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It’s
pretty quiet here at Blaine Harbor these days. Crab fishing
ended last week, as crab tested too soft for fishing in
local waters. Crab fishing off the coast is still open,
but the amount of crab caught has been too low to keep the
boats fishing profitably, so most have also ended their
season offshore.
Local
draggers have been ducking weather, both in the Sound and
off the coastline of Washington. The frequent storms, and
high waves, have made for long waits in Neah Bay for those
who fish offshore. There have been some good catches of
bottom fish, but often fishing is one our two days a week,
with long waits in between.
Two
more local seiners have been sold - the Merna Jane will
be dragging out of Neah Bay, and the Sea Lad will be fishing
Puget Sound for a variety of catches. The Sea Lad is still
berthed in Blaine Harbor, as the new owner is from Whatcom
County, a member of the Nooksack Indian tribe.
The
state has tentatively announced a buy-back of non-Indian
salmon licenses, probably scheduled for late spring. The
licenses that are bought out will be retired, leaving a
hoped for 75 purse seine licenses for Puget Sound, and several
hundred gillnet licenses.
This
leaves local fishers the problem of deciding if they want
to get out of the business permanently, or can lease or
buy another license if they sell theirs. The boats will
not be bought out, just licenses, so something has to be
done with boats that no longer have a license.
The
quota for salmon will not increase for those who keep their
licenses. Instead, the bought out portion of the Fraser
River sockeye salmon quota will be given to the treaty Indian
fishers, with a reduction in the total amount of U.S. catch
from the Fraser River fish.This is an important decision
that each license holder must make, as it affects his future,
and the futures of all non-treaty fishers.
New
signs at the Marine Park are informational for visitors,
pointing out various landmarks, as well as information on
birds that they may see from the park. One question that
has come up recently is where is the public allowed to go
onto the beach at the park.
There
are bird sanctuary signs asking visitors to stay off the
beach area at the east end of the park, as migrating birds
use the beach and tideflats for resting up on their way
to and from Alaska and other points north and south. We
appreciate the fact that many do respect the bird sanctuary,
a very important one in Whatcom County. If you count the
shelter buildings, from the railroad tracks going west,
the beach is open to the public from the west side of the
third shelter to the west end of the park. I hope this will
let those who do want to use the beaches know that there
is a place for people as well as birds at our park.
The Blessing of the Fleet will be held Sunday, May 6 at
1 p.m. on the Sawtooth dock. This meaningful tribute to
local fishers, as well as memorial for those who lost their
lives at sea, is open to all who wish to visit this ceremony.
It is sponsored by the Blaine Chamber of Commerce Seafarer’s
Memorial Committee, with help from the Port of Bellingham,
the Blaine Ministerial Association, local fishers and families,
and other interested parties. I hope you can come this year.
The crab boat Sigga Lynn will represent the fleet this year,
and take the memorial wreath out to sea from the ceremony.
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