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Commercial
Fisheries Newsline by Ronald E. Kinnunen Abstract: Advisory/extension newsletter for keeping Great
Lakes commercial fishing and aquaculture industries informed of relevant regulations,
events, opportunities and workshops. TABLE OF CONTENTS: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Open Lakes Forecasts are issued throughout the year from selected National Weather Service Offices. With the boating season upon us, the National Weather Service will shortly be issuing the Nearshore Forecast for waters within five nautical miles of shore around the Great Lakes. These areas have been broken into smaller areas to give better definition to the forecasts. Commercial fishermen should find the smaller areas particularly beneficial as this will give the forecasts finer resolution. In order to improve their forecasts, the National Weather Service needs feedback. There are very few, if any, reporting systems in place to help the forecaster verify the forecast. With feedback, the forecaster can learn to refine the forecasts, and in turn, better serve the boating community. Commercial fishermen can provide that feedback as you are out on the Great Lakes under a variety of weather conditions. The National Weather Service is a Federal agency, and the budget is tight as many of you know. There are little if any resources available for paying for observations. As a result, they are looking for reliable volunteers willing to notify the National Weather Service from time to time of winds, wave heights, and conditions within the nearshore areas. These volunteers will benefit through improved forecasts which can save lives and property. If you are willing to volunteer, please call Dave Guenther,
the Marine Below are telephone numbers of the Great Lakes Forecasts available for the western lakes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Successful sustainable marketing of commercial fish will require industry effort to re-position the image of commercial fishing in the minds of different publics that will influence the future of commercial fishing including legislators, tribal councils, sport fishers, investors, and consumers. Too much time and energy has been invested in conflict and disagreement between sports anglers and commercial fishers, between native and state licensed commercial fishers, and not enough time or energy to partnerships and investments focused on ensuring a sustainable commercial fishery. These conflicts have diverted attention and resources away from efforts and activities that could have improved the fishery for all stakeholders. The conflicts have also raised questions regarding the future viability of commercial fishing. It is time for Michigan's commercial fishing industry to come together and communicate as an industry. It is time for commercial fishers, producers and buyers to pro-actively and cooperatively work toward creating more realistic and positive perceptions of your industry. You can no longer afford to only harvest and sell. It is critical to make investments (money and time) aimed at maintaining and enhancing future opportunities for commercial fishing. Both native and state licensed fishers, processors, and buyers must cooperate and invest in marketing, public relations and public education. You must capitalize on opportunities to redirect attention from conflicts and limitations, to commercial fishing as a legitimate and sustainable resource use. Although commercial fishing has a long history in Michigan, it is important that commercial fishing be perceived as a viable future industry by supporters, investors, potential new entrants, tribal councils, and the legislature. It is also important to shift the emphasis toward the benefits of commercial fishing, and also the efforts of commercial fishers and producers to improve their operations and industry. You should also cooperate with Michigan's growing aquaculture industry to increase awareness of the future potential for fish(ing) businesses. To accomplish these objectives, members of the industry must put aside differences in opinion, and focus on communicating industry important themes to priority publics. These themes should be the basis for a campaign to re-position commercial fishing. You need to communicate these themes to different publics in ways, and in terms, that are meaningful to them. Some examples of themes include: 1. That commercial fishing is an important element in
sustainable fishery management. That many persons, including fishery biologists, believe
