The Gulf of Alaska fishing industry pays disproportionately higher costs for federally mandated coverage under the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program than the rest of the nation, according to the National Observer Program’s 2005 annual report.

The Kodiak City Council and the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly passed nearly identical resolutions several months ago requesting increased federal funding for the coverage, City Manager Linda Freed said.

“In the North Pacific, the fishing industry’s paying the bulk of the cost of the observer program,” Freed said. “Everywhere else in the country the federal government is, and that’s a big hit to our fishing industry.”

The NOP report says the Alaska fishing industry paid $13 million into the program in fiscal year 2005 and received about $4.7 million in federal funding. All of the other U.S. fishing regions contributed a combined total of $200,000 and received about $26.8 million in federal funds.

“In the North Pacific, vessels pay their own costs,” said Julie Bonney, executive director of the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank. “But in virtually every other region of the nation, the feds pay for it.”

The Kodiak Fisheries Advisory Committee, a joint group established by the borough

Assembly and the City Council, took up the issue at its Wednesday meeting.

“I am aware that the Alaska fishing industry, including participants in the Gulf of Alaska, contributes the majority of funding for the North Pacific Groundfish Observer program,” wrote Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, in a letter of response to City Mayor Carolyn Floyd’s funding request. “In order to assist you, I have contacted NOAA for more information on how funding for these observer programs is distributed.”

Freed said of the funding request, “Those resolutions were passed. They were sent to the delegation. And this is the response we received. It was a request for federal funding for the observer program, because there’s federal funding every place else.”

The NPGOP is a comprehensive, industry-funded, onboard observer program. With the exception of fishing vessels less than 60 feet and halibut vessels, all vessels fishing for groundfish in federal waters in the North Pacific are required to carry observers, at their own expense, for at least a portion of their fishing time.

Vessels at least 60 feet but less than 125 feet must carry observers 30 percent of their fishing time. Vessels more than 125 feet are required to carry observers 100 percent of the time.

“Used in conjunction with reporting and weighing requirements, the information collected by observers provides the foundation for in-season management and for tracking species-specific catch and bycatch amounts,” the North Pacific Fishery Management Council said on its Web site, explaining the program.

Bonney said a major problem with the program is that unlike large industrial fishing operations, such as those in the Bering Sea, community-based, “short-pulse” fishermen suffer from having to bear the costs of carrying observers.

“When you’re on a short-pulse fishery, and you’re mandated to have 30 percent of your days observed and you don’t know how long the fishery’s going to be open, everybody tends to take their coverage all at once,” Bonney said. “And you don’t have it as the fishery peters out.”

She said she is pleased to see the issue getting some attention, but that it could take some time to remedy the problem.

“I think it’s going to be a long-term process,” Bonney said.

Freed agreed that the process of acquiring increased federal funding may be a long one.

“It’s something that’s going to take a while,” she said. “If we can get attention for the issue, it’s going to take a while to work it’s way through the system. This isn’t going to happen in the short-term. The federal government doesn’t work quickly, and it’s money.”

Bonney said that according to the rules of the program, fishermen must pay for airfare for observers coming in from Seattle, as well as per diem, hotel and food costs.

“When they’re out in the Bering Sea, they’re out for 90 days,” she said. “And that’s not so expensive per day. But in communities like Kodiak, it’s another matter.”

Bonney said she recently saw a Kodiak observer bill for three days of fishing for more than $5,000.

“It’s a very inefficient system,” she said. “The cost structure is going through the roof, so we’re asking the feds to pay for it. We’re just looking for parity. It’s getting more and more expensive.”

Bonney said that with the coming change of administration in Washington, she doesn’t expect to see action taken in the immediate future. But she said calling attention to the issue is her primary goal for now.

“For the short term, it’s just getting people aware,” Bonney said. “Hopefully in the next (funding) cycle, we’ll get some movement.”

Mirror writer Erik Wander can be reached via e-mail at ewander@kodiakdailymirror.com.