Wednesday, November 19, 2014

MISGUIDED, MISINFORMED, EGREGIOUS PROPOSALS TO CLOSE SEINING

BOARD OF FISH PROPOSALS
board meeting February 23- March 5, 2015 Sitka

Guys

I just figured we'd post the biggies on here.  The other 27 proposals that have to do with your fishery will be in the next newsletter.  I don't believe you need a map to understand the egregious nature of these proposals.  SEALASKA lost 80 million dollars in 2013.  SEALASKA members comprise 30% of the fleet -- so restrictions that hurt seiners, hurt the native communities of Saxman, Kake, Hoonah, Craig, Hybaburg, Klawock.

In 2011 I flew the Angoon shoreline and 3 of the 5 boats fishing in the area were SEALASKA shareholders.



I.  TO CLOSE OR LIMIT SEINING

Proposal 193.  Written by Kootznawoo Corp., Peter Naoroscz, Executive Director

Marsden to Parker Pt. and Whitestone shore


15 hour opening every 7 days only on seasons of high abundance.




Also, permanant closure of portions of District 12, Marsden shore, and District 14, Whitestone shore.





II.  TO CLOSE OR LIMIT SEINING

Proposals 194,195,196,197  Written by Patty Philliops, Troller, longliner, tenderperson, Mayor of Pelican and seat on the Southeast Alaska Regional Advisory Council


Close most of Lisianski Inlet.





III.  TO CLOSE OR LIMIT SEINING

Proposals 198.  Written by ADFG


Close 9 miles of shoreline on Admiralty shore and 2 miles on Basket Bay shore.




IV.  TO CLOSE OR LIMIT SEINING

Proposal 199. Written by Angoon Community Association.



Close ALL SEINING for 5 years on Admiralty Island, portions of Baranof and much of Chichigof.





V.  TO CLOSE OR LIMIT SEINING


Proposal 200.  Written by Kootznawoo, Inc., Peter Naraocz, Executive Director

Close ALL SEINING within 3000 feet of Admiralty Island.




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Of course the irony here is that Kanalku, which had an escapement of 200 sockeye in 2003, after the largest recorded subsistence harvest in history in 1999, as well as an almost complete blockage of the jumping pool, and documented assurance that on high water years, up to 70% of the sockeye die trying to jump the notorious Kanalku Falls.  The nonsentence there concludes thus.  The irony is that the average run size at Kanalku since 2008 has been 2500 sockeye.  It is what we call a rebuilt system.

Not only that, in 2012, the seine fleet caught about a dozen Kanalku sockeye.  And in 2014 another dozen.  But the OFFICIAL ADFG numbers of sockeye killed at the falls those 2 years is 2000.

2000 sockeye killed by the falls.

2 dozen killed by seiners.

Unbelievable.

Kanalku Falls have been blasted since 1968.  Yes.  Almost a half century.  But there is still a 16 foot jump and official USFS and ADFG numbers put mortality at over 50% when years come with rainfall.  Apparently droughts help the sockeye at Kanalku.

In any event.  These proposals speak by thermselves and if not summarily dumped by the state, will be the most foul and rotten abuse of state's rights and the correct, abundance based management of state of Alaska salmon resouces.

Feel free to call the office -723-8267 if you need counseling or want to talk about how there could possibly even be proposals in existence that are so misdirected, hurtful, misinformed and downright evil.



Sincerely

Bobbyt












Sunday, September 14, 2014

Monday, September 01, 2014

Jim Zuanich

Services will be held for longtime SEAS member and very active SEAS board member Jim Zuanich, FV Marshall Tito, Bellingham, September 12th at the boathouse at Zuanich Point Park at Squalicum Boat harbor in Bellingham.




Jim Z. was an incredible man, brainiac, political activist and an incredible part of he SEAS team both in the 5 terms served on the board and the 5 terms served off the board throughout the 80s,90s and until this past spring, when Jim joined the great Croatian-American Allstate fleet in the sky.  Kind of passed up some of them with his political enthusiasm for the homeland as testified when one googles Marshall Tito.  To then drop the Yugoslavia part with the boat you just add Alaska, and you'll get Jim and Shirley's boat.

