role in the region’s ecosystem since the glaciers melted away. Today, unfortunately, Atlantic salmon are highly endangered, and scientists are working to help bring them back from the brink. An Atlantic salmon. Hans-Petter Fjeld photo One of those scientists is Rory Saunders, a NOAA Fisheries There is also some fishing for salmon off the coasts of Canada, biologist in Orono, Maine. To help Atlantic salmon recover, two Greenland, and parts of Europe, which have their own populations dams have recently been removed from the Penobscot River, and of Atlantic salmon. Since salmon from everywhere mingle in the Saunders has been working with other scientists to monitor the ocean, some of our fish are caught in those fisheries, particularly effects of those dam removals on salmon and other species. off the west coast of Greenland. We’re working through the North In the following interview, Saunders discusses what caused Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization to reduce the risks to Atlantic salmon to become endangered and what we’re doing to U.S.-origin salmon. But other than that we don’t really have a lot help them recover. As Saunders notes, to bring Atlantic salmon of control over conditions in the ocean, so the best thing we can do back, we need to bring an entire ecosystem with them. is boost the number of young Atlantic salmon that leave our rivers Q: How endangered are Atlantic salmon? in the first place. A: Unfortunately, they’re in pretty bad shape right now. The Q: In the last few years the Penobscot River Restoration Penobscot River typically has about 75 percent of the Atlantic Trust removed Veazie Dam, which was the lowermost dam in salmon in the United States, and in the last few years we’ve seen the Penobscot River, and the Great Works Dam, which was only a few hundred animals returning to that river. But we’re doing the next lowest. What effects have those dam removals had everything we can to keep the numbers from dropping further and on fish populations? to hopefully rebuild them into a viable population. A: The effects we’re seeing vary from species to species. The Q: How big a phenomenon were Atlantic salmon back in short-lived species reproduce at a younger age so we’d expect them the day? to turn around more quickly, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing. A: Historically, tens of thousands of Atlantic salmon would This year over 589,000 river herring made it past Milford Dam, have returned to the Penobscot River every year. But for a bigger which is now the lowermost dam on the Penobscot. That’s up from river, like the Connecticut, they would have numbered into the about 2,000 in 2011, so the dam removals have been a huge success hundreds of thousands. No one alive today has ever seen Atlantic story in terms of river herring. salmon running in big numbers like that in these rivers, and people We haven’t yet seen an increase in Atlantic salmon returns, sometimes forget that they used to range all the way down into but the return of smaller native species is good news for salmon southern New England. because they provide benefits at different times in the salmon’s life cycle. For example, adult salmon eat sea-run rainbow smelt. Also, Q: What caused the decline in Atlantic salmon, and what we think that the presence of other fish reduce predation on young challenges are they still facing today? salmon. And sea lamprey stir up the sediment when they spawn, A: Pollution, overfishing, and dams were the main culprits in which we think “conditions” the streambeds for juvenile salmon. the decline of Atlantic salmon. The first two problems aren’t as significant as they once were. Historically, some U.S. rivers were very Q: What else are we doing to help Atlantic salmon recover? polluted, but they’re much cleaner now than they were 50 or 60 A: Atlantic salmon are highly migratory, so much of what we’re years ago thanks to the Clean Water Act and other laws. And as for doing is aimed at reconnecting ocean and freshwater habitats so overfishing, there used to be very big commercial and recreational they can complete their lifecycle. fisheries for Atlantic salmon here. But today, of course, there’s no Removing dams is part of that effort, but we’re also working fishing at all for them in U.S. waters. with dam operators to make the remaining dams more fish- Dams, however, are a different story. We estimate that there are friendly. Recent research has shown that young salmon smolts over 600 dams in Maine alone – both big hydroelectric dams and making their way to the ocean can be injured during dam passage. many small, remnant dams – and these still pose a big challenge to In addition to dams, undersized culverts are also a concern. Atlantic salmon. Q: Are you optimistic about the future for Atlantic salmon? Marine survival is also a major concern. Over the last 25 years A: I am cautiously optimistic because these animals are tremen- or so, survival in the ocean has been markedly lower for Atlantic dously resilient. Ten thousand years ago there was a mile-high gla- salmon, whether from the U.S. or other countries in their range. cier sitting right here over my office, and the salmon came back as The ocean’s obviously a big place, and finding out where and when soon as the glaciers melted away. they’re hitting a bottleneck out there is a major focus of our science  center’s research. Rich Press is a NOAA Fisheries science writer.

18 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM Welcome Aboard

The F/V Michele Ann anchored up in the lee of Santa Rosa Island, Calif., last spring. THE F/V MICHELE ANN

Evolution of a combination boat by Daniel Mintz Oregon fisherman Georgon “Poggy” Lapham can pack 500 crab pots on the boat, no problem, and we can stick black cod gear on the was well-acquainted with his boat, the boat for 12 hours and get in and out quickly.” F/V Michele Ann, before he gained owner- Plenty of space: Built in the mid-1970s, the vessel started out as a standard 56-footer, but ship of it in early 2015. a previous owner lengthened it by 10 feet. It was also sponsoned by 10 feet, which Lapham Having run the 66-foot-long and 26-foot- said is more useful for additional deck space than expanded hold capacity. wide vessel since 2007, when it was sold to his partner, Robert Carlton, Lapham has F/V Michele Ann continued on page 20 seen the Michele Ann evolve into a versatile combination fishing boat. Between 2007 and 2009, the vessel was outfitted for double-rigged shrimp trawling. CURRY MARINE The rigging was added in 2007 and two years later, an 18-ton Integrated Marine 541-336-7955 Systems spray brine refrigeration unit was installed. SCOTT GRAF With the addition of a knuckle boom crane,  the boat became a gillnet salmon tender c: 541-961-3486 f: 541-336-7960 this year, complementing its main work in email: [email protected] the shrimp trawl, black cod longline pot, and West Coast Dungeness crab fisheries. P.O. Box 699  Toledo, OR 97391 “It’s well-outfitted for everything we do,” said Lapham. “There’s a lot of deck space – we

19 JANUARY 2016 | WELCOME ABOARD IS BROUGHT TO YOU COURTESY OF THE PACIFIC FISHING ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT F/V Michele Ann continued from page 19

 Crew member Sean Queenin, skipper Georgon Lapham, and crew member Chuck Andre on board the F/V Michele Ann, black cod fishing in the spring of 2014.

If Gangion maintains a commercial fishing lifestyle, he’ll be a third- generation fisherman. Lapham’s father, William, operated a 28-foot salmon fishing boat out of Newport. “He trolled by himself for 35 years,” said Lapham. His father wasn’t entirely single-handed, though – Lapham said he fished with him since he was 2 years old and was essentially a deckhand by the time he was 12. But a “hiatus from fishing” ensued when his father sold his troller.

F/V Michele Ann continued on page 22

The Michele Ann’s refrigerated seawater system packs plenty as is. It has a 110,000-pound hold capacity, and Lapham said he’s had as much as 85,000 pounds of Protect the Quality of Your Catch. iced black cod in it. Lapham uses the robust yet compact Cummins K19 640-horsepower engine as a main, which drives the deep-transomed vessel to a cruising speed of about 7 knots. Overall, the boat is “well-suited in size and efficiency for what we do,” said Lapham, adding that it’s also geared for crew comfort. A main stateroom with four bunks is complemented by a full head with a shower, a galley with seating for up to five people, and an entryway with a washer and dryer. The comfort factor is important, as the boat works fisheries from Alaska to Southern California. Wide range: Working out of Newport, Oregon, Lapham fishes for black cod in Southern California using longline traps starting in mid-January. In April, he moves north to Oregon and Washington to continue Self-CoNtAINed RSW | SplIt RSW SySteMS | tItANIuM & CoppeR NICkel ChIlleRS longline pot fishing for black cod until CoNdeNSINg uNItS foR ChIllINg &/oR fReezINg | hAtCh MouNt BlASt fReezeRS early summer. BlASt Cell fReezeRS | extRuded AluMINuM evApoRAtoR plAteS In June, the Michele Ann is in Ketchikan, FastFreeze tuNNel pRoduCtIoN fReezeRS | ICe MAChINeS—flAke oR FastChill SluRRy Alaska, to tender gillnet salmon for Trident Seafoods, a phase of operation that Lapham pARtS foR All MAjoR BRANdS of RefRIgeRAtIoN added since becoming owner of the boat. The fall months see a return to black cod fishing “anywhere on the coast,” Lapham IMS Integrated Marine Systems said, bringing him to mid-November and early December Dungeness crab openers in Manufacturers of Refrigeration California, Oregon, and Washington. ‘Family oriented’: Lapham has maintained 800.562.1945 stable crews in the eight years he’s skip- www.IMSpacific.com [email protected] 4816 15th Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98107 pered the Michele Ann, which he credits in part to the onboard involvement of his 6-year-old son, Gangion (“as in halibut gangion,” Lapham explained). “Having a kid on the boat helps keep things calm and family-oriented,” he said. “I try to treat crew members like family, too, and they tend to stick around.”

20 JANUARY 2016 | WELCOME ABOARD IS BROUGHT TO YOU COURTESY OF THE PACIFIC FISHING ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT F/V Michele Ann continued from page 19 Powerful Solutions.

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Washington: Rich Murdy (425) 277-5329 Oregon/Alaska: Mike Fourtner (360) 742-2864 Alaska: George Piaskowski (907) 750-8055 British Columbia: Cary Griffiths (604) 785-7151 cumminsnorthwest.com F/V Michele Ann continued from page 20

 Gangion Lapham, the son of Skipper Georgon “Poggy” Lapham, holds an albacore tuna on board the F/V Michele Ann.

