Legislature(2013 - 2014)CAPITOL 120
02/21/2013 10:00 AM House FISHERIES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Overview: Sea Otter Science | |
| HB110 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HB 110 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES
February 21, 2013
10:02 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Paul Seaton, Chair
Representative Eric Feige
Representative Lynn Gattis
Representative Kurt Olson
Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Bob Herron
Representative Craig Johnson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
OVERVIEW: SEA OTTER SCIENCE
- HEARD
HOUSE BILL NO. 110
"An Act prohibiting the use of barbed hooks in certain
freshwater areas."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 110
SHORT TITLE: BARBED HOOKS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SEATON
02/11/13 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/11/13 (H) FSH, RES
02/21/13 (H) FSH AT 10:00 AM CAPITOL 120
WITNESS REGISTER
VERENA A. GILL, Wildlife Biologist
Office of Marine Mammals Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the Sea Otter Science
overview.
DR. JIM ESTES PhD, Professor
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of California
Santa Cruz, California
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the Sea Otter Science
overview.
DR. GINNY ECKERT PhD, Associate Professor of Fisheries
School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the Sea Otter Science
overview.
DOUG DUNCAN, Staff
Representative Paul Seaton
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced HB 110, on behalf of
Representative Seaton, sponsor.
ACTION NARRATIVE
10:02:01 AM
CHAIR PAUL SEATON called the House Special Committee on
Fisheries meeting to order at 10:02 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Representatives Seaton, Feige, and Olson;
Representatives Kreiss-Tomkins and Gattis arrived as the meeting
was in progress.
^Overview: Sea Otter Science
Overview: Sea Otter Science
10:02:20 AM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the first order of business would be
an overview on sea otter science.
10:03:47 AM
VERENA A. GILL, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS), referred to the committee handout titled "Sea
otters in southeast Alaska; their current population status &
causes of mortality," and said there are three population stocks
of northern sea otters in Alaska, which are: southwest stock,
listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act
(ESA), 1973; southcentral stock; and the southeast stock.
Although only the southwest stock is listed under the ESA, all
three stocks are protected under the U.S. Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA), 1972. The presentation focuses on the
southeast colony trends, which range from Yakutat south to the
Canadian border. The southeast stocks were entirely extirpated
in 1911, by the fur trade, and in the late 1960s the Alaska
Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) translocated 400 sea otter
from the southwest and southcentral stocks, to re-establish
southeast colonies. She reported that in 2010 and 2012 a
comprehensive, abundance aerial survey was conducted of the
southern stock. An estimate of the stock was established
through a systematic approach: transects were flown, actual
animals were counted, and adjustments were made for animals not
sighted. A comprehensive survey, conducted in 2003, indicated
about 10,000 otters, and the 2012 survey estimated about 25,000.
The annual increase in population, based on these numbers, is
estimated at about 12-14 percent. In Glacier Bay National Park
the growth has been about 20 percent, and removing that figure
from the equation adjusts the population growth to about 4
percent in northern southeast areas; indicating a wide range of
variance by area. The population growth rate is in synch with
what would be expected of stocks expanding into new range areas.
She directed attention to the handout page titled "Latest SE
stock assessment (2013)," to point out area counts of the
southeast sea otter populations. Otter territory expansion in
Southeast, save Glacier Bay, has primarily been in southern
areas particularly Prince of Wales Island (PWI) and Kuiu Island
where the translocation areas were centered in 1968. The
potential biological removal (PBR) of sea otters from the
southeast Alaska stock is estimated at 2,180. She explained
that the PBR is the maximum number of animals, not including
natural mortalities, which may be removed from a marine mammal
stock while allowing that stock to reach or maintain its optimal
sustainable population based on a specific equation. However,
because Glacier Bay is not available for hunting of otter,
adjustments in the total equation need to be allowed. The total
25,000 population is not available for hunting as 8,500 otters
are located within the protected boundaries of the park.
