Fishing Auto ID System

Fishermen are always on the alert for ways to do their job better, faster and safer.

When some enterprising fisherman finds a new piece of equipment or technique that accomplishes all of the above, word spreads through the fleet.

One item that has made a difference is a piece of electronics gear that the FCC recently told fishermen they could not use is U.S. waters. And now Alaska’s Congressional Delegation is stepping up to support fishermen who use the device to help them keep track of their gear.

By KMXT’s Maggie Wall.

This small electronic beacon quickly became an important fishing tool.

Fishermen attach the Automatic Identification System, or AIS, to their gear and it sends out a signal which can be picked up with a vessel’s computerized navigation system, a laptop computer, or if you get an app, even a cell phone.

The Federal Communications Commission issued a warning to fishermen to cease using the gear. But the little electronic devices are too valuable to fishermen to abandon, so the North Pacific Fishery Management Council sought the help of Alaska’s Congressional Delegation in getting a more permanent, positive ruling from the FCC. The delegation fired off a joint letter in mid-January to the Chairman of the FCC requesting the commission immediately reconsider its enforcement advisory halting the use of the beacons.

Buck Laukitis is a fisherman and a board member on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. He said the electronic beacons are especially useful for marking fixed gear such as for sablefish longline, halibut, and cod pots. The council manages those fisheries so in an effort to make the fisheries safer and improve the fishing process, the council asked that beacons become legal for fishermen to use.

One advantage of using the AIS beacons is that they help skippers find their fixed gear. That saves time, which means vessels are able to fish more sets because they aren’t looking for gear.

Another advantage is that it lets other skippers and vessels see where the gear is as well. That means they are less likely to run the gear over or get tangled up in it.

Plus, the AIS are easy to purchase online through places like Amazon.com.

Laukitus fears the FCC’s decision to halt the use of the beacons could cause any number of problems for fixed gear fishermen during the 2019 fishing year.

“We’re probably going to have a lot more conflicts on the fishing grounds this summer.”

He cited some specific gear conflicts that could occur.

“If you’re not sitting on your gear with your vessel either on radar or on your vessel’s AIS somebody comes along doesn’t think there’s any gear in the water in the absence of one of these AIS markers and then, you know, may set over the top of you and tangle. Or potentially a trawler could come and nail your gear and it could result in, you know, substantial financial loses.”

Laukits said fishermen are going to have to fish without the beacons and offers this caution.

“I don’t think the word’s really gotten out but we’re kinda in a pickle this summer. They’re definitely not going to want to use these AIS beacons given the FCC’s warning.”

 

Jan. 30, 2019 5:50 p.m. — In an effort to ensure accuracy, KMXT News Department, has updated this piece by deleting a confusing paragraph.