tn! 3,f71
bReport
ligJi !TUs.r"
! rsl,!
u:"s_re"L_o_L!_:
lip-$
ur:l
IIn
n late
l a t e April
f i p r i l(4/29)
s t a f f report
r e p o r tnn
,n n the
t h e use
u s n of
o f helicopters
h e l i c o p t e r sin
{ 4 / ? }.1977,
) . t g l l , 0 staff
in
.
O
r e g o n ' sccommercial
o n l n e r c ' i a*crab
l' a b rfishery
i s h e r ywas
r v a sgiven
g i v c nto
Oregon's
t othe
t h Commission.
e C o r r u t i i s ; s j oThe
Tnh. e0
r e g o nSState
Police
Oregon
t a t e Police
h a d cclosed
l c l s e ddown
d o w ntthe
p e r a t i o on
no nMarch
h e ooperition
l4arch
had
21
2 l as
a s a violation
v i i : I a t i o r rof
o f the
t h eadministrative
a d n j n i s t r a c i v erule
rule
((625-10-165(2))
6 2 5 - 1 0 - i 6 5 ( ? )w
) h i c hnmandated
r a n t j a t ' ie. crunlegal
itt t e g actcrabs
u s Lb e
which
ber creleased
r a b s mmust
l r : a i e d" i'imndiately"
m n e d i a t e l y "and
a n dn
ot
not
'laLe
b
r o u E f trto
) t h eCommission
brough
o the
t h edock.
c j o c k . In
i r r late March
l r l a r c(28)
l (r 2 E the
C o n n r i s s i ulearned
lne a r n c dooff the
r n a t t eand
ra n d
l h ematter
o r d e r e dfal th
re e -l ve e keevaluation
ioci and
va l u a ti o n per
pr .oblemby
sbystaff.
ordered
three-week
period
andstudy
studyof
of alleged
staff.
a' llegeclproblems
P
r o b i e m scclaimed
la i me clbby
y bboat
o a t fifishermen
sh e rr nenwer
Problems
were
that the
e that
the resource
r esour cewas
wasdamaged
by
clamaged
bylo
loss
s s of
s m a i l ccrab
r a b {(falling
s e n r o u t to
o u of
t o pats
f p o t enroute
et othe
small
t h ebeach),
b e a c h )wind
,w i n dblast
b l a s tand
{ ' a l f i n gout
a n chelicopter
Jh e l i c o p t e r
s p e e dcdesiccation
l e s j c c a t i o ntto
o subleqal
s u b J e g , crabs,
rcl r a l : s and
speed
, a n t sublegal/female
i s u b i e g a l / f e r r a lcrab
cen o bmortality
m o r t a ] i t ycaused
caused
b y tbeing
r e in g oout
i :f water
u t, of
w a i e r during
per iodashore.
cl u rjn g the
by
s,,r r tjngperiod
th e sorting
ashor e
S
t a f f observed
o b s e r v e dthe
t h e operation
o p e r a t i o nini nCurry
Staff
C u r rCounty
y C o u n t(OSP
y( 0 S Pa
also)
l s o ) during
d u r i n gthe
t h e3-week
3-week
p e r i o d ,conducted
c o n d u ctesome
dso meeexperiments,
xp e ri n e,nts,an.d
- oncluded
and rconcluded
period,
that the operation
that
oper at.ionwas
wasnot
n ot hartnful
l r annful
tto
o the
t h eresource.
r e s o u r , : e . !We
r;'a
ealso
l s o cconcluded
o n c l i l d e dt hthe
e o poperation
e l a t ' i o rw
r ias
a s f efeasible
a s i b l e oonly
n l ' i iiff crabs
c r a b scould
could
b e bbrought
r o u g i i taashore
s h o r ' cffor
o r sorting
s u r t i n g of
She
o f sublegal
s u b l e g a or
lo r female
f e l n a i ecrabs.
i t o s s i b l renforcement
r€ n f o r c e m e n t
i : r a b s " Possibb
p
robleme
sexisted
r o b l e ; n dsdid
problems
xisted, b
r r l such
s u c np
j . l nnot
o t in
but
problems
i n fact
f a c tdevelop
d e v e l , rduring
p , i u r i n1977.
