From a presentation delivered by the Commercial Fisheries Division at last month's Board of Fisheries meeting in Sitka, the growth of three-year rotation groups for sea cucumbers in Southeast Alaska and guideline harvest levels is tracked. Its decline for much of the past decade has been linked to a growing population of sea otters in the region.
On its regional meeting's concluding day last week the Board of Fisheries agreed to draft a letter to federal authorities, encouraging them to support efforts to curb seafood predation by marine mammals.
During its 13-day meeting in Sitka, the board reviewed regulatory proposals for both finfish and shellfish for Southeast Alaska and Yakutat. Starting with shellfish on January 11, 155 different items relating to the region's crab, shrimp and dive fisheries saw comment from both Department of Fish and Game managers and user groups, as well as individuals.
Among both Dungeness crab and dive fishery items a common thread in testimony was the threat posed to those fisheries by marine mammals, sea otters in particular. In a report by Kyle Hebert on the opening day, ADFG research supervisor for dive fisheries in Southeast, he characterized the recolonization of the region by sea otters as the primary challenge to species in the dive fisheries, such as sea cucumber, geoduck and red sea urchin.
Eradicated by hunters in the region during the 19th century, around 400 otters were reintroduced from Southwest Alaska during the 1960s. The population has since found a foothold, with the federal Fish and Wildlife Service estimating their number at around 25,700 in 2014, the latest available report, from around 9,000 in 1994. Aerial surveys were used to collect the recent population estimates.
Southeastern sea otters are one of three distinct populations now living in Alaska, and unlike that found in Southwest the region's population is neither listed as depleted under the Marine Mammals Protection Act nor listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. However, the MMPA does protect the species from regular harvest. USFWS has jurisdiction over their management, and only Alaska Native subsistence users are legally allowed to harvest and process them.
A joint letter by the Southeast Alaska Fishermen's Alliance, SE Alaska Regional Dive Fisheries Association, Petersburg Vessel Owner's Association and Shellfish Preservation Alliance had been submitted advocating for support from the Board of Fisheries. Wrangell crabber Mike Lockabey had also testified he had submitted letters to the Secretary of the Interior, the Alaskan congressional delegation and Gov. Bill Walker, seeking their support in loosening restrictions on the harvest of otters.
Of the sea otters found in Southeast, the known level of direct human-caused mortality listed in the 2014 report is 447 otters per year, though uncertainties exist regarding mortality from fisheries. USFWS estimates an additional 1,733 more otters per year would need to be killed in order to threaten the stock's sustainability.
As board members concluded the meeting on January 23, among its final items of business was to deal with concerns about sea otters in Southeast. Chairman John Jensen noted the urgency of the problem as relayed by the days' testimonials.
"I heard a call loud and clear that we need to try to do something and address this predator population. It's not just sea otters, it's marine mammals," he said.
Jensen recommended the board draft a letter to encourage USFWS and other federal agencies to take a more active role in managing the otter population.
Fisheries board executive director Glenn Haight said one had already been in the drafting stage but had not yet been finalized. Board member Robert Ruffner said he was working on the letter, but advised caution in how the matter would be approached due to the charged nature of the subject.
"This issue can be particularly sensitive," he said. Ruffner said it would be important how the board might characterize its concerns, considering a broader audience as well as those affected. "We need to be a little methodical on this one so we don't raise some attention that we don't want."
Without any objections from other board members, Jensen suggested that the letter be drafted in time for the Board of Fisheries' statewide meeting, set for March 6 in Anchorage. Once composed, the board will then have time at the meeting to discuss possible action on a letter.
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