factory bottom trawls wasting TONS of bycatch
- Thread starter Cuba Libre
- Start date
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Great article to take the the IPHC to reduce canada's quota.
This happens in ever industry where you have industry policing industry.
"Those who compromise their observers through bullying and threats avoid penalties, while observers who fail to do their jobs correctly are rewarded with bribes and a welcoming crew. Observers who try to report abuse say they’ve been ignored, belittled or fired. All the while, Archipelago gets paid as long as the fishermen are still leaving the harbour."
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Yes the IPHC, DFO is usless, won’t do anything unless made to. IPHC can lean on them like they did Alaska.
fogged in
Well-Known Member
Could this have any impact on the decline of halibut being caught by the Sport Fishery
“Thousands of pounds of squashed and suffocated halibut”
"Workplace abuse has led observers to under-report the adverse impacts of trawl fishing and resulted in an estimated 140 million pounds of wasted fish. Put another way, that’s $1 billion in unaccounted catch in just over two decades."
“Morals and ethics don’t pay,” Eis says. “If you follow the regulations you make less money.”
https://thenarwhal.ca/youre-out-the...-fishery/?mc_cid=0c9bcbde7e&mc_eid=72b301a8fa
“Thousands of pounds of squashed and suffocated halibut”
"Workplace abuse has led observers to under-report the adverse impacts of trawl fishing and resulted in an estimated 140 million pounds of wasted fish. Put another way, that’s $1 billion in unaccounted catch in just over two decades."
“Morals and ethics don’t pay,” Eis says. “If you follow the regulations you make less money.”
https://thenarwhal.ca/youre-out-the...-fishery/?mc_cid=0c9bcbde7e&mc_eid=72b301a8fa
Alright - I'm game for suggestions as to making things better and protecting our legacy. So... How do you see your suggestion rolling-out WMY? What would be the next steps in constructive, effective management and/or legal actions to that end? Who does what?
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
Yet another example of DFO incompetence! Disgusting that they still allow this environmentally destructive, unsustainable (mining of the sea) type of fishery.
In this regard Canada is a joke internationally. We need to pressure DFO, the policiticians and the weathly corporations (e.g. Pattison, Inc.) that shut down this type unsustainable fishery before too much long lasting damage is done to the rest of the fishery.
In this regard Canada is a joke internationally. We need to pressure DFO, the policiticians and the weathly corporations (e.g. Pattison, Inc.) that shut down this type unsustainable fishery before too much long lasting damage is done to the rest of the fishery.
fish4all
Well-Known Member
I sure hope some of you take a few minutes and write or call the groundfish department and express your concerns. Boats like this will kill our coast. It took the smaller factory boats only 4 years to decimate the turbot fishery. Not to mention the dirtiest skipper on the coast will be driving it. we are fighting hard to make sure this thing can’t touch the bottom in respects of halibut bycatch but even mid water it’s net spans 8 football fields wide by 300 ft deep. During the Hake fishery I can’t imagine the number of Chinook this thing will kill and put through the reduction plant in the bow.
please take a few minutes and send something in.
Neil.Davis@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Adam.Keizer@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Maureen.Finn@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
please take a few minutes and send something in.
Neil.Davis@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Adam.Keizer@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Maureen.Finn@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
I would be suspicious of the accusation that it was shrimp trawling verses say groundfish trawling in the video above posted by sasqman.
Shrimp trawling is done generally slowly on soft bottoms w no hang-ups because the net is fairly frail in comparison to groundfish trawls. That means limited bycatch - with the exception of the flounders which are caught - but not generally rockfish.
I rather suspect it was bycatch from an otter trawl groundfish boat - they have the 2 huge doors on the backend when not trawling - and a really robust net with a reinforced lead line that can be scraped along uneven and rocky ground (to some extent) - and would more likely intercept rockfish.
Shrimp trawling is done generally slowly on soft bottoms w no hang-ups because the net is fairly frail in comparison to groundfish trawls. That means limited bycatch - with the exception of the flounders which are caught - but not generally rockfish.
I rather suspect it was bycatch from an otter trawl groundfish boat - they have the 2 huge doors on the backend when not trawling - and a really robust net with a reinforced lead line that can be scraped along uneven and rocky ground (to some extent) - and would more likely intercept rockfish.
browningmirage
Active Member
And eulachon...
And eulachon... but not in the beam boat fleet - the door boats... about 1/3 of the shrimp fleet
searun
Well-Known Member
I think it is important to gather the facts before we go too far down any rabbit holes. It does appear from preliminary data that there is indeed Chinook by-catch for example in some of these trawl fisheries. Halibut also. So the key is to request the available data. I tried searching internationally reported groundfish and the US side has incredibly detailed catch data publicly shared - Canada - not so much.
