Tag Archives: North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC)

Public Comment of Stephen Taufen, founder of Groundswell Fisheries Movement – Re: C-5 Bering Sea Halibut PSC

January 28, 2015   North Pacific

alaska-halibut__frontMadame Secretary, Chairman Dan Hull & NPFMC members: Groundswell is a public fisheries advocacy movement that has testified before the NPFMC for the past two decades, and I am Stephen Taufen, founder.  Formerly employed in the Alaskan seafood processing sector, and managed operations for pollock weight grading and related background.  This public comment concerns the previously incontrollable excessive bycatch to which the Council now attends.  Groundswell favors:, Read the rest here 13:34

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Groundswell sweeps in for Hired Captains and Crew: to Secretary Pritzker, Chairman Olson, and Council Members

April 4, 2014   North Pacific

 Re BYCATCH 14-004 — C-2: GOA Trawl Bycatch Discussion Paper, EDRs I’m Stephen Taufen, founder of the Groundswell Fisheries Movement, public advocates since the early 1990’s for what is best for the economy and social goals of the United States. We believe that any Alternative to the Groundfish fishery management plan (FMP), even as particular as for Trawl fleets fishing pollock and cod, must enforce and contain the following elements:  Read more here  06:35

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New Definition for Halibut Guides Could Impact Sports Fisheries

February 7, 2014   North Pacific

A federal agency that oversees halibut and other fish species has revised its definition of sport fishing guides, a decision that is splitting charter fishermen and could have larger impacts on sport fishing in the state. NOAA Fisheries NMFS has said the new definition aims to close a “guide-assisted” loophole that allows unguided anglers to receive help from guides working from shore or on a different boat, while still allowing them to enjoy the “generally more liberal” regulations for unguided fishermen. Read more@ktuu  10:49

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In halibut turf wars, no one’s looking out for the little guy

December 26, 2013   North Pacific

The time is well past for contemplating why the U.S. government would stick it to Alaska halibut fishermen least able to defend themselves, but that doesn’t make the question moot. Too long it has been ignored, and in that regard I am forced to contemplate the long-ago comments of an acquaintance highly placed in the hierarchy of the bureaucracy dictating the management of fisheries in the north Pacific Ocean.  For reasons about to become obvious, this person will remain nameless. Suffice to say, however, that it was a member of a federal bureaucracy that is supposed to protect the interests of all Americans Read more@alaskadispatch  14:08

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Alaska – Better alternatives to fisheries observer program story – dwarfed by the public comment!

December 23, 2012   North Pacific

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) recently approved a restructured observer program that extends observer coverage to Alaska’s small boat fleet. With the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) taking over observer deployment, the industry-funded restructured program increases the cost of an observer day from the current $400 to approximately $1,000.

The Great King Salmon Mystery – You may be wondering why you failed to that king salmon this year? Some are calling it a king salmon crisis but few if any will attempt to answer the mysterious question as to where all of our king salmon have gone to. It’s not a salmon crisis when your neighbor fails to catch a king, it’s a crisis when you fail to catch one. If you ask the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, they will claim that our freshwater rivers and streams are producing plenty of baby king salmon. The mystery…. Read More

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