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Deal ’em! Alaska’s rockfish playing cards www.pacificfishing.com THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR FISHERMEN n JANUARY 2020 The safety issue US $2.95/CAN. $3.95 01 • Gulf of Alaska cod crash 63126 • A very old Chinook
IN THIS ISSUE Editor's note Wesley Loy ® Please stay safe THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR FISHERMEN As we all understand in this business, commercial fishing is a fine way to be seriously hurt or killed. That’s why, to begin a new year, we like to focus attention on safety. It really should be the first consideration as you enter your next season of fishing. As editor of your magazine, I have a selfish interest in your safety – I’d rather not write up any more accounts of death and injury. The experts say many accidents are preventable, and I believe that. It seems to me this industry has made good progress in recent years to improve its safety record. The main key is to avoid complacency. In this issue, we have two important feature articles you should read right now. The first is a National Transportation Safety Board account of the 2018 Rockfish playing cards • Page 7 capsizing of a Bristol Bay salmon tender. It’s a government report, yes, but it’s far from boring. Most importantly, it offers valuable lessons. You don’t necessarily need to be on the water to encounter danger in our industry. Our second feature article, taken from a new Alaska Sea Grant publi- cation, will guide you on working safely in boatyards. Good luck fishing this year. Please stay safe. Gulf of Alaska cod crash • Page 18 Safety focus: A Bristol Bay capsizing, Loan relief for West Coast trawlers • Page 19 and working in boatyards • Page 10 VOLUME XLI, NO. 1 • JANUARY 2020 Pacific Fishing (ISSN 0195-6515) is published 12 times a year (monthly) by Pacific Fishing Magazine. Editorial, Circulation, and Advertising offices at 14240 Interurban Ave S, Ste. 190, Tukwila, WA 98168, U.S.A. Telephone (206) 324-5644. ON THE COVER: A scene from Fishermen’s Subscriptions: One-year rate for U.S., $18.75, two-year $30.75, three-year $39.75; Canadian subscriptions paid in U.S. Terminal in Seattle, November 2019. funds add $10 per year. Canadian subscriptions paid in Canadian funds add $10 per year. Foreign airmail is $84 per year. The publisher of Pacific Fishing makes no warranty, express or implied, nor assumes any legal liability or responsibility Wesley Loy photo for the information contained in Pacific Fishing. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, Washington. Postmaster: Send address changes to Pacific Fishing, 14240 Interurban Ave S, Ste. 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Copyright © 2020 by Pacific Fishing Magazine. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. POST OFFICE: Please send address changes to Pacific Fishing, 14240 Interurban Ave S, Ste. 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2020 £ PACIFICFISHING 3
KEEPING UP PREFERRED PUBLICATION OF: BRISTOL BAY FISHERMEN’S ASSOCIATION Fish Wrap It’s FREE!* It’s the best commercial fishing news digest available in the North Pacific. Here’s some of what you missed by not reading Fish Wrap. CORDOVA DISTRICT FISHERMEN UNITED Cooke's pivot: Opponents say the Another Dungeness delay: The Northern OREGON DUNGENESS aquaculture firm faces an uphill battle to gain California commercial Dungeness crab season CRAB COMMISSION public trust as it seeks to farm steelhead trout is put on hold due to poor crab meat quality UNITED FISHERMEN instead of Atlantic salmon. – seattletimes.com test results. – cdfgnews.wordpress.com OF ALASKA California crab delay: Due to whale Bristol Bay outlook: Biologists are WASHINGTON DUNGENESS entanglement worries, the start of the forecasting another strong sockeye salmon CRAB FISHERMEN’S ASSOC. Dungeness crab season is expected to be run, but some worry about when the bubble delayed from Nov. 15 to Nov. 23 in the area will burst. – kdlg.org WASHINGTON REEF NET OWNERS ASSOC. south of Mendocino-Sonoma county line. Bristol Bay red king crab update: The – cdfgnews.wordpress.com fleet reports big crab but slow fishing as the WESTERN FISHBOAT OWNERS ASSOC. Alaska's big salmon season: Alaska's harvest harvest nears completion. – kucb.org of 206.9 million salmon generated an ex-vessel Canada's new fish boss: Prime Minister value of $657.6 million, a 10 percent increase Justin Trudeau has named Nova Scotia from last year. – deckboss.blogspot.com MP Bernadette Jordan as fisheries minister, To subscribe: www.pacificfishing.com Bristol Bay fish tax: Voters in the Bristol Bay replacing Jonathan Wilkinson. Ph: (206) 324-5644 Borough have passed a 1.5 percent tax on all – thechronicleherald.ca circulation@pacificfishing.com processed fish. – kdlg.org Grim cod outlook: The federal cod fishery Main Office Rescue video: A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter in the Gulf of Alaska most likely will be shut 14240 INTERURBAN AVE S. SUITE 190 hoists an injured man from a fishing boat south down next year. – alaskapublic.org TUKWILA, WA 98168 PH: (206) 324-5644 of Kodiak Island. – content.govdelivery.com Crab season on hold: California's Dungeness crab Bristol Bay forecast: The Alaska Department fishery south of the Sonoma-Mendocino county Chairman/CEO/Publisher of Fish and Game is forecasting a strong line is now delayed until Dec. 15 due to whale MIKE DAIGLE harvest of 34.56 million sockeye salmon next entanglement risk. – cdfgnews.wordpress.com miked@nwpublishingcenter.com season at Bristol Bay. – deckboss.blogspot.com Ray's Boathouse: Seafood, views, and Associate Publisher CHRISTIE DAIGLE Otter problem: Efforts to ease conflicts romance abound at this waterside Ballard christied@nwpublishingcenter.com over Southeast Alaska's growing sea otter eatery. – king5.com population are underway. – alaskapublic.org Kelp hot sauce, anyone? Alaska Symphony EDITORIAL CONTENT: Good start for winter troll season: of Seafood winners are announced. – afdf.org Editor WESLEY LOY Southeast Alaska king salmon bring $12 per Unalaska flight schedule: RavnAir is planning wloy61@gmail.com pound, the highest opening price on record. multiple flights daily during the holidays and Ph: (907) 351-1881 – kcaw.org busy winter fishing season. – kucb.org West Coast Field Editor DANIEL MINTZ Oregon crabbing delay: The opening of the Poor Chinook outlook: Run forecasts for commercial Dungeness crab season will be Stikine and Taku large Chinook salmon are PRODUCTION OPERATIONS: delayed from Dec. 1 until at least Dec. 16 along too low to provide for an allowable catch, the Art Director, Design & Layout the entire Oregon coast as testing shows crabs Alaska Department of Fish and Game says. PATRICIA WOODS are too low in meat yield. – dfw.state.or.us – adfg.alaska.gov patriciaw@nwpublishingcenter.com 'Blob' retreat: A marine heatwave off the West Bristol Bay at Expo: Alaska's salmon capital SALES & MARKETING: Coast has weakened in intensity, shrunk in size, was at the center of the action at the recent JOHN NORDAHL and pulled away from shore, NOAA scientists Pacific Marine Expo trade show in Seattle. Ph: (206) 775-6286 say. – seattletimes.com – kdlg.org johnn@pacificfishing.com * You can subscribe to Fish Wrap by sending an email to circulation@nwpublishingcenter.com. Write your first Ad Support CANDICE EGAN Ph: (206) 324-5644 name, your last name, and the words “Fish Wrap.” Do it now, before you go another month without Fish Wrap! candice@nwpublishingcenter.com 4 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2020 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM
