Excerpted From Alaska Department of Fish and Game Technical Paper No. 173, January 1990

CURRENT PATTERNS OF HARVESTING

Timing of Harvest

Seal, sea lion, and sea gull feeding activity are indicators for the subsistence harvester that the herring have arrived to Sitka Sound. Regular monitoring of the traditional herring spawn areas is necessary to anticipate when the herring will spawn. Active harvesters drive out on Halibut Point road to check for spawn daily or use skiffs to cruise the islands in Sitka Sound looking for schooled herring close to the beach. In recent years, the ADF&G has monitored the herring roe percent as part of its management of the commercial herring roe fishery in Sitka Sound. Subsistence users follow ADF&G herring roe percent estimates. When the roe count reaches about 10 percent, the herring are ready to spawn. In most years, Sitka herring spawn in April. In the current year, however, first herring spawn appeared on March 26.1 . . .

Selection and Placement of Hemlock Branches and Trees

Sitka's most active harvesters, those who supply many people with herring eggs, set 60 to 80 small hemlock trees abut 15 to 20 feet long in sets of 2 to 10 trees. In contrast, less-active harvesters may set a small number of hemlock branches in one or two sets. Branches are much easier to handle. Egg laden trees can be so heavy that harvest from a small skiff is difficult. The most active harvesters prepare well in advance so they are able to have their sets in place at the optimal time and place..

Young hemlock trees are selected for use as herring egg strata. Elder informants told us there are two types of young hemlock. The first type has small ridges running parallel on the tree. The second and preferred tree is smooth round. This was confirmed by active harvesters who told us they do not harvest the trees with the ridges because they have moss growing in the ridges. The harvesters do not like moss peeling off on the eggs when they are cooked; therefore, round hemlocks are the preferred tree. Trees with full branches are preferred because they provide more area for egg deposition.2 Informants told us they used to be able to cut trees right at the spawning beaches, but they currently have to go further afield to find good trees. Trees are cut along the Sitka road system and transported by skiff to harvest sites. They are also cut from areas closer to the shoreline and spawning sites, particularly by the most active harvesters. Some harvesters go to more isolated areas in Sitka Sound for good trees. Trees are cut and trimmed with chainsaws, handsaws, and axes.

High harvesters told us they were putting out more sets in recent years and modified the way they make their sets. They have come to anticipate some of their sets will be stolen and put in enough sets to cover this expected loss.3 As much as possible, subsistence harvesters hide their set locations so they will not be found by others. Harvesters stopped using buoys to mark their sets and stopped using heavy rope to tie their trees or branches together. When they use heavy rope, seine boats are able to use their blocks and winches to hoist whole sets on deck. Tying off sets to the beach was also discontinued because the shoreline would also be covered with spawn and show as a thick white line running to the beach from the set. Harvesters are able to find their hidden sets by remembering shore features.

Hemlock trees and branches are usually set such that they will just be submerged at low tide. Sets we observed were in water from about 10- to 30-feet deep.4 Rocks or construction bricks were tied to the butt end of trees and bunches of branches with pieces of web or seine twine. The trees or branches were set such that they would float perpendicular in the water. Trees in skates were tied together with heavy twine or pieces of round line and separated about 20 feet from one another. The most active harvesters try to get their sets in the water before spawning occurs and have found that good deposition of eggs will not occur if sets are made after the water is milky.

Subsistence harvesters think herring spawn best at mean low water; however, the spawn fluctuates with flood and ebb tides. One respondent said he has noticed that herring usually start spawning at small tides. Herring trees and branches are left to soak for 2-4 days after the spawn has begun depending on the amount of spawn in an area.

This year saw an early false spawn in some areas. A false spawn occurs where male herring are releasing sperm with very few females releasing eggs. When this happens, subsistence harvesters may pull their sets and move them to another area. Although, it is possible to wait for another herring spawn to set on top of the thin false spawn, the resulting subsistence product will not be high quality; the inner herring eggs from the false spawn will mature under the fresh new eggs. Matured herring eggs start turning brown, and small eyes become visible. When the color of eggs has changed from white to brown, the eggs are of lower quality for eating. When eyes have formed, they are no longer used. The preferred quality eggs are white deposited about an inch thick on the branches.

