KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
For the fourth year in a row Kodiak trawlers have voted to forego some of their pollock openings to allow processors the chance to finish up with pink salmon before getting another slug of fish. Al Burch is the executive director of the Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association. He says the vote to keep their nets out of the water was unanimous.
— (Trawler 1 40 sec "We didn’t, nobody went out … isn’t good for the town.")
Burch said the decision, which was made by all 27 boat owners in the fishery, was made in conjunction with the processors. The pollock fishery has a total allowable catch limit, but the fishermen do not have individual quotas, which means a unanimous vote was required.
He said the trawlers will reshuffle their schedule to accommodate this week’s stand down.
— (Trawler 2 20 sec "We’ll pick this one up at … first day of the fourth quarter.")
At the same meeting of trawl skippers this week, Burch said they also unanimously voted to conduct the upcoming cod season during daylight hours only, in an attempt to avoid halibut by-catch, which could end the season early:
— (Trawler 3 21 sec "It makes a definite difference … the codfish can’t."
There is about 2,192 metric tons of pollock remaining in the Total Allowable Catch in Areas 620 and 630.
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