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COMMENTARY by BRYCE HATCH Crooks beware: Illegal fishing in Bristol Bay must stop I ’d like to share some observations and my views about illegal fishing in Bristol Bay. I’ve been gillnetting in the bay since 1981 and have seen what later, the chopper comes back and busts another round of boats. That tactic works very well to write tickets, but has proven not to be an effective deterrent to boats fishing illegally. once was a primarily orderly, well-enforced fishery turn into a The only method of enforcement proven effective is a skiff or highly illegal free-for-all the minute there is not an enforcement enforcement vessel on the line patrolling. If there is a budget short- vessel on the line. age, I would like to know how many hours a skiff with a man in it I am talking about the Johnson Hill and Egegik north and south could be paid for with money spent on the chopper. lines being the main trouble spots. There are millions of dollars of fish caught illegally each When I first came to the bay, the positioning instrument was season over the line before they swim inside the district, denying Loran-C. Loran worked by coordinating separate radio signals those wanting to fish legally a chance at their fair share of harvest. transmitted from a fixed station to the Loran receiver on a boat. It has always been a mystery to me why so many fishermen are Loran signals were variable according to weather and atmospheric so complacent about a few thieves stealing so much of their liveli- conditions, most notably fog. They were not a precise positioning hood. I believe the people who would prefer to have an orderly, device. In fact, the state lost some cases where tickets were given legal fishery where hard work, good crews, and good equipment for three clicks out. This was approximately 400 feet, give or take. are the deciding factors of an operation’s productivity far outnum- The reason for this was the Loran signal measured for a period of ber those who make a business out of stealing. time showed a variance of that distance according to Loran signal reception. To combat this, enforcement officers started jumping on boats to take readings off the fishermen’s Lorans. It would be hard Once enforcement leaves, the opportunity to be to explain to the judge that maybe you felt the signal was not accu- productive legally is greatly limited. It only takes rate at the particular time you decided to fish over the line. Now, a handful of boats to run over the line to start a we have GPS that is usually accurate within 10 feet. In the old days, there was almost always one or two skiffs patrol- leapfrogging of boats far out into closed waters. ling the line. In addition, the larger enforcement vessels Vigilant and Trooper would anchor with their sterns right on the line. That There are two types of people who fish over the line. The first are way, whether troopers were taking a break, having lunch, or chang- the ones who seem to live for the time enforcement leaves the line ing shifts, there was always a presence on the line. I did not ever so they can see how far over the line they have to go to discourage see anybody cork the Vigilant or the Trooper. others from competing. The second are those who go over the line In those days, it was possible to fish legally and be a top pro- because if they don’t, they will not be at all competitive with those ducer. That has changed. who do. I’m told the lesser enforcement presence has to do with I have been guilty of being in the second group. It’s easy enough budget and personnel. More of either would be a welcome change. to go over when you’re setting gear and someone pulls their I also believe the situation could be much improved by allocating hook out in front of you. Your choice is to either stop setting or existing assets in a manner that focuses more on ensuring compli- go around and then pull your hook in. Or, if the tide is moving ance in the worst trouble spots. I would also like to see enforcement fast and there are no legal sets to be had, setting a little over or not extend their stay until closer to the end of July, even if it’s only a setting at all are your choices. Setting 300 feet, 400 feet, a tenth of 32-footer and skiff to patrol the problem areas. a mile, or half a mile is not a little over. It’s a lot over. The problem Every year, there is usually a week to 10 days of good fishing. has been getting completely out of hand as evidenced by what I Once enforcement leaves, the opportunity to be productive legally saw going on at Egegik last season. is greatly limited. It only takes a handful of boats to run over the I believe that the second group far outnumbers the first and line to start a leapfrogging of boats far out into closed waters. aligns much more with the folks who want to fish legally. Last summer, there were boats fishing six-tenths of a mile If you want to see a change, it’s time to speak up. I’ve talked to outside the district at Egegik. I’ve heard there were boats farther a senior officer of the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, and he would like than that at night. At night, the boats fishing illegally didn’t have to to hear from you if you are interested in solutions to this problem. worry about a plane or the chopper coming. At Pacific Marine Expo this fall, I circulated a letter to the Speaking of the plane and chopper, neither has proven to be an troopers asking for enforcement to stay later in July. I handed out effective deterrent to fishing over the line. They are great tools for the letter to various fishermen and collected signatures. If you writing tickets and enforcing the line when they are actually on the would like a copy, email me at brycehatch51@gmail.com. line, but are not effective at all when they are not. The discussions with enforcement are open. If you have ideas A good example of this: I was fishing the ebb on the north line of that you would like to be heard, I would welcome input. I will Egegik this summer and there was a skiff on the line. About half- be working with enforcement in any way I can to stop blatant way through the ebb, the skiff went back to the Stimson anchored illegal fishing. I’m not talking about guys 50 or 100 feet over. I’m about a mile northwest of the line. Immediately, a good number talking about the guys who regularly abuse the system fishing of boats jumped out 300 to 500 feet over the line. I went down and illegally. There may be an enforcement officer on my boat again. set my gear inside the district and was sitting on a nonproductive Crooks beware. set. Along came the chopper and busted a bunch of boats. I quickly Bryce Hatch is a Bristol Bay salmon drift gillnet permit holder residing picked up my set and went back to the line. Away the chopper in Idaho. goes, and away the boats go over the line again. Twenty minutes 6 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2020 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM
NEWS NET by RILEY WOODFORD Go Fish, anyone? Alaska deals rockfish playing cards Editor’s note: This article is adapted from the Alaska Department of recfin.org. Alaska artists Kellii Wood, of Petersburg, and Ray Troll, Fish and Game’s online magazine, Alaska Fish & Wildlife News. of Ketchikan, contributed their artwork as well. The deck includes dozens of rockfish species found in Alaska, A new guide to Alaska rockfish takes an unusual format: a deck plus cards on release devices, rockfish habitat, anatomy, rockfish of standard, poker-size playing cards. barotrauma, and otoliths used to age fish. The 10 of spades features the rougheye rockfish – which can live to be more than 200 years old. The two of hearts offers a short Olson chose the more colorful demersel shelf rockfish species for lesson on barotrauma. One of the jokers is a rockfish playing a the red suits, and the pelagic species, which tend to be darker, for Gibson Flying V electric guitar, with the emphasis on rock. the clubs and spades. Andrew Olson, a fishery biologist, worked closely on the design Olson found he had more than enough information on each of the cards and the information provided. The Sport Fish and species for its designated card. He considered what would fit, and Commercial Fisheries divisions collaborated on the project with the what messages are most important to teach. Identification was the goal to increase rockfish knowledge. priority, then three facts: maximum size documented, maximum “Everyone likes cards and card games,” Olson said. “If you go age documented, and estimated age at maturity. on a boat, there’s probably a deck of cards.” “Some fish can live hundreds of years,” Olson said. “Shortraker, The outreach is part of a departmentwide effort to address the 10 of diamonds, can live 157 years. Yelloweye live 118 years changes in rockfish harvest and population trends. and are sexually mature at approximately 22 years. Black rockfish “Charter trips used to mainly target salmon and halibut. Now mature at six or seven years and can live to be 50 years.” they target multiple species including sablefish, lingcod, and The cards were manufactured by The United States Playing Card rockfish,” Olson said. Co., which produces the popular Bicycle playing card decks. Olson Harvest of rockfish has increased dramatically in recent said 30,000 decks were ordered at a cost of about a dollar apiece. decades, and bag limits and regulations have changed to ensure The cards are available at Fish and Game offices across the that harvest is sustainable. The use of deepwater release devices state including Douglas, Juneau, Sitka, Kodiak, Wrangell, Peters- (also known as descender devices) allow anglers to return rockfish burg, Ketchikan, Anchorage, and Homer. They also will be distrib- to the water, reducing barotrauma mortality. It has been mandatory uted at events and meetings. for charter vessels to employ these and becomes mandatory for all Ideally, they will get into the hands of people who want to learn anglers fishing from a vessel in saltwater beginning Jan. 1. to identify rockfish, not simply everyone who wants a free deck These changes are occurring along the entire Pacific coast, and state of cards. and federal agencies are collaborating on rockfish education efforts. “We want people to come in and talk with us,” Olson said. “Ask us Rockfish images were available from NOAA Fisheries and questions about rockfish and what research we are conducting.” WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2020 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 7
NEWS NET Rare 7-year-old Chinook caught in California waters In July of 2019, a commercial salmon troller caught a 7-year- Each year, approximately 32 million fall-run Chinook salmon old Central Valley fall-run Chinook salmon near Bodega Bay that are produced at five hatcheries in the Central Valley. Since 1980, a measured 36 inches long. portion of all hatchery fish are tagged with a CWT that is etched The occurrence of a 7-year-old Chinook salmon is an extremely with a unique numeric code. Each salmon containing a CWT is unusual event in California waters. In examining over 240,000 tags also externally marked with a clipped adipose fin to allow for easy over the last 38 years, California Department of Fish and Wildlife visual identification. scientists have only confirmed two other 7-year-old Central Valley State and federal hatcheries have been tagging Central Valley Chinook captured in California fisheries. Last year’s finding Chinook since 1972, releasing relatively small groups of tagged was made by CDFW’s Ocean Salmon Project (OSP) as part of fish (less than 1 million fish) early on, and transitioning to a more its annual ocean fishery monitoring and coded-wire tag (CWT) robust marking and tagging program in 2007. Today’s Constant recovery efforts. Fractional Marking Program ensures that at least 25 percent of all This fish was produced at the Coleman National Fish Hatchery hatchery Chinook, or roughly 10 million fish, are tagged each year. on the upper Sacramento River, and is the offspring of adults that During the ocean salmon season, OSP and California Recreational spawned in 2012. The normal lifespan of California Central Valley Fisheries Survey field crews sample salmon from all major ports in Chinook is between two and five years, with the majority of fish California north of Point Conception. Salmon heads are taken back returning to spawn as 3-year-olds. Less than 10 percent of these fish to the CWT lab in Santa Rosa, where the CWTs are removed and return as 5-year-olds. processed. The CWT lab processes up to 30,000 heads a year. OSP scientists use sampling data and CWT information to esti- mate California commercial and recreational ocean salmon land- On the horizon ings and fishing effort, and support sustainable ocean and inland salmon fisheries. The information is also used to determine the contribution rates of wild and hatchery salmon stocks to ocean salmon fisheries in California. In addition to supporting the man- Pacific Fishing magazine’s monthly digest of upcoming agement of California salmon stocks, CWT information some- management meetings and other notable events. times helps to document unusual life histories, like that of this rare 7-year-old salmon. • Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting, Jan. 11-14, Kodiak. The board – California Department of Fish and Wildlife will consider Kodiak finfish proposals. Atlantic salmon escape • Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit, Jan. 21-23, Juneau. More information at tinyurl.com/yaubhxh6. • Alaska Marine Science Symposium, Jan. 27-31, Anchorage. More information at alaskamarinescience.org. from fire-damaged farm • North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting, Jan. 27 to Feb. 3, Seattle. in British Columbia • International Pacific Halibut Commission annual meeting, A mass escape of farmed Atlantic salmon was reported in Feb. 