Commercial Fishing in Cook Inlet Create by Nicolette Creamer

Commercial Fishing in Alaska is an extremely important part of the state’s economy and culture. Commercial fishing creates thousands of jobs and generates millions of dollars in revenue for Alaskans every year. Cook Inlet is among some of the richest fishing grounds in the state .

Types of Fishing Seining Longlining Set Netting Drift Netting Trawling Pot Gear Harvest of Shellfish

Seining

Longlining

Set Netting

Drift Netting

Trawling

Pot Gear

Harvest of Shellfish

Seining Seining is a method in which a large net is dropped vertically into the water. Weights at the bottom of the net keep it in its vertical position. There are multiple types of seining, but the most common is a purse seine. A purse seine is a large net that has a rope looping through the bottom of the net. Usually a skiff will tow the net around a school of fish, working together with the main fishing vessel. Once the fish are enclosed, the rope is pulled tight with a hydraulic wench. This prevents the fish from “sounding” or swimming down to escape. Seining is most frequently used in Alaska to catch all species of salmon and herring; however, seiners target pink and chum salmon. Pink and chum are often used for canning.

Seining is a method in which a large net is dropped vertically into the water. Weights at the bottom of the net keep it in its vertical position. There are multiple types of seining, but the most common is a purse seine.

A purse seine is a large net that has a rope looping through the bottom of the net. Usually a skiff will tow the net around a school of fish, working together with the main fishing vessel. Once the fish are enclosed, the rope is pulled tight with a hydraulic wench. This prevents the fish from “sounding” or swimming down to escape.

Seining is most frequently used in Alaska to catch all species of salmon and herring; however, seiners target pink and chum salmon. Pink and chum are often used for canning.

Here you can see the fishing vessel and the skiff working together to enclose the school of fish.

Lonelining A loneline is literally what it sounds like…a lone line. Longlining is a method where hundreds of baited hooks are attached to a giant weighted line and set on the ocean floor. Longlining is used to catch ground fish. Longliners target halibut, cod species, rockfish and pollock.

A loneline is literally what it sounds like…a lone line. Longlining is a method where hundreds of baited hooks are attached to a giant weighted line and set on the ocean floor. Longlining is used to catch ground fish. Longliners target halibut, cod species, rockfish and pollock.

Set Netting Set netting is a method of fishing which uses a gill net, a special net that was designed to trap fish with gills. Once the fish swim into the net, their gills prevent them from backing out of the net. Set nets are secured to the ground along the short line and periodically checked for fish. Set netting is most commonly used in Cook Inlet to catch all species of salmon.

Set netting is a method of fishing which uses a gill net, a special net that was designed to trap fish with gills. Once the fish swim into the net, their gills prevent them from backing out of the net. Set nets are secured to the ground along the short line and periodically checked for fish.

Set netting is most commonly used in Cook Inlet to catch all species of salmon.

Drift Netting Drift netting is very similar to set netting; however, the gill net is not secured to the ground, but attached to the fishing vessel and drug at very low speeds, drifting along areas which are frequented by fish. Drift netting is most commonly used as a method of capturing all salmon species, but is also used to catch herring. The majority of red salmon are caught using a gill net.

Drift netting is very similar to set netting; however, the gill net is not secured to the ground, but attached to the fishing vessel and drug at very low speeds, drifting along areas which are frequented by fish.

Drift netting is most commonly used as a method of capturing all salmon species, but is also used to catch herring.

The majority of red salmon are caught using a gill net.

Trawling Trawling is a method in which a large net is drug behind the boat, scraping the ocean bottom for ground fish. Trawling can be used to catch almost any species of fish, (making it perhaps the most destructive fishery) with large amounts of bycatch and discard. Bycatch is the term used to describe fish that are caught incidentally while fishing for other species and discard is the fish caught, but not kept.

Trawling is a method in which a large net is drug behind the boat, scraping the ocean bottom for ground fish. Trawling can be used to catch almost any species of fish, (making it perhaps the most destructive fishery) with large amounts of bycatch and discard.

Bycatch is the term used to describe fish that are caught incidentally while fishing for other species and discard is the fish caught, but not kept.

Pot Gear Pot fishing requires dropping baited pots to the ocean bottom and checking them periodically. Cod and tanner crab are the main species targeted with pot gear in Cook Inlet.

Pot fishing requires dropping baited pots to the ocean bottom and checking them periodically.

Cod and tanner crab are the main species targeted with pot gear in Cook Inlet.

Harvest of Shellfish Razor clams are the only clam species commercially harvested in Cook Inlet. They are hand-dug, making the fishery rather laborious. Tanner crab and scallops are also considered shellfish, they are harvested in Cook Inlet by other fishing methods though (tanner crab is harvested with pot gear and scallops are harvested most often with a trawl).

Razor clams are the only clam species commercially harvested in Cook Inlet. They are hand-dug, making the fishery rather laborious.

Tanner crab and scallops are also considered shellfish, they are harvested in Cook Inlet by other fishing methods though (tanner crab is harvested with pot gear and scallops are harvested most often with a trawl).

There are 403 commercial fishing vessels from Anchorage that are registered with Alaska Fish and Game, 949 from the Kenai Peninsula, and 149 for the Matanuska-Susitna region. That excludes tenders, feezer/canners, and any sport fishing guide boats.

There are 403 commercial fishing vessels from Anchorage that are registered with Alaska Fish and Game, 949 from the Kenai Peninsula, and 149 for the Matanuska-Susitna region. That excludes tenders, feezer/canners, and any sport fishing guide boats.

