The Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association has been awarded $220,000 from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation to carry out research to determine if it's practical to monitor bycatch electronically on some longliners, rather than using human observers.

The study will help to see if cameras are suitable when new rules go into effect requiring observers on all groundfish vessels over 40 feet long. This will be in addition to find ways to keep sperm whales away from longline gear. Using human observers is current practice on vessels from 60 to 125 feet, which have to have observer coverage on one-third of their fishing days, vessels over 125 feet has to have 100-percent coverage.

Last year, the International Pacific Halibut Commission conducted an experiment that proved camera coverage was just as effective in monitoring bycatch as human observers but the test was derailed by equipment problems with the cameras, and seasickness among the people so a camera and recording system needs to be found that will hold up at sea. Sperm whale deterrence remains a top priority for the association and play back sounds are also being used soon as a deterrent off of Southeast Alaska, including the sounds of killer whales as they harrass sperm whales so it may be a way of scaring the whales off of the boats.

Over the years sperm whales have gotten into the habit of picking fish off commercial longlining gear, it's called 'depredation.' Scientists think the whales are responding to the sound of boats being put into gear and they think of it as a dinner bell and free fish. The solution is not to scare the whales off completely but to try and discourage them from interacting with the fishing gear for their own welfare also.