t 1 9 7 7 . We
1^lt
rrecommended,
e c o n l i : e n d e d among
, a m o n gother
o t h ethings,
r t n i n g sthat
, r h warding
a i w l r d j nof
g nour'
f o uOiRs
r 0 A Rbe
. 5 bchanged
t t c h a n t tto
e dallow
toa11ow
the
the o
operation.
p e r "a tj o n . The
T h e Commission
[o n i ra j ssi cln
did
so,
cJ' icl
so, with
wit.hthe
the n,oviso
r : pr eient
oviso lhal:
thattlrthe
present
and(anir
fur ti r p14O
l n.o
'
-*--'l-
o p e r d t ' j o nbe
s b cbyb yaa permit
p e r i n i tissued
j s s u e dto
t o eeach
r c | i hhelicopter
e 1 i c o p i . e rcrabber.
c r a b b . r . rThe
" T h ebsic
i : . r s iregulation
cregu1atjon
operations
cchange
h d n t j et ^was
r a st hthat
a t a lall
' i uuniawful
r r i a l f u l ccrab
e rreturned
e ' " u r n e dLto
o i n t of
r a b bbe
water
o tthe
a t e r aat
he w
t ppoint
o f capture
within
c a p t u r ewithin
i n s i e " d coff "immediate1y).
r i n u L e s((instead
1 5 rminutes
15
"irrrrnedje.tely").
T
h e Commission
C o m m i s s i orequested
i v e n t 0to i it
The
an
rn
equested
o n iinformation
a n update
u p d a t eon
n f o r n i a t i o rgrgiven
t in
i n April
A p r i l1977.
L977.
f o l l o w i n g summarizes
T h efollowing
s u n r n r a r i . events
reevse n t ssince
The
s i n c ethat
l h a t time.
tirne.
1.
t.
t,hS-f::r.U-tf_
The
fisr'
0
n 1 yone
o n e additional
a d d i t i o n a l crabber
c r a L r b ecame
Only
a f c e r April
cr a r ninto
ei n L o the
L h e1977
f i s h e r y afLer
i 9 7 7fishery
A p r i l 29.
2g,
l1c:;srsD
. a , . ra$and
o t s in
r t dDDan
i c h a r d sf i sfished
a nR Richards
h e d a af efew
Messrs.
Dave
v r56-foot
- f c o t ddiam.
i a n r .ppots
i n Curry
Curry
W
C o i r n i y ,tmostly
l l s s t l yoon
i l r : t basis.
County,
r r ,an
i r reexperimental
x p e r i m e n t aplpilot
l { e s s r sMathews
.l 4 a t h e w s
T h e yand
. a nMessrs.
d
l i a s i s . They
a n c lLewis
-e w i sl landed
;i rrrj o cl
ir r d:;
l eless
ss than
i:fofci"att
i i 29.
and
than 10,ii00
10,000por
pounds
crabafafter
April
ter Apr
29. The
l 'he bulk
bul k
h ehelicopter
of
a f Lhe
bl y then,
ini r1977
h e li c o p r Lcatch
ecr a t c h
i 1 9 ,was
/ lw a made
s m a d ,by
then"
-2-2iIn
n all,
a l l ,then,
t h e none
, one
h e l i c o p i "and
e ra n rabout
ia i : o u 40
l4 0 traps
helicopter
t r a i l s were
u r e r euutilized
t i l i z e d . prior
prior
W
tto
o April
A p ri l 29;
2 9two
; tt. helicopters
f',*ti c opterand
sandabout
ab*ut60
6u traps
tr aps were
i+ er eused
useclbetween
betweenthen
then
a
n clthe
S e p te mb e15
and
th e September
1r 5 ocean
oceancrabbing
cr abbingclosure.
closur e. All
All catches
catcheswere
wer emade
m adeiin
n
: i
C
u rry CoUnty
C o u n tybbetween
e l ;u re et,he
ntheSixes
Curry
SixesRiver
Riverand
andPistol
Pistol River.
River . No
c er nnt, , l ',,
No enfor
enforcement
lv.te
r J P f F r re
A
r r l i lu
t o ni rter
orl
p ro hi e ni t tswere
enna ' rco
ed.
problems
encountered.
