kaiser D. I found out some things today that should clear up the questions. I called Jeff and he explained the program to me.

When this all came about, they had to establish protocols and get people and jurisdiction as well as solve to insurance issues. They initial got some money from the Feds, I think NOAA about five years ago. It took a lot of cash on the start up. The contracted with salvage divers to bring up the nets and they are very expensive. They got in touch with some commercial fishing divers (sea cucumbers etc and found them a lot more reasonable on price. Plus, for the divers, its a second source of income.

The divers wear hard helmets and get air pumped in. The nets changed in the seventies and so they can tell how old the net from the size of the opening. Not all of the nets come up in one piece. The recent article in the cca Tide magazine, said the nets get recycled. That was a misprint. Nets get buried. The commercial and personal crab traps can be returned, but most of them are trash. The nets are usually a mess and the wildlife and fish are all recorded and filmed and reports yadayada. The nets are rolled up in heavy plastic bags and then one of the divers (two boats) has a dump truck to take to the landfill.

The program has gotten some fame and california and other states are now putting programs together on this model. They are however, competing for the same federal money, which is not nearly enough. It costs about 3000 dollars per day for net removal and dumping with all the extra expenses.
Bottom line the project is WAY underfunded. The state passed a law a few years back to hold commercial fisherman harmless if they lost a net. Keep in mind, they already had one case where the gillnetters boat broke down and he ended up on the beach and had to cut the net. He called it in right away and within a few days, these guys went out and picked up the net. They found 300 salmon in the net. Granted it was a working net. At least the Gillnetter did the right thing. Many of them are involved and want the nets out.

The Feds are expecting the state gov to pony up some funding for these projects, which will have to be paid for somehow. Considering the pro fishing nature of the legislature, I expect there is going to be enough egg to go around and create some backlash, in regards to future funding of the program. GN should have to pay in for this. Not doubt we all will.

The straits commission is the dept of ecology side and the straits foundation is the nonprofit, that can accept donations from all of us. It didnt sound like, anyone was pulling nets on a regular basis. The more money the foundation has, the sooner this will get done.

He also mentioned that Mike from DIRTY JOBS has been in touch and the guy is a diver, so they may come out and do a segment for the show. VERY COOL.

If six hundred people donated five bucks each, we could put them to work for one day.

Im in.