At the University of Oregon, Lapham’s art studies were funded by summertime stints as a gillnet salmon deckhand in Cook Inlet, Alaska. Commercial fishing eventually eclipsed his art interest. Now 31 years old, Lapham’s view of the future includes several more decades of work and, potentially, his son’s transition into fishing. Eyeing the future: Lapham said the most significant challenge for the next generation of fishermen isn’t climate change or other environmental aspects but the privatization of fishing rights. He anticipates that he’ll pay off his purchase of Michele Ann ownership in 10 years because he leases fishing rights from “guys who’ve already made their money and paid off their debts.” The situation is more challenging for those who are early in their careers. “How do you walk into a bank and say, ‘I need $2.5 million for a boat, I’m working my tail off as a deckhand, and I’ve got $100,000’ – it doesn’t pencil out,” said Lapham. But he believes his son will have the opportunity to make a go of commercial fishing “as long as we stick with conservative management and keep the ocean healthy.” “I count myself as lucky to be where I’m at,” he said, adding that commercial fishing has given Gangion an opportunity that’s rare. “I don’t think most kids get to see their parents work,” Lapham said. “I got to see my dad work when I was growing up, and I want to show my son what adults do, too.”

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22 JANUARY 2016 | WELCOME ABOARD IS BROUGHT TO YOU COURTESY OF THE PACIFIC FISHING ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT LOOKING BACK by ANJULI GRANTHAM Corked at Karluk – the high court and Karluk Reservation In 1943, Alutiiq people from the village of Karluk became owners Other Kodiak-area canneries told their of a portion of the Shelikof Strait, the expanse of water that purse seiners to ignore the bounds of the separates the Alaska Peninsula from Kodiak Island. reservation.Some seiners purchased the That year, Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes created the fishing licenses that the Karluk tribe issued, Karluk Reservation, granting Karluk Natives ownership of a but many just corked the village beach sein- 35,000-acre reservation and the liquid real estate that abutted ers. Staff of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service viewed the whole the reservation’s 15 miles of coastline, out to 3,000 feet into the matter with both suspicion and disdain – they didn’t believe that Shelikof. Karluk villagers were thus granted control over the social well-being should be a consideration in the management of waters adjacent to very productive fishing grounds, including the Alaska’s fisheries. However, there was little that they could do in historically immense salmon the matter, considering that runs of the Karluk River. the interior secretary was Karluk villagers were their big boss. granted these fishing grounds Test case: The canners because it was from this rallied to combat the Kar- resource that they derived luk Reservation, organizing their livelihood. Moreover, a test case to question the competition from purse sein- validity of including waters ers and fishing crews from in reservations. They argued Outside made it difficult for that it was illegal to do so, local beach seiners to make as it limited access to the a decent living from the fish fisheries commons. that their families had been What seemed to be a local harvesting for thousands of argument over access to years. They were constantly fishing grounds turned into being corked. The Bureau of a U.S. Supreme Court case. Indian Affairs worked closely Hynes v. Grimes Packing with the Karluk villagers to Co. was heard in front of the petition the interior secretary Supreme Court in 1949. The for the reservation, hoping court determined that it was that it would improve the permissible to include waters quality of life in the village. within reservation holdings. Cannery fishermen: After However, tribes could not the reservation was created, limit access to those waters in regardless of the fact that any way. Without controlling the villagers could control access to the fishing grounds, who accessed the fish, they the economic benefits were didn’t have the equipment rendered moot. necessary to harvest or pro- Yet the unspoken truth to cess the fish. Most Karluk the matter was that access to fishermen were cannery the Karluk fishery had been fishermen – that is, local limited for decades before canneries outfitted them the creation of the reserva- with gear and supplies. And tion. Access was granted to Alaska salmon canners were those who had the means to Karluk villagers beach seining. Baranov Museum photos not about to surrender con- own nets and boats and was trol of Karluk salmon or allow the inclusion of waters in Native directly limited by the cannery superintendents who determined reservations without a fight. who fished on which beaches. It wasn’t until Alaska became a state A.K. Tichenor, president of the Alaska Packers Association, that social and economic considerations impacted the formulation quickly issued instructions to the cannery superintendent respon- of fisheries policy. In my opinion, we still have a long way to go in sible for Karluk fishing operations: this regard. Nothing must be done … which may constitute any recognition on our For more information on the creation of the Karluk Reservation, part that the Karluk Indian Reservation is valid or legal or anyone has any listen to the podcast “Corked at Karluk” at tinyurl.com/hjldch2. rights in connection with our property. It is important therefore that we continue our fishing operations as we did last year, hiring the Indians as Anjuli Grantham writes monthly about the history of Alaska’s seafood our employees, furnishing them with our gear, and letting them use our industry. She works as a curator in Kodiak and as director of the Alaska beaches to catch our fish for us. Historic Canneries Initiative. Reach her at [email protected].

WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 23 MID-COAST REPORT by KATIE WILSON Willapa Bay salmon policy comes under fire Unhappy gillnetters: Fishery managers with the Washington     Department of Fish and Wildlife attended a Nov. 23 meeting in Dungeness season status: Though Naselle intending to talk about drought-related salmon die-offs Oregon health officials and state fishery last fall below the state-run Naselle hatchery. They instead found managers announced that the state’s crab themselves answering questions and concerns about the new Wil- tested clear of the marine toxin domoic acid, lapa Bay Salmon Management Policy established earlier in 2015. the commercial Dungeness crab fishery there and in Washington Under the new policy, commercial gillnet fishermen in Willapa remained closed through the beginning of December, missing the Bay fished under restricted impacts (as compared to prior years) traditional opener of Dec. 1. California’s Dungeness crab fishery and were given less fishing time overall, they said. The fishing also remained closed in both the southern and northern portions of times that were scheduled were soon reduced due to higher than the state. expected catches of Chinook. Of the planned 27 commercial fishing WDFW’s coastal shellfish manager, Dan Ayres, said on Dec. 4 days, gillnetters ended up fishing only 10 actual days. that fisheries managers from the three states planned to meet the The new policy’s stated goals are to reduce impact to natural following week. While he expected Washington and Oregon could origin Chinook and shift commercial fishery impacts to coho while open commercial Dungeness fisheries by mid-December, it was minimizing chum mortalities. Under the policy, fishermen were likely California would remain shut down beyond that time, based on the latest test results. As of Nov. 23, tribal crabbers in central and northern Washington had been landing crab that was tested and shown to be safe. Domoic acid, produced naturally by certain types of marine algae, altered the scope of many fisheries, commercial and recreational, in 2015. Beginning in the spring, it shut down popular recreational harvests of razor clams as well as commercial and recreational crabbing along approximately 90 miles of Washington’s southern coast. High levels of the toxin persist- ed through the summer and fall. In November, levels in razor clams were still high along the southern Washing- ton coast. The U.S. Coast Guard on Dec. 11 closed Pacific Northwest maritime entrances to all traffic. The Ayres said state fishery managers closures included the Columbia River, seen here at Astoria, Ore., running brown from silt and runoff have more or less streamlined how and after days of heavy rainfall. Storms made it “dangerous for mariners to transit in and out of our when they test for domoic acid in razor many rivers due to severe sea conditions and debris,” said Coast Guard Capt. Dan Travers, Sector clams and what actions they take when Columbia River commander and captain of the port for Oregon and southwest Washington. levels are above the thresholds set by USCG photo state health departments. But the presence of the toxin in Dungeness crabs given a 20 percent harvest rate on Naselle River and Willapa Bay threw them. As 2016 progresses, he expects the states will discuss natural origin Chinook. how to better streamline testing and shutdown processes for times Coho came back at only 42 percent of what was forecast when domoic acid levels are high in Dungeness crabs. to return, and with high impacts on Chinook likely if fishing     continued, the commercial fishery in the Willapa Bay area closed, Pacific whiting update: Landings data as of Dec. 2 for the as did the marine recreational fishery, while the freshwater fish- at-sea Pacific whiting fishery and shoreside mid-water trawl ery was restricted to hatchery streams, according to information fishery showed motherships with 27,585 metric tons of whiting provided by Willapa Bay policy biologist Chad Herring. (out of an allocation of 71,204 tons) and catcher-processors with WDFW fishery managers say they will be looking closely at 68,483 tons (from an allocation of 100,873 tons), while the shoreside this last season to determine what fishing will look like in future group had 57,954 tons (from an allocation of 124,607 tons). seasons under the new policy. But, emphasized WDFW Region 6 A 2015 report detailing the status of Pacific hake (whiting) in manager Steve Theisfeld, it’s important to not judge the success or U.S. and Canadian waters stated that the 2015 stock was believed failure of the policy on one season alone. to be “near its highest biomass levels since the early 1990s” but A lawsuit filed by the Willapa Bay Gillnetters Association estimated that the spawning biomass had declined from 2014 due arguing against the new policy continues to go forward after being to natural mortality and fishery removals. refiled in Washington’s Thurston County. In 2014, the coastwide catch was 301,573 tons, according to the According to preliminary data released by WDFW, gillnetters same report. caught a season total of 4,858 Chinook, 1,935 coho, and 2,803 chum in the Willapa Bay non-Indian commercial gillnet salmon fishery from Sept. 6 through Oct. 10. Katie Wilson reports from Astoria, Ore.