In addition to the setting methods described above, some branches are set directly from the beach at low tide. We also noted that about three branches were set from the float at Sandy Cove. We also heard reports that blueberry bushes, wire mesh screen, cheese cloth, and plastic tarp were occasionally used as deposition strata.

Harvesting Herring Eggs on Hemlock Branches

Small skiffs and runabouts are the most common vessels used by Sitka residents for harvesting herring eggs. We saw 14- to 18-foot aluminum skiffs with small outboards, open Boston Whalers of various sizes, and 23-foot cabin cruisers, and other similar small vessels being used for herring egg harvest.

Harvesters using sunken and unmarked sets get in the vicinity of their set by locating shore landmarks. They then drag a grappling hook through the water to snag either the egg-laden branches or the ground line connecting individual trees. The roe covered trees and branches that have been snagged are then pulled to the skiff. Although smaller branches may then be pulled directly into a skiff, branches and trees are more commonly cut into manageable pieces before they are loaded. Based on our observations, a fully laden tree can hold more than 1,000 lbs. of quality eggs. Much more than can be handled in a small skiff. Cut branches are placed in plastic totes, pails, and garbage cans or loaded directly into the harvesting skiff. Before the eggs are put in the boat, they are usually dipped 2-3 times to rinse both the milt or sperm and to wash out any sand or foreign matter from the branches. Sand or other material lowers the quality of the herring eggs, and they stay fresh longer if milt is washed out.

If trees and branches are thickly covered with spawn, the harvesting vessel can be quickly filled to capacity. Eggs are brought home for processing and distribution. While harvesters of small amounts of eggs may carry them up from any docking location, high harvesters prefer docks with loading ramps that facilitate transfer of eggs to the bed of a pickup. One enterprising harvester loaded eggs directly from his 17-foot Boston Whaler to the lined bed of his pickup. A boatload of eggs, estimated at 1,000 to 1,500 lbs. could be quickly loaded this way.

In addition to having sets stolen or ruined by false spawn, sets may not be harvested for other reasons. Spawn might be too thin in a particular location resulting in a low quality subsistence product. Rough weather might wash sand and debris into the eggs. Because of weather or other reasons, the harvester may not be able to get back to his sets until eggs have developed. Trees and branches may also be left in the water because the harvester has fulfilled his or her subsistence needs. The eggs left in the water are thought to develop normally.

Harvesting Herring Eggs on Hair Seaweed

Harvestable hair seaweed grows just below lowest low water. A subsistence harvester wanting this product pays attention to where his seaweed grows and whether or not the area usually receives a good herring spawn. When minus tides coincide with good spawn deposition, as they did in 1989, ne (herring eggs on hair seaweed) can be harvested in quantity by hand by a person wearing waders or rubber boots. This variety of seaweed breaks off easily, especially then thickly covered with herring eggs. Ne can quickly be gathered by the armload. At higher tides, ne is gathered with rakes and grappling hooks. Ne beds can be extremely productive under good conditions. In 1989, we observed the harvest by hand of about 500 lbs. of ne by two people from a 10-foot-by-10-foot area in about 20 minutes at a minus tide. As with haaw or herring eggs on branches, ne are taken home for processing.

Harvesting Herring Eggs on Macrocystis Kelp

Egg-covered fronds of macrocystis kelp are selected by subsistnce harvesters from kelp beds where herring have spawned. Fronds are pulled into the harvesting vessel by hand or with a rake or grapple and cut in containers for transport.5 Based on interview reports, 1989 was a poor year for harvest of herring eggs on macrocystis kelp. A number of our informants stated they usually harvested on this strata, but did not find good spawn in their usual harvest locations. We were not able to observe this harvest.

