Back from IPHC charter fishing trip

I made it back to town Monday morning from a two week long fishing trip on the F/V Predator a 59' longliner based out of Homer. This wasn't your average fishing trip, it was a stock assesment research trip for the International Pacific Halibut Commision (IPHC). Its in my links list if you want to check it out. Fishing was done in a scientific manner with pre-set fishing spots, specific bait size and routine fishing hours. We had 2 scientists on board measuring and sampling every fish that we caught.

When you are longlining somethimes there is what we call by-catch, the incidental catch of other species that you are not targeting. On this trip we caught hundreds of Spiny Dogfish Sharks. They are about 3-4 feet long and can run in school of thousands. Needless to say they are a bother.

Here are some nifty facts from this trip-

1600 gallons - Amount of diesel burned for 2 weeks of fishing.
$4000 - Cost for that fuel.
3000 pounds - Amount of chum salmon used for bait.
250 pounds - Biggest halibut caught.
1 Dogfish shark - In the belly of a 100lb Halibut.
20,000 Pounds - Total weight of Halibut delivered for 7 days of actuall fishing.