that commercial fishing can, and should remain a viable industry. There are many ways and different media that can be used to communicate themes including: (1) promotional materials produced by the industry such as a brochure that describes the history, current importance, and future potential of commercial fishing, (2) incorporating them as part of the promotional materials, packaging and signage of individual businesses, (3) cooperative publications with the aquaculture industry that promote the future potential of fish(ing) businesses, (4) presentations in front of different groups, e.g., Fisheries Councils, (5) making sure that they are included in media stories about the industry, your business, or fishing related issues, (6) in conversations with elected representatives, and even (7) discussions within your local communities. You need to spend more time and energy communicating important themes to priority publics than griping with each other. More commercial fishers and producers need to seek out opportunities to talk to different publics about problems and opportunities confronting the industry. Native and state licensed fishers should take advantage of opportunities to make joint presentations about common problems and opportunities. You also should work cooperatively with commercial fishers throughout the Great Lakes to reposition commercial fishing! This type of repositioning of commercial fishing cannot be accomplished through "on-and-off again" activities. It will take a concerted and a focused industry-wide effort. It will require agreement, investment and involvement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This project will address all of Michigan, from Lake Superior to the fishing communities which once thrived on the shores of Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Erie. The Museum will conduct two years of research and collecting (1996 & 1997) to develop the exhibit and publication, with each scheduled for completion in 1998. This work will include the recording of oral histories with retired and active fishermen, and the involvement of many other agencies and institutions including the Michigan Bureau of History, Western Michigan University, Michigan State University, Northern Michigan University, and the Michigan Sea Grant Program, to name a few. Much of the success of this project will depend on the cooperation and assistance of active and retired members of Michigan's commercial fishing community. We will need your help in collecting information, artifacts, and photographs to relate an honest and accurate picture of the commercial fishing industry as it developed in our state. Please fill out the accompanying questionnaire with information about collections and other information you would be willing to share with us. For further information on this important project, please feel free to contact Museum staff at their toll free number 1-800-747-3810 or their address: Michigan Maritime Museum, P.O. Box 534, South Haven, Michigan 49090. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAKE SUPERIOR The strengths of the 1977-1994 lake herring year class in Lake Superior have fluctuated by more than a factor of 2,000. The strongest year classes were those formed in 1984 and 1988-1990. The 1994 year class, like the three previous year classes, was poor lake-wide compared with the strengths of the four strongest year classes, and little significant recruitment to the fishable stock is expected in future years. However, a multi-aged spawning population has developed in most areas of the lake as the result of maturation of the 1988-1990 year classes, and continued persistence of the 1984 year class. Annual biomass estimates for rainbow smelt declined by more than 90% from 1978 to 1981 in U.S. waters. In 1982-1986, biomass increased until it had recovered to about 69% of that measured in 1978. From 1986 to 1994 biomass gradually declined but in 1995 it increased three-fold from 0.7 kg/ha in 1994 to 2.1 kg/ha. Rainbow smelt biomass in Canadian waters was 2-6 times higher than in U.S. waters in any one year in 1989-1995. Biomass declined from its highest level of 5.4 kg/ha in 1989 to 1.5 kg/ha in 1992, increased dramatically in the next two years, and in 1995 declined to 3.1 kg/ha from the previous year. The 1994 year class of smelt was the largest on record for stocks in U.S. and Canadian waters and it is expected that rainbow smelt biomass will continue to increase for the next few years. In U.S. waters, total sculpin biomass declined from 0.15-0.20 kg/ha in 1978-1981 to less than 0.10 kg/ha thereafter with the exception of a peak density in 1995. Most of the decline was associated with a decline in density of slimy sculpins. LAKE MICHIGAN Relative abundances of adult bloaters decreased in 1995 for the third year in a row, whereas adult smelt were virtually unchanged and adult alewives increased from 1994 to levels similar to the previous four years. Slimy sculpins were slightly less abundant in 1995. Deepwater sculpins increased slightly, but still fall well below the levels during the 1980's. Predation from a greatly expanded burbot population may be implicated in the low deepwater sculpin abundance. Reproduction of yellow perch was poor for the fifth year; however, 117 YOY yellow perch were caught, which is the most caught since 1988. Recruitment apparently has been declining in the bloater based on decreasing abundance and biomass and a gradual increase in the modal lengths of adults. Extremely low abundance indices of YOY bloaters have been obtained since 1991, and no YOY bloaters were caught in 1995. Estimated total biomass of prey fish available to bottom trawls in 1995 was 287 thousand metric tons (t), compared to 265 thousand t in 1994, and consisted of 62.2% bloaters, 12.1% alewives, 2.4% rainbow smelt, and 23.3% sculpins. There is a question on whether