Herring Surveys
Dear Editor: You may recall that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has claimed record herring biomass in recent years and has set commercial harvest levels accordingly.
Last week – two days after the public comment deadline for the upcoming Board of Fisheries meeting – the department released findings from its 2024 Stock Assessment Surveys. These results revealed a major issue: ADF&G had over-forecast the returning herring biomass by double in 2024. They anticipated 406,228 tons but ultimately found evidence of fewer than 200,000 tons. In hindsight, the Department’s Guideline Harvest Level of 81,246 tons represented approximately 40% of the actual biomass. Fortunately, market conditions prevented the commercial fleet from harvesting that much.
The data underlying this overestimate is concerning. ADF&G’s forecasts primarily rely on egg deposition surveys, where divers count eggs along transects identified from aerial surveys of spawning sites. These counts are used to estimate egg density and spawn width, which are then extrapolated across the total miles of spawning to calculate the biomass.
In 2023, dives were conducted along 60 transects, yielding 1,198 samples, each sample representing 0.1 m² of Sitka Sound. In total, divers encountered 194,012,000 eggs in these samples. From this, the Department extrapolated that 19.9 trillion eggs were present along 83.8 nautical miles of spawning. That estimate was the foundation of the 2024 forecast.
Here’s the problem: four samples—just 0.3% of the samples conducted—accounted for 44.6% of all eggs observed. These 4 samples, combining for 86,560,000 of the eggs encountered in 2023 surveying, came from the same single transect on the south Kruzof shoreline near St. Lazaria Island. The comments on the Department’s data sheet indicate that the eggs in these four samples were found piled loose without vegetation, with thicknesses of 41”, 31”, 23”, and 20” respectively. These extreme outliers heavily skewed the forecast, and surely should have been rejected by the Department long before the Guideline Harvest Level was set.
When poor science combines with reckless fisheries management, catastrophic results can be anticipated. Consider urging Board of Fisheries members towards their various options for more precautionary management of Sitka herring at their meeting in Ketchikan in February. The proposals offered by Sitka Tribe of Alaska (176, 177, 181) would allow the fishery to continue at above-historic-average harvest levels while introducing critical safeguards. A proposal offered by Herring Protectors (190) would establish a framework for consent-based co-management of herring with Tribal Government. The email addresses of Board of Fisheries members are: marit.carlson-vandort@alaska.gov, mike.wood@alaska.gov , g.godfrey@alaska.gov, tom.carpenter@alaska.gov, stan.zuray@alaska.gov, greg.svendsen@alaska.gov, curt.chamberlain@alaska.gov
Peter Bradley, Sitka
Stalking
Dear Editor: During January, SAFV would like to raise awareness about the crime of stalking and provide resources for victims and survivors. Stalking is defined in the State of Alaska as an offense in which an offender knowingly engages in repeated acts of non-consensual contact, placing the victim in fear of bodily injury or death. Stalking can include unwanted contact, following, monitoring, or threats – both online and in person.
It is important to note that stalking is not always perpetrated by strangers. It is also common for intimate partners or former intimate partners to engage in stalking. Stalking can be particularly lethal if it begins after a breakup where domestic violence was present.
If you are being stalked, it is common for friends and family to downplay the stalker’s behavior. Trust your instincts. Here are some steps you can take:
–Keep a record. Document everything that happens, including dates, locations, and details of each incident, in a log.
–Save evidence. Keep texts, emails, social media posts, or other forms of communication. Take screenshots and store them securely.
–Create a safety plan. This might include varying your routes to and from home or work, notifying trusted friends, family, colleagues, or neighbors, adding extra security to your home (e.g., cameras, locks, and alarms), and adjusting your social media privacy settings.
–Contact a victim services provider. SAFV advocates are available 24/7 to provide confidential support, help you develop a safety plan, and assist with obtaining a protective order.
–File for a protective order. In Alaska, victims can request emergency or long-term stalking protective orders. If the perpetrator is a current or former intimate partner, an emergency or long-term domestic violence protective order may be an option, as stalking is considered a crime of domestic violence in these cases. Protective order petitions are available on the Alaska Court System’s website: courts.alaska.gov. SAFV advocates can assist you in navigating the legal system.
–Call law enforcement. If you are in immediate danger and feel safe doing so, report the stalking to law enforcement.
To speak with a SAFV advocate, call 907 747-3370 for immediate assistance or text 907 623-7820.
For more information about stalking, visit the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center at www.stalkingawareness.org.
Sitkans Against Family Violence Staff