Mortality among the otters include: fishery bycatch, natural
disease, Native harvest, and predation. The most significant
numbers of Native taken otters has occurred in Sitka, and the
total for all of southeast is 842. She emphasized the
importance for a balanced area harvest versus reducing the stock
in one area by the PBR number, which could result in a local
depletion. A health and disease program is operated by USFWS,
which receives and processes about 80 otter carcasses annually
from across the state. The average number received from
southeast is only about seven. Necropsy and live captured
animals are screened for a variety of conditions, which include:
zoonosis, virus, fungal presence, and bio toxins. Specific
studies include paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), and a live
screening in Kake indicated that 30 of the 31 animals sampled
had significant levels of PSP present. What the otters eat is
also part of the human diet, which means they are a good "canary
in the mine" indicator. She reported that only 50 otter
carcasses have been recovered in southeast Alaska since 2006,
with the majority being turned in by park rangers patrolling
Glacier Bay. The number one cause of death is trauma commonly
caused by being struck by boats and gunshot wounds from not
reported hunting incidents. However, she said the southeast
otter population is disease free and healthy outside of the PSP
reports. An iPhone application is available to provide anyone
locating a dead marine mammal immediate reporting access to the
appropriate USFWS authority, as the carcass surveys are valuable
indicators of healthy eco systems.
10:15:09 AM
DR. JIM ESTES PhD, Professor, Department of Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology, University of California, said the
question being addressed today is: what are the effects of sea
otters on kelp forest ecosystems. Otters have recovered from
the depleted state, caused by the fur trade industry. The
depletion and rebound has provided an opportunity to understand
the impacts of otters on coastal kelp systems: otters eat sea
urchins, urchins eat kelp, coastal fish live in kelp beds, and
carbon dioxide (CO2), an important element of a healthy eco
system, is affected. He reported that the study has been
conducted in three areas: the Aleutian archipelago, Southeast
Alaska, and Vancouver Island. The approach is to study the
areas where otter are present, where otter are not present, and
monitor the areas through fluctuations of the otter colonies.
The otter study has been ongoing for 40 years. Otter have a
direct effect on their prey populations and can deplete sea
urchin beds, which in turn affects the trophic cascade allowing
an abundance of kelp growth. Where the kelp is abundant,
mussels flourish at a rate double that of the areas where otter
are absent and kelp forests are minimal due to urchin grazing.
Fish abundance has an eight fold increase around otter colonies
due to the kelp forest growth. Finally, science has been
applied to understand the role kelp plays as a factor in
sequestering CO2 in the eco system and to determine the carbon
dynamics. The answer can be found by comparing coastal
scenarios with and without sea otters at ecologically effective
densities, and estimating the kelp biomass. Findings show that
if otters were prevalent throughout Alaska and British Columbia,
resulting in an overall increased growth of kelp, CO2 would be
reduced significantly and the value in the world market as based
on the European value for carbon credits would be approximately
$300-$600 million. He said further analysis for long term
annual effects of kelp sequestering CO2 indicates a value
anywhere from $9 million to $1.5 billion. In conclusion he said
that otters have major effects on eco systems including: a
strong direct negative effect on kelp forest invertebrates
(shellfish); direct negative effect on invertebrates which
results in a strong indirect positive effect on kelp abundance
and distribution; flourishing kelp forests have a myriad of
effects on other species and ecological processes; and sea otter
management should weigh the cost and benefits of all these
effects.
10:23:36 AM
DR. GINNY ECKERT PhD, Associate Professor of Fisheries, School
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks,
said the study of sea otter population recovery and conflicts
with shellfish users in Southeast Alaska, is focused on the
southern area; primarily Prince of Wales Island (PWI) as it is
central to the two sites where the otter were translocated in
1968. The two populations have grown together as their numbers
increased. The original 106 otters released were at a count of
2,167 in 1988, and increased by 6.6 percent annually for a 2003
count of 5,845, and in 2010 a count of 13,000 was reported
representing an annual increase of 12 percent and merging the
two populations. To determine the impacts of the sea otter,
data is gathered on a space and time measure: otter occupy an
identified space for a specific time to equal what effect.