reported effects of exotic invertebrates on food web dynamics and bioenergetics of forage fish may be depressing forage fish recruitment, as measured by these surveys. LAKE HURON Relative abundance of alewives decreased in 1995 to about 30,000 t and young-of-the-year alewives made up about 21,000 t of the total biomass. Compared to 1994 this represented a decline of nearly 20,000 t. Catches of bloaters were down slightly, 31,900 in 1995 compared to 34,300 in 1994. The 1995 year class was a little larger than in 1994 but remain much smaller than the year classes that contributed to the population buildup during the 1980s. Adult rainbow smelt increased slightly in abundance in 1995 and the biomass was estimated at 15,650 t compared to 12,000 t in 1994. Catches of young-of-the-year rainbow smelt were slightly larger than in 1994. Catches of slimy sculpins and ninespine sticklebacks were larger than in 1994 and biomass of deepwater sculpins doubled while trout-perch were unchanged in abundance. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 1995 lakewide harvest of lake whitefish (3,539,689 kg) was 7.4% greater than in 1994. Annual harvests have followed an increasing trend since 1988. Most (80%) of the 1995 lake whitefish harvest was taken in Michigan waters (50% by State of Michigan fishers and 30% by Native American fishers). State of Wisconsin fishers caught 20% of the total in their waters. Harvest figures for 1995 are considered preliminary at this time, pending verification of late-season reports. By gear type, 57% of the 1995 lakewide harvest of lake whitefish was caught in trap nets, 29% was caught in gill nets, 11% was caught in trawls, and 3% was caught in pound nets. Trap net effort was relatively low in 1995, but catch and catch-per-unit- effort (CPE) both continued increasing trends. Gill net effort was also low, while catch was moderate and CPE was high. Trawl catch, effort, and CPE were all high in 1995 compared to previous years. Comparing 1992-94 with 1991-93 data, decreases in estimated total annual mortality were notable for lake whitefish in WFM-01, WFM- 02, and WFM-08; an increase was seen in WFM-05; and estimates remained about the same in other management zones. Total mortalities below the target maximum of 65% were estimated in five management zones for both 1991-93 and 1992-94. Lake Michigan harvest of round whitefish in 1995 (42,955 kg) was only 48% of the 1994 figure. Native American fishers caught 92% and State of Wisconsin fishers caught 8% of the 1995 harvest. The 1,898,481 kg of bloater chubs harvested in 1995 was 11% higher than the 1987-94 average, but continued a decreasing catch trend for the second year in a row. State of Wisconsin fishers caught 84%, Native American fishers caught 11%, and State of Michigan fishers caught 5% of the lakewide total. Native American fishers reported an incidental catch of 24 kg of herring in 1995. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The largest proportions of the catch were smelt (41%), white perch (14%), yellow perch (14%) and lake whitefish (12%). In terms of earnings walleye was the most valuable species landed ($12.8 million), followed by yellow perch ($11.4 million), lake whitefish ($4.5 million), smelt ($2.7 million) and white perch ($2.2 million). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more information, please contact National Marine Fisheries Service Training Specialist Judy Sprague at 207-596-0947 or Karla Ruzicka at 508-281-9216. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While still under development, the Seafood Education Council's program targets school children ages 6-12 and is based on an identifiable image a team of underwater action heroes called "The Neomorphic Seaforce" who guard the oceans and encourage healthy eating from the sea. Try Foods International of Apopka, Florida, is developing the concept and will test-market its effectiveness in school systems in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Indianapolis, Indiana; and a yet to be determined school system in Florida. As part of the promotion, food service directors will receive recipe suggestions, ad slicks, posters, newsletter articles, and a variety of promotional items. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- International Trade Specialists can be reached weekdays on the Center's toll-free 800 line. These professionals advise exporters on how to locate and use government programs and guide them through the export process. They are ready to supply sources of market information and provide basic export counseling. The Trade Information Center is an access point for information on all Federal export assistance programs, including those that provide: - Export Counseling Through the Center's trade specialists callers can learn how to access reports from the computerized National Trade Data Bank, which includes over 200,000 government documents related to export promotion and international markets. The Trade Information Center staff can also direct businesses to state and local trade organizations that provide additional export assistance. The Trade Information Center can be reached through a nationwide toll-free number: 1-800-USA-TRADE (1-800-872-8723). Deaf and hearing-impaired callers can use a toll-free telecommunications device: 1-800-TDD-TRADE (1-800-833-8723). The Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, Eastern Time. The Center can also be reached via the internet at TIC@ita.doc.gov. A fax retrieval system is available 24 hours a day through 1-800-USA-TRADE. The fax retrieval system provides general and country-specific export information as well as documents on international trade agreements. The Center is located in the Department of Commerce at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 7424, Washington, D.C. 20230. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thailand's exports to the U.S. decreased 15.8 percent in quantity and lost 6 percent in value. The largest increase in exports to the U.S. were from Mexico, up 62.7 percent in quantity and 34.4 percent in value, and Ecuador, up 24.4 percent in quantity and 3.9 percent in value. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State Rep. Mike Green, R-Mayville, said House Bills 5555 and 5556 provide for the establishment, regulation and protection of aquaculture as an agricultural practice. Aquaculture is the commercial production of fish and other aquatic organisms. Under the measures, the industry has the same rights and responsibilities as other farming enterprises and is overseen by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. "Aquaculture represents an excellent opportunity to enhance economic diversity in the state," said Green, vice chair of the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee. "Agriculture is one of Michigan's largest revenue producers. Anything we can do to expand its markets means more jobs and a greater variety of choices for consumers." One of the most important provisions in the package grants aquaculturists ownership rights to their stock. Animals that are legally taken, produced, purchased or owned become the exclusive property of the producer. Under present law, all native fish and other aquatic wildlife belong to the state. Furthermore, indigenous species that are lawfully harvested for aquaculture are exempt from state regulations regarding size, catch and possession limits, closed seasons and other restrictions. The bills also regulate what species are approved and define what waters can be privately controlled. The departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality continue to regulate water runoff, wetlands, fisheries, natural stocks and the stocking of public waters. Green said that several safeguards were built into the legislation because of the potential for environmental harm with the introduction of exotic species or diseases into Michigan waterways. Aquaculture facilities must be registered and inspected by the state. Universities or private industries wishing to conduct research on potential aquaculture species not on the approved list must apply for a special research permit. Aquariums, zoos, retail bait outlets, pet stores, people using privately controlled waters for noncommercial purposes and portable retail fishing concessions are exempt from registering as an aquaculture facility. "I am very pleased this legislation is moving as quickly as it is," Green said. "I encourage my Senate colleagues to approve it without delay. A strong, healthy Michigan marketplace depends on a variety of enterprises. Aquaculture is part of the state's growing diversity which will propel us into the 21st century." The bills now go to the Senate for consideration. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first workshop will be held May 7, 1996 at the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation in Dundee, Illinois. This workshop is designed for experienced fish culturists who would like to learn techniques for successful tank culture of larval walleye. Concepts and techniques for intensive tank culture of walleye from hatching to 30-day-old fingerlings on formulated feed will be presented. A second workshop will be held June 18, 1996 at Spirit Lake, Iowa. This workshop will focus on intensive/extensive aquaculture of advanced walleye fingerlings and habituation/training of walleye to formulated feed in raceways. Ron Kinnunen and Jeff Gunderson are each planning on driving
to these workshops and will have room for several passengers. For more information, please
contact Ron at 906-228-4830 or Jeff at --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Individuals who have an interest in the subjects of these workshops are invited to attend. Representatives of the regional aquaculture industry are particularly welcome. Individuals interested in the project, but unable to attend, should send an alternate to articulate their interest. The purpose is to identify interested parties who are best qualified to work on project objectives by virtue of a demonstrated record of expertise and access to facilities required in the project. These people will form a Work Group for the purpose of writing a project outline that will be submitted to NCRAC by November 1, 1996 to obtain funding. NCRAC's Board of Directors has allocated funds to be spent on this program over a two-year interval September 1, 1997 to August 31, 1999. The workshop