I n the
t h ecurrent.
c u r t ' e tocean
t to c e acrab
bs e ; : s o which
nr : r aseason,
nw
, h i c opened
In
ho $ e n e dDecember
D e c e m b e1r1,
, oonly
n l y .one
o n eooperator,
perator,
' lnr ee
lMr.
v l r .Bob
l a L h e w s,hhas
B o biMathews,
a s bbeen
e e na active
to date.
cL j ve to
ciale. Three other
( or r emore
r nor ethan
than in
i n1976-77)
otherss (one
Lg76- 71)
t '
nterest
h
a v ee
x p r e s s e d' i interest
have
p r o b a b ' l yffish.
aand
n t lvwill
r jl l probably
expressed
i s h . One
O n eoof
f tthe
o u r iintends
h e ffour
n t e n d s tto
ish
o ffish
....
i n Clatsop
C l a t s o pCounty;
C o r l n t y ;tthe
in
l r e rest
r e s t ini r rCurry
C u m County.
y C o u n [ , r .All
A l l have
h a v ebeen
5 e e nhighly
h i g h l ycooperative.
c e o p e r a t i v e . We
]rfe'
h
a v enno
o eestimdte
s t i r y r a toe1
h e ccatch
. , i r tffishing
have
of' t the
e t c h t to
o rdate,
j a t e , ibut
i i , h i n g has
h a s rreportedly
e p o r t e d l ybeen
good.
L i e e nffairly
a i r l y good.
However, the active operation ceaedlast week when the helicopter
; e rused
u s e dcrashed
crashed
l n t o the
t h e ocean;
i i o t , Mr.
o c e a n ;tthe
h e ppilot,
f ' 1 rHarry
.. l a r r y Diack,
into
D i a c k , iis
s in
i n serious
s e r i o u scondition
c o n d i t i o nata tthe
the
Coos
C o oBay
s.Bay.
; '.
hospital. T
h ehhelicopter
e l i c o p t e r is
p r o b a b i ya total
hospital.
i s probably
The
t o t a l loss,
l o s sand
, and
h a d not
had
n o t been
b e e nfound
f o u n dby
byi
:
r j j v e n sat
a t ]last
a s t rreport.
e 5 l o r t . I n In
p u pulling
1.l.inga
r a b ppot,
o t , t hthe
e b rhouy
r u y l i line
n e r ereportedly
p o r t e d 1 y ssnapped,
napped,
divers
accrab
a
n d uunder
n d e rttension,
e t t s i o n , rrebounded
e l r i : u n d ei d
and
ninto
t o tthe
h e hhelicopter
e l i c o p t e r rotor,
r o l . p i " cusing
,c . i 1 l s i nit
g 'to
i tt ocrash
intc
c r a s hinto
t l t e ocean
o c e a nnear
n e a r shore.
the
si ro re ,
2. Furthereprs
Fur.thsrr-.expe-iljlen.!_s
2.
:
One potential source of crab mortality was not closely
:losely checked
clr eckedlast
las t spring.
s pr l ng'.'
T
his w
otential e
a s t the
h e ppotential
f f e c t of
o fcrabs
This
was
effect
c r a b sbeing
b e i n gflown
f l o w n at
l u s the
a t 40-50
4 0 * 5 0mph
m p hpplus
the
e ffe ct of
o f rotor
effect
ro i o r " b
blast'
downward on
l a st",lownwar
cl
onthem.
them .
hledid
an experiment
exper im ent
We
did an
ininNovember
N ov er nher
1 9 7 7t o
u a n t i f y this
etter q
1977
to bbetter
quantify
p o t e n r i aproblem.
i p r c b l e m , Voluntary
t h j spotential
v o l u n t a r yhelp
h e l pfrom
from
*-'J
l'"''"-''i-
'
iMr.
' lr. Bob
l l o b lMathews
'4 a th e rvs
us tr
traps)
apil and
anclMr.
( offer eduse
l' 1r .BobJarvis
{l(loaned
o a n ed us
BobJay,vjs(offered
use of his
hi s
:
h
eI i c o p t e rand
p o t s and
a n c also
Ja l s o pots
i I s t )made
a n c lp
helicopter
pilot)
m a c ethis
r h i s experiment
e x p e r i m e np
t c s s i L r l e . AA
possible.
c cri i p l e terereport
p o rt wwill
i l l be
b e avai
complete
available
l able in
i n the
lhe near ffuture.
utune.