The SFAB has formally requested by-catch data for the trawl fisheries on the South Coast to better understand the extent of the known by-catch and determine if catch monitoring is sufficient to determine the scope of any concerns, and if from a by-catch perspective there are issues and possible mitigation strategies that would allow those fisheries to be carefully managed to avoid by-catch.
Bigger problem perhaps than we might realize per the article:
The SFAB has formally requested by-catch data for the trawl fisheries on the South Coast to better understand the extent of the known by-catch and determine if catch monitoring is sufficient to determine the scope of any concerns, and if from a by-catch perspective there are issues and possible mitigation strategies that would allow those fisheries to be carefully managed to avoid by-catch.
Bigger problem perhaps than we might realize per the article:
fish4all
Well-Known Member
I agree it’s good to get the facts first but what do you do when some of these big boats have been lying through their teeth for a long time? Where do you start. I personally believe the factories should be gone. Second best solution is 2 observers with full camera coverage until such time as data can be collected that has not been manipulated. The problem as I see it is we have no proof good or bad as to the damage these boats have done and continue to do.
Good questions, fish4all. I think you start by identifying the "holes' in the coverage, and use whatever political & legislative tools available to fill those holes.
I wouldn't necessarily agree that all commercial fisheries should get painted with the same brush as "lying through their teeth for a long time".
The groundfish fishery - in particular - has cameras & GPS - uses 3rd party dockside validators - has videos examined for infractions - and cannot hail-out for next trip unless infractions are dealt with. Fines and charges can be issued - but those boats with cameras/GPS are unlikely to be that brazen and stupid since it is their living. It could be argued that the groundfish fishery is the strictest and most heavily regulated fishery on the coast - even more regulated than FSC and recreational fishing.
I think the fisheries that have limited or partial observer/camera coverage have more opportunity to fudge. The trawl fishery & it's challenges wrt observer validation is the news article that CL posted is what started this thread. Bycatch and habitat destruction (e.g. glass sponge reefs) are large issues for this particular fishery, IMHO.
It does seem from the news article that the trawl fishery has numerous unaddressed observer/validation issues. It will require political will to address these holes - including possibly legal action to kickstart that process.
I wouldn't necessarily agree that all commercial fisheries should get painted with the same brush as "lying through their teeth for a long time".
The groundfish fishery - in particular - has cameras & GPS - uses 3rd party dockside validators - has videos examined for infractions - and cannot hail-out for next trip unless infractions are dealt with. Fines and charges can be issued - but those boats with cameras/GPS are unlikely to be that brazen and stupid since it is their living. It could be argued that the groundfish fishery is the strictest and most heavily regulated fishery on the coast - even more regulated than FSC and recreational fishing.
I think the fisheries that have limited or partial observer/camera coverage have more opportunity to fudge. The trawl fishery & it's challenges wrt observer validation is the news article that CL posted is what started this thread. Bycatch and habitat destruction (e.g. glass sponge reefs) are large issues for this particular fishery, IMHO.
It does seem from the news article that the trawl fishery has numerous unaddressed observer/validation issues. It will require political will to address these holes - including possibly legal action to kickstart that process.
fish4all
Well-Known Member
I fully agree.
These factories have been a menace since they arrived. I run a hook and line boat and I know the scrutiny we are under. This blatant disregard for the resource and other users needs to be cleaned up. Problem is trawl is developing its own camera program and from what we understand it is not under the scrutiny of the department or any other fleets being impacted. Fox henhouse kind of deal.
kevind
Well-Known Member
I might be in the wrong but dragging any net should just be illegal now. I could be wrong and there might be good uses for it but as of right now I just don’t see how we can sustain that type of fishery anymore. To much waste with very little hope of any survival for anything put back in. I understand people’s livelihoods are in the balance for some but we all have to change the way we have done things to better practices.
Nets are but yet another fishing methodology - and have their efffectiveness and risks. There are numerous fisheries and different types of nets. Bottom trawling potentially is the worst of all choices - if it both vacuums-up too much weak stocks & bycatch that can't be legally brought aboard and are discarded AS WELL AS destroying habitat. The beam boat fleet of the shrimp fleet is on the other ends of that bad trawl spectrum. They go slow since they don't need water pressure on the doors to keep the net apart - the beam does that. So fast-swimming bycatch can largely move away where it exists. And they can't afford to rip their net on hang-ups including glass sponge reefs - so go mostly in mud or sand bottom without hang-ups - so only a few places have that combination and they restrict themselves to known transects and often line-up like fly fishermen on a river. Not saying zero impacts - just saying it's on the other end of that spectrum verses bottom dragging, IMHO.
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