24 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM BRITISH COLUMBIA by MICHEL DROUIN Course set for Canada’s new fisheries minister Tootoo’s to-do list: Hunter Tootoo, Canada’s rookie such as blue mussels and razor clams are fisheries minister, is the first fisheries minister to come from used as monitoring species for ASP because northern Canada. they are filter feeders and would show the Tootoo was born in Rankin Inlet on Hudson Bay. Before winning presence of any biotoxins first, he said. his federal seat on Oct. 19 representing Nunavut, he was a member “With crab, they are not gaining those lev- of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut from 1999 to 2013. In that els that way,” he said. “So for crab, there have position he held numerous cabinet positions overseeing such areas been no domoic acid issues that I am aware of, and even off the as housing, energy, and education. U.S. they tested the viscera, and they found high levels in the vis- As fisheries minister, he’s been given clear marching orders from cera but not in the muscle. new Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “You can’t for certain avoid biotoxins, but there are measures In an open letter to Tootoo, Trudeau wrote that he expected the that everyone who consumes shellfish should take. For crab, one newly minted minister to fulfill a long wish list. of the best practices is to shuck the crab before cooking and not eat Items include working with the minister of environment and the guts.” climate change to increase the proportion of Canada’s marine Coastwide in B.C., Dungeness crab landings declined from and coastal areas that are protected – to 5 percent by 2017, and 10 over 20 million pounds in 2004 to about 7 million pounds in 2012, percent by 2020. climbing to about 8 million pounds in 2014. He also is expected to support responsible and sustainable Reflecting strong Chinese interest, B.C. Dungeness crab aquaculture industries on Canada’s coasts, using scientific tallied a value of over $45 million for the 8 million pounds in 2014, evidence and the precautionary principle, and take into account compared to $40 million for 15 million pounds in 2007. climate change when making decisions affecting fish stocks and While catch levels for 2015 were not yet available, Davies ecosystem management. said crab abundance might have improved based on reports from Tootoo also was tasked with working with the provinces, commercial harvesters. “Crab is very cyclical, and it looks like there has been a slight territories, indigenous peoples, and other stakeholders to better improvement since 2012, when commercial catches were at their co-manage Canada’s three oceans. lowest,” he said. “There was more catch in 2013 than in 2012 and Trudeau further said he expected Tootoo to act on recommen- more catch in 2014. That is suggestive of a modest improvement in dations of the Cohen Commission on restoring sockeye salmon abundance in most areas of the Canadian Pacific coast over the last stocks in the Fraser River, something the previous Conservative couple of years.” government ignored.         MPA perspectives: At an April 2015 forum in Vancouver, Prince Rupert cannery closure: The city and shoreworkers fisheries and conservation scientists from around the world met of Prince Rupert are reeling with shock after the announcement to discuss how marine protected areas can benefit both ocean that one of the city’s main employers, the Canadian Fishing Co. ecosystems and commercial fisheries. (Canfisco), is shutting down its canning operations. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society hosted the forum Built with the capacity to process 400,000 cases of salmon a year, in partnership with the BC Commercial Fishing Caucus, the BC the company said production had declined to the point that it Seafood Alliance, the Living Oceans Society, and the World produced only 40,000 cases in 2015. The plant processed Canadian Wildlife Fund. salmon as well as pink salmon from Southeast Alaska. Featured opening speakers at the five-day event were Ray In a meeting with the United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Hilborn from the University of Washington and Anne Salomon Union-Unifor, Canfisco informed the union that the company was from Simon Fraser University, who hold differing views on MPAs. closing the plant because it was no longer cost-efficient to can fish “We wanted to foster a common understanding and to inform in British Columbia. the design of an MPA network for our coast that can benefit ocean The closure affects about 450 employees. health and healthy fisheries,” said Karin Bodtker, director of map- At a meeting with the workers from the cannery, UFAWU- ping and analysis for Living Oceans. “If we don’t work collabora- Unifor northern representative Joy Thorkelson said the company tively with fishermen and other marine stakeholders, we won’t end had informed the union that salmon will be run through the up with a network that everyone agrees to support and steward.” butchers, the eggs extracted, and then sent south for freezing. Jim McIsaac, of the BC Commercial Fishing Caucus, said MPAs “They have no intention of freezing that fish here,” Thorkel- are about the future, yet fishermen tend to focus on the here son said, explaining that the union had appealed to the company and now. to reconsider, only to be told that there was plenty of capacity to Resilience in the industry is linked to resilience of the ecosystem, freeze the fish in the Vancouver area. he said. “MPAs are not going to solve major threats to the oceans, such as     Dungeness update: Toxic domoic acid closed Dungeness crab global warming, ocean acidification, pollution, etc., but can play a fisheries in Washington, Oregon, and California. But as of press role in mitigating their impacts,” McIsaac said. time, British Columbia had escaped that fate. “Impacts of MPAs on fisheries depend on fisheries management Domoic acid comes from algae blooms and can cause amnesic outside the reserve,” he continued. “Benefits will be modest in the shellfish poisoning (ASP). case where the fishery is well-managed but will be greater if the “There have been elevated levels of ASP detected in the past,” fishery is poorly managed.” said Shaun Davies, a biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. McIsaac added that some MPA values are not tangible or quantifiable. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is the body that does the “MPAs can be good public relations for the fishing industry, even testing, he said. if they don’t actually benefit production, in a certification world,” Off the west coast of Vancouver Island, there were some clam he said. closures in 2015. “We had some razor clam closures off Haida Gwaii because of elevated levels of ASP in 2014,” Davies said. Michel Drouin has been covering the British Columbia fishing industry When it comes to domoic acid testing, other shellfish species since 1990.

WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 25 SOUTHERN CLIMES by DANIEL MINTZ Bad publicity could be toxic for Dungeness crab Season of uncertainty: Unusually persistent warm ocean questioned the district’s commitment to the temperatures have affected the West Coast in multiple ways. The fleet’s well-being. But Higgins and Commis- impact on California’s crab fisheries hit home in mid-November, sioner Greg Dale, whose incumbency was when the state’s Fish and Game Commission decided to temporar- also preserved with an election victory, had a ily close the commercial rock crab and Dungeness crab seasons. dramatic accomplishment to point to. Central California’s Nov. 15 Dungeness season opener was The district’s acquisition of the heavily contaminat- cancelled due to high levels of domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced ed former pulp mill site on Humboldt Bay enabled a by algae that thrives in warm waters. The northern region’s Dec. 1 cleanup that ended worries of a major environmental disaster. opening also was closed as crab samples continued to bear unsafe But with Rotwein’s defeat and Newman’s exit, representation toxin levels. of commercial fishing will have to come from the other side of the As Dec. 1 approached without anticipation of a season start, board’s dais. federal and state legislators advised Gov. Jerry Brown to be pre-     pared to seek a disaster declaration if warm water conditions Assessing the stocks: The Pacific Fishery Management prevailed. Council held a five-day meeting in mid-November, and a variety of Though not a certainty, the expectation was that the algae blooms stock abundance issues dominated the agenda. would diminish as winter set in and water temperatures dropped. Environmental groups are pressuring the council to re-evaluate By late November, that trend appeared to be evident. management of northern anchovy, as egg and larvae surveys are Samples of crab taken from most areas throughout the Califor- being cited as evidence that a sharp decline is occurring. nia coast showed reductions in the percentages of crabs with toxin Definitive data on abundance is lacking because a stock content above the “action level” of 30 parts per million. assessment hasn’t been carried out since the mid-1990s. In Delays are not unusual with Dungeness seasons, as inadequate undertaking a “general status review” of the anchovy fishery at the maturity and price disagreements often interfere with openers. The meeting, the council voted to have the Southwest Fisheries Science most damaging effect may not be from the toxin itself but from Center come up with a plan for a new assessment. lingering fear. The planning phase will involve presenting a stock assess- With a steady stream of news reports detailing the toxin’s ment strategy to the council by November 2016 and holding a presence, there was concern that some consumers would continue “scientific workshop” in the spring of 2016 to develop an to associate crab with toxicity even after it’s deemed safe. “optimum approach” for an assessment. In one editorial cartoon printed in the North Coast Journal, The closure of the 2015 West Coast sardine season also has Humboldt County’s weekly news magazine, a freshly caught drawn attention to stock assessment methodology. The council Dungeness crab with a black skull and crossbones on its carapace directed its staff to develop an improved system for researching is brandished by a scruffy fisherman who quips about “the weird sardine abundance. markings on the crab this year.” There’s no debate about West Coast groundfish assessments,     however. The fishery has rebounded from the collapse and disaster No fisherman on board: For the first time in recent memory, the declaration of 15 years ago and gained a sustainability certification Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District will from the Marine Stewardship Council last year. be without a commercial fisherman on its board of commissioners. At the council meeting, 2015 stock assessments for black rockfish Three commission seats were open in the Nov. 3 election, and were approved. They show that stocks are nearing or surpassing incumbent Commissioner Aaron Newman, the president of the target abundance levels. Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association, decided not to seek Though some rockfish stocks are still in the process of being re-election. He’ll be replaced by Eureka real estate broker Larry rebuilt, a mid-November press release from the California O. Doss. Department of Fish and Wildlife stated that “previously overfished That made the campaign of commercial fisherman Susan stocks have been restored, possibly allowing for increased fishing Rotwein the one for fishermen to watch, as a victory over opportunities” for nearshore fishermen in 2017 and 2018. incumbent Commissioner Patrick Higgins would have maintained The department held a series of public meetings in early a commercial fishing voice on the district’s board. December to explain the new developments and to field commen- In a down-to-the-wire outcome, Higgins gained victory by the tary on the management changes that are being considered. slightest of margins – 81 votes. Fishing-related issues were strongly voiced by Rotwein, who Daniel Mintz reports from Eureka, Calif.