Although sea otter affect four commercial shellfish harvests,
the red sea urchin and geoduck clam are not considered in this
report. The study seeks to quantify otter effects on fisheries
for Dungeness crab, and California sea cucumber. Considering
the commercial Dungeness crab fishery has been difficult due to
lack of data as the state does not conduct crab population
surveys. Thus, the information for the study is based on the
collapse of the viability of the fishery. She directed
attention to the committee handout page titled "Dungeness crab
impacts," to explain the color coded fluctuations of the fishery
in conjunction with the presence of otter. She reported that
otter have an evident influence on the crab fishery, but lacking
data it is not possible to quantify the effect. The sea
cucumber impacts can be quantified as the harvest is monitored
by ADF&G and provides specific data for analysis to compare with
the arrival of the sea otter. Where otter colonies have existed
since 1994 to present, the sea cucumber populations have been
depleted. The decline rate has been tracked at a rate of 26
percent, within two years of otter arrival. However, data also
indicate that sea cucumber populations decline without the
presence of otter, due to the impact of the fishery. The
fishery could be sustainably managed without the presence of a
major predator such as the sea otter. The study of otter
activity is ongoing, and she provided information regarding the
foraging data being collected. The otter conveniently bring
everything to the surface for ingestion, allowing visual surveys
to be conducted using shore based, manned telescopes. For the
past three summers, the surveyors have made over 6,000
observations, gathering data on the otter diet, which includes a
variety of sea life. Although initial colonization results in
certain species being consumed at a higher rate, it has been
concluded that, even in areas where the otter have resided for a
lengthy period, no species is eradicated but its consumption
rate is reduced. She pointed out that the sea cucumber has
experienced 100 percent declines, due to otter predation, but
cucumber is never more than five percent of the overall diet.
Otter have not been observed eating abalone, but recently red
king crab have made an appearance. Non-commercially important
species have also been noted but not analyzed, which include
clams, an important subsistence food. She finished, stating
that more information is needed to establish management
conclusions, such as: the role otter play in kelp forest
ecosystems and the positive fishery impacts for herring,
rockfish and salmon; positive effects on tourism; do areas exist
that are not suitable otter habitat and where might the colonies
expand into; survey of standing stock biomass of Dungeness crab
in the study region; and the response of fisheries to otter
presence.
10:34:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE asked about the sea otter as an endangered
species.
MS. GILL ascertained that in Southeast Alaska, sea otter are not
listed as endangered, but are governed under the U.S. Marine
Mammal Protection Act.
10:35:36 AM
CHAIR SEATON referred to the handout page titled, "Locations of
reported subsistence harvest of sea otters from SE AK, last 5
yrs.," and asked whether the harvest numbers relate to otter
population density/availability or the presence/locale of human
populations.
MS. GILL responded that the number reflects where human
populations and cultural uses exist.
CHAIR SEATON said it would be helpful, when considering local
depletions, to compare the harvest area data as relatable to
human population density. He then asked for what purpose the
subsistence harvest is used.
MS. GILL answered that otter are predominately taken for use of
their pelts in production of cultural artifacts, and the meat is
sometimes eaten but more often used for dog food. She pointed
out that the pelts can be traded by Native to Native but if it
is to be sold or traded to a non-Native, it must be
significantly altered into a cultural artifact.
CHAIR SEATON referred to the handout page titled "Kelp forest
fish abundance," and asked how the catch effort data was
collected.
DR. ESTES said the fishing effort was conducted for survey
purposes using specific nets for the assessment, and pointed out
that the data was collected from the Aleutian Islands and the
kelp forest fish that inhabit that area.
HB 110-BARBED HOOKS
10:40:23 AM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 110, "An Act prohibiting the use of barbed hooks
in certain freshwater areas."
