Cooperative Research

Fishermen and scientists are coming together to find workable solutions to some of the fishing industry's most vexing problems.

A key component of MCAF's mission is to bring industry and scientists together to find workable solutions to vexing problems such as bycatch. Last year, MCAF worked to solve the mostly-technical problem of sampling and weighing bycatch on bottomfish boats. This year, MCAF is testing new methods to reduce halibut bycatch by Gulf of Alaska cod fishermen. John Gauvin heads up MCAF's cooperative research effort. The former director of the Groundfish Forum, Gauvin is a resource economist who specializes in the development of viable solutions for environmental problems facing commercial fisheries in Alaska.

The MCAF Board is advised by a panel comprised of Dr Clarence Pautzke (Executive Director, North Pacific Research Board), Dr Douglas Demaster (Science and Research Director, Alaska Fisheries Science Center), Julie Bonney (Groundfish Databank), Kevin Duffy (Executive Director, At-sea Processors Association), and David Benton (MCAF Executive Director).

Cooperative Research Projects Halibut Excluder Video: Catching the Right Fish (7/26/10) NEW Collecting Temperature Data to Reduce Salmon Bycatch (3/31/10) NEW Development of a Halibut Excluder for the Gulf of Alaska Shoreside Cod Trawl Fishery (May 2008) (Kodiak trawl community funded) Opportunistic temperature-at-depth recorders on Bering Sea pollock trawls to evaluate linkages between location-specific temperatures and pollock, salmon, and other species catch rates (Jan 2009) Temperature data collections on Bering Sea groundfish vessels (8/27/07) Quantification of unobserved injury and mortality of Bering Sea crabs due to encounters with trawls on the seafloor (8/27/07) Summary of progress on a salmon excluder for the Bering Sea pollock fishery (10/17/06) An excluder device to reduce halibut bycatch by cod trawlers (10/17/06) Industry/NMFS Partnership Boosts Fishery Accountability (12/29/05)	Publications Testing the Use of Electronic Monitoring to Quantify At-sea Halibut Discards in the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Fishery (Alaska Groundfish Data Bank, May 2008) Trials on F/V Sea Mac To Evaluate the Use of Electronic Monitoring for the Kodiak, AK Rockfish Pilot Program (Archipelago Marine Research Ltd, January 2008) (NOAA Funded) Alaska Groundfish Data Bank study to evaluate an electric monitoring program for estimating halibut discards: Statistical analysis of study data (Vivian Haist, March 2008) (NOAA Funded)
Cooperative Research in the News Researchers studying crab bycatch mortality (1/6/10) NEW For Kodiak halibut, being excluded is a goodthing (5/19/07) Tests of Halibut Excluders for Cod Trawls Press Release: MCAF Display at AAAS Highlights Technology,Research to Improve Fishery Sustainability (2/15/07, .pdf)
	Links of Interest Alaska Fisheries Science Center Alaska Sealife Center NOAA National Bycatch Strategy NOAA National Cooperative Research Program North Pacific Fishery Management Council North Pacific Research Board University of Alaska School of Fisheries and Ocean Science

The MCAF Board is advised by a panel comprised of:

Dr Clarence Pautzke
Executive Director, North Pacific Research Board

Dr Douglas Demaster
Science and Research Director, Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Julie Bonney
Groundfish Databank

Brent Paine
Executive Director, United Catcher Boats

David Benton
MCAF Executive Director