KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Jay Barrett/KMXT
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game test fishery for walleye pollock using seine gear in the Cook Inlet starts today (December 1).
Last year the Alaska Board of Fisheries approved the test, which will run three months, until the end of February, or when the harvest limit has been reached.
Fisherman participating in the fishery will be issued a Department of Fish and Game commissioner’s permit and be required to take observers on every trip to monitor bycatch and to record biological information from species caught.
Other provisions include trip limits, a total harvest limit, and logbook requirements.
The department has limited the amount of participants in this test fishery. Last year the Fish Board formed the Gulf of Alaska Pollock Workgroup with stakeholders from industry, State of Alaska, and federal government to provide insight on a state guideline harvest level for the walleye pollock fishery
Information collected from the test Fishery can potentially show the effectiveness of purse seine as a gear type for harvesting pollock.
