Capt Randy
05-13-2009, 06:44 AM
I was a Captain of a mysis shrimp trawler last year ,,I left for I didn't believe in the killing of the Kokannee Salmon to catch them and also this season they plan to let the shrimp set all night in the air /wind elements to save processing costs and process them onshore by machine the next day . I believed this would ruin their quality for I saw last year within 20 minutes they turn white and we would dump them to put only fresh ones on the market .
Following is a note I wrote to a local website ,so please make sure when you buy your mysis ,they are freshly packed and like tuna being dolphn free ,,,make sure they are salmon safe .
Here is the story on how they are caught ..
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Saving the Kokannee or NOT?
I am just wondering if the wonderful people of the Okanagan realize what is really going on in their beautiful Okanagan Lake?
I have not told this before ,for I was made to sign a secretacy contract when I started this job , but now I figure I'll take my chance and let it come out. I was not fired or relieved of my job and I made 70,000+ last year in 8 months , I just don't believe it's right and walked away .
There's currently a plan going on in the Okanagan lake to remove the mysis shrimp (so the public is told)that was introduced there in the 1960's to feed the landlocked Kokannee ,but the plan backfired and the mysis started competing with the Kokannee for their food . In the Idaho lake, Pend Orielle , they will not allow mysis fishing for they believe they do not harm the salmon and the actual fishery would kill more salmon than the shrimp .
I was the Captain in 2008 of the mysis shrimp trawler that lays at Paddlewheel park ,this vessel to start with is over 40 years old and an enviromental hazard waiting to happen ,for it has not been out of the water in 9 years and carries 100's of gallons of fuel and oils .
In this mysis removal ,we towed a net ,connected to a "catch barge" via a large tube with a supposedly functioning excluder ,it's "bull"! ,but,,,
Every night we caught many small and even large kokanee ,,I have seen as many as over 1500 salmon in one night come up the tube and believe me after being hauled thru different depths ,temps ,over conveyors , fish pumps , and setting in the air out of the water ,,most float dead when thrown back . This is not to mention the larger lake cod that dozens are killed .
I complained to the owner and was told I'd be replaced . Observers come out some nights,I was ordered to stay clear of the salmon ,but to do this you have to stay clear of the shrimp . These shrimp retail for $10.99 for a 3.5 oz pack ,60,000-160,000lb yearly per boat and how many 1000's of dead salmon?. So is this plan for conservation or profit?
Following is a note I wrote to a local website ,so please make sure when you buy your mysis ,they are freshly packed and like tuna being dolphn free ,,,make sure they are salmon safe .
Here is the story on how they are caught ..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saving the Kokannee or NOT?
I am just wondering if the wonderful people of the Okanagan realize what is really going on in their beautiful Okanagan Lake?
I have not told this before ,for I was made to sign a secretacy contract when I started this job , but now I figure I'll take my chance and let it come out. I was not fired or relieved of my job and I made 70,000+ last year in 8 months , I just don't believe it's right and walked away .
There's currently a plan going on in the Okanagan lake to remove the mysis shrimp (so the public is told)that was introduced there in the 1960's to feed the landlocked Kokannee ,but the plan backfired and the mysis started competing with the Kokannee for their food . In the Idaho lake, Pend Orielle , they will not allow mysis fishing for they believe they do not harm the salmon and the actual fishery would kill more salmon than the shrimp .
I was the Captain in 2008 of the mysis shrimp trawler that lays at Paddlewheel park ,this vessel to start with is over 40 years old and an enviromental hazard waiting to happen ,for it has not been out of the water in 9 years and carries 100's of gallons of fuel and oils .
In this mysis removal ,we towed a net ,connected to a "catch barge" via a large tube with a supposedly functioning excluder ,it's "bull"! ,but,,,
Every night we caught many small and even large kokanee ,,I have seen as many as over 1500 salmon in one night come up the tube and believe me after being hauled thru different depths ,temps ,over conveyors , fish pumps , and setting in the air out of the water ,,most float dead when thrown back . This is not to mention the larger lake cod that dozens are killed .
I complained to the owner and was told I'd be replaced . Observers come out some nights,I was ordered to stay clear of the salmon ,but to do this you have to stay clear of the shrimp . These shrimp retail for $10.99 for a 3.5 oz pack ,60,000-160,000lb yearly per boat and how many 1000's of dead salmon?. So is this plan for conservation or profit?