Persistent Spatial Patterns of Fishing Effort in the Historical Dory Fishery for Pacific Cod: Implications for Spawning. Presented at: "Spawning Processes in Pacific Cod", March 18-19, 2002, Anchorage, Alaska.

Abstract

The historic commercial hook and line fishery for Pacific cod in Alaska, 1865-1990 is reviewed. A historical catch time series is provided, annotated by fishing power increases due to geographic and technology transfers from other fisheries. An unexpected increase in cod weight was discovered. The long observation time series spans regime shifts. It is
reasonable that spawning and migration shifts may accompany shifts in abundance. The time series integrates over long-term change (qualitatively if not quantitatively. (Powerpoint presentation slides).

Full text

Persistent Spatial Patterns of Fishing Effort
in the Historical Dory Fishery for
Pacific Cod: Implications for Spawning
Fritz Funk
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Juneau, Alaska, USA

John Cobb Photo Collection
Long Time Series
•Spans Regime Shifts
•~ Sustainability
Implications for Spawning
Alaska Fish and Fur Seal
Reports (Cobb and Others)

$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930
ExVessel Price per Metric Ton
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
Catch (Pounds)
Price
Vessel Fishery Catch
Shore Fishery Catch
High prices spur development
of Alaska fishery
Catch declines, even
with high prices

Vessel Fishery
Shore-Based and Vessel Fishery Locations
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Shore-Based
Fishery

Locations of Shore Stations
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Cobb (1916) on Shore Stations:
“The late Thomas W. McCollam, of the
McCollam Fishing & Trading Co., of San
Francisco, was the first to perceive the
advantages to be obtained from establishing
stations close to the cod banks, where the
fishermen could go out daily in dories to the
adjacent banks and the catch be stored ashore
until a cargo accumulated, when a vessel could
be sent north to bring them to San Francisco.”

Pirate Cove Shore Station

Dory Fishing for Cod: Shumagins

Usually 1 man to a dory…

Dress gang on shore pitches in..

Cod Liver Oil

Pacific Schooner Fleet

Nested Dories
Onboard the
Schooner
(Mothership)

Handlining from Mothership - 1

Handlining from
a Mothership

Annual Loss of Vessels

Geographic and Technology Transfers
Gloucester Fishermen imported 1907
East Coast Schooners
Gear Technology

“Net Lifter” Technology ( from Great Lakes)

Conventional
“Fixed” (Tub)
Longline
Gear
--Reverted to
Dories

Schooners and Large Fishing Vessels Used in Alaska Codfish
Fishery
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950
Number of Vessels
Advent of power pullers
on large vessels
All but 1 mothership has dories
equipped with outboards
Catcher Trawlers
with Factory Ship

0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950
Pounds per Vessel
Catch per Schooner/Large Fishing Vessel
High Prices -
Abundance Decline?
Linear Fishing
Power Increase

Technology
Appears!
The “Power
Dory”

Shore-Based Dory Fisheries, 1876-1928
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
Number of Stations

Consistency of Shore Plant Operations, 1876-1928
0
10
20
30
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48
Number of Years Operating
Number of Shore Plants

Shore Stations and Bathymetry

Unexpected Trend in Weight
Average Cured Weight
0
1
2
3
4
1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930
Pounds
Biologically Significant
Partially attributed to new offshore grounds

Historical Time Series: Summary
Long Time Series
•Spans Regime Shifts
•Reasonable that spawning and
migration shifts may accompany
shifts in abundance
Integrate over long-term
change (qualitatively if not
quantitatively

Pacific Herring Alaska Distribution
SSL Population
Boundary
Two Steller Sea Lion Populations

Substrate Characteristics in Areas Open to
and Closed to Benthic Trawling in the
Central Gulf of Alaska
Robert Stone and Michele Masuda
National Marine Fisheries Service
Alaska Fisheries Science Center
Pacific Cod
Viewed from
Submersible