N. Pacific Council Adopts Moderate Chinook By-Catch Caps, after Lengthy Public Testimony
SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton - April 13, 2015
The N. Pacific Council adopted revised chinook bycatch rules for pollock that appear to provde the flexibility the pollock fleet needs to fish responsibly, but which also potentially lowers the hard cap under which the industry may face a shutdown.
After nearly a day and half of public testimony, some of which was dramatic and emotional, the council adopted a 25% reduction in the hard chinook bycatch cap by a 10-0 vote.
Under the approved motion, a hard cap of 45,000 chinook will be set, replacing the existing hard cap of 60,000 chinook, for low abundance years of chinook salmon. If this level is reached, the pollock fishery would be required to shut ...
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