He never,  we'll maybe just super extraordinarily rarely, ever thought of himself, his family, nor his friends first.  He thought of the entire fleet first. Even, and especially, it seemed, when it was contrary to his own personal best interest.  He was a relatively recent convert,if ever, to the buy back.  And it wasn't his personal self-interest he was representing with his opinion or vote. nor indeed the $300,000 personal gain to his own permit.  It was his total and determined and unbending concern to ensure that younger fishermen and future generations would best be served by WHATEVER SEAS DID.  In 1999, SEAS board was 12-1 opposed. By 2005, SEAS board was 12-1 in favor, with Jim being the lone of the 12 in 1999 to hold his same vote.

In 1995, a Herculean effort began by Jim Kyle to maintain what accrued to a multi-million dollar-decade long effort of hardcore volunteer financial activism by Mr Zuanich through following up on Mr Kyles incredible effort and personal sacrifice by duplicating that by comanaging the Hidden Falls cost recovery for years. And years.

Specificity needn't reign in the remainder of our thoughts on Jim Z.  Over large swaths of time it takes proud, super smart, reasonable, unselfish, giving, articulate and political men like Mr. Zuanich in order to create stability and sustainability for economies like commercial fishing.   Alaskan and Pacific Northwest commercial fishing.  

Jim Zuanich will be sorely missed by all of us at SEAS and across the great states of Alaska and Washington.  We lost a true leader and friend long before his time and our thoughts and prayers are and have been with Shirley and the family since we learned of Jim's passing while hiking on one of his favorite trails.

God bless you all, each and every one, and spend time with your cherished and loved ones as much as possible

On behalf of the SEAS board, yet personal and unedited as I'm just losing coverage for 4 days heading west from Spencer.

Robert Magnus Thorstenson, Jr
SEAS Executive Director



PS
I know several SEAS board members who knew Jim better than I but I doubt their feelings nor assessment would be much different, save for a broader perspective. Jim's strong contribution to his fellow man while here with us was the 'fishing business' interaction and best knowledge that we at SEAS have of Jim.  We look forward to hearing of Jim's other down south life and sharing memories of Jim with the family and with friends in Bellingham this coming Friday after next, September 12, 2014, @3pm



SEAS Executive Director

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Davis Barrett

Davis C. Barrett, 1949-2014

Davis Corwin Barrett, 64, died in his Port Townsend WA home April 12, 2014. 
Barrett was a leading Alaska purse seiner for some 30 years, usually fishing with his three daughters - Allison, Hannah and Ilsa, now in their 20s - and his wife of 30 years, Adrienne Ely. 
Described as a Renaissance man, Barrett was a respected voice for commercial fishermen, serving 20 years on the board of the Southeast Alaska Seiners Association (SEAS) and the Seiner Reserve Insurance Board. 
Said Bobby Thorstenson Jr., SEAS executive director, "Davis was a high liner. One of the best there ever was. He bowed to Tlingit and Haida tradition while learning commercial fishing from great men and friends. He was a true high liner who did not fudge lines or crowd others." Barrett helped create the Pacific Salmon Treaty and ensured sustainable fisheries around the Tongass National Forest. 
Barrett was born in Seattle in 1949 to Beach and Jan Sorensen Barrett. He graduated from Lakeside High School in 1968 attending college at Middlebury in Vermont, WSU and Seattle University in Washington State. He started fishing at 16 and became a skipper at 26. He married Adrienne in 1983 and moved to Port Townsend in 1990. 
Due to health issues, he retired from fishing in 2010, selling the Glacier Bay. Survivors include his wife, daughters and siblings: Tom Barrett (Jan), Portland OR; Judith Barrett, San Francisco CA; Kate Nunn (Remmel) and Ellen Dudley (Matthew) of New York. His parents preceded him. An afternoon service and potluck at family property near Seabeck WA is set for April 26th at 1 PM 
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Hello fishing folks, 

As you may already know Davis Corwin Barrett passed away on April 12th. He was in his home. The obituary will be printed in the Port Townsend Leader and will be available online by Wednesday the 16th.

We are having a memorial on April 26th at 1 PM at the old family property on Hood Canal and we would like to invite all of you to attend. It will be a potluck. And please feel free to bring anything; pictures, stories, foods and spirits...

Also, we will be covered, but outside, so please dress for the weather. 

We want this to be an open and relaxed event, a time to share stories and memories. Please feel free to forward this email to anyone we may have missed.

We look forward to seeing you, 
Davis' Girls

Here are directions:

Start by getting yourself to Seabeck, WA ( on the East side of the Hood Canal). 

From Seabeck go South on Seabeck-Holly Rd. 

In 6.5 miles turn right onto Nellita Rd NW

Follow the signs to the end of Nellita Rd NW