North Pacific Council Approves Black Cod Pots to Outsmart Whales
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seattle Times] By Hal Bernton - April 15, 2015
Gulf of Alaska whales that dine on hooked black cod are likely to find slimmer pickings in the years ahead.
Under a measure approved late Sunday by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, fishermen will be free to ditch their longline gear that frequently lose the fish to killer and sperm whales.
The fishermen now will be permitted to use pots that trap — rather than hook — the bottom-dwelling fish, and then protect the catch from hungry cetaceans as it’s brought to the surface.
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