3-7, Anchorage. The commission is expected to set catch December in British Columbia. limits for 2020. Mowi Canada West said about 20,000 salmon escaped from a • Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting, Feb. 7-19, Anchorage. damaged pen on its Robertson Island farm off Port Hardy. The board will consider Upper Cook Inlet finfish proposals. The damage was likely caused by an electrical fire, Mowi said. “The fire damaged the floats supporting the pen as well as the • Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting, March 3-9, surrounding netting, causing the pen to partially submerge and Rohnert Park, Calif. creating a gap allowing most salmon to escape,” the company said. • Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting, March 8-11, Anchorage. Farm workers discovered the damage on Dec. 20. The board will consider statewide king and Tanner crab proposals “While many of the escaped fish have likely been eaten by seals and supplemental issues. and sea lions congregating in the area, we will be working to recover • Seafood Expo North America, March 15-17, Boston. as many of the remaining salmon as possible,” Mowi said in a More information at seafoodexpo.com/north-america. Dec. 24 update. Mowi apologized for the incident, and said it would be “inspect- • ComFish Alaska, March 26-28, Kodiak. More information on this ing the electrical systems on all our farms.” commercial fisheries trade show at comfishak.com. The damaged pen was to be towed to a secure site on land for • North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting, March 30 to further investigation and dismantling, Mowi said. April 7, Anchorage. Mowi, a Norwegian company formerly known as Marine Harvest, is the world’s largest producer of Atlantic salmon. • Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting, April 3-10, Vancouver, Wash. – Wesley Loy 8 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2020 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM
Streamer lines deployed behind fishing vessels effectively deter seabirds. Ed Melvin/Washington Sea Grant photo Streamer line requirements expanded to smaller Maritime Fab Big Bay Roller Stern Roller Strength Like You’ve Never Seen Before! Pacific Coast vessels Since 2015, vessels 55 feet and longer have been subject to streamer line requirements in an effort to reduce deadly interac- Heavy-duty tions between seabirds, such as the endangered short-tailed alba- 3/8” formed tross, and longline gear in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. aluminum side frames Now, a smaller class of fishing vessels also will need to use streamer lines, the National Marine Fisheries Service said in a final rule published Dec. 11. 16” dia. Core for increased The rule requires commercial groundfish bottom longline Integral net traction & vessels 26 feet and longer to use streamer lines when fishing in ball valve reduced fish for hubless federal waters north of 36 degrees north latitude – a line just below knock-outs freewheeling Monterey, California. Streamer lines – brightly colored ribbons deployed from longliners – Low profile base are effective in creating a visual barrier to deter seabirds from baited hinges with easily hooks that can catch and drown them. A recent study showed that accessible locks streamer line bird deterrents reduced seabird bycatch in Alaska’s long- line fisheries by 77 to 90 percent, saving thousands of birds per year. The new rule exempts vessels from streamer line requirements when night setting, and when a small-craft wind advisory is declared. As many as 387 vessels greater than or equal to 26 feet and less than 55 feet could be subject to the new requirement to use streamer lines, NMFS said. The final rule takes effect Jan. 10. La Conner, WA: (360) 466-3629 – Wesley Loy www.laconnermaritime.com WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2020 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 9
SAFETY Accident investigation The Pacific Knight in Nushagak Bay, about a month before the accident. Witness photo Bristol Bay disaster The fish tender Pacific Knight capsizes, and a crewman drowns. How did it happen? welded steel single-propeller, single-rudder seiner and longliner, Editor’s note: The following is adapted from a National Transportation Safety Board marine accident brief issued Aug. 2, 2019. was owned and operated by Lone Fisherman LLC in Petersburg, O Alaska. It was under contract with Icicle Seafoods Inc. as a fish n July 25, 2018, about 0630 local time, the commercial fish tender Pacific Knight capsized while at anchor about 11 tender for salmon in the Bristol Bay area. The fully loaded draft miles south of Dillingham, Alaska. Two of the three crew- of the Pacific Knight was 9 feet. The Pacific Knight had two members on board were able to escape the vessel and were rescued centerline dry/flooded holds located under the main deck aft of by a nearby good Samaritan fishing vessel. The third was unable to the deckhouse. escape and drowned. The deckhouse contained a galley and common area, two berth- About 1,439 gallons of fuel and 300 gallons of hydraulic oil were ing areas, a toilet and shower, and the wheelhouse one deck above. found on board, with an undeterminable quantity released in the Access from the main deck to the deckhouse was through a two-dog water. The Pacific Knight, valued at $1.55 million, was declared a weather door, located to port of the centerline. A two-person berth constructive total loss. was located on the port side and a six-person berth was located Built in 1989 by Peacock Boat Co., the Pacific Knight, a 58-foot in the forward portion of the deckhouse. Stairs to the wheelhouse 10 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2020 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM
were located just inside the main deck weather door with an access forth from the wheelhouse to the open deck directly behind it and ladder going down to the engine room to the right of the stairs. The appeared to be concerned and focused on looking at the stern. galley and common area were located to the starboard. By the time the loading was complete, the freeing ports at the THE ACCIDENT main deck at the mid-section of the vessel were under water as well. The captain of the Amanda C stated they loaded about four The Pacific Knight had a crew of three: the 31-year-old captain, sacks of ice to the deck of the Pacific Knight. He estimated the who was also the vessel owner and president of Lone Fisherman weight of each sack to be about 500 pounds. LLC; and two deckhands, one of whom was the captain’s 59-year- While at anchor, in the early morning of July 25, the captain was old father and the other a 16-year-old male. in the wheelhouse of the Pacific Knight while both deckhands were On July 24, the vessel was at anchor in an area known as Queens sleeping below. The senior deckhand was sleeping in the portside Slough in Nushagak Bay, about 1 mile north-northeast of Clarks Point awaiting delivery of fish, which they would in turn deliver berth and the 16-year-old deckhand was sleeping in the bow berth. to the local cannery. The captain told Coast Guard investigators that about 0530, he