Interesting conversation at the Fair

[Humptulips]

An Indian lady came up and was questioning me about the value of otter. She was telling me about all the otter she catches in her nets. Apparently it happens pretty regular.
I explained about CITES tagging and I did not think her tribe had a CITES tag allotment. Also told her that I didn't know anyone who would buy them in the round and she would probably have to put them up herself to sell them.
She was not too excited about the price and said she would continue to let them go down river.
I've been wondering about the by catch from their gillnets for a while. It seemed to me there should be more otter on the lower Hump. Maybe this confirms my suspicions.

[Turner89]

I never thought about that. Did she say how often she catches them? What river does she work?

[MtnMuley]

Hmm......Native woman.....nuisance animal...poor return on investment.....allow to swim downriver.................



Win win to sit back and watch that show.




 

[Humptulips]

Well, they sure aren't swimming down river and I doubt most trappers think of otters as nuisance animals.
She wasn't specific but said she was from the N Peninsula area.

[lokidog]

Gill nets need to be banned for EVERYONE, the bycatch is atrocious!  Multiple sightings of dead seabirds floating around the nets off of San Juan Island.   

[jasnt]

I can't believe she just tosses them aside what a waste! 

[wags]

Gill nets need to be banned for EVERYONE, the bycatch is atrocious!  Multiple sightings of dead seabirds floating around the nets off of San Juan Island.   

Yes, ban all gill nets. We should ban all traps too. The non-target catch is atrocious.
GET MY POINT!!!!
I've gill netted on Puget Sound, Columbia River, Willapa Bay, Puyallup river, Bristol Bay and the Ugashik river since since 1978. I've caught maybe 15 sea birds, no otter, no seals , no whales or anything else in all those years.
The type argument you're using above is exactly the same tactic that anti trappers use.

[Machias]

I gill net quite a bit here in Virginia.  Mine is 4 foot tall and 75 feet long and we must be with it while it is out.  I gill net quite a few Hickory and American shad for bait for blue cat fishing.  If I set it in very shallow water then I can catch a few small blue cats (released) and some carp (also good blue cat bait), but as long as I set it in 5+ feet of water I normally only catch shad.

[birddogdad]

I wonder if there are any ways to set gill nets to catch stra :dunno:y wolves...

[Hannibal]

I ma guessing she does not get many,,,,,,,...........Surprised that she does not use the for the elders, they are used in the lummi tribe for serimoinial (sp?) dress.

I donate a few to stay under the rdar