Characteristics of Vessels Participating in the Alaska Peninsula Salmon Purse Seine and Drift Gillnet Fisheries, 1978 to 1999

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1 Characteristics of Vessels Participating in the Alaska Peninsula Salmon Purse Seine and Drift Gillnet Fisheries, 1978 to 1999 CFEC Report 00-10N December 2000 Prepared by: Kurt Iverson and Patrick Malecha Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission 8800 Glacier Highway #109 Juneau, Alaska 99801

3 Characteristics of Vessels Participating in the Alaska Peninsula Salmon Purse Seine and Drift Gillnet Fisheries, 1978 to 1999 Introduction and Purpose This report was prepared for the Alaska Board of Fisheries at the request of the Department of Fish and Game. The report examines fishing vessels that participated in the Alaska Peninsula salmon purse seine and drift gillnet fisheries from 1978 to 1999, and provides time series data on selected physical characteristics of these vessels. Data Sources and Issues The following analyses were created from data gathered from the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission s (CFEC) fish ticket database and vessel license file. Fish ticket landings recorded by Alaska Peninsula salmon purse seine (S01M) and drift gillnet (S03M) permits from 1978 through 1998 were selected. Only legal commercial landings made on valid CFEC permits were retained. From this subset of fish tickets, a list of ADFG vessel license numbers was compiled for each year and fishery. These ADFG numbers were merged to the CFEC vessel license file to obtain vessel length, hold tank capacity, gross and net tonnage and vessel horsepower observations. The data obtained from the vessel license file were not always reliable. Missing data pervaded the vessel characteristic fields and dubious entries were also prevalent. Each vessel characteristic field required editing before descriptive statistics could be calculated. Missing data and data that appeared to be erroneous were omitted from the analyses. Missing data occur for two principal reasons. First, fish tickets may indicate a vessel made a landing, but the vessel may not appear on the vessel license file. This may occur because a fish ticket was filled out incorrectly or a data entry error occurred when the electronic fish ticket file was created. It can also occur if the vessel owner failed to properly license the vessel for the year. The other principal cause of missing data is when applicants fail to completely fill out their vessel license applications. CFEC collects vessel attribute data so that fleets can be examined and described as needed. However, CFEC will issue a vessel license even if some of the fields are left blank. The fields that are required to be filled out are: 1) ADFG number; 2) year the vessel was built; and, 3) overall vessel length. Erroneous data may occur on the vessel license file if the applicant supplies inaccurate information. While CFEC has required evidence on vessel length when questions arise, 1 corroborating evidence on other vessel attributes has not been collected. Therefore, errors may be common in fields such as gross and net tonnage, hold capacity, vessel horsepower, and live tank capacity. In addition, vessel 1 Since 1996, Alaska vessel license fees have been based upon vessel length. 1

4 characteristics are pre-printed on vessel license renewal forms. Unless an applicant makes corrections on the renewal form, erroneous observations are retained in each succeeding year. Vessel Characteristics This report provides descriptive statistics of vessel characteristics in both the Alaska Peninsula salmon purse seine and drift gillnet fisheries. Vessel length, horsepower, gross tonnage, and net tonnage are each examined. The following paragraphs provide a brief background on each attribute and describe what data were excluded from each. Vessel Length The United States Coast Guard (USCG) allows measurements of documented vessels to be done using either a simplified system, or by more complicated, but precise systems that must be completed by certified professionals. In either case, there are two principal means of determining vessel length: the overall length, and the registered length. The overall length is basically the length of the buoyant portion of the hull from the stem to the stern, excluding bowsprits, outboard motor brackets, or other rigging. Under the simplified system, the registered length and the overall length are the same. Under the other systems, the registered length is: 95% of the length of a waterline at 85% of the least molded depth. Again, these measurements made outside the simplified system must be done by a professional. Prior to 1989, the definition of registered length was different. Under the simplified system, it was still equal to the overall length; however, under the other systems, it was basically a length measurement from the foremost part of the stem to the after part of the rudderpost. Although the USCG changed their method for measuring registered length, they did not require existing documented vessels to be re-measured. Vessels were allowed to keep their existing registered length, provided nothing substantially changed on the vessel. Through 1994, CFEC vessel license applications asked for registered length. Beginning in 1995, the applications changed and asked for overall length. For this reason, it is likely that the CFEC data on length represents an unknown blend of these definitions. In 1996, CFEC implemented a new fee schedule for vessel licenses. Fees for vessel licenses are now based upon the vessel s overall length in one of six distinct vessel length categories. The maximum vessel length allowed in the seine fishery is 58 feet. However, fish ticket records indicate that vessels as large as 107 feet made landings in the fishery. Observations such as this, and other observations where the vessel is greater than 58 feet, are likely recording errors. Because of the maximum length restriction, it is an easy decision to remove these observations from an analysis of vessel length in the purse seine fishery. However, there are no length restrictions in the drift gillnet fishery and determining between dubious and real observations is more difficult. In addition, it is also difficult to establish a minimum size boundary for purse seine and gillnet vessels because these fisheries are characterized by a wide range of vessel types, from 58-foot limit seiners to small, outboard-powered skiffs used in hand purse seine and setnet operations. Extreme observations were removed, but without 2

