First time I have seen this. I think this was about the last unexploited species left. Maybe they have done it the past, but I have never heard of it. Perfectly legal, but taking another forage source probably isn't smart.


Reference number: 3674696H-24


PUGET SOUND SQUID REGULATION NO:2017-214-105 TULALIP TRIBES FISHING REGULATION DATE: January 31, 2018 Puget Sound Squid Regulation. This regulation covers ceremonial, subsistence and commercial Squid fishing SPECIES: Market Squid (Doryteuthis opalescens)

EFFECTIVE DATE: Effective January 31, 2018. Remains in effect until modified or superseded.

FISHING AREAS: Those areas of the Tulalip Tribes usual and accustomed fishing areas as defined by MFSF Catch Areas 20A (west of a line from Sandy Point to Point Migley on Lummi Island), 20B, 21A (west of a line from the southernmost tip of Lummi Island to Vendovi Island), 22A (west of a line from drawn from Smith Island to Lawson Reef to Sares Head), 22B (west of a line from Vendovi Island to the northernmost tip of Guemes Island, thence along the eastern shore of Guemes Island to Clark Point, thence to March Point), 23A (northeast of a line from Trial Island light to Protection Island), 23B (west of a line from Point Partridge to Smith Island to Lawson Reef), 24B, 24C (south of a line from Camano City due west to Whidbey Island), 24D, 25A (north and east of a line from Trial Island light to Protection Island thence to McCurdy Point, 25B (east of a line from Point Wilson to Marrowstone Point, thence along the eastern shore of Marrowstone Island to Liplip Point thence to Foulweather Bluff, 26A, 26B (excluding Port Madison west of a line from Pt. Jefferson to Pt. Monroe and excluding that portion of Area 26B east of a line from Meadow Pt. to West Pt. thence to Alki Pt.).

SEASON: OPEN 8:00 AM Friday, February 2, 2018. CLOSE 11:30 PM Monday, December 31, 2018.

EXPECTED EFFORT: Commercial Fishing Vessels at 2 boats.

LEGAL GEAR: Dip bag, brail, squid jigging gear, or herring rake. Dip bag net and brail gear may not have a mesh less than 1-inch stretch measure.

GEAR MARKING: Gear marking requirements are specified in the Tulalip General Fishing Regulations.

HARVEST LOGS: Commercial harvesters will maintain squid harvest logs. Harvest logs will be submitted to the Tulalip Tribes Shellfish Program by the 10th day of the following month. Harvest logs will include, for each day fished, the MFSF catch area, location fished (nearest landmark or bay) pounds landed, gear type, total wattage of attracting lights, average depth of harvest, incidental catch, and duration fished.

HARVEST AMOUNT: The Tulalip Tribes recognize that the treaty fishery is entitled to 50% of the total allowable harvest of squid and currently harvest levels have not been established for the commercial and or non-commercial Puget Sound squid fishery. An initial 50,000 lb commercial landing limit is set for this fishery at this time without agreement on Puget Sound TAC or sub-regional limits. Daily subsistence harvest limit will be 20 pounds per fisher.

CATCH REPORTING: Commercial catch must be reported on Treaty Indian Fish Receiving Tickets. Subsistence catch must be reported to Tulalip Fisheries on the returned permit providing information as
to the number of pounds of squid harvested and the Catch Area within 24 hours of harvesting the crab. All Dock sales and Take home catch that is harvested during a commercial opening must be recorded on Fish Receiving Tickets or must be reported to the Tulalip Fisheries office (360-716-4596) within 24 hours. Monthly harvest amounts will be available on the NWIFC TOCAS database by the 15th day of the following month.

REQUIRED IDENTIFICATION AND PERMITS: All persons engaged in squid fishing must have in their possession the official identification card for Tulalip Tribes fishing as defined in the Tulalip General Fishing Regulations. A squid gear license is required for commercial squid fishing.

GEAR LIMITS AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS: 1. Dip bag net and brail gear mesh may not be less than 1 inch stretch measure. 2. Each vessel fishing for squid may use a lighting system with a combined power of not more than 30 kilowatts (30,000 watts). Lights of 200 watts or greater must be shielded and may not be directed to any point more than 100 feet from the vessel while fishing for or attracting squid. 3. Squid eggs caught while fishing for squid will be returned to the water immediately. 4. All commercial catch must be reported on Fish Receiving Tickets. 5. The sale of subsistence catch is strictly prohibited under this regulation. 6. All Dock sales and Take home catch that is harvested during a commercial opening must be reported to the Tulalip Fisheries office (360-716-4596) within 24 hours. All catch must be recorded on Fish Receiving Tickets.

JUSTIFICATION: 2017-2022 Puget Sound Squid Harvest Management Agreement (7/18/2017)

EMERGENCY REGULATIONS: Any provision of the above may be modified at any time by emergency regulation.

THE TULALIP TRIBES

Jason Gobin Fisheries Director

Squid populations here are booming.

Can't think of a better way to reverse that trend than the establishment of a commercial fishery.

I would be really interested in seeing the ESA Incidental Take Permit for this fishery, since there is an absolute certainty that they will be encountering ESA Puget Sound Chinook, and likely steelhead, too.

Fish on...

Todd

P.S. of course there is probably no such permit. If someone wanted to stop this fishery I suspect suing NOAA-F for failing to enforce the ESA would be a pretty easy route, at least until a permit is granted.

I am surprised it is happening only now, it is a fishery that has only been utilized by sports fishermen and poachers. While 50,000 pounds sounds high I suspect that it is not out of line with the squid numbers in Puget Sound. It looks like the fishery is setup to be a bit of a research program to determine population levels in the sound. Several UW graduate students have done squid research but most of their data has come from sport fishermen interviews. From limited experience this past year, a couple of hours squidding a week at sunset, I think it is not unreasonable to think the sports catch was a minimum of 5000 pounds a month from September through December. Squidding was good this year.

If the non-Indians aren't going after them and the harvest numbers are sustainable then seems there is no problem. Lots of folks here have expressed the idea that the Indian commercial salmon fishery is sufficiently powerful to take the harvest that recs can't get so we don't need a non-Indian commercial operation. Would make the economics better, too.

Interesting timing to roll this out now for next fall. My observation of squid is the average size has gotten smaller and the run timing gets earlier every year. 30 years ago we rarely caught squid before Christmas. Now it seems the bulk of the run is passed by then.
Commercial squidding has been attempted here before but it was not profitable. In California the squid come straight in from the Ocean in a massive school making them easy to scoop up.
I don’t think this will be successful, and of course there will be bycatch!

Todd, never fear........the BIA would simply issue a permit and make it above board (but not legal).

My youngest son lived in the Monterey/Pacific Grove area...I was there a few times when the "squid fleet" was working, very close to shore and at night......looked like a floating city!!!!!!