'
c r a b sw
Crabs
e r ecaught
were
c a u E h tin
i n Yaquina
Y a q u i r rB
a a y , flown
f l o w nat
with
a t speeds
s p e e d sof
Bay,
o f 60-80
6 0 - 8 0mph
r n p h((with
e t powered
a Hughes
H l g h e s55-place
- p l a c e tturbo
p o w e r e machine)
cr nj a c h i n effor
u r b o jjet
)o r 5-7
5 - 7minutes.
m i n u t e s . They
T h e ywere
were
n laboratory
l a c e d jin
t h e n pplaced
l a b o r a t o r yaquaria
then
a q u a r i afor
f o r observation.
o b s e r v a t i o n . A control
c o n t r o group
l g r o u pwere
were
a i s o caught
c a u g h t in
jnY
a q u i n a Bay,
B a y , fflown
i c l w t limmediately
i m r n e d i a t e 1toy tthe
o t hlaboratory
e 1 a b o r a t oat
r y less
atless
also
Yaquina
o u t ooff water
t h a n 40
4 0 rmph
n p h((out
w a t e rabout
a b o u t1l minute)
p l a c e din
r n j n u t e and
)a n dalso
than
a l s o placed
i nthe
t h eaquarium.
aquariurn.
.{1"
-3-3per e kept
C
o n tt" oand
la n cle
xp q ,rj n rental
Control
exprimental
crabs
cr abswere
kept in
ip separate
sepayateaquaria;
aquar ia; softshell
sof ts hel l and
and
h a rd sh e l l crabs
gr oupwere
hardshell
cra b s in
i n each
e a chgroup
wer ealso
also kept
kept separate.
separ ate. The
Theexperimental
expe r i m ental
g ro u pw
a s subjected
su b j e cte dto
ro speeds
speedsand
anr jtime
tinr e out
group
was
out of water
water much
m uchhigher
higher and
a nd
l o n g e r than
t h a n would
w o u l Cexist
e x i s t in
i n the
longer
t h e actual
a c r - u afishery.
fl i s h e r y .
;i,
N o significant
s i g n i f i c a n t statistical
statistical
No
d i f f e r e n c ein
i n short
s h r r t ' or
to r long
l o n gterm
difference
t e r n imortality
m o r t a l i t y occurred
g r o u p sor
o c c u r r e dbetween
between
or
groups
L re
Lween
h a rd sh eIl vs
vs softshell
between
hardshelJ
soft,shelI crabs.
cr abs,
Total mortalities
m or tali ti es were
wer e4.6%
4.6%among
am ong
Total
zz9
?
,l
group;10.3%
the control
control group;
i0.3%in
in the
groupin
the experimental
experjmental
group
peri9.d.j,;
in the
the m-day
-day test
test period.
':
a s not
n o t statistically
T h ' i sn
s t a t i s t i c a l l y aa significant
This
was
s i g n i f i c a n t difference.
difference.' A
l t h o u g hwe. t ,feel
f, el ee l
Although
::- , '
th
t h l experiment
6 ' ' p o p i n e nshould
st h o u ' l dbe
b e repeated
r e p e a t e dunder
u n d e rcold-weather
c o ' l d - w e < r t hconditions,
ceorn" t l i t i o n s ,iit
t
a p l r e a r sthat
t h a t windblast
r t i r r d b l a sunder
tu n d e raverage
appears
ldte
dverage
late
f a l l weather
w e a t h edoes
r o e s not
fall
d
n o t have
h a v eaa
ssignificant
i g n j f i c a n t effect
e f f e c t on
crabs. S
o n crabs.
ome
o f the
Some
of
t h e mortalities
m o r t a l i t i e s observed
observed
have.
could
c o u l dhave
b
e e ncaused
been
c a u s e dby
b y crowding,
i g h t i n g , and
c r o w d i n g ,ffighting,
a n d other
o t h e r artificial
a r t i f i c i a j conditions
c o n d i t i o n sin
i n lab
1ab, "'
. '.
: :
,
a
q u a ria , rather
ra th e r than
a ny helicopter-induced
th a n any
aquaria,
factor.
heli copter ,-nduced
i
factor .
ODFl^,
ODFW
M
a r i n eRegion
Region
Marine
Decemb.er
December 13,
13, 1977
1977