did a walkthrough of the boat, including the engine room, and all was satisfactory at that time. Afterwards, he went back to the wheel- Sometime between 0630 and 0700, the house where he lay down on the day bunk to listen to some music captain was awakened when he rolled off the andSometime fell asleep. between 0630 and 0700, the captain was awakened day bunk and landed in water on the port side when he rolled off the day bunk and landed in water on the port of the wheelhouse. side of the wheelhouse. He explained the vessel was lying on its port side and was flooding quickly, so the captain climbed up the starboard side of the wheelhouse and kicked the door open, which Queens Slough was commonly used by fish tenders because exited to an open deck aft of the wheelhouse. Once outside, he it was well-protected from the elements and had good holding found himself in the water and was swept under the anchor line as ground in the anchorage. It did, however, have a large tidal range he cleared the rigging. that brought with it strong currents and a changing bottom. On board the anchored fish tender the Amanda C, an estimated Twenty to 30 other vessels were at anchor in the area, including “couple hundred yards” astern of the Pacific Knight, a deckhand the fish tender Amanda C, which was anchored astern of the Pacific on watch in the wheelhouse noticed in the corner of his eye the Knight. The strong current caused some vessels to sheer back and Pacific Knight capsizing to port and sinking. The deckhand woke forth on their anchors. According to one witness, the Pacific Knight the captain, who immediately jumped up, ran to the engine room sheered back and forth “a lot” with the current. and started the main engine, and then ran up to the wheelhouse. That evening around 1930, a witness on another vessel about 100 The captain of the Amanda C estimated it was about 0630 when yards away saw the Amanda C deliver sacks of ice to the Pacific the deckhand woke him up. After he arrived in the wheelhouse, he Knight. The ice was being transferred using the knuckle crane saw nothing but debris and the starboard stern corner of the Pacific on the Pacific Knight’s starboard side. With each hoist the Pacific Knight above the water. He ordered his two deckhands to prepare Knight would noticeably list to starboard. to haul the anchor. Within the hour, the witness noticed the stern of the Pacific Knight sink so deeply into the water that the vessel’s name on the TWO RESCUED, ONE LOST stern could no longer be seen. At that time, the two deckhands were The captain of the Amanda C then noticed a person in the water handling the crane and the sacks coming on board. The witness drifting toward them. He used the engine and rudder to maneuver said he could see the captain of the Pacific Knight moving back and the vessel, and he had the deckhands pick him up from the Starboard quarter of the Pacific Knight. Mike Jones photo WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2020 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 11
SAFETY Accident investigation starboard side main deck. Once aboard, the person who identified search patterns in the area where the Pacific Knight sank. After a himself as the captain of the Pacific Knight told the Amanda C refueling stop, the search continued until about 1556 when the heli- captain that two crewmembers were missing. copter departed the area and returned to base. The missing deck- The Amanda C deckhands hauled in the anchor and headed hand was not found at that time. toward the Pacific Knight. Shortly after, the 16-year-old was spot- The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported large oil ted and the deckhands were able to get a life ring to him and pull sheens where the vessel sank. As a result, the entire district was him on board. The Amanda C captain stated that the “kid” was closed to commercial fishing until July 31 because of the risk of very weak when they got him on board, noting they had to put contamination of the fish product stream. him in the shower and gently bring his body temperature back up. The wreckage of the Pacific Knight was recovered by Resolve With support from other boats in the area, the search then Magone Marine Services about a month later, on Aug. 29. The body continued for the senior deckhand, but he was not found. of the missing deckhand (John Phillips, of Juneau) was found in the According to the surviving deckhand, he was in his bunk when galley area under a table. He was not wearing an immersion suit he woke up to a crushing sound and water flooding his berth. He or lifejacket. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death stated he took a big breath before the room filled up, kicked the was drowning. stateroom door open, and swam into the galley where he was able to “pop up and get more air” from an air pocket. INVESTIGATION, VESSEL MODIFICATIONS The surviving deckhand last saw the senior deckhand inside the The captain of the Pacific Knight was tested for drugs and accommodation space alcohol; all test results were negative. attempting to climb In an initial statement to the Coast Guard, he indicated that the the stairs to the wheel- Pacific Knight (the company’s only vessel) was purchased in 2013 house. He then came up and that he had been trying to sell it since 2015. He also stated he in the galley where he had been in the fishing industry for 17 years. He held no Coast broke open a window. Guard-issued merchant mariner credential. He tried to swim out The Pacific Knight had begun working in the Bristol Bay area but ran into a ladder on June 19, 2018, which was the first time the captain worked in on the other side of the the area. glass. He then tried to After his initial statement, the captain refused to be interviewed return to where the air for the investigation. pocket was, but found it According to the Coast Pilot, the area where the Pacific Knight had already filled with was anchored was known to have strong currents and could be water. He went back to extreme due to the combination of both river and tidal constituents. the window he broke, Two captains from nearby fish tenders estimated that the current pulled himself through, at the time of the sinking was 3-4 knots with an ebb tide, which and came to the surface was consistent with the NOAA tidal current predictions of about of the water outside of 3.7 knots with a mean ebb direction of 217 degrees true. the vessel. He saw the About 0630, the predicted tidal height at Clarks Point, about Amanda C and swam 1 mile away from the accident site, was 12.18 feet above mean The Pacific Knight dockside on June 10, toward it, where he was lower low water with low water predicted at 0848 (7.17 feet 2018, with the two added cranes. Lone then pulled on board. above MLLW). Fisherman LLC courtesy photo According to the In his initial statement to the Coast Guard, the Pacific Knight captain of the fish tender Fayette, which was at anchor less than captain stated he believed the vessel touched bottom while 100 yards forward of the Pacific Knight on the port side, he was at anchor. sitting in his helm chair having a cup of coffee when he noticed the At the last recorded automatic