SUCCESSFUL GEAR RECOVERY SUCCESSFUL GEAR RECOVERY SUCCESSFUL GEAR - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

SUCCESSFUL GEAR RECOVERY

Lessons from Puget Sound

Jeff June, Project Manager Joe Schmitt & Gary Wood JD

Northwest Straits Commission

Washington State, U.S.

SUCCESSFUL GEAR RECOVERY SUCCESSFUL GEAR RECOVERY

Lessons from Puget Sound Lessons from Puget Sound

Jeff June, Project Manager Jeff June, Project Manager Joe Schmitt & Gary Wood JD Joe Schmitt & Gary Wood JD

Northwest Straits Commission Northwest Straits Commission

Washington State, U.S. Washington State, U.S.

APEC MARINE DEBRIS SEMINAR

The Northwest Straits The Northwest Straits Derelict Fishing Gear Derelict Fishing Gear Recovery Project Recovery Project

January, 2004 Report to APEC

The Puget Sound Derelict Fishing Gear Removal Project

⃡⃡

• 1. 2001 NW Straits
• 1. 2001 NW Straits

Commission awarded Commission awarded project grant project grant

• 2. Fourteen partners &
• 2. Fourteen partners &

project mgr. recruited project mgr. recruited

• 3. Protocol designed
• 3. Protocol designed
• 4. New state law
• 4. New state law
• 5. Pilot recovery work
• 5. Pilot recovery work
• 6. New funding for 2004
• 6. New funding for 2004

A volunteer Commission created and leads the Derelict Gear project

Project area - shaded

The target area is part of an inland sea comprised of major shipping, oil tanker, US Navy and ferry lanes, with

• ver one million residents. It is also a

major salmon habitat, now listed as Endangered Species.

SEATTLE SEATTLE SEATTLE

First recorded man-made marine debris in Puget Sound - 1880

Whereupon, in 2002, the first effort to clear such detritus was undertaken. Whereupon, in 2002, the first effort to clear such detritus was undertaken.

PROJECT CORE: ‘No Fault,’ goal is recovery PERMIT ISSUES ~ Resolve this issue first PROBLEM: Two types of gear involved & two techniques necessary for recovery

• 1. Nets - Phase One developed safety and recovery

protocols for Diver-performed removal of designated nets. Surface gases and redundant safety procedures employed, with support vessels – e.g., purse seines.

• 2. Crab & Shrimp Traps - Different threats to more

species; location techniques vary, some success with side-scan sonar. Separate recovery protocols, mechanical tools. Special political (Tribal) & technical issues to consider.

WHERE ARE THE NETS? The Gear Database process generated a chart of known Northern Puget Sound with all derelict gear sites ID and geospatially located -by GPS- ranked for removal or other remediation. As new sites become known, the maps can include the new datasets. WHERE ARE THE NETS? The Gear Database process generated a chart of known Northern Puget Sound with all derelict gear sites ID and geospatially located -by GPS- ranked for removal or other remediation. As new sites become known, the maps can include the new datasets.

Mapped net sites are not made public

Map of Gear Reported September 2002

www.nwstraits.org/derelict_gear

Finally, work underwater…

Divers free large seine, June, 2002 NET RECOVERIES

The team performed perfectly

The media attended

• pening day

Future issues include thorough biological assessments of sites and recovered species.

PAGE ONE - Friday, June 21, 2002

'Ghost nets' haunt waters: Divers gingerly remove abandoned fishing gear that endangers marine life

By Eran Karman Seattle Times staff reporter

REID HARBOR, San Juan County — As killer whales breached nearby and curious seals checked out the

Next: Recovery of Traps and Pots Next: Recovery of Traps and Pots Next: Recovery of Traps and Pots

Task: Locate abandoned traps and pots

Sidescan sonar image of pots Sidescan sonar image of pots Sidescan sonar image of pots

In September, 2003, this project was awarded the

2003 Coastal America Partnership Award by

President Bush; presented in Seattle at September’s Estuarine Research Foundation (ERF) Conference In September, 2003, this project was awarded the

2003 Coastal America Partnership Award by

President Bush; presented in Seattle at September’s Estuarine Research Foundation (ERF) Conference

New grants from the State’s Salmon Recovery Board and NOAA/NMFS will expand this work in 2004 New grants from the State’s Salmon Recovery Board and NOAA/NMFS will expand this work in 2004

Participating Agencies & Organizations

Phase One Participants:

Northwest Straits Commission

~Seven County Marine Resources Committees Clallam Island Jefferson S an Juan S kagit S nohomish Whatcom Project Managed by: Natural

Resources Consultants, Inc.

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration/National Marine Fisheries Service – primary sponsors Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Washington Department of Natural Resources Washington Department of Ecology Washington Sea Grant Program Puget Sound Action Team Tulalip Tribes U.S. Navy

• U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
• U. S. Coast Guard

Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Commercial fishing and diving Private foundations

I n Memoriam I n Memoriam --

• - Doug Williams

Doug Williams

We have bent these waters to do our work,

• nly to find out they already had jobs.
• - Gary Wood