5 a complete exploration of the data, it is possible that some inaccurate observations have been included in the analysis. For this report, vessels with lengths greater than 60 feet or less than 10 feet were removed from the analysis of vessel length for both fisheries. Note these observations are different than observations with missing values, which were explained above and were also excluded from the analysis. Vessel Horsepower Vessel horsepower data were widely distributed. A few vessels listed engine size in excess of 2,000 horsepower, despite the fact that the vessel length was listed as less than 30 feet. These obvious errors were omitted from the analysis. Specifically, all horsepower values less than 10 or greater than 1,000 were excluded from the analysis. Vessel Hold Capacity On the vessel license file, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between missing data and accurate data. For example, if someone does not fill out the hold capacity field on their application, this field can be recorded with a zero on the electronic license file. However, zero is also an acceptable and accurate value for hold capacity, particularly for small hand purse seine boats. Many of these small boats do not have fish holds and deliver their catch directly to tender boats or other large boats. Therefore, in the hold capacity column, the zero can represent either a missing value or an accurate value. Determining one from the other is impossible. For these reasons, vessel hold capacity data were considered too unreliable and therefore were not included in the analysis. Gross and Net Tonnage Gross and net tonnages are volumetric measurements of the size of a vessel. One ton, in this case, is equal to 100 cubic feet. As with vessel lengths, the USCG allows measurements of gross and net tonnage to be done using either the simplified system or the other more precise systems. The gross tonnage of a vessel is the internal capacity of all space in and on the vessel which is permanently enclosed, with the possible exception of certain permissible exemptions. Net tonnage is the remainder of the gross tonnage after deducting the tonnage of crew spaces, master s accommodations, navigation spaces, allowance for propelling power, etc. Under the USCG simplified measurement system, the net tonnage is 80% of the gross tonnage for ship-shaped boats with their engine in the hull, which is typical of nearly all drift gill net and large purse seine vessels. If the boat has no engine, or it s engine is outside the hull, for example a setnet or hand purse seine skiff, the net tonnage is equal to the gross tonnage. On the vessel license file, a zero value for either the gross or net tonnage indicates missing data. These observations were excluded from the analysis. Gross and net tonnage values over 250 tons were also removed. 3

6 Purse Seine Vessel Characteristics Table 1 Vessel Length Number of Number of Mean Median Minimum Maximum Observations Observations Year Length Length Length Length Included Excluded Table 2 Number of Vessels by Length Category and Year Length Category (feet) Year Excluded Total Total , ,887 Note: Some observations were excluded from the analyses in Tables 1 and 2 because of missing data or because existing data were believed to be inaccurate. Specifically, observations less than 10 feet and observations greater than 60 feet were excluded from the analyses. 4

7 Purse Seine Vessel Characteristics Table 3 Vessel Horsepower Number of Number of Mean Median Minimum Maximum Observations Observations Year Horsepower Horsepower Horsepower Horsepower Included Excluded , Table 4 Number of Vessels by Horsepower Category and Year Horsepower Category Year Excluded Total Total ,887 Note: Some observations were excluded from the analyses in Tables 3 and 4 because of missing data or because existing data were believed to be inaccurate. Specifically, observations where horsepower was less than 10 or in excess of 1000 were excluded from the analyses. 5

