TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE MIDWATER PAIR TRAWL EXPERIMENT TO HARVEST OFFSHORE FL YING SQUID BRITISH COLUMBIA 1995 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND REPORT Prepared by: Captain David Tait Scantec Limited 84 Thornhill Drive Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Canada 838 1 S3 Prepared for: Department of Fisheries and Oceans Responsible Fishing Operations Program Planning & Coordination Fisheries Management 200 Kent Street Station 1412 Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A OE6 and Deep Sea Trawlers Association of 8 .C. Unit 2, 11771 Horseshoe Way Richmond, 8.C. Canada V7 A 4V4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The project was aimed at diversifying the B.C. trawler fleet sector from fishing pressure stocks into designated underdeveloped species, thereby taking the stress off traditional species. Since the ban on drift net fishing techniques in the Pacific, total harvesting of Offshore Flying Squid (Ommastrephes bartrami) has been at a standstill. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, in cooperation with the Deep Sea Trawlers Association of British Columbia, initiated and funded a project to survey the possibilities of harvesting this species using Pair Midwater Trawl technology. The objective was to evaluate Pair Midwater Trawling as an alternative technique to harvest flying squid. Towing on the surface, and at different levels in the water column, and introducing diel variations into the fishing pattern, were examples of the experiments made during the project. Surface temperatures were monitored and recorded, and fishing was conducted in different isotherms. The scope of the search was spread over a large sea area, and as far West as Latitude 45 Degrees North, Longitude 146 Degrees West. The vessels steamed approximately 3,000 miles, and actual fishing time was approximately 60 hours. No substantial sightings of flying squid were seen, tunas were found using trolling lines, and a test gill net was deployed to verify the presence of squid and by catch. To prevent unwanted catches of salmon, birds, and marine mammals, a selectivity grid was installed in the trawl. No by catch of mammals, seabirds, or salmonoids were recorded during the experiment, albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) was the predominant catch. Most of the flying squid and pomfret captured during the project were taken at night with the gill net. No other squid species were caught in the gill net. Albacore tunas were caught with the trolling gear in the daytime, and in the midwater trawl at night. One tow with the trawl at night approximately 20 fathoms from the surface, yielded several species of immature squid, these were meshed in the extension and codend, some squid species were unidentified. Several tows on the surface produced modest amounts of Albacore tuna. No tunas were caught in the trawl during daylight. The results were not conclusive but revealed some problems associated with searching and harvesting flying squid in the North Pacific, recommendations are also made for future experiments. SCANTEC LIMITED 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....... .. ...................... ...... ..... .. 2 A INTRODUCTION ................................................ 6 8. PRELIMINARY PROCESS .... .. .... ..... .. .. .. ... ....... 7 1. Trawl Type . 8 2. Selectivity . 8 3. Fishing Plan . 8 4. Captain and Crew Requirements . 8 C. TRIP NARRATIVE .. ... ... ............. .. .. .................... 9 D. EQUIPMENT . 13 E. FISHING STRATEGY .. ..... ..... ...... ... ..... .. ..... .. 14 1. Underwater Camera . 14 2. Catch Processing . 14 3. Freezing Capabilities . 15 4. Fishing Operations . 15 5. Selectivity Device . 16 F. RESULTS ......... ........ .. .. ............ ... ... .... ..... 17 G. CONCLUSIONS . 18 H. RECOMMENDATIONS . 19 1. Visual Sighting of squid possibilities . 20 2. Electronic Assistance . 20 I. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . 21 J. REFERENCES ............... ... .............. ... .. .. .... 22 SCANTEC LIMITED 3 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Midwater Pair Trawl . 23 Figure 2 Midwater Pair Trawl . 24 Figure 3 Flying Squid Bycatch Device . 25 Figure 4 Grid Configuration Illustrating the Siting of the Underwater Camera and Grid Angle Sensor . 26 Figure 5 Schematic of the area covered during the charter . 27 Figure 6 Advantages of Surface Fishing with a Kite . 28 Figure 7 Scanmar RX-400 . 29 SCANTEC LIMITED 4 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Bollard Pull Test Results . 31 Tabte 2 Scientific and common names of some species caught during the project . 32 Table 3 Pair Trawl Data Sheets . ........ .......... ............ 33 Table 4 Pair Trawl Vessel Data . 