Cook Inlet Fishery Regions

Commercial Fishing Seasons in Cook Inlet mid-Apr./mid-May Herring mid-June/mid-Aug. Red Salmon July/Aug. Pink/Chum Salmon July/mid-Sept. Silver Salmon July/Aug. King Salmon Season Opener Upper Cook Inlet mid-Apr./mid-May Herring July/mid-Sept. Chum Salmon mid-May/mid-Aug. Red Salmon July/Aug. Pink Salmon Season Opener Lower Cook Inlet mid-July/Sept. Sablefish July/Dec. Rockfish/Lingcod Jan./Dec. Cod mid-Aug./Oct. Scallop Jan./Dec. Clam Season Opener Entire Cook Inlet

Price of Fishing Permits in Cook Inlet Salmon seine permit $14, 000 gill net permit $31,000 Herring seine permit $9,800 Other Finfish Longline permit $300,000 Tanner Crab Depending on size of boat, $30,000-$60,000

Salmon

seine permit $14, 000

gill net permit $31,000

Herring

seine permit $9,800

Other Finfish

Longline permit $300,000

Tanner Crab

Depending on size of boat, $30,000-$60,000

Species Catch in Cook Inlet Salmon King (Chinook) Red (Sockeye) Silver (Coho) Pink (Humpy) Dog (Chum) Pollock Herring Razor Clam Halibut Ling Cod Pacific Cod (Gray) Sablefish (Black Cod) Rockfish Black Rougheye Shortraker Thornyhead (Idiots) Yelloweye (Red snapper) Tanner Crab Scallops

Salmon

King (Chinook)

Red (Sockeye)

Silver (Coho)

Pink (Humpy)

Dog (Chum)

Pollock

Herring

Razor Clam

Halibut

Ling Cod

Pacific Cod (Gray)

Sablefish (Black Cod)

Rockfish

Black

Rougheye

Shortraker

Thornyhead (Idiots)

Yelloweye (Red snapper)

Tanner Crab

Scallops

Value of Salmon in Cook Inlet The price of salmon varies drastically throughout the fishing season depending on what stage of development the fish are in and the location where the species were harvested. Average Price of Salmon in Cook Inlet $0.10 Pink $0.25 Chum $0.60 Coho $1.04 Sockeye $1.77 Chinook Average Price Per Pound Salmon Species

The price of salmon varies drastically throughout the fishing season depending on what stage of development the fish are in and the location where the species were harvested.

Value of Rockfish in Cook Inlet $0.75 Yelloweye $1.17 Thornyhead $0.21 Shortraker $0.41 Rougheye $0.42 Black Average Price Per Pound Species of Rockfish

Average Price of Other Species in Cook Inlet $1.53 Tanner Crab N/A Razor Clams $7.00 Scallops $0.13 Pollock $0.11 Herring $3.61 Sablefish $0.47 Pacific Cod $0.73 Ling Cod $3.90 Halibut Average Price Per Pound Species

Fish Hatcheries Due to a significantly low salmon harvests in the 1970’s, a number of fish hatcheries were established in various places around the state to help sustain the commercial industry and support the wild stock at the same time. Biologists are as careful as possible with the interbreeding of the hatchery stock fish and the wild stock. Because of this, there are strict regulations regarding the release of hatchery fish. The majority of salmon raised in hatcheries are pink and chum salmon. There are a number of hatcheries in Cook Inlet that help support the commercial fishing industry.

Due to a significantly low salmon harvests in the 1970’s, a number of fish hatcheries were established in various places around the state to help sustain the commercial industry and support the wild stock at the same time.

Biologists are as careful as possible with the interbreeding of the hatchery stock fish and the wild stock. Because of this, there are strict regulations regarding the release of hatchery fish.

The majority of salmon raised in hatcheries are pink and chum salmon.

There are a number of hatcheries in Cook Inlet that help support the commercial fishing industry.

You can see on the map the locations of the various hatcheries in the Cook Inlet fishery

Commercial fishing is vital to Alaska’s economy. In 2007, $374 million was made from the commercial catch. Cook Inlet is a major contributor to the overall revenue made from commercial fishing. Nearly half the seafood sold in the U.S. comes from Alaskan waters. Halibut is the most valuable fish in Cook Inlet with black cod trailing just behind. King salmon is priced the highest out of the salmon species and scallops are priced very high for shellfish harvested in Cook Inlet. The hatcheries have made it possible to keep the commercial fishing industry in business and to help keep all the loyal buyers of seafood happy. Commercial fishing is such an important part of Alaska’s economy and culture. Lets hope it stays that way for many more years.

Commercial fishing is vital to Alaska’s economy. In 2007, $374 million was made from the commercial catch. Cook Inlet is a major contributor to the overall revenue made from commercial fishing.

Nearly half the seafood sold in the U.S. comes from Alaskan waters.

Halibut is the most valuable fish in Cook Inlet with black cod trailing just behind. King salmon is priced the highest out of the salmon species and scallops are priced very high for shellfish harvested in Cook Inlet.

The hatcheries have made it possible to keep the commercial fishing industry in business and to help keep all the loyal buyers of seafood happy.

Commercial fishing is such an important part of Alaska’s economy and culture. Lets hope it stays that way for many more years.

References Commercial Fisheries. Department of Fish and Game. 25 Mar. 2008. <http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/>. North Pacific Fisheries Management Council and NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Region. Managing Our Nation's Fisheries in the North Pacific: Past, Present, and Future . 2003. Department of Fish and Game. Alaska's Wild Salmon . 1st ed. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 2002. Google Images. <http://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi>.

Commercial Fisheries. Department of Fish and Game. 25 Mar. 2008. <http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/>.

North Pacific Fisheries Management Council and NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Region. Managing Our Nation's Fisheries in the North Pacific: Past, Present, and Future . 2003.

Department of Fish and Game. Alaska's Wild Salmon . 1st ed. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 2002.

Google Images. <http://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi>.