26 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM DECK TECH by LANGE SOLBERG Ocean Signal’s new MOB1 – a compact, powerful livesaver I have only been overboard once in my life. It happened when the antenna release/transmit activation tab I was about 10 years old, one early summer in Squalicum Harbor is designed to attach to an uninflated life in Bellingham, Washington. I went in the drink, with a life jacket vest, adjacent to the manual inflation tube, on, next to my dad’s bowpicker Inspiration, which was tied up in inside the fold of the uninflated air chamber the slip. (think of a Mustang inflatable – this would Like all overboard occurrences, it happened very quickly, be buried inside one of the folded chambers while being worn and fortunately there was someone nearby to pull me out of the deflated in normal working conditions). When the vest inflates, the water expeditiously. arming strap that connects the MOB1 transmit tab to the life vest will become taut as the air chamber swells. This seamlessly slides the tab fully into the transmit position, and the victim in the water will now show up on every AIS unit or AIS-enabled chart plotter, radar, or PC within a 5-mile radius, depending on conditions. The MOB1 can also be activated manually. Aside from broadcasting vital information via AIS, the MOB1 can be paired with DSC-enabled VHF radios. If you aren’t familiar with DSC, it simply allows one vessel or a group of vessels to privately call one another on a DSC-appropriated VHF channel. Users identify each other for a private VHF DSC call by way of an assigned MMSI number, or a “phone number” for the VHF radio. The MOB1 is capable of easily pairing with your (or your group’s) specific MMSI number and will sound an alarm to all paired VHF radios upon activation if a crew member goes overboard. Programming the unit takes all of about 25 While this is by no means a story about going in the water seconds with a PC, tablet, or phone, and it can be reprogrammed during the dark of a Bering Sea winter or in other harrowing to different MMSI numbers if a crew member goes to work on a circumstances that so many of our fellow colleagues could speak different vessel. to, it still is a childhood experience that has stuck with me, vividly, Simply invaluable: Ocean Signal’s MOB1 is neither a personal to this day. Going overboard is going overboard. And as a vessel locator beacon nor an EPIRB, as it does not activate search and res- owner responsible for the safety of my crew and operation, I’m cue services when transmitting. However, I believe that this prod- thrilled when a safety-related product that simply makes sense in uct achieves the equilibrium of what a crew member could sensibly those unforeseen situations arrives in the marketplace. wear while on deck. It’s cost-effective, out of the way, and powerful The new MOB1 from an England-based company called Ocean in its conveyance of crucial data when the unthinkable happens. It Signal is one of those sensible products that deserves serious is simply invaluable to see a crew member’s GPS position pinging acknowledgement in this month’s Deck Tech. on the chart plotter or AIS screen within 15 seconds of him or her At a modest size of 5.2 inches by 1.5 inches by 1 inch and hitting the water and the MOB1 activating. weighing 92 grams, the MOB1 is a life jacket-mounted transmitting Ocean Signal is rooted in manufacturing leading edge device capable of broadcasting an overboard victim’s GPS position electronic safety products. Alan Wrigley, who heads the company, via AIS (Automatic Identiﬁcation System) when activated. comes from a background of innovation in marine electron- The MOB1 also has an integrated DSC (digital selective call- ics and communication dating back to the 1970s. Their lead ing) feature that sounds an alarm to a mothership’s DSC-capable engineer is an expert in radar enhancement technology. With a VHF when paired with the beacon by way of a registered MMSI strong team, the company has released the MOB1 and other safety (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) number. products to broaden our options for cost-effective, small-footprint Furthermore, the unit boasts a strobe light for visual contact, a vessel safety solutions sure to save lives across the multitude seven-year battery life, over 24 hours of constant operation, and of unforgiving environments in our industry. Check them out at a five-year warranty. It is 30 percent smaller than other oceansignal.com. similar products. Automatic activation: One of the features setting the Ocean Lange Solberg works in commercial sales at LFS Marine Supplies in Signal MOB1 apart is its ability to automatically activate with life Bellingham and is a third-generation Bristol Bay skipper. He has also jacket inflation. Following the instructions given in the manual, seined in Southeast Alaska and gillnetted in Puget Sound.

WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 27 FISH FACTOR by LAINE WELCH Alaska looks to streamline board process, cut costs Shorter meetings? Alaska is exploring ideas on cutting costs Stichert speculated that the Tanner drop- associated with the state boards of fish and game. off is due to increased predation by growing Both boards include seven members appointed by the governor numbers of cod, pollock, and flatfish, along and confirmed by the Alaska Legislature for three-year terms. with other environmental factors. The fish board’s role is to conserve and develop fishery resourc- “We’re seeing continued recruitment into es for the state’s subsistence, commercial, sport, guided sport, and the fishery, meaning juvenile and small crab generations are being personal use fisheries. It includes making allocative decisions, spun off every year,” he said. “We don’t completely understand setting policy for managers, and specifying seasons, bag limits, and why those crab aren’t maturing through the population to get to fishing methods. the legal size.” The game board has a similar role. It takes about six years for the Gulf of Alaska Tanner crab to The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is responsible for grow to their mature, 2-pound size. management based on board decisions. A fleet of 50 or more Kodiak boats and about 30 on the Alaska The boards convened a joint committee meeting on Dec. 9 in Peninsula target Tanners. The mid-January fishery, which in past Anchorage to get cost-cutting input from the public. years has dwindled to around 1 million pounds, is usually worth “Just based on the normal meeting schedules that the boards several million dollars to fishermen. have, we don’t even have enough at status quo in terms of a bud- “It’s a bummer because the money is good, and it’s just get to meet their needs,” said Glenn Haight, Board of Fisheries downright fun to catch local crab,” said Tyler O’Brien, a Kodiak executive director. fisherman. “I understand why we need to stand down another Combined meeting costs vary each year, Haight said, but are year, but I just hope they are able to do good surveys with the tight roughly $500,000. That includes travel expenses of $200,000 to budget situation.” $230,000 for members of 60 to 70 active board advisory committees. By the way, Tanner crab is named after discoverer Zera Luther One idea floated at a recent work session, Haight said, is to Tanner, commander of the research vessel Albatross, which extend the current regional three-year meeting cycle to four or even explored Alaska waters in the late 1800s. five years. That would save $100,000 for board support tasks.     “Some would say there is already too much time between Aging of the fleet: Alaskans often talk about the “aging of the meeting cycles, and further delay would make it harder to make fleet” in terms of resident fishermen growing older (the average regulatory changes and would cause more agenda change requests age is 47). But the adage also applies to Alaska’s boats. and emergency petitions,” Haight said. “Others say extending According to a state Department of Commerce report, roughly the meeting cycle to five years is good for a business because it 9,400 boats over 28 feet in length make up Alaska’s maritime fleet. provides a more stable environment for planning.” Of those, 69 percent are in the fishing and processing sector, 15 Another idea is to reduce the number of regulatory proposals or percent are recreational boats, with freight, sightseeing, and oil streamline the review process by Fish and Game staff. and gas vessels making up the rest. “Between both boards, there are upwards of 400 to 500 proposals Over 90 percent of the Alaska fishing fleet is less than 100 feet each year. If there was a way to reduce the number of proposals, or long, and 74 percent is under 50 feet. The bulk of the boats were to at least streamline the review efforts by the boards, that would built between 1970 and 1989. Nearly 1,000 are over 50 years old. save a lot of money,” Haight said. The older boats soon will be required to comply with new safety Some cost savings perhaps could be made by somehow requirements as part of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010. shortening the meetings themselves, Haight said. “The Alternate Safety Compliance Program is aimed at vessels     that are 25 years old by 2020 and greater than 50 feet in length, and No Tanner fishery: The popular January Tanner crab fishery has operating beyond 3 nautical miles. So this is a new program,” said been called off for the third year running in the Westward Region Troy Rentz, alternate safety compliance coordinator for the Coast (Kodiak, Chignik, and the South Peninsula), leaving fishermen and Guard’s 13th District, headquartered in Seattle. managers wondering where all the crab have gone. “The requirements won’t become mandatory until Jan. 1 of 2020 State managers for several years have been tracking a huge plug for most vessels. However, the Coast Guard needs to prescribe the of crab that appeared poised to enter the 2016 Tanner fishery. But program by Jan. 1 of 2017,” Rentz said. based on last summer’s surveys, the crab have failed to materialize. Coming faster, by Feb. 16 of this year, a new law will require that “In 2013, we saw a very large cohort of juveniles in the survey survival craft keep all parts of the body out of the water, mean- estimated at over 200 million crab, which was one of the largest ing floats and other buoyant apparatus will no longer be legal. The we’ve had going back to the early 1980s,” said Mark Stichert, area intent is to prevent hypothermia and effects of cold water that lead manager at the Department of Fish and Game in Kodiak. “We saw to drowning, Rentz said, adding “there may be some exceptions for those crab again in 2014, and they were a year older and a year unique operating environments.” larger. However, there was a fairly significant decline to about 113 million crab. And then in 2015, unfortunately, that number dropped again significantly to just over 40 million total crab in the Laine Welch writes the Fish Factor newspaper column and produces survey around the Kodiak area.” “Alaska Fish Radio” out of Kodiak.

