Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) will conduct the annual sablefish longline survey in Chatham Strait between Cape Ommaney and Point Hepburn. The department will contract three commercial vessels to simultaneously fish the survey area beginning approximately August 3, 2022. All three survey vessels will depart from and return to ports in Southeast. The survey is expected to take 7 days but could last longer depending on weather conditions or whale encounters. The maximum length of the survey is not expected to exceed 14 days. The department is soliciting bids from area processors to: (1) purchase fish caught during the survey, including tendering, (2) provide ice for three survey vessels, and (3) provide bait for three survey vessels. The total expected landed catch for this survey is estimated to be approximately 80,000–120,000 round pounds of sablefish, plus an additional 2,000–3,000 pounds of dressed sablefish, 2,000–3,000 round pounds of thornyhead rockfish, and 2,000–3,000 round pounds of other rockfish bycatch. The facility and tender must be available to offload fish seven days a week. Bidders must provide tender service in Chatham Strait. Processors submitting a bid must have a facility and a tender capable of handling up to 70,000 pounds of round sablefish and must be able to provide high-quality ice and frozen bait for each vessel after the first offload. Anticipated offloading dates for the first round of tender deliveries are the evening of August 5 through the evening of August 6. The second delivery may be made directly to the processing plant at the end of the survey by each survey vessel unless other arrangements have been made and agreed upon to deliver fish. The final offloads are tentatively scheduled for August 9. If weather or other conditions extend the survey, additional or alternative tender services may be required. The successful bidder must provide 4–6 tons of high-quality ice for each vessel per trip and must provide 2,300 pounds of medium-sized squid for bait per vessel total, as follows: frozen medium sized squid of commercial designation, brown color, 100-200 grams per squid. Frozen block of bait may not exceed 50 pounds and are preferred at 25 pounds. Please do not mix block sizes. Vessels may choose to take a portion of the bait upon departure from port and take the remainder after the first delivery to the tender.