identification system position at Pacific Knight list to port and capsize. He stated the vessel rolled 0529 on July 25, the Pacific Knight was anchored in an area with over so quickly that he could not believe that anyone would have charted depths at MLLW ranging from 12 to 18 feet. Thus, with the made it out of the vessel. tidal height at 0630, the depths where the vessel was estimated to At 0747, a fish cannery representative notified an Alaska state be anchored ranged from 24 to 30 feet but may have been less with trooper and a wildlife trooper of the Pacific Knight capsizing, and a changing bottom. the troopers dispatched a patrol boat to the accident scene where After being dewatered, the Pacific Knight floated on its own. On they boarded the Amanda C. Both troopers tended to the care Sept. 14, 2018, a Coast Guard investigator and an insurance sur- of the two survivors and took initial statements from them. The veyor (Alaska Marine Surveyors Inc.) boarded the vessel, docked troopers departed with the captain and deckhand about 1034 and in Dutch Harbor. They found no hull leakages, nor did the salvage transported them to Dillingham where a representative of Icicle company note any at the time the vessel was refloated on scene. Seafoods picked them up. Both declined medical care. According to an insurance survey report conducted in April At 0751, the captain of the nearby fish tender Bella Catherine 2015, the Pacific Knight had a stability booklet that was dated relayed the information about the capsize and the missing crew- April 23, 1996. This booklet was not found in the wreckage, and the member to Coast Guard Sector Anchorage, which in turn launched captain was not able to find a copy. fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft from Air Station Kodiak to The captain declined to disclose the history of the vessel for the search for the missing deckhand. Good Samaritan vessels and a time he had owned and operated it (since 2013). Few records were helicopter from Icicle Seafoods also aided in the search. The Coast found related to the maintenance history or to any conversions Guard helicopter arrived on scene about 1033 and commenced and modifications. 12 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2020 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM
Based on past photographs and the April 2015 insurance sur- the Pacific Knight had a very small freeboard and a stern trim that vey report, two modifications were made to the vessel that could submerged the vessel’s name on the transom. have affected the load line and stability. First, the aft deck enclosure Even for vessels whose overall center of gravity remains con- and equipment, which also included longlining equipment, was stant, a vessel operated at a deeper draft (lower freeboard) typically removed at an undetermined time. Then in June 2018, before the has less stability than when operated at a lesser draft (higher free- start of the vessel’s tender contract, two pedestal cranes were added board) due to a reduction in righting energy. It also tends to lower to the main deck. On the starboard side was a knuckle-type boom the range of a vessel’s stability as seawater can enter any openings crane and on the port side, a larger and heavier telescopic crane. and downflood into compartments at lower angles of heel. Further, Investigators found no weights or installation specifications for the excessive stern trim also reduces righting energy and makes down- cranes, nor was a stability assessment made after their installation. flooding through aft openings occur earlier. As such, with slack water in the main fish hold, an induced heel- According to witness accounts, while at ing moment on the vessel from an external force such as wind, waves (even small ones), wake from another vessel, vessel move- anchor prior to the accident, the Pacific ment from the current while at anchor, or contact with the bottom Knight had a very small freeboard and a stern would have likely induced a list. The list would have caused water in the fish hold to flow to the low (port) side of the vessel, and this trim that submerged the vessel’s name on free-surface effect would have been detrimental to stability. The the transom. cumulative effect of these factors likely resulted in a condition of neutral stability, with little reserve buoyancy or righting energy to resist capsize. According to a report filed by the state and wildlife troopers, a crewmember on the Amanda C informed them that the two large cranes on the deck of the Pacific Knight required frequent position- ing to maintain proper balance of the boat. When the Pacific Knight was refloated, the starboard crane was found in the extended posi- tion above the deckhouse and the port crane was found with its boom extended to the top of the deckhouse and knuckled down to the port corner of the main deck. The Pacific Knight had six fuel tanks with a total capacity of 6,350 gallons of diesel fuel. Each tank was located outboard on each side of the aft fish hold, the main fish hold, and the engine room. The captain told the Coast Guard that at the time of the accident, only two tanks were holding fuel: the port and starboard tanks (1,307-gallon capacity each) outboard of the main fish hold. He said the vessel was last fueled the day before the accident from another fish tender, the Bella Catherine. He did not indicate the precise quantities in each tank. In a report from the Alaska Depart- ment of Environmental Conservation, dated Aug. 22, 2018, the salvage company removed 1,439 gallons of diesel fuel from the Pacific Knight. According to an initial statement given to the Coast Guard by The Pacific Knight during salvage, with the crane positions visible. the captain of the Pacific Knight, they had about 1 ton of ice in the Resolve Magone photo aft fish hold and the main fish hold was about three quarters full of seawater. Additionally, the captain of the Amanda C confirmed The last stability assessment of the Pacific Knight was conducted they delivered about four sacks of ice to the main deck of the in 1996, about 22 years before the accident, and would not have Pacific Knight. Fish tenders stock ice, which is received from the included any modification done to the vessel since then. cannery, to provide to the fishing vessels that offload their catch to The weight and placement of the two cranes that the captain the tenders. It is unknown why the main fish hold was slack and added to contract for tendering a month before the sinking likely not pressed up. increased the vessel’s vertical center of gravity (based on the Given the lack of accurate data for liquid and weight distribution position in which the cranes were found when salvaged). on the Pacific Knight at the time of the capsizing, no post-casualty Though not required for uninspected fishing vessels like the stability assessment was carried out for the vessel. Pacific Knight, once the vessel was substantially modified by removing and adding equipment, a revised stability assessment ANALYSIS should have been conducted to reflect the changes. Had it been, the Witnesses to the sinking of the Pacific Knight recalled the vessel captain would have had the necessary information to safely load capsized to port and sank rapidly, leaving only the starboard quar- the vessel for specific operations. ter out of the water. The vessel had no reported problems, and the hull showed no post-salvage signs of leaks or damage. Thus, there PROBABLE CAUSE is no evidence that any hull damage, machinery defects, or struc- The NTSB determines that the probable cause of the capsizing of tural failures led to the capsizing and sinking of the Pacific Knight. fish tender Pacific Knight was the captain’s inadequate assessment At the time of the accident, the Pacific Knight was likely overloaded. of the vessel’s stability and the risks related to vessel modifications, According to witness accounts, while at anchor prior to the accident, slack water in the tanks, and overloading of the vessel. WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2020 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 13
