Ward Cove: Seals
Front Page Photo By SUSAN HOYT

Fish Factor: Sea Otters & Commercial Dive Fisheries, Can They Coexist? By LAINE WELCH - Sea otters are cleaning out valuable commercial fisheries in Southeast Alaska, and they have been at it for decades.  A second report by the McDowell Group of Juneau updates the financial hit the otters have caused to the region’s fisheries since 2005. Both were done for the Southeast Alaska Regional Dive Fisheries Association (SARDFA), based in Ketchikan.

The reports assess losses to the sea cucumber, geoduck clam, red sea urchin, and Dungeness crab fisheries.  The bottom line - sea otter predation in those fisheries has cost Southeast Alaska’s economy more than $28 million in direct and indirect impacts since 1995. These fisheries employ roughly 625 fishermen and dozens more tender operators and processing workers.

Fishery managers estimate sea otters affect 39 percent of Southeast’s dive fishery harvest areas. And out of 15 Dungeness crab districts, six have large otter populations and Dungie pots have lost nearly 3 million pounds to otters in a decade.

Best estimates say about 19,000 sea otters had taken up residence in Southeast Alaska in 2011.  That number is expected to approach 28,000 by 2015, based on a conservative estimate of otter body weight at 50 pounds, and daily food intake of 20% of bodyweight. The report said   that number of  animals would consume over 10 million pounds of Southeast Alaska’s dive and crab species per year.

The McDowell report draws a grim conclusion, saying “In short, commercial dive fishing and large populations of sea otters cannot coexist in the same waters. In addition, once the commercially viable biomass of crab and macro invertebrates – such as sea cucumbers and geoducks - is gone, it likely will not return given sustained sea otter predation.” - More...
Monday - December 12, 2011

Ketchikan: Alaska Miners Consider New SE Branch - Recently, several individuals from Ketchikan and Prince of Wales met to discuss the formation of a southern Southeast branch of the Alaska Miners Association.

According to a news release from the Southern Southeast Alaska Miners Association Branch, with recent mining developments on Prince of Wales Island, the timing is appropriate to work together to promote the mining industry and it supporting vendors. The Southeast branch will be chaired by Tony Barajas, of Austin Powder, and will also elect other officers and board members.

A formative meeting will be held on Friday, December 16, 2011 at noon, at The Landing. This no-host meeting is open to anyone who is a current member of the Alaska Miners Association or has an interest in learning more about the organization. - More...
Monday - December 12, 2011

Alaska: NOAA extends final decision on listing some ringed and bearded seals as threatened - NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service is extending by up to six months the final decisions on listing four subspecies of ringed seals and two distinct population segments (DPS) of bearded seals as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Kotzebue Bearded Seal
Photo courtesy NOAA Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries first proposed to list as threatened four subspecies of ringed seals - Arctic, Ladoga, Okhotsk, and Baltic - and two distinct population segments of bearded seals—Beringia and Okhotsk - in December 2010. The proposed listings cited threats posed to these populations from climate model projections of diminishing sea ice, and for Arctic ringed seals, reduced snow cover.

The agency is extending the final decision on listing for up to six months because of a substantial disagreement for Arctic ringed seals and the Beringia DPS of bearded seals, both of which occur in U.S. (Alaska) waters. The disagreement stems from the analysis of model projections of future sea ice habitat, in particular for Arctic ringed seals on-ice-snow cover, and related impacts. This disagreement extends to the magnitude and immediacy of the threats posed to these populations by the projected habitat changes. - More...
Monday - December 12, 2011

Alaska: Alaska Delegation: Take Care of Our Alaska Workers - The Alaska Congressional Delegation is calling on the U.S. Army’s top officials to make sure workers impacted by a recent announcement to reduce civilian personal numbers at Army bases are treated in a manner which recognizes their dedication in support of our troops. The Army has announced it would decrease the total civilian workforce nationwide by 8,741, to include 78 positions in Alaska, to achieve efficiency and cost savings directed by former Secretary Robert Gates.

The Alaska Delegation stressed the Army should use voluntary separation incentives and early retirement incentives to achieve the reduction. They also urged the Army to transfer employees from billets that are no longer authorized to positions that need filled so they can maintain employment with the Army.

The delegation also cited concern for the affected civilians who may be spouses of deployed Alaska-based troops. - More...
Monday PM - December 12, 2011

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