10:40:56 AM
DOUG DUNCAN, Staff, Representative Paul Seaton, Alaska State
Legislature, introduced HB 110, paraphrasing from the sponsor
statement, which read [original punctuation provided]:
Recently, many runs of Chinook salmon have experienced
poor returns. Fishery Disaster Declarations have been
made for the Yukon, Kuskokwim, and Cook Inlet regions.
People who depend on these king salmon for their
economic, recreational, and cultural livelihood are
experiencing great hardship due to this low abundance.
Sustainability is critically important and measures
should be adopted that help protect Chinook salmon and
similar vulnerable species while still maintaining
fishing opportunities. One of the best ways to do
this is to utilize fishing gear that reduces the
mortality to species of concern while still allowing
the utilization of healthy stocks.
The use of barbless hooks is proven to reduce the
mortality of released fish. Studies by the Pacific
Salmon Commission Technical Committee concluded that
barbless hook usage reduced mortality by 3.5% in
mature fish. A barbless hook is faster to remove and
results in less trauma to the fish. This reduces
handling and increases the chance a fish will survive
to reproduce.
Some fly fishermen currently file the barbs off their
hooks to allow a less damaging release of fish.
Additionally, Washington and Oregon prohibit the use
of barbed hooks while Chinook fishing because wild
stock fish must be released while hatchery fish can be
retained.
HB 110 would prohibit the use of barbed hooks for
freshwater stocks of fish where retention is
prohibited, that is in a catch and release fishery.
MR. DUNCAN emphasized that stocks can be protected through less
mortality due to the barbless hook with less handling and hook
damage.
CHAIR SEATON pointed out the different approach that HB 110
takes versus the laws adopted by Washington State and Oregon,
where wild stocks are required to be released and hatchery fish
may be retained, and the mortality rate was studied to ensure
that the program was having the intended effect. The Alaskan
studies indicate that catch and release mortality for Chinook is
about eight percent; reducing this number to three or four
percent would be significant. The intent of HB 110 is to reduce
catch and release mortality in Alaska's existing catch and
release fisheries, without creating new regulatory areas.
10:45:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS questioned whether there would be an
impact on safety enforcement officers, and how it relates to the
fiscal note.
CHAIR SEATON announced that HB 110 would be held for further
consideration at the committee meeting scheduled for 2/26/12.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Fisheries meeting was adjourned at 10:45
a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SeaOtterHouseFisheriesCommittee.pdf |
HFSH 2/21/2013 10:00:00 AM |
Sea Otter Science Presentation |
| HB0110A.pdf |
HFSH 2/21/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 2/26/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/12/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/21/2013 10:00:00 AM |
HB 110 |
| HB 110 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HFSH 2/21/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 2/26/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/12/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/21/2013 10:00:00 AM |
HB 110 |
| Barbed and Barbless Hooks and their effect on Juvenile and Adult Salmonoid Mortality.pdf |
HFSH 2/21/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 2/26/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/12/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/21/2013 10:00:00 AM |
HB 110 |
| Washington State News Release Barbless Hooks on Colombia River.pdf |
HFSH 2/21/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 2/26/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/12/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/21/2013 10:00:00 AM |
HB 110 |
| ADF&G Notice - Recommended use of Barbless Hooks Susitna River.pdf |
HFSH 2/21/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 2/26/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/12/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/21/2013 10:00:00 AM |
HB 110 |
| ADF&G Notice - Recommended use of Barbless Hooks Chitna, Copper, Gakona, Gulkana.pdf |
HFSH 2/21/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 2/26/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/12/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/21/2013 10:00:00 AM |
HB 110 |
| Mortality of coho salmon caught and released using sport tackle in the Little Susitna River, Alaska.pdf |
HFSH 2/21/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 2/26/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/12/2013 10:00:00 AM HFSH 3/21/2013 10:00:00 AM |
HB 110 |