meetings will be chaired by Dr. Ted Batterson, Director, NCRAC, Michigan State University. ANYONE PLANNING ON ATTENDING THE WORKSHOP MUST CONTACT THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE. This can be either in writing, telephone or fax. Dr. Ted Batterson, Director --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Plan will address only the Federal government role in U.S. aquaculture development. The Federal government has recognized that the principal responsibility for U.S. aquaculture development lies with the private sector: however, there is much that the Federal government can and should be doing to stimulate and support a competitive and sustainable U.S. aquaculture industry. The purpose of the Plan is to identify needed, high priority Federal actions and to develop a realistic, achievable strategy for undertaking these actions. The draft Plan, while listing a number of proposed Federal actions to support U.S. aquaculture, does not yet prioritize these actions or identify an implementation strategy for accomplishing them. Before addressing those issues, the JSA seeks considerable additional input and recommendations from stakeholders. Two opportunities are proposed to accomplish this. First, you are invited to carefully review the draft and to make comments, suggestions, and recommendations. Consider the draft from the perspective of "What should the Federal government be doing, or be doing better, to support development of a sustainable and competitive U.S. aquaculture industry?" Your recommendations regarding priorities for Federal actions are also requested. To obtain a copy of the draft Plan, please contact: Dr. Ted Batterson, Director The second opportunity for stakeholder input to the Plan is through a series of regional meetings that will occur early this summer. The goal of these facilitated meetings is to obtain direct, "grass roots" input and recommendations for the Plan from stakeholders in each region. The North Central Regional Aquaculture Center is planning on holding a one-day workshop to obtain direct input and recommendations for the Plan from stakeholders in the region. This workshop will be held on July 12, 1996 in Rosemont, Illinois. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The purpose of this Bill is to designate the Secretary of Agriculture as the single competent authority for the health inspection and certification of salmonid broodstock and seedstock used to produce domesticated salmonids; to promote fair trade and interstate commerce in salmonid broodstock and seedstock produced in the United States, which is used to produce domesticated salmonids; and to reduce the risk of transmission in interstate commerce of diseases, pathogens and pests in domesticated salmonid broodstock and seedstock to the extent practicable. In cooperation with producers of domesticated salmonid seedstock, the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a comprehensive program with regard to domesticated salmonid broodstock and seedstock to provide diagnostic and certification services in a manner which is effective and efficient and which fosters the participation of State and private laboratories; establish health criteria for domesticated salmonid broodstock and seedstock; and monitor, evaluate, and facilitate the elimination of unreasonable impediments to the interstate commerce of broodstock and seedstock that is certified under the program. The Secretary of Agriculture shall certify to any person the health status of any domesticated salmonid seedstock intended for export from theUnited States. Notwithstanding this Act, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall have sole responsibility for the health of salmonids, and the products thereof, located in any facility administered by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alaska Sea Grant researchers Joseph Rueter and Ron Johnson studied the effect that ozone treatment in a conventional bubble contactor had on suspended solids removal in hatchery waters. Ozonation improved total suspended solids removal in a subsequent settling process, compared with controls in which oxygen was the contacting gas. The improvement in suspended solids removal was found to be dependent on raw water hardness and initial total suspended solutes concentration. The improvement is related to a decrease in particle stability following ozonation, which could be due to multiple possibilities. Future hatcheries wishing to use ozone to disinfect surface water and desiring to improve the removal of solids as well might increase the hardness of the flow prior to ozonation. A groundwater flow might be diverted into the surface water flow before or after ozonation to increase hardness and subsequent particulate removal (assuming that the final floc volume fraction was sufficiently high). Flow augmentation by groundwater addition may be necessary anyway during periods of low stream flow. Ozone's multiple uses for disinfection, water aeration, removal of metabolic by-products, along with the improvements in suspended solids removal shown in this and other research, make it an especially appropriate treatment process for hatcheries. Source: Aquacultural Engineering - 1995 |