38 SCANTEC LIMITED 5 A. INTRODUCTION This review does not address the subject of squid biology etc, this topic has been adequately described in several other reports. The target species was Offshore Flying Squid, jigging has not proved successful in the harvesting of this species, mainly due to the weight of the individual squid that shed tentacles when being hauled up on hooks or barbs. (From Murata et al 1981) Quote "Catches of flying squid were uniformly low and worsened by a 30 to 40% catch loss due to these large squid falling off the lures when hauled out of the water. In Japanese waters this species readily breaks off (automizes) its two prey grasping tentacles during jigging operations and falls back into the sea." Unquote. After a series of preliminary discussions among all the relevant parties an agreement was made in principle to go with the project. Deep Sea Trawlers Association of British Columbia (DSTA) issued a request to its members to solicit trawler captains who were interested in using their vessels in the experiment, seven owners responded. A short list of suitable vessels was compiled, and after inspection by the consultant, two vessels were selected from the list. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Resource Managements were contacted and alerted to the possibilities of conducting the project, and a request was made for experimental licenses for the two vessels. All concerns were met, and licenses were issued for the charter period. An observer was supplied by Archipelago of Victoria B.C . to log data on species and fishing operations. Pair Midwater Trawls with selectivity devices installed, and a sophisticated package of electronics were supplied for the project period. This equipment was supplemented by contracting an electronic/gear technician and two experienced Midwater Pair Trawl specialists for the duration of the project. SCANTEC LIMITED 6 B. PRELIMINARY PROCESS Several preliminary meetings were held to formulate policy and guidelines to be used during the charter period. These meetings were attended by DFO personnel that included the Scientific Authority for the project, Hydrographic, and Scientific branch, also present were representatives from DSTA and the consultancy group. DSTA solicited its members for interested vessel owners, and from the replies a short list of vessels was drawn up. These vessels were in the size range 70 to 110 feet, and engine Horsepower from seven hundred to one thousand. Two vessels would be selected from either end of the horsepower scale. Compatibility in hulls and machinery was an important factor, and both vessels were required to perform a bollard test to establish power parameters (see Table 1) . Limited deck alterations were necessary to conduct pair trawling operations. The pair trawls, bridles, and hardware were suppl ied for the experiment. The need to identify potential by catch species, and fix allowable totals was discussed, as was the use of selective harvesting processes, such as the type of selectivity devices to install in the fishing gear. A cost recovery system was established, and a review of the handling and processing technology for the target species, and any marketable by catch species, was held. Pair Trawling Consultants, gear, and electronics experts helped in the development of a fishing operations plan. This included a period for Captain and crew training, an area of operations, the period of experimental fishing, and the use of selectivity devices. A system was also formulated for data logging and reporting protocols. Literature searches were generated, and all available reports relating to biological behaviour, distribution, and capture of flying squid were studied. The DFO Scientific branch supplied historic information on flying squid harvesting relating to specific areas, by catch possibilities, and temperatures. The DFO Hydrographic branch supplied historic monthly and annual current temperature profiles for the NW Pacific. Consultants were contracted to supply technical assistance in the selection of the vessels. This included two experienced pair trawl experts to transfer the technology on the commercial application of the pair trawl technique, including training of the Captains and crews. A requirement for at least one vessel to have freezing capabilities was met with the selection of the MV "Viking Storm," the vessel chosen to partner him was the MV "Eastward Ho" (see Table 4). SCANTEC LIMITED 7 1. Trawl Type Information from Japanese squid gillnetting reports suggests that most of the fishing effort was on the surface. Pair Trawling on the surface is conducted by letting out short wire, this means the vessels must keep close to one another, or risk damaging the trawl. Pelagic surface fishing using a kite, enables the trawl to be towed further astern, and the distance between the vessels can be increased, creating more of a silent area, and reducing the chance of fish diving when disturbed. 2. Selectivity To reduce the incidence of catching non target species, a selectivity grid was