28 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM ALASKA NOTEBOOK by WESLEY LOY Just how big will Bristol Bay sockeye catch be? Bristol Bay outlook: The University of Washington Alaska Chinook salmon is 29,200 fish. A preseason Salmon Program is predicting a harvest of 34.1 million sockeye this terminal run forecast of this size does not year in Bristol Bay. provide an AC for either the U.S. or Canada, That’s well above the 29.5 million the Alaska Department of Fish and no directed fisheries will occur in early and Game is forecasting. May. In-season terminal run size estimates Bristol Bay processors pay for the UW forecast. will be produced starting late May of 2016, but it is unlikely any The 2015 catch tallied a strong 35.7 million sockeye, but the directed fisheries will occur in District 11 in 2016.” average base price to fishermen was way down at 50 cents per     pound. That put many gillnetters in a foul mood. Sitka herring outlook: One of Alaska’s flagship roe herring If the forecasts hold true and the catch is big again this year, that fisheries unfolds each spring in Sitka Sound. could put continued downward pressure on the price. Prospects look good for a larger catch this year. The Department     of Fish and Game on Nov. 25 announced a preliminary quota of Cook Inlet sockeye: Fish and Game is forecasting a commercial 15,674 tons. harvest of 4.1 million sockeye this The industry took the full quota year in Upper Cook Inlet. in 2015, finishing with 8,756 tons That’s 1.1 million greater than the of herring. 20-year average harvest, the depart- The nearly 50 purse seiners hold- ment said. ing state permits for the Sitka fishery The major sockeye systems in normally battle fiercely on the water Upper Cook Inlet include the famed for herring. Kenai River, as well as the Kasilof But last season, seiners called a River. truce and worked cooperatively to     harvest the fish. This allowed the Southeast pink salmon: Fish industry to use fewer boats and save and Game is predicting a Southeast expenses in the face of an apparent Alaska pink salmon harvest of 34 poor roe market. million fish. Asian demand for herring roe has “An actual harvest of 34 million been depressed for quite a few years pink salmon would be below the now, and we’ll learn soon whether recent 10-year average of 38 million conditions have improved. pink salmon,” the department said. Last year’s Sitka herring fishery The average ex-vessel price for ran March 18-25. Southeast pinks in 2015 was 20 cents     per pound. Contest time: Speaking of roe, this     year’s Alaska Symphony of Seafood Government pink purchase: competition will feature a new val- Alaska’s salmon industry has relied ued-added product category called on U.S. Department of Agricul- “Beyond the Egg.” ture purchases over the years to The category “will broadly include help clear inventory and stabilize The U.S. Department of Agriculture in November purchased products made with roe or uni, such prices. $5.3 million in canned pink salmon. Wesley Loy photo as jarred ikura, herring roe-on-kelp, The USDA obliged with another uni paste, or uni creme brulee,” said buy announced Nov. 18, purchasing $5.3 million worth of canned a Nov. 17 press release from the Alaska Fisheries Development pink salmon. The agency said the salmon would be distributed to Foundation, which sponsors the Symphony of Seafood. child nutrition and other domestic food assistance programs. Since 1993, the Symphony of Seafood has celebrated innova- Processors making sales included Ocean Beauty, Peter Pan, tion in retail, foodservice, and other seafood products. For more and Trident. information, go to afdf.org/symphony-of-seafood. You can see USDA seafood commodity purchase reports at     tinyurl.com/japqm4r. New leadership: Becky Martello is the new executive director of     the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association. She’s Stikine, Taku salmon outlook: The forecast for Chinook salmon the third person to lead the organization, following Sue Aspelund returning to the Stikine and Taku rivers is less than stellar. and Bob Waldrop. “The 2016 preseason terminal run size forecast for Stikine River Martello grew up in Bristol Bay and fished her way through large Chinook salmon is 33,900 fish,” the Department of Fish and college. She has a business degree from the University of Alaska Game said in a Dec. 4 news release. “The resulting U.S. allowable Southeast, and she previously worked for the Sitka-based Alaska catch (AC) is 1,100 large Chinook salmon. An AC of 1,100 fish Marine Safety Education Association. allows for limited directed commercial fisheries to occur in District 8 beginning May 2.” As for the Taku, the department said: Wesley Loy is editor of Pacific Fishing magazine and producer of “The 2016 preseason terminal run size forecast for Taku River large Deckboss, a blog on Alaska commercial fisheries.

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Alaska Boats and Permits ...... 35 Hockema & Whalen Associates ...... 30 Alaska Independent Tendermens Association ..... 30 Homer Marine Trades Association...... 35 Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute ...... 39 Integrated Marine Systems...... 20 Alaska United/GCI...... 6 International Marine Industries Inc...... 11 Alaskan Quota & Permits ...... 33 Jackson, Morgan & Hunt...... 30 Black Pearl IFQ Fisheries...... 36 KVH Industries ...... 5 Cummins Northwest...... 21 Lynden...... 40 Curry Marine...... 19 Marine Engine & Gear...... 36 Dana F. Besecker Co ...... 2 Marine Safety Services ...... 15 Diesel America West...... 31 MER Equipment...... 31 Dock Street Brokers...... 35 Net Systems ...... 7 Elgee Rehfeld Mertz LLC ...... 30 Norm Pillen/Sherrie Marie ...... 35 Foss...... 31 Northwest Farm Credit Services ...... 32 Fremont Maritime Services...... 8 Rice Lake Weighing Systems ...... 9 GEN-TECH ...... 13 Silver Horde Fishing Supplies...... 31 Gibbons & Associates P.S...... 30 The Permit Master ...... 32, 33, & 34

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WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 31 PACIFIC FISHING classifieds BOX score Boats/Permits/IFQs Alaska Entry Permit Prices (as of 1-1-16) State Species Fishery Asking Price* Offer* Value* SALMON S SE DRIFT 80 75 89.3- S PWS DRIFT 190- 180- 218.5 S COOK INLET DRIFT 60+ 45 61.5- S AREA M DRIFT 100- 90- 119.5 S BRISTOL BAY DRIFT 115 110- 114.6- S SE SEINE 200 160- 226.3- S PWS SEINE 170- 160- 176.8 S COOK INLET SEINE 75 50 84.8- S KODIAK SEINE 35- 33- 39.8 S CHIGNIK SEINE 148- 120- 227.5 S AREA M SEINE 60 50 56.9 S YAKUTAT SET 16 12 18.9 S COOK INLET SET 13 12 15.3 S AREA M SET NET 65 60+ 55.6 S BRISTOL SET NET 35 35 36.3- S LOWER YUKON 9.5 9 9.9 S POWER TROLL 36 35 36.3+ S HAND TROLL 12 11+ 10.5- HERRING H SE GILLNET 12 N/A 13.4 H KODIAK GILLNET 5 3 5 H SITKA SEINE 300 250+ 243.3 H PWS SEINE 25 16 30.9 H COOK INLET SEINE 10- 8 16.8 H KODIAK SEINE 26 20 30.3 Your H SE POUND SOUTH 31- 30 35.6 H SE POUND NORTH 30 25 43.1 H PWS POUND 6 5 3.5 SHELLFISH trusted S SE DUNGY 75 POT 18 17 15.8+ S SE DUNGY 150 POT 36 36 36.3+ S SE DUNGY 225 POT 50 47 50 source. S SE DUNGY 300 POT 65 60 49.8 S SE POT SHRIMP 22 20 21.5- We support fisheries and agriculture S KODIAK TANNER <60 24 22 29.7 with reliable, consistent credit S PUGET SOUND DUNGY 160+ 155+ N/A S WASHINGTON DUNGY 2,000-4,500/FT 1,500-3,750/FT N/A and financial services, today and S OREGON DUNGY 2,000-4,500/FT 1,500-4,000/FT N/A S CALIFORNIA DUNGY 200-600/POT 200-500/POT N/A tomorrow. SE ALASKA DIVE SE AK Dive URCHIN 4 3 2.4 · Vessels SE AK Dive CUCUMBER 5 23 23.8 · Quotas SE AK Dive GEODUCK 63.5- 60 70 Prices in JANUARY vary in accordance with market conditions. *In thousands · Operating Lines of Credit + denotes an increase from last month. N/A denotes No Activity. – denotes a decrease from last month. · Residential and Lot Loans · Young and Beginning Fishermen By Mike Painter and the Permit Master

Gillnet: Trading in Bay permits has dropped to a crawl in the last month. northwestfcs.com/fisheries Asking prices are as low as $115k. Slow going for SE permits also with permits starting at $80k. PWS permits continue to slide with the lowest right around $190k. Nothing new in Cook Inlet permits with the most recent transaction at $45k. Area M permits are still dropping, with a new low at $100k. Seine: Buyers are starting to look for SE permits, but with offers at $160k and This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. sellers at $200k there’s not much to talk about. PWS permits dropped into the $170s over the past month. Buyers are still not showing much interest. Cook Inlet permits are holding at $75k. Kodiak permits slipped again to as low as $35k. Area M permits are still available starting at $60k. Troll: Interest in Alaska Power Troll permits is still down with only a few listed in the mid to upper $30s. Hand Troll permits are available at $12k and buyers are offer $11k. Buyers are just starting to look into lower 48 permits for next season.

32 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM PACIFIC FISHING classifieds Boats/Permits/IFQs Halibut & Sablefish IFQ Prices Recent market activity in halibut and sablefish quota shares Status Regulatory Vessel Poundage Ask Offer (blocked/ (per pound) (per pound) Species Area Category* (thousands) unblocked) Low High Low High

H 2C D 1-10 B 50.00-52.00 46.00-50.00 H 2C C/B 1-3 B 50.00-54.00 50.00-52.00 H 2C C/B 4-10 B 52.00-54.00 50.00-52.00 H 2C C/B ANY U 54.00-55.00 52.00 H 2C A B/U 54.00 52.00 H 3A D B/U 48.00-52.00 46.00-50.00 H 3A C/B 1-5 B 50.00-54.00 46.00-50.00 H 3A C/B 5-10 B 52.00-54.00 50.00-52.00 H 3A C/B >10 U 54.00-58.00 50.00-54.00 H 3A A B/U 55.00 54.00 H 3B D B 26.00-30.00 24.00-38.00 H 3B C/B 1-10 B 34.00-38.00 30.00-35.00 H 3B C/B >10 U 37.00-40.00 34.00-35.00 H 3B A B/U N/A 36.00 H 4A D B/U 20.00-24.00 16.00-18.00 H 4A C/B 1-10 B 20.00-26.00 20.00-23.00 H 4A C/B >10 B 26.00-30.00 20.00-22.00 H 4A C/B >10 U 30.00 24.00-26.00 H 4B/C/D C/B 1-10 B 10.00-16.00 8.00-12.00 H 4B/C/D C/B >10 B/U 16.00-20.00 10.00-14.00 S SE C/B 1-10 B 22.00-26.00 21.00-24.00 S SE C/B >10 U 25.00-28.00 24.00-26.00 S SE A B/U 32.00 30.00 S WY C/B 1-10 B 22.00-26.00 20.00-24.00 S WY C/B >10 U 27.00-29.00 25.00-27.00 S WY A B/U 30.00 30.00 S CG C/B 1-10 B 20.00-24.00 18.00-20.00 S CG C/B >10 U 22.00-28.00 20.00-22.00 S CG A B/U 30.00 25.00 S WG C/B 1-10 B 11.00-14.00 10.00-11.00 S WG C/B >10 B 11.00-14.00 10.00-11.00 S WG C/B/A >10 U 12.00-16.00 10.00-12.00 S AI C/B/A B/U .50-4.00 .50-2.00 S BS C/B B/U 1.50-4.00 1.00-3.00 S BS A B/U 4.00-6.00 3.00-4.00

*Vessel Categories: A = freezer boats B = over 60’ C = 35’-60’ D = < 35’ NOTE: Halibut prices reflect net weight, sablefish round weight. Pricing for leased shares is expressed as a percentage of gross proceeds. ** Too few to characterize.