In terms of overall harvest of herring eggs, eggs on macrocystis kelp is harvested by fewer subsistnce users and in much smaller quantity than ne and haaw.6

Herring roe on macrocystis was not frequently mentioned in our interviews with elders concerning early herring egg harvesting practices, and few informants referred to the Tlingit word daaw (macrocystis kelp) as an important herring egg stratum. This indicated that harvest on daaw has been of less importance in Sitka Sound then harvest on the other two strata for some time. . . .

Preparing, Preserving, and Packing Herring Eggs

Food preparation follows the traditional cooling methods. Herring roe, both ne and haaw, is dipped in boiling water once or twice. Eggs become unpalatable if they are cooked too long. Overcooked eggs turn dull white, and they become quite rubbery in texture and loose their flavor. Properly cooked bunches of eggs are barely warmed and retain some translucence. Cooked roe is eaten with seal oil or hooligan oil. Soy sauce, butter, mayonnaise, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper are also used. Herring roe may also be eaten fresh or uncooked.

Preservation starts as soon as possible after harvest. Although some eggs are dried or salted, freezing is the most common method of home preservation. Haaw are cut into suitable pieces and placed in zip-lock bags for freezing. Ne is treated similarly. Some people are experimenting with vacuum packing as a new method for preservation. Frozen eggs can be used until the next year's harvest, although quality declines, as with other frozen products.

Eggs harvested for customary trade and barter are whipped out of town fresh with haaw predominating. Eggs are shipped out of town by Alaska Airlines, local air taxis, private boats and Alaska Marine Highway. Usually, eggs are packed in large boxes with liners to protect from leakage. Alaska Airlines requires and other carriers encourage people to use standard seafood shipping boxes with liners, and Alaska Airlines has a special shipping rate for seafood packed this way. The boxes with liners cost $4.50. Smaller quantities may be sent in five-gallon food buckets, or other packages.

High Harvesters

Based on subsistence survey data for the 1987 harvest year, a relatively small number of households in Sitka account for a large portion of the total harvest of herring eggs taken for subsistence use.7 Field work in 1989 confirmed earlier survey results. Through interviews with ADF&G, staff and Sitka residents and examination of shipping records, we found that about 20 households fall into the high harvesting group. For our purposes a high harvester was a household that was known to supply many households with herring eggs. Although systematic measurement was not attempted in 1989, we estimate that households in this group harvested about 300 lbs. of eggs or more. We also found all of the identified high harvesters were Alaska Native residents of Sitka. While there is non-Native participation in this fishery, non-Natives are not known to harvest in quantity or to participate as major suppliers of herring eggs to non-harvesting households. . . .

Distribution and Exchange

A number of high harvesters assisted us by providing detailed description of their harvesting, trade, and barter of herring eggs during the 1989 season. Except amount the closest of family members, fairly direct reciprocity is expected the exchange of herring eggs. This often takes the form of barter where a different , similarly valued, subsistence food is returned for herring eggs received. When the receiver has nothing to offer in return for herring eggs, cash may be the medium of exchange with the receiver paying the giver some amount to cover the expenses and time involved in harvesting, packing and sending this highly prized food. . . .

1 Data on timing of spawn are from Bob Dejong, ADF&G Management Biologist, in Sitka and from interviews with active harvesters.

2 One of the most active harvesters regularly cut trees growing in clear-cut areas because they had full branches.

3 Sitka harvesters believe out of town seine boats are responsible for most of the theft. We are told that one Juneau boat was seen pulling egg-laden hemlock branches in the 1989 season.

4 A limited amount of direct observation was done with very active harvesters. Less active or less experienced harvesters may use other methods.

5 Occasionally some subsistence users may cut kelp and move it to spawning areas. We did not hear of anyone doing this in the 1989 season.

6 Kelp beds in the vicinity of Sitka may still be recovering from possible excessive harvesting of commercial roe on kelp some years ago.

7 Data from Division of Subsistence and from the Tongass Resource Cooperative Study.