Sadness~Huge squid bycatch catches pollock fishermen offguard in Bering Sea, Alaska

Joined
Jul 25, 2006
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This really is sad:

More than 500 tons of squid were caught as bycatch in the Bering sea pollock fishery in one single week. That is more than 4 times the normal rate.
"We confirmed that the numbers were real and they really did catch that amount of squid. We then tried to find out where the squid were caught." Josh Keaton, a resource management specialist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

The squid were caught near the start of the mid-June through September pollock season.

Fishermen in the Bering Sea are allowed a certain amount of squid bycatch each year. For 2006, the recommended amount was not to exceed 1,976 tons. As of July 15, the amount of bycatch was 1,403 tons. The National Marine Fisheries Service would be looking at restricting the fishery if it reachs 2,620 tons.
 
KatiE~DolphiN said:
Fishermen in the Bering Sea are allowed a certain amount of squid bycatch each year. For 2006, the recommended amount was not to exceed 1,976 tons. As of July 15, the amount of bycatch was 1,403 tons. The National Marine Fisheries Service would be looking at restricting the fishery if it reachs 2,620 tons.
What absurd logic is this? They should STOP the pollock fishery when it reaches 1,976 tons, otherwise setting an 'upper limit' in squid bycatch is a redundant exercise! Accordingly they must also reduce the TAC of squid in any squid fishery that operates in the area, to compensate for overcatch by the pollock fishery! You'll probably find that both squid and pollock vessels are owned by the same fishing companies ... so the only one winning here would be the fishing industry. Go figure!
 

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