By Mike Painter and the Permit Master

Halibut prices continued to firm up with slight price increases in most areas. 3A prices held firm, even with IPHC recommendations for a quota cut. Not much available for sale is going to keep the pressure on strong prices. Sablefish listing prices were down slightly for the first time in a while. Recom- mendations for quota reductions across the board are pushing prices down a bit. Buyers are picking up a few pieces, so don’t look for prices to come down too much.

WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 33 PACIFIC FISHING classifieds THE PERMIT MASTER IFQs • VESSELS • PERMITS EXCEPTIONAL FULL SERVICE BROKERAGE — PERMITS — HERRING CHIGNIK SEINE...... $190K —IFQ— SITKA SEINE...... WANTED AREA M SEINE...... $60K EXCEPTIONAL “FULL” SERVICE PWS SEINE...... $25K POWER TROLL...... $36K LISTINGS WANTED!!! BROKERAGE SAMPLES COOK INLET SEINE...... $11K HAND TROLL...... WANTED KODIAK SEINE...... $26K PUGET SOUND DRIFT...... $24K SE GILLNET...... $12K PUGET SOUND SEINE..... $175K W/NET ANY# “C” SE BCOD UNBLKD @ WANTED IFQ: ALL AREAS ANY# “C” SE BCOD BLKD @ WANTED KODIAK GILLNET...... $5K SHELLFISH NORTON SOUND...... $2K SE DUNGY 300 POT...... N/A 10,000# “B” WY BCOD UNBLKD @ $28 HOONAH POUND...... N/A SE DUNGY 225 POT...... WANTED BOATS: ALL KINDS 5,000# “C” CG BCOD BLKD @ $22 CRAIG POUND...... $35K SE DUNGY 150 POT...... WANTED PERMITS: ALL TYPES 13,500# “C” CG BCOD UNBLKD @ $24 PWS POUND...... N/A SE DUNGY 75 POT...... WANTED 25,000# “B” WG BCOD UNBLKD @ $14 SALMON SE POT SHRIMP...... WANTED 5,000# “C” WG BCOD UNBLKD @ $14 S.E. DRIFT...... $80K KODIAK TANNER <60’...... $28K JOIN OUR LIST OF PWS DRIFT...... $235K WA DUNGY 58’/500 POT ...... $260K 9,000# “B” AI BCOD BLKD @ $3 COOK INLET DRIFT...... N/A DIVE SATISFIED CUSTOMERS. 20,000# “B” AI BCOD UNBLKD @ $4 COOK INLET SET...... $50K/PKG SE GEODUCK...... $63.5K ANY# “C/D” 2C HAL BLKD @ WANTED AREA M DRIFT...... $150K SE CUCUMBER...... $25K CALL TODAY. AREA M SET...... $60K MISC. 4,500# “B” 3A HAL UNBLKD @ $58 20,000# “C” 3A HAL UNBLKD @ $58 BBAY DRIFT...... $115K CHATHAM BLACKCOD...... WANTED BBAY SET...... $60K PKG CAL NEAR SHORE...... WANTED BUYERS ARE WAITING. 2,000# “C” 3B HAL BLKD @ $39 SE SEINE...... $160K OFFER CAL SQUID...... WANTED 20,000# “B” 4D HAL UNBLKED @ $20 PWS SEINE...... $175K W/NET OR TROLL/30’...... $8K COOK INLET SEINE...... $87K CAL LOBSTER...... WANTED NEW LISTINGS DAILY. CALL FOR QUOTES KODIAK SEINE...... $42K CAL TROLL/52’...... $17K OR CHECK OUT OUR COMPLETE LIST www.permitmaster.com ON THE WEB — $/F = FISHED PARTIAL LIST/CALL IF YOU DON’T SEE IT!

P2124M – 48' TROYER COMBO, RIGGED FOR CRAB AND P2185M – 50' TOPHOUSE LECLERCQ, 550HP LUGGER MAIN, P2194M – 58' LITTLE HOQUIAM COMBO, TOTALLY GONE THRU P2195M – 58 X 24 CUSTOM STEEL COMBO, 600HP C-18 LONGLINE. 855 CUMMINS MAIN, TWIN DISC GEAR, 40KW TWIN DISC GEAR, LUGGER AUX, 19 TON RSW. TWIN PICKING IN 2010, LOW HOURS ON ALL MACHINERY, ECONOMICAL TWIN CAT MAIN, 100KW JOHN DEERE AUX AND 125KW JOHN JOHN DEERE, 18 TON IMS RSW. DECK GEAR INCLUDES BOOMS W/WINCHES, VANGING, SLIDER AND TOPPING ON MAIN. 330HP JOHN DEERE MAINS, TWIN DISC GEARS, ISUZU 14KW DEERE W/HYDRAULICS, BOW THRUSTER. COMPLETE SEINE MARCO LONGLINE SYSTEM, 18" HAULER, MARCO CRAB COMPLETE ELECTRTONICS INCLUDE DUAL RADARS, GPS, AND ISUZU 40KW AUX, 20 TON RSW W/TITANIUM CHILLER. SET UP. RIGGED FOR CRAB AND LONGLINE ALSO. ALL BLOCK, HYD BAIT CHOPPER. COMPLETE ELECTRONICS. LOTS COLOR SOUNDER, WESMAR SONAR, WAGNER MKIV PILOT, 5 RIGGED FOR SEINE, LONGLINE AND TENDER. COMPLETE SS HYDRAULICS. PACKS 9300 FUEL, 1890 WATER. FULL OF RECENT UPGRADES. REDUCED TO $205K. MOTIVATED. STATION MMC CONTROLS, NOBLETEC ON DELL COMPUTER. ELECTRONICS. GREAT ACCOMMODATIONS. EVERTYHING IN ELECTRONICS. 27 TON AND 40 TON RSW W/2 35 TON VESSEL IS IMMACULATE INSIDE AND OUT. ONLY $650K. EXCELLENT CONDITION. ASKING $1.3M. CHILLERS. VESSEL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. READY FOR ANYTHING. $2.5M FIRM.

P2197M – 58 X 19.2 TOPHOUSE STEEL COMBO, 855 P2199M – MARCO STERNPICKER, 3208 CAT MAIN 260HP, 8" P2200M – WEGLEY C -MODEL, BUILT IN 90, TAMD 71B VOLVO, P2202M – 58 X 22 X 10.5 STEEL COMBO BUILT IN 1992, CAT CUMMINS MAIN, TWIN DISC GEAR, 45KW AND 50KW ISUZU NAIAD THRUSTER, POWER STEERING, 6 AND 4 CUBE PUMPS TWIN DISC GEAR, SLIDING REEL W/LEVELWIND. FLUSH DECK. 3408 MAIN, ZF GEAR, 80KW AND 30KW AUX, 18 TON AND 25 GEN SETS, 20 TON RSW W/TITANIUM CHILLER, PACK 75K IN DRIVE DECK GEAR AND RSW. NEW HYDRAULIC LINES, DECK PAC WEST RSW, NEW IN 2011. COMPLETE ELECTRONICS. TON RSW FOR 3 HOLDS THAT PACK 125K TOTAL. LOADED 2 HOLDS. PACKS 4000 GAL FUEL, 800 WATER. ELECTRONICS VALVES, FUEL LINES RECENTLY. ALWAYS WELL MAINTAINED. SURVEY SAYS EXCELLENT CONDITION. VERY WELL MAINTAINED. WITH UP TO DATE REDUNDANT ELECTRONICS INCLUDING INCLUDE FURUNO RADAR, GPS, SOUNDER, NOBLETEC, SEA GREAT FISHING BOAT. ONLY $190K. ASKING $199K. OLEX, SIMRAD ES70 AND FURUNO TZ TOUCH. RIGGED FOR SSB, ROBERTSON PILOT. WELL MAINTAINED. NICE SIZE LIMIT SEINE, POT FISHING AND SET UP FOR LONGLINE WITH COM- BOAT. GREAT SEA BOAT. $700K. PLETELY ENCLOSED SHELTER DECK W/MARCO MKII AUTO LONG LINE SYSTEM INCLUDING 40 SKATES OF GEAR. VER- SATILE LIMIT BOAT THAT CAN DO IT ALL FOR ONLY $1.725M.