SAFETY Best practices by TERRY JOHNSON Welding, cutting, sanding – the work is hazardous in boatyards. For safety, your equipment and attitude have to be right. Jeff Pond photo Boatyard safety Here are tips that might save your life when working in a place fraught with danger Editor’s note: This article is adapted from a new publication titled BEFORE AND DURING ANY JOB “Boatyard Hazards: Tips for protecting worker safety and health.” The full Adopt a “safety is no accident” attitude toward the job. publication is available for free from Alaska Sea Grant at seagrant.uaf.edu/ Before starting to work, study the site to find and identify all bookstore/pubs/MAB-73.html. safety and health hazards. B oatyard work is hazardous. Industrywide, the injury and Employ signage that instructs, reminds of safe procedures, or illness incidence rate on ships and in boatyards is more than warns of hazards. double those of construction and general industry, according Locate safety equipment. Make sure an adequate number of the to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health correct type and size of fire extinguishers are located in appropriate Administration (OSHA). and easy-to reach places, and likewise for first aid kits, eye wash This publication uses the term “boatyard” to include any kits or stations, and similar items. facility that conducts boatbuilding, boat and related equipment Read the safety data sheet on each potentially hazardous chemi- maintenance and repair, and marinas, boat harbors, and storage cal agent before opening the container. yards where these activities are conducted. Grinders and cutting tools that produce fine dust should have The publication is for you if you work as any of the following: high-efficiency vacuum attachments that prevent dust from escap- boatyard employee, contract worker or technician, or boat owner ing into the air. or crewmember. Ensure adequate ventilation. Where volatile chemicals, fumes or Here are some protective measures for boatyard workers. dust are released, make sure there is adequate cross ventilation or 14 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2020 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM
December 2019 Facebook Photo Contest Winner: TONY PIRAK A lockout/tagout set for an electrical system. Photo by Terry Johnson, courtesy Vigor Alaska powered ventilation for fume removal. Wear personal protective equipment including hard hats, protec- tive clothing, Tyvek suits, aprons, safety boots, or other items that provide protection from injury hazards identified at the site. Use eye protection. Properly fitting safety glasses protect eyes from dust, fragments, and splinters. Include goggles or face shields with appropriate filters for protection from radiant energy during welding or cutting. Consult state or federal guidelines on correct shade numbers for various activities, and for safe exposure limits. Welding hoods should protect the neck and side of face. Do not weld near trash bins. Wear hearing protection. The level of noise reaching the ear should be no more than 85 decibels (conversational voice is 65 dB). Ear muffs and good quality ear plugs usually suffice. Use proper lifting techniques. Keep back straight, lift with legs, use correct equipment for lifting, and get help moving or lifting awkward or heavy loads. AROUND GASSES, DUST, OTHER AIRBORNE SUBSTANCES Always wear dust mask or respirator. When sanding, grinding, or cutting, wear a properly fitted dust mask. When working with paints, solvents, polyester or epoxy resins, and other chemicals, wear a respirator with an organic vapor cartridge appropriate to the types of fumes present. Change filters regularly. Facial hair prevents a good seal, and stubble or a “leaky goatee” is no better. Wear a respirator when welding. Welding hoods protect eyes and heads, but not lungs from welding fumes. Use the welding fume extractor if your facility has one. If weld- ing stainless steel, this helps to prevent hexavalent chromium (hex F/V Devotion, Prince William Sound chrome) poisoning. Follow OSHA guidelines when sand blasting. Wet abrasive blasting produces less dust than dry. Enclose blasting in cabinets To enter the photo contest: or rooms, or substitute other stripping methods such as water • Post the photo on our FB page: stripping or dry ice pellets. Always wear full personal protective facebook.com/PacificFishing equipment. Dispose of residuals from blasting correctly. Follow confined spaces protocols when entering holds, laza- • Email it to us at pfnews@pacificfishing.com rettes, refrigerated spaces and other areas where there could be • Tag us with the hashtag #pacfishphotos2019 toxic gasses, reduced oxygen, or the possibility of being trapped. Use the buddy system and appropriate respirators. Winners are announced monthly AROUND ELECTRICAL HAZARDS and published in the magazine. Use “lockout/tagout.” To ensure that electrical circuits are deactivated and vessel machinery is prevented from starting, use WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM £ JANUARY 2020 £ PACIFICFISHING £ 15
SAFETY Best practices Be sure no loose clothing or other items attached to a person can come into contact with pulleys, belts, shafts, or other moving parts. Employ lockout/tagout if you do maintenance or repair on machinery. HEIGHTS Use harness and safety line (tether) when working 5 feet or more above the next lower deck or ground. Use a secondary belay if working up a mast. Use stairways with handrails. To work on elevated areas, use a stairway rather than a ladder. A good one can be built in a few hours with inexpensive materials. AFTER WORK Designate a place for equipment in need of repair. Don’t use power tools with faulty circuitry, frayed power cords, or broken parts. Practice good housekeeping at the work site. Clean up contami- nates and slippery substances, remove tripping hazards, repair damaged doors, steps, railings, etc. Store oily rags and materials Stay out of the water in boat harbors, due to the risk of stray electrical soaked with flammable liquids in covered metal waste cans and currents. Wesley Loy photo dispose of them properly and frequently. Mark or label substances legibly. Make sure everyone knows a procedure in which