Prawnvoice - North Island Prawn Meeting Nov 03

North Island Prawn Association

Minutes/Notes

Place and time, Banners Restaurant, Campbell River, 1 pm., Nov.19th 2003.

Electronic Monitoring

Kelly and Mike attended a workshop in Tofino. DFO shellfish managers, as well as Archipelago Marine and Pacific Coast were present to discuss electronic monitoring systems for the crab fishery. Electronic monitoring is being considered mandatory for the 2005 crab fishery. For 2004, pilot programs will be initiated to access system workability.

There are many unanswered questions at this time such as:: i) ownership of information; ii) processing of data; iii) costs, and compatibility of service provider systems.

Although area "A" crab fishery has used electronic monitoring with good success, implementation of these systems is new to DFO as the crab fishers implemented their system independent of the Department to curb in house stealing. DFO is looking toward electronic monitoring to manage the fishery with reliable information.

There is no requirement for the prawn fishery to adopt electronic monitoring at this time. It was pointed out that the real possibility of more than 10% of the fleet is believed to be double hauling, and that electronic monitoring would be extremely effective in curbing this activity. Some members suggested that the effects of double hauling may be the cause of early closures and that the season may last longer with better enforcement of the single haul condition of licence.

Rock Fish Proposal

Kelly and Bob attended the latest caucus meeting to discuss the Rock Fish Proposal and future management options.

The Rock Fish Sustainability Team has accepted industries proposal to permit prawn fishing in proposed rockfish protection areas.
The proposal consists of trap modification field testing, tank testing and trap inventory.

Trap modification: a number of tests will be conducted under scientific licence to determine prawn catch ability for 3 modifications. A letter was sent out to all licence holders for application and explanation.

Tank testing: rock fish behavior in and around different trap types will be filmed and studied at Sunshine Seafood in Lund.

Trap Inventory: all trap types and tunnel size will be inventoried before fishing commences. This information will be used to correlate rock fish by catch by trap type and tunnel size. This information will be recorded by the observers.

Fishers are encouraged to try their own experiments toward the objective of lowering rockfish by catch.

Future Management: Discussions centered on 3 supported options: status quo, individual vessel quota, and trap haul quota.

Status quo is believed by some to be vulnerable to external pressures. In other words without a more defined fishing program, industry will lay wide open for resource allocation without compensation and or defense of traditional allocation, to other user groups.

Individual poundage quota (IVQ) some will take this option as equal or unequal. Others demand that distribution of resource allocation must not reassign wealth and therefore must be based on an unequal system. One of our members suggested that anyone who thinks quota will be divided up equally, (the same poundage for each licence) is dreaming.

Trap haul quota: A system requiring electronic monitoring based on an equal number of trap hauls over a possible 10 month window of opportunity.

General discussion:

The 7 to 7 rule seems to be the most disruptive condition to daily fishing plans. Heavy tides, delivery schedules, and fishing gear movement are some of the reasons given as to why this rule makes fishing more difficult than it has to be.
Can the octopus log be included within the prawn log? Good idea or not? We will look into it.
Interest in soft copy log with information entered into hard log before midnight. This will be brought up at next caucus meeting.
From the North Coast; is there a need for an independent biologist? Some members are concerned that management of the North Coast could benefit from additional data to support better fishing opportunity. This will be brought up at the next caucus meeting.
CFIA: no news is good news. Reports that plant inspections are on going and fishers are reminded to keep up the good work routine for sanitizing equipment.
A definition of fish funding and self funded fisheries was discussed. Fish funding are monies raised by fishing to support unrelated activities. Self funded fisheries are allowable catches under scientific permit. NIPA remains opposed to fish funding and supportive of self funded fisheries such as the trap modification testing.
The single haul fishery is fully supported.
Future considerations: It is felt that external pressures from the “sport fishery”, species at risk programs, Native treaty negotiations and fish farm locations will continue to shape the nature of the prawn fishery. Some members noted that industry participants need to be prepared and organized to meet the best outcomes, as opposed to being served short notice on major developments that have profound implications on our livelihood.
Member noted that if electronic monitoring was considered …..Cameras would not be acceptable.
Member indicated a reduction in traps would reduce gear crowding and benefit present as well as future harvests.
Members were informed of the call for applications to test modified traps.
Members were informed of the Prawn Sectoral Committee Meeting in Nanaimo at the Dorchester Hotel on Monday the 24th. of November. Guest speakers will be discussing the Alaska prawn fishery as well as DFO outlining the management plan for Jan. 2004.
Member expressed opinion of increased costs to the fishery (electronic monitoring) are not welcome.

Comment:

Which option will best address fishing opportunity?
Which option will best address external pressures?
Which option will permit the best collection of data?
How much will the options cost compared to the benefits they may provide?
Which option protects your interest in the fishery?

Kelly and I wish to thank you for your continued support and direction. Please do not hesitate to call if you have a concern. If you receive this in snail mail, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Kelly Loxton 1-250-923-7496, Tom Orr 1-250-652-4608