8 Purse Seine Vessel Characteristics Table 5 Gross Tonnage Number Number Year Mean Median Maximum Minimum Included Excluded Table 6 Number of Vessels by Year and Gross Tonnage Category Gross Tonnage Category Year Over 100 Excluded Total Total ,887 Note: Vessels with gross tonnage values equal to zero or greater than 250 were excluded from the analysis. 6

9 Purse Seine Vessel Characteristics Table 7 Net Tonnage Number Number Year Mean Median Maximum Minimum Included Excluded Table 8 Number of Vessels by Year and Net Tonnage Category Net Tonnage Category Year Over 100 Excluded Total Total ,887 Note: Vessels with net tonnage values equal to zero or greater than 250 were excluded from the analysis. 7

10 Purse Seine Vessel Characteristics Figure 1. Characteristics of vessels participating in the Alaska Peninsula salmon purse seine fishery ( ). A) Mean vessel length; B) Mean horsepower; C) Mean gross tonnage; and D) Mean net tonnage. A. Mean Vessel Length (feet) B. Mean Horsepower C. Mean Gross Tonnage D. Mean Net Tonnage

11 Drift Gillnet Vessel Characteristics Table 9 Alaska Peninsula Salmon Drift Gillnet Vessels Vessel Length Number of Number of Mean Median Minimum Maximum Observations Observations Year Length Length Length Length Included Excluded Table 10 Alaska Peninsula Salmon Drift Gillnet Vessels Number of Vessels by Length Category and Year Length Category (feet) Year Excluded Total Total , ,248 Note: Some observations were excluded from the analyses in Tables 9 and 10 because of missing data or because existing data were believed to be inaccurate. Specifically, observations less than 10 feet and observations greater than 60 feet were excluded from the analyses 9

12 Drift Gillnet Vessel Characteristics Table 11 Alaska Peninsula Salmon Drift Gillnet Vessels Vessel Horsepower Number of Number of Mean Median Minimum Maximum Observations Observations Year Horsepower Horsepower Horsepower Horsepower Included Excluded , , , , , , , , , Table 12 Alaska Peninsula Salmon Drift Gillnet Vessels Number of Vessels by Horsepower Category and Year Horsepower Category Year Excluded Total Total ,248 Note: Some observations were excluded from the analyses in Tables 11 and 12 because of missing data or because existing data were believed to be inaccurate. Specifically, observations where horsepower was less than 10 or in excess of 1,000 were excluded from the analyses.. 10

13 Drift Gillnet Vessel Characteristics Table 13 Alaska Peninsula Salmon Drift Gill Net Vessels Gross Tonnage Number Number Year Mean Median Maximum Minimum Included Excluded Table 14 Alaska Peninsula Salmon Drift Gill Net Vessels Number of Vessels by Year and Gross Tonnage Category Gross Tonnage Category Year Over 100 Excluded Total Total ,263 4,248 Note: Vessels with gross tonnage values equal to zero or greater than 250 were excluded from the analysis. 11

14 Drift Gillnet Vessel Characteristics Table 15 Alaska Peninsula Salmon Drift Gillnet Vessels Net Tonnage Number Number Year Mean Median Maximum Minimum Included Excluded Table 16 Alaska Peninsula Salmon Drift Gillnet Vessels Number of Vessels by Year and Net Tonnage Category Net Tonnage Category Year Over 100 Excluded Total Total 1,051 1, ,017 4,248 Note: Vessels with net tonnage values equal to zero or greater than 250 were excluded from the analysis. 12

15 Drift Gillnet Vessel Characteristics Figure 2. Characteristics of vessels participating in the Alaska Peninsula salmon drift gillnet fishery ( ). A) Mean vessel length; B) Mean horsepower; C) Mean gross tonnage; and D) Mean net tonnage. A. Mean Vessel Length (feet) B. Mean Horsepower C. Mean Gross Tonnage D. Mean Net Tonnage

PERMANENT TRAILER IDENTIFICATION (PTI) VEHICLE INDUSTRY REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

PERMANENT TRAILER IDENTIFICATION (PTI) 14 Title Page 14.000 Introduction 14-2 14.005 Trailer Definitions 14-2 14.010 Trailers Excluded from the Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) Program 14-6 14.015