| June 2009 |
 |  |
Future of Charter Operators in Park Questioned
On May 20, 2009, Glacier Bay National Park staff held a public meeting to gather information from stakeholders on the use of
Bartlett Cove facilities by charter fishing boats during the “shoulder season”.
Concerns, they said, center around the increased number of charter boats using the facilities during May and September, the
shoulder season, and its impact on the wildlife, and availability of the facility for other users. The park service said their data
indicates that charter vessel use in Glacier Bay increased from 40 vessel-use days in May and September 2005 to over 225
vessel-use days in 2008. While the NPS strictly limits charter vessel use during June, July and August, they do not during the
rest of the year. The increased use by charter vessels, they say, is causing an increasingly crowded public use dock, parking
area and other facilities. In addition, staff are seeing habituation of sea lions and seals that have learned to feed off the
discarded fish carcasses in Bartlett Cove. They say that carcasses also wash up on the beaches attracting bears, and
increasing the threat to visitors. And, they say, the increased vessel traffic in the park may be impacting the endangered
humpback whales.
The May 20 meeting was held at the Gustavus Chapel and the room was filled with opposing factions. NPS employee,
Wayne Howell facilitated the meeting and set out four areas of discussion: facility conflict, crowding and safety; fish cleaning
and wildlife habituation; vessel increases and impacts to wildlife and other park visitors; and increased fish harvest and the
affect on halibut population.
Discussion was lively, but civil, and centered around finding ideas to solve the problems. Some participants said that charter
fishing isn’t compatible with the mission statement of the park, and asked that the same vessel quotas be enforced during the
shoulder season as during the summer months. It’s the same bay with the same species, they argued. Why would May and
September be any different?
There was discussion about the history of fishing in the park and the expulsion of commercial fishing in order to make a “no-
take” reservoir of fish. At that time, charter fishing was incidental, one participant claimed. Others countered that halibut are
migratory, so would be caught right outside the park boundaries anyway.
Residents talked about local depletion of halibut stock, noting that they have to travel further to fish and return with fewer,
smaller fish than in the past. Commercial fishermen noted that their quotas have been cut by over half in the last three years.
Regulator Jay Ginter, with the National Marine Fisheries Service, agreed that this was due to stock depletion, and said that
regulated areas are large and that the smaller areas are not being closely managed. One charter operator suggested a “slot”
limit, requiring larger than-and smaller than- regulated limits. However, it was pointed out that this discussion is outside the
authority of the park service, as regulation over the halibut fishery is managed by the International Pacific Halibut Commission
(IPHC).
Charter operators called for better data, questioning the validity of the posted charts and graphs and asking for better data on
which to base management decisions. Some noted suggestions were to open the fuel dock for longer hours during shoulder
season so operators wouldn’t have to fuel vessels from the public use dock; to require carcasses be dumped on the fishing
grounds rather than in Bartlett Cove; and to educate private boaters so they follow the same rules.
Written comments are welcomed through June 5. NPS contact is Allison Banks, Public Information Officer, 907-697-2230
On May 20, 2009, Glacier Bay National Park staff held a public meeting to gather information from stakeholders on the use of
Bartlett Cove facilities by charter fishing boats during the “shoulder season”.
Concerns, they said, center around the increased number of charter boats using the facilities during May and September, the
shoulder season, and its impact on the wildlife, and availability of the facility for other users. The park service said their data
indicates that charter vessel use in Glacier Bay increased from 40 vessel-use days in May and September 2005 to over 225
vessel-use days in 2008. While the NPS strictly limits charter vessel use during June, July and August, they do not during the
rest of the year. The increased use by charter vessels, they say, is causing an increasingly crowded public use dock, parking
area and other facilities. In addition, staff are seeing habituation of sea lions and seals that have learned to feed off the
discarded fish carcasses in Bartlett Cove. They say that carcasses also wash up on the beaches attracting bears, and
increasing the threat to visitors. And, they say, the increased vessel traffic in the park may be impacting the endangered
humpback whales.
The May 20 meeting was held at the Gustavus Chapel and the room was filled with opposing factions. NPS employee,
Wayne Howell facilitated the meeting and set out four areas of discussion: facility conflict, crowding and safety; fish cleaning
and wildlife habituation; vessel increases and impacts to wildlife and other park visitors; and increased fish harvest and the
affect on halibut population.
Discussion was lively, but civil, and centered around finding ideas to solve the problems. Some participants said that charter
fishing isn’t compatible with the mission statement of the park, and asked that the same vessel quotas be enforced during the
shoulder season as during the summer months. It’s the same bay with the same species, they argued. Why would May and
September be any different?
There was discussion about the history of fishing in the park and the expulsion of commercial fishing in order to make a “no-
take” reservoir of fish. At that time, charter fishing was incidental, one participant claimed. Others countered that halibut are
migratory, so would be caught right outside the park boundaries anyway.
Residents talked about local depletion of halibut stock, noting that they have to travel further to fish and return with fewer,
smaller fish than in the past. Commercial fishermen noted that their quotas have been cut by over half in the last three years.
Regulator Jay Ginter, with the National Marine Fisheries Service, agreed that this was due to stock depletion, and said that
regulated areas are large and that the smaller areas are not being closely managed. One charter operator suggested a “slot”
limit, requiring larger than-and smaller than- regulated limits. However, it was pointed out that this discussion is outside the
authority of the park service, as regulation over the halibut fishery is managed by the International Pacific Halibut Commission
(IPHC).
Charter operators called for better data, questioning the validity of the posted charts and graphs and asking for better data on
which to base management decisions. Some noted suggestions were to open the fuel dock for longer hours during shoulder
season so operators wouldn’t have to fuel vessels from the public use dock; to require carcasses be dumped on the fishing
grounds rather than in Bartlett Cove; and to educate private boaters so they follow the same rules.
Written comments are welcomed through June 5. NPS contact is Allison Banks, Public Information Officer, 907-697-2230