Ghost Nets

Dave-

Thanks, bud! It's hard to shake 35 years of teaching experience and 7 years of training!

We came to the same basic conclusion once before, but I think I said that "everyone wanted their 'fair' share of what was left" or something to that effect.

Maybe a drastic reduction in numbers will (hopefully) bring about drastic changes in the measures taken to restore this resource before it's too late. I sure hope so!

Nice talkin' with 'ya!

Joe. :thup :teeth
 
We have meet some fishermen who have their entire income from fishing--and they have to work very hard to "make it". I am leaving gill netting out of this group--but including trolling, long linning and diving. I grew up on the docks of San Pedro CA, when there was a sustainable fishery there. It is gone. There were 300 plus purse seiners who came out for the blessing of the fleet every Spring--today maybe a dozen or so commercial fishing boats. Same on the Gulf Coast--Snapper, and Grooper fisheries are almost gone. Severe restrictions--and still the stocks are decreasing. (I better stop at this point!)

To me, gill netting is like "shooting fish in a barrel". Even purse seining is less destructive to the fisheries. But it is not just gill netting. There are many destructive fisheries--and we have not set adequate limits, nor enforced international treaties. The whole world fisheries are in decline--and the sea should be a sustainable source of food. It seems to be loosing that sustainability.
 
Sea Wolf":20bby037 said:
AstoriaDave":20bby037 said:
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In the 1970's I heard about the same things from both sides I hear now: basically, this: "I want to catch the last salmon on the Columbia River; screw everybody else."
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How many people have a boat and would keep it if all fishing were banned?

Joe.
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Us :wink: and just the start of a long list of where we are and will remain in the minority :lol:

Jay
 
There are several ways to manage a commercial fishery.

The old way, when the fish were plentiful was a free-for-all.
Licensed fishboats started fishing in the designated area at the opening bell, and continued until they plugged the boat or the closing bell was sounded. This results in a 'me first','if I don't get them, the other guy will','destruction derby' style of fishing. Speed and maximum take is most important. It also meant that they would fish for up to 72 hours without sleep.

The new way to manage the fishery is to have IFQ's, individual fishing quotas. The take is preplanned by the fishery control agency and quotas are assigned to each boat. (The formula used varies.) Then, during the open time, in the designated area, the boats fish until they have caught their quota. This way is more controlled, the boats don't have to go out in a storm and the fishermen can take more time to minimise the bycatch.

I have heard that with the old free for all style, longliners would set more gear than they could haul in, and cut off the unhauled line when the closing bell sounded. That gear continues ghost fishing for years, until the hooks rust off the line. Longlinning also is very destructive to the non-targeted species. By the time the line is hauled in, many of the bycatch fish are dead, or die being pulled from the deep water(1200 ft) to the surface. Then the fishermen must discard those fish over the side. What a waste! The fish boat can only have the targeted species onboard. Imagine killing edible fish and throwing them overboard!

If we don't control the fisheries, we will lose them.

Disclaimer, I am not either a commercial or recreational fisherman.
 
Dan,

The hooks are baited to begin with, and if a rock fish or snapper takes the bait and is hooked and dies, then the next scavenger eats the rockfish, dies and so forth. I agree that not all hooks will continue to fish, but some do. In addition, the fish that are already on the line when its cut are killed. Another possibility is that marine mammals could eat the hooked fish and become hooked themselves.
 
Larry H":32b5oepv said:
Dan,

The hooks are baited to begin with, and if a rock fish or snapper takes the bait and is hooked and dies, then the next scavenger eats the rockfish, dies and so forth. I agree that not all hooks will continue to fish, but some do. In addition, the fish that are already on the line when its cut are killed. Another possibility is that marine mammals could eat the hooked fish and become hooked themselves.
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I too was thinking that might be a possibility. Then again all I know about long lining is what I read in "The Perfect Storm" and it was more about the survival or not of people not fish.

Jay
 
For anyone interested in this topic, do a Google search on 'ghost fishing gear' or 'ghost longline fishing gear' and you will find hours of reading.
 
Hunkydory":o33qh18z said:
[I too was thinking that might be a possibility. Then again all I know about long lining is what I read in "The Perfect Storm" and it was more about the survival or not of people not fish.
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You might enjoy reading The Hungry Ocean by Linda Greenlaw, the longline swordfish boat captain who played a real-life role in the loss of the Andrea Gail (she was the captain of sister-boat Hannah Boden). She is an excellent writer.

Warren
 
Dan,

Your knowledge about longlining being based in reality may be better than mine which is based in virtual reality and dock discussions with fishermen.

In any event, I think any lost gear which 'ghost fishes' is particulary bad for the critters.

I personally found a bunch of crab pots which were dumped in a cove and they were full of crab carapaces and several dead river otters. I spent some time with my arms in cold water cutting the netting on the traps to disable them.
 
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