Fishermen not feeling the effects of ‘marked decrease’ in Atlantic cod population
What started as a research presentation on rising ocean temperatures and decreasing cod supply by NOAA quickly turned into a revealing conversation about how scientists and their data often do not reflect fishermen’s experiences. Findings by a working group of researchers indicated that the lifecycle of the species is being influenced by the environment, specifically rising ocean temperatures, which have changed the fish’s spawning behavior and their predator-prey relationships. Fishermen did question is whether these facts are having the same implications that the researchers believe. Al Cottone, a Gloucester fisherman, says he feels cod are in different areas, and that he has noticed a change in the tides, too. >click to read< 10:56
Noaa’s Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel has stated that R/V Bigelow has a over-spreading problem with their net ! This over-spreading net does a inadequate catching codfish because the net is lifted off the bottom & the height of the net is lowered also .When on a tour on the R/V Bigelow ,its new net than was hang for all to see, Noaa’s personal told me that the net wasn’t getting height they assumed that would get. (over-spreading ) At that time, who would think Noaa’s new multi-million vessel net would a problematic net well into the future ?
The problem began ,when Noaa changed from a side-trawler which main wires were together or inches part at the stern of a side-trawl. The R/V Bigelow ls a stern-trawler and is 50 feet wide at the stern, so their main wires are fifty feet part ,plus the doors are spreading net also! OVERSPREADING is a Understatement ??
PLEASE NOAA Correct Me If I Am Wrong ??
NOTE Bigelow’s net is 60 feet on the top & 80 feet on bottom
Believe fixing R/V Bigelow’s overspreading is a easy fix manually, but mentally there is going to imposement??
To minimize over-spreading bring the main wire together at stern of Bigelow ,the codfish & flounders efficiency should increase .
Noaa’s Spring Surveys will be here soon, something must be done to fix R/V Bigelow overspreading issues for true fish stocks assessments.USA needs other methods of fish stocks assessments!!