warnings are place at control points and what substances are in each can or container. systems can’t be started without removing locking mechanisms. Store flammables in designated lockers including paints Clip a ground wire to a vessel on the hard. If it is connected to and solvents. shore power, there is potential that faulty or damaged wiring could Don’t contaminate family members at home by wearing work clothing in family living and eating areas. result in current that could electrocute a worker who touches the boat or items that are connected to it. Remove metallic jewelry such as necklaces and bracelets before Terry Johnson is a professor emeritus with the Alaska Sea Grant Marine working around exposed electrical contacts. Rubber gloves can Advisory Program. For more than 30 years, he has owned, operated, protect hands and fingers and can cover rings. Remove tools and repaired, and maintained small commercial fishing and passenger vessels. other metal items from belts and pockets prior to entering tight spaces to do electrical work. A metal hard hat poses serious risk of electrocution if worn while working on exposed electrical circuitry. Stay out of the water. Do not enter the water in any industrial facility, including marinas and boat harbors, because there is a chance that improperly installed or maintained circuitry could allow electrical currents to stray. Avoid puddles and standing water around work sites, and if necessary to enter wet areas, wear high top rubber boots and thick rubber gloves and avoid contacting any metal or wiring with any part of the body. Divers doing underwater construction or maintenance are at particular risk and must take measures to ensure there are no stray cur- rents and that vessel engines are shut off and prop shafts locked. AROUND RUNNING MACHINERY Shut off running machinery unless operation is necessary to achieve the aim of the work. Assure a means of stopping machinery within seconds. Station a worker at the controls to stop the machinery on signal or if anything goes wrong. Ensure that exhaust is properly routed. If it is necessary to run engines, be sure that exhaust gasses, crankcase vent fumes, and other aerosols are properly vented outside the work area. Car- bon monoxide can cause loss of consciousness in just minutes, and death shortly after. Confined spaces are particularly hazardous for workers. Jeff Pond photo 16 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2020 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM
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ALASKA NOTEBOOK by WESLEY LOY Gulf cod closed, with allowances for bycatch, state waters Cod crash: The situation with Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska prescribed harvest limits in regulation. This has gone from bad to worse. GHL reduction will provide the oppor- The North Pacific Fishery Management Council, at its December tunity for limited fisheries in state waters meeting, voted to close the federal cod fishery in the Gulf for the while recognizing the need for conservative 2020 season. fishery management at current Pacific cod The action, coming after cod quotas were greatly reduced the stock levels.” past two years, lands as a heavy blow to fishing communities and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy himself addressed the situation, the hundreds of boats dependent on cod. saying: “I recognize the balance between conservation and oppor- The cod crash led Trident Seafoods Corp. to close its plant in tunity to fish. I trust ADF&G to closely monitor and manage each Sand Point for the winter, Kodiak radio station KMXT reported. state-waters fishery conservatively to avoid overharvest yet pro- The council’s December newsletter said the Gulf of Alaska vide our fishermen the opportunity to fish and our coastal com- Pacific cod stock “continues to be at a low biomass level.” munities needed tax revenues.” The newsletter added: “According to the 2019 update of the All Steller sea lion restrictions applicable to state-waters fisheries Pacific cod stock assessment, the spawning biomass is projected to will be in effect, the department said. reach an all-time low in 2020.” Overfishing does not appear to be responsible for the cod crash. As the stock was below a certain threshold, federal regulations Rather, it’s believed to be rooted in “the Blob,” a marine heatwave required the directed fishery for Pacific cod to be closed due to seen from 2014 through 2016. Steller sea lion conservation measures, the newsletter said. According to the 2019 Gulf of Alaska Ecosystem Status Report But the council’s action does not mean a complete shutdown from the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Gulf is again expe- of cod harvesting this year in the Gulf of Alaska. The council riencing unusually warm conditions. allowed for cod bycatch in other fisheries, and for some cod catch in “In September 2018, sea surface temperatures in the western Gulf state waters. of Alaska shelf area crossed a temperature threshold to become a Whether the state would open state-waters cod fisheries was the marine heatwave and have largely remained in heatwave status source of considerable worry. since then,” the report says. But on Dec. 17, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game sig- naled state-waters cod fisheries would go ahead around the Gulf Sitka herring outlook: The Department of Fish and Game of Alaska. The department said its announced guideline harvest announced a huge quota of 25,824 tons for this year’s Sitka Sound levels were “based on a 35 percent reduction from the maximum sac roe herring fishery. Now let’s see if anyone catches it. Last year, you might recall, the fishery never got started as the herring weren’t large enough on average to interest processors. The fishery had experienced a zero harvest only once before, way back in 1977. Togiak herring outlook: A great deal of herring also is expect- ed to be available for Alaska’s other major sac roe herring fishery at Togiak. The Department of Fish and Game has set an enormous quota of 38,749 tons. Here again, it’s questionable how much of the herring will be taken. The Japanese market for herring roe is poor, and one major pro- cessor, Trident Seafoods, won’t be buying fish this year at Togiak, Dillingham radio station KDLG reported. Tax bite: Voters in the Bristol Bay Borough on Nov. 5 voted over- whelmingly in favor of a new 1.5 percent tax on the value of fish handled by shoreside and floating processors. The borough is home to a big piece of the lucrative Bristol Bay sockeye salmon industry. The unofficial vote tally was 195 in favor and 79 against the tax. The borough said the tax revenue is needed to improve its waste- water system to better support the processing industry. Most likely, processors won’t bear this new tax burden alone. Rather, it will be passed along to fishermen who will feel the tax bite on fish prices. Wesley Loy is editor of Pacific Fishing magazine and producer of Deck- boss, a blog on Alaska commercial fisheries. 18 £ PACIFICFISHING £ JANUARY 2020 £ WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM
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