CALL FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF VESSELS FOR SALE INCLUDING MANY BOAT/PERMIT PACKAGES Toll Free: 888-588-1001

ONLINE @ www.permitmaster.com Email: [email protected] Fax: 360-293-4180 4302 Whistle Lake Rd • Anacortes, WA 98221 PACIFIC FISHING classifieds

The F/V Morgan HOMER Choose is ready to fish MARINE Homer for Your Boat your IFQs! TRADES Work The F/V Morgan is a 32' Delta, available ASSOCIATION to fish all classes of quota in all areas. It’s a like-new, fully-equipped, clean, and comfortable boat. Professional Homer crew with 15+ years experience in 59 36'02oN the fishery. Flexible schedule and 151 24'34oW competitive rates. No #2s, best prices. For more information, contact Jonathan Pavlik • (907) 314-0714 Cell • (907) 784-3032 Home WWW.HOMERMARINETRADES.COM

Alaska Boats & Permits, Inc. AVAILABLE TO HARVEST YOUR IFQS! PO BOX 505, HOMER ALASKA 99603 We deliver quality product! FULL SERVICE MARINE BROKERAGE F/V Sherrie Marie, 61’ Steel long- FAX: 907-235-4965 E-MAIL: [email protected] liner, available for hired skipper and walk-ons. 30+ years experience 800-992-4960 907-235-4966 in fishery. Excellent, fully equipped UPDATED LISTINGS ON THE WEB boat, seasoned professional crew with HIGH QUALITY standards. www.alaskaboat.com All fish is delivered bled and iced. Competitive rates and references. Pacific Fishing Jan ‘16 IFQs PERMITS VESSELS Contact Norman @ 509-675-0304 or [email protected]

WILL FISH (206)789-5101 Will fish your 2C, BC or D Halibut IFQs for 30%. I (800)683-0297 pay for everything. Lots of references and return Dock Street Brokers clients. (541) 260-2441 or (907) 957-6295. FOR SALE Volvo TAMD 122D 480hp with ZF IRM 310.En- gine and gear are in great condition with 13,900 hrs. Includes troll valve, 12V 160A and 24V 40A alternators, 4 station Naud engine controls, 24gpm Gresson hyd pump, 2" Jabsco, many spare parts. Well maintained, records available. Located in Homer. Asking $10K. Contact [email protected] CR15-039 54’x16.5’ steel crabber/ BB15-028 32’x13’ aluminum FOR SALE seiner, built in 1960 by Marco. 270 Rozema Bristol Bay boat, built in TE15-011 93’x22’x9.5’ steel seiner, 3408 CAT with 514 6 to 1 gear twin disc eng hp GMC 8V71. 9 kw Kohler gen 1986. Twin Volvo TAMD60C 250 hp converted to tender. Mitsubishi and gear PTO is approximately 2400 hours set, Perkins D3152 for hydraulics. diesels. 7.5 ton IMS RSW system, 12 cylinder main rated at 800 hp. since engine rebuild $18,500. Twin disc 530 Rigged for crab with hydraulic ram new in 2013. Packs 12,000# floated Kubota auxiliary, 80 kw and 40 kw 6.4 to 1 gear $25,000. Twin disc 518 6.0 to 1 and crab block. Self-pursing deck salmon. Double-plated insulated generators. New Transvac pump gear-core $2,500. CAT 3306 175kw RTO $9,500. winch and seine boom included. fish holds. Sliding aluminum drum and de-watering box, complete 66"x64"x5"shaft stainless nozzle prop $6,000. Packs 70,000#. Good electronics with levelwind. Furuno chart plotter, sorting system with conveyor sorting Call Jim (541) 290-9672. including sonar. Asking $250,000. radar, VHF, and more. Well built system. 340,000 pounds capacity. FOR SALE Bristol Bay boat. Asking $210,000. Asking $875,000. 54 ton California market squid purse permit. Never been upgraded. Priced to sell quickly. $1.3 IFQ Sellers Wanted! million. Call Don (949) 279-9369. We have buyers looking FOR SALE for halibut. Have two California light-market Brail Boat licenses for sale. Call Don. (949) 279-9369. Prices reduced to $250,000 U.S. dollars. TE15-010 104’x25’x12’ Marco crab Selling your boat? FOR SALE boat, Cat 348 main rated at 750 hp, Low 5% Commission Squid-Rock Seine. Recently built, 1050 MD x (2) Cat 3306 155 kw gen sets. (2) fish BB15-037 32’x11.6’x16” Bristol Bay 190 fathom, 60 fathom bunt one end, 40 fath- holds total appr. 4,500 cu. ft. 26,970 jet gillnetter built by Shore in 1981. Non-Exclusive Listing om on the other. Snag strips throughout. Seine gallon fuel and 3,375 gallon water Cummins 6BTA 5.9 M1 turbo. Kodiak and pallet located in Vancouver BC. $32000 US capacities. IMS 50 ton RSW system 403 jet w/10” impeller. Maritime Fab You retain the right -OBO. Contact Ted (250) 203-0482 installed in 2011. Full electronics 36” roller, narrow reel w/ twister and and safety package. Ready to fish herring shaker. 16,000 lbs capacity. to sell your own vessel. FOR SALE or tender. Asking $875,000. Asking $55,000. Have two California light-market Brail Boat licenses for sale. Call Don. (949) 279-9369. See all our listings at www.dockstreetbrokers.com. Prices reduced to $250,000 U.S. dollars.

WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2016 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 35 PACIFIC FISHING classifieds

FOR SALE 50' X 16' Ledford Shallow Draft Top House Seiner 60,000lb. Capacity – Built 1989 Asking Price: $800,000 Located in Sand Point, Alaska May 09 Fishermen’s News Contact: Cameron Foster, (907) 310-6171 [email protected] 6125 Lugger 400HP, MG5111A twin disc reduction gear, Pitts electric PTO, keel cooled, 12V electrical system, 2½" shaft w/32x30 prop, Anderson 15-ton refrigeration system, 5x4 crab pump. Rigging and Deck: Aluminum mast and booms, 2 picking boom and main boom, winches – 2 PL4’s on picking booms and PL8 on main boom, main boom has slider and vanging – Kolstrand deck winch with sheaves, anchor winch with #18 Forfjord anchor 180#.

TWIN DISC MarINe TraNSMIS- sions, Caterpillar and Cummins Engines FOR SALE & parts. New and rebuilt, biggest selection 1974 Aluminum 54' Seiner. Packs 73,000 in of used ENG & Gear parts in the world FOR SALE RSW. 3406B Cat, 40 KW Susie. Located in Port available. Worldwide shipping. Best pric- Lightboat for sale with permit boat is also a Townsend. Soon to be undergoing repairs and ing. Call Steve at Marine Engine & Gear solid fiberglass Coast Guard certified charter upgrades. Price may increase as work progress- 781-837-5424 or email at twindiscgears@ boat priced to sell quickly $675,000 dollars call es in 2016. Currently asking $380,000 cash verizon.net Don (949) 279-9369. or $80,000 per year for 5 years (lease option). (360) 531-3074. FOR SALE F/V Hadassah – 58x19 Delta seiner, longliner,pot boat. 343 main, 30kw generator, 7-182-9kw Northern Lights generator, upgrades include large rolling chaulks, UHMW guards, metalized hydro valves and SS lines, bulbous bow, Furuno sonar, Pilkington deck winch, complete new RSW system. Also available, net longline gear and cod pot gear, and 19’ Rozema skiff. (907) 399-7219. FOR SALE FOR SALE California Market Squid Boat. Boat holds 75 Fishboat 36 ft. long 12-1/2 ft. wide fiberglass FOR SALE ton of RSW squid. Priced to sell quickly. Comes over wood, heavy construction, 453 gm diesel 61' shallow draft tender. Twin 6-71 mains. Packs with market and captain. Great producer every 6,000 hrs. hurth gear 1,500 hrs. Wagner steer- 75k in 18ton IMS chiller. 75kw Deere, 20kw year. Price is 3.1 million including net and ing and pilot, Furuno radar and aluminum Lugger. 80-100 day contract available to rigging. Boat is in Fanny Bay B.C. Asking $45,000 qualifiedRun buyer. as 240k.is (941) 730-7474. skiff. Recent survey and recently painted. New machinery and hydraulics in last few years. Call Canadian. Phone 1 (250) 335-1437. Please make changes as indicated Don (949) 279-9369. CONTRACT WANTED FOR SALE Economical tender that packs over 72,500 lbs. Have multiple squid light permits priced to sell of salmon in RSW, seeks a gill net tendering con- quickly. $199,000 dollars or make offer. Call tract for 2016. Also looking for an experienced Donny (949) 279-9369. tendering captain. Call (360) 531-3074

FOR SALE 54' Fiberglass salmon/albacore freezer troller, 1800 gallon fuel capacity, 15 ton fish hold. Very comfortable sea boat, owner retired. Asking price $275,000 USD. (360) 280-2675 Calls only. FOR SALE California Purse Seiner with squid permit holds WANTED 80 tons of RSW of squid. Priced to sell quickly. California near-shore permit needed. Right away! $3 million includes skiff, squid permit and net Buyer has cash. Please call Don. (949) 279-9369. for fishing. Call Don. (949) 279-9369. FOR SALE - ALASKA LEGACY FOR LEASE 1990 - 50 Little Hoquiam seiner, currently located in Cordova, AK. Twin Lugger 460 engines, approx Secure your lease for the Dungeness 11k hrs. 35kw Isuzu gen. 60k cap. in main hold/ crab season today! 300 pot WA coast Sunday hold. New stainless hydraulics. Com- Dungeness permit for lease. Permit is good plete list of amenities and copy of survey at up to 58'. (360) 268-2433. www.alaskalegacy.org. Reduced to $650,000. (907) 748-5578 or (907) 748-5579.

36 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM Bait matters continued from page 11 most of the lower 48 coastal states. Please check out amsea.org buying it,” Paiva said. “You have to make sure you’re buying it for course information. from credible, reputable people.” The Seattle-based North Pacific Fishing Vessel Owners’ Association is another place to get marine safety training. Know your bait: “What fishermen always say is that they want the freshest possible bait at the lowest possible prices,” Go to npfvoa.org. Fremont Maritime Services also offers said Linda Behnken, executive director of the Alaska Longline a variety of marine safety classes in the Seattle area. Visit Fishermen’s Association. fremontmaritime.com. She believes the best source of bait is near home. I hope every fisherman, skipper, crewman, and deckhand “To me, it makes the best sense in terms of global impacts gets marine safety training once every five years. The hands-on to use locally sourced bait,” she said, adding that it’s the most skills taught in these classes will save your life! In the first eight reliable way to ensure bait fish are sustainably managed months of 2015, these skills helped save more than 28 lives in and harvested. Alaska alone.  “You won’t know that with bait fish that’s caught in other Jennifer Lincoln is director of the National Institute for Occupational countries,” she said. Safety and Health’s Center for Maritime Safety and Health Studies. Bait fisheries like the winter herring seine fishery in Southeast Alaska also support fishermen by providing revenue at a time Disasters continued from page 15 of year that falls in between more active seasons, Behnken said. The association’s members use a variety of bait-buying strat- indicating the captain was awake at that time. The captain fell egies, including purchase of imports, she said, but “we think asleep sometime afterward and stated he awoke when the vessel grounded (at 0048). The captain also stated he did not hear the it’s incredibly important for our members to think about where first-stage alarm at that time. It is not known why the captain did their bait is coming from and how it affects issues like bycatch.” not hear the first-stage alarm. It is possible the actual time interval This is a time when pot fishermen have limited options due to between the last alarm sounding and the grounding was less than the West Coast sardine shutdown, however. one hour (the watch alarm setting) or the alarm was not properly Saury price quake: Dan DeLaurentis is the skipper of set. Regardless, the watch alarm was not effective in ensuring the the 88-foot F/V Ruff & Reddy, which works out of Kodiak captain would be awake while navigating the vessel. The proper and is set up for sablefish and halibut longlining and gray cod use of the watch alarm, which includes setting an appropriate pot longlining. time interval, would likely have prevented this accident and could DeLaurentis baits by hand, using small pollock to bait prevent other grounding accidents from happening. sablefish. Octopus and pollock are used for baiting halibut. For pot longlining, sardine is used exclusively – when it’s available. Probable cause Pacific saury is the substitute for sardine, and it’s in The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the high demand. probable cause of the grounding of the Savannah Ray was the “Supply and demand issues are huge right now,” said vessel straying off course and entering shallow water because the DeLaurentis, and he expects the situation to intensify. captain fell asleep while navigating due to fatigue. Contributing He said he was paying 60 to 65 cents per pound for sardine to the grounding was the captain’s failure to use all of the vessel’s and now pays 80 to 85 cents per pound for saury. DeLaurentis available alerting and navigation alarms. estimates that he loads each pot with 15 pounds of bait to catch Pacific cod, which commanded only 35 cents a pound in Kodiak Sinking of the F/V Blazer as of early December. Saury, an expensive bait product that “nobody had ever heard On Nov. 29, 2014, at 0611 local time, the 73-foot-long fishing about,” is suddenly dominating the local market “because we vessel Blazer, loaded with Dungeness crab pots, sank in the have no other choice,” DeLaurentis continued. Pacific Ocean about 8 miles west of Siletz Bay, Oregon. All five On the plus side, the outcome of fishing with saury has crew members abandoned ship and were rescued by the U.S. been favorable. Coast Guard. The Blazer, valued at $950,000, sank with 2,000 “It has a high oil content for sure – it seems to be a good bait gallons of diesel fuel and mixed lube oil products on board. No pollution was sighted. and catches just as well,” DeLaurentis said. The Blazer departed its home port of Newport, Oregon, shortly He added that bait defines a fisherman’s odds of success, as after midnight on Nov. 29. The captain and four crew members “in our fisheries, the better the bait, the better the fishing.”  intended to transit about 80 miles north to a fishing site off Cape Falcon, Oregon, and set Dungeness crab pots there. The captain Fatality-free year continued from page 13 had more than 40 years of experience in the fishing industry, USCG praised the crew’s quick response to the sinking. “This including crab fishing off the Alaska coast, and previous expe- case is an excellent example of what to do in an emergency on rience as captain of the Blazer. However, he had not previously the water,” said Lt. Cmdr. James Gibson, Jayhawk helicopter operated the vessel with Dungeness crab pots on board. He con- pilot at Air Station Astoria. “The fishermen contacted the Coast sulted with the vessel owner, DDR Fisheries, and the decision was Guard in a timely manner, were prepared with an emergency made to load and transport 500 crab pots to the fishing site. beacon, a backup radio, life jackets, and immersion suits,” he Of the 500 crab pots on board the Blazer, 350 were stowed on said. “Their preparation helped ensure their safety and made it the main deck; 100 were stowed in the forward No. 1 fish hold, easy for us to find them.” which was deliberately filled with sea water to trim down the Sitka-based AMSEA offers classes throughout Alaska and in Continued on page 38

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Disasters continued from page 37 The crew members underwent toxicological testing, and the vessel’s bow; and 50 were stowed in the No. 2 fish hold, which captain tested positive for a marijuana metabolite. All other results was dry. Each crab pot weighed 110 pounds, including weights, were negative. buoys, and line, for a total weight of about 27.5 tons. Investigators tried to determine how sea water entered the The captain told investigators that, when the Blazer left New- Blazer. In the process, they spoke with the previous Blazer captain, port, the vessel was on an even keel and had about 12 to 18 inches who stated that, during his five years as captain of the vessel, he of freeboard. He said that, during the departure, he tested the sta- had on several occasions loaded 500 crab pots on board the ves- bility by turning the wheel in an exaggerated manner, rocking the sel in similar configurations to that of the accident voyage without vessel from side to side. He said he “felt good” about the stability, any problems. In 2006, the state of Oregon Department of Fish and so he continued to sea. At the time, the northwest winds were 15 to Wildlife set a limit of 500 crab pots, which did not pertain to the 20 knots, and the seas were 6 to 10 feet. maximum number of pots allowed on board a vessel but instead When the Blazer had been under way for about one hour, the to the maximum number of pots that an operator could have sub- other crew members went below deck to sleep while the captain merged at any given time. Further, the crab pot limit was not based stayed in the wheelhouse. As the voyage continued, the weather on the size of the vessel but rather on the vessel’s history (pre-2006) deteriorated, with the northwest winds and the seas increasing to of catching crab. 25 to 30 knots and 10 to 14 feet, respectively. About 0345, some 3.5 In addition, investigators evaluated the accident captain’s hours after leaving port, the Blazer began listing to starboard at description of the fuel tank piping system. These lines (some for an angle of about 5 to 7 degrees. The captain made a slight course filling and others for venting the fuel tanks) passed up through the change to port so that the vessel’s bow would head more directly main deck. The fill lines were 2 inches in diameter and capped. into the seas (as opposed to the waves hitting the side of the ves- However, the 1.5-inch-diameter vent lines had no check valves on sel), but the starboard list remained. The captain noted that the deck. The rough seas, coupled with the heavily loaded vessel, may crab pots on deck did not appear to have shifted and that no bilge have allowed water to enter the vessel via these vent lines, but this alarm had activated. could not be conclusively determined. The captain then tried to correct the list because he thought that Because the Blazer was less than 79 feet (24 meters) long, it was it may have resulted from flooding in either the dry No. 2 fish hold not required to comply with the stability standards of Title 46 Code (which held 50 crab pots) or in one of the empty tanks. He went of Federal Regulations (CFR) 28.500 or 46 CFR Subchapter S and below deck to the engine room, where he started the pumps for therefore not required to have a stability test. In addition, the Blaz- the No. 2 fish hold, which he suspected was filling with sea water. er was not required to comply with international or domestic load He also alerted the other crew members and instructed them to line requirements (such as the International Convention on Load cut loose the crab pots on the starboard side of the main deck, as Lines or 46 CFR Part 42). the list to starboard had increased to about 10 to 15 degrees by this Fishing vessels such as the Blazer are required to comply with time. According to crew statements, during the next 20 minutes or the basic safety requirements of 46 CFR Part 28 primarily related so, the crew pushed about 50 crab pots overboard, but the list was to lifesaving and firefighting. Accordingly, the Blazer underwent not corrected. When the Blazer was listing by nearly 20 degrees, a commercial fishing vessel dockside examination in May 2014, the captain began turning the vessel in a circle to starboard to about six months before the sinking. During the examination, heel the vessel to port, but this attempt was unsuccessful. When the vessel’s bilge alarms were tested and they worked properly. the starboard list neared 30 degrees, the Blazer lost steerage The captain told investigators that the alarms may have sounded ability. At that point, the captain concluded that he could not save while the crab pots were being pushed overboard and during the the vessel and began preparations for all of the crew members to evacuation but that neither he nor the crew heard the alarms while abandon ship. on deck. At 0417, the captain broadcast a mayday call and notified the Investigators verified that, during the three years before the Coast Guard of the Blazer’s position and number of persons on sinking, DDR Fisheries invested about $200,000 in numerous board. He also sounded the vessel’s general alarm about this same upgrades to the vessel. The captain told investigators that the time. The crew members donned survival suits and, because of the Blazer had most recently been taken out of the water in mid- increasing list (45 to 60 degrees at this point), had to climb up onto September 2014 and appeared at that time to have no structural and over the wheelhouse to get to the vessel’s port side. The crew issues. From mid-September to late November 2014 (just before deployed the Blazer’s inflatable life raft in the water alongside the the accident), the Blazer was berthed in Portland, Oregon, and vessel. About 0425, with the starboard list about 60 to 80 degrees during those two months the captain lived on board the vessel and and the vessel nearly on its side in the water, the captain and the conducted routine maintenance. He said that he was unaware of crew boarded the life raft. About 15 minutes later, a Coast Guard any structural issues. helicopter, launched from Coast Guard Station Depoe Bay, arrived Because the Blazer was not required to comply with stability on scene. Within 15 minutes of the helicopter’s arrival, a Coast standards, the loads being carried on board – crab pots, fuel, water, Guard motor lifeboat (MLB), also from Depoe Bay, arrived to and oil – were accepted as satisfactory based solely on the captain’s assist. The helicopter crew hoisted three of the Blazer crew mem- and the owner’s assessment, which, in turn, was based on hands- bers to safety, and the MLB crew rescued the other two Blazer crew on experience and/or accounts from previous operators regarding members. As the Blazer became more submerged in the water, the how they loaded the vessel. vessel’s emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) activated, and the signal was received by a rescue coordination center Probable cause in Washington state. At 0611, the Blazer disappeared beneath the The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the waves. Coast Guard personnel reported a strong smell of diesel probable cause of the sinking of the Blazer was flooding from an fuel but did not see any sheen. unknown point of ingress. 

38 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2016 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM Pollock ad_Pacific Fishing_Layout 1 1/16/14 6:10 PM Page 1

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