Daily Archives: March 27, 2013
The fishing vessel Enterprise in New Bedford harbor
The fishing vessel Enterprise in New Bedford harbor on Monday, 3/25/2013, loaded with herring. They made the 9 am bridge opening and tied up at the Norpel fish processing facility to unload their catch. Notice the way the vessel loads heavy by the stern allowing easy observation of the weight of her catch. jj the fisherman
Thank you Massachusettes Senate candidate Steve Lynch for including fishermen in the debate with Ed Markey
Thank you Steve Lynch for bringing the New England fishermen’s concerns to the debate, and holding Ed Markey’s feet to the fire. He dodged the subject once and you came back with the issue again! Thank you. BH
Menhaden: Overfished or bad research?
REEDVILLE—A new scientific study released February 1 on the status of menhaden along the Atlantic coast has resulted in more questions than answers on whether the species are overfished—a claim that led to a decision last December by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to slash the allowable catch by 20%. continue reading
Board of Fish does not act on task force proposals
The Alaska Board of Fisheries met last week to look at statewide finfish issues, and took up a proposal submitted by the Upper Cook Inlet Task Force that would have provided new guidelines for the management of Kenai River chinook salmon for the upcoming season. also, The 2013 halibut season opened Saturday to decidedly wintery weather, with gale and storm warnings coupled with heavy freezing spray warnings for most of the Gulf of Alaska. continue reading
On the Menu This Easter in Newfoundland: Seal Flipper Pie
In Newfoundland, having a “scoff” (the local word for “big meal”) includes some pretty interesting food items unique to the region: scrunchions (fried pork fat), cod tongues and fishcakes, for example. But perhaps the least appetizing dish, which is traditionally made during the Lenten season—specifically on Good Friday and Easter—is seal flipper pie. continue reading, bon appetite
Newfoundland government gives another loan to seal processing plant
DILDO, N.L. – A seal processing plant in Newfoundland will get a $3.6 million loan from the provincial government this year. continue reading
Asian carp may be back in Lake Erie, scientists worry
Is the dreaded Asian carp swimming in Lake Erie again? It’s a mystery as big as the lake. The question terrifies several agencies in the U.S. and Canada, but one scientist says there is a strong likelihood it is back. continue reading
There’s more to shrimping than trawling
DELCAMBRE – Experts from the LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant met with area shrimpers to help them become more efficient, learn new technology and comply with federal fishing regulations. “We are talking about effic
iency and quality,” said Thomas Hymel, AgCenter and Sea Grant extension agent. “The challenge the Louisiana shrimping industry has is to bring in a quality product competitive with imports.” Hymel said the state’s shrimping business has lost significant numbers. “The folks out there now are the survivors.” continue reading
Maine Elver Fishermen’s Association founded – Elver fishermen organize to preserve the fishery
ELLSWORTH — More than 40 elver fishermen gathered at the Ellsworth Elks Club on Tuesday afternoon voted to form a new association to lobby on their behalf before federal fisheries regulators. continue reading
New Power in the Heart of the Alaskan Beast: faithful Cummins diesel engines replaced with state-of-the-art version.
MarineLink.com – Fans of the popular Discovery Channel series “The Deadliest Catch” thrill at the sight of the 113-foot, black-hulled Time Bandit’s bow rearing out of a cresting wave. Onboard men launch and recover 1000-pound crab pots while chilled Arctic seas wash over the working deck. In the wheelhouse, the crab boat’s skippers Andy or Jonathan Hillstrand monitor the deck crew and the boat’s electronic navigation equipment. continue reading
North Lake fish plant to reopen with new owners – California-based owners will employ 100 people at the facility
The fish plant in North Lake is preparing to open again with new owners who plan to employ about 100 people. The 13-year-old plant, which had changed ownership and closed a few times in the past five years, was recently purchased by a California-based company. continue reading
Let those alewives go
Culture, Atlantic salmon, the lobster industry, the broader environment and even bass fishermen could benefit from the alewives’ return. The state should remove the wooden board blocking the fish passage at Grand Falls Dam before the river herring’s spring spawning run. There is still time if LD 72 is passed on an emergency basis. Is there the political pluck? continue reading
Steve Spurling: 92 and still building boats
SOUTHWEST HARBOR – At Jarvis Newman’s boat shop, on Main Street in Southwest Harbor, the walls are full of framed photos of old boats.Newman was one of the first fiberglass boatbuilders on the Maine coast, producing hulls for luxury yachts, commercial fishing boats, and Friendship sloops at the rate of one every two weeks until he sold the business in 1978. He took the mold for his first yacht from a boat designed by his father-in-law, Raymond Bunker, who built wooden boats with his partner, Ralph Ellis, in nearby Manset from 1946 to 1978. continue reading
Alberta-based owner promises to invest millions in Bamfield
Millions of dollars are about to be invested in the tiny hamlet of Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island, promises the owner of many of the community’s increasingly dilapidated properties. continue reading
Anti-seal hunt group to stay off ice this year
For the first time in almost 20 years, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) won’t be sending a team of observers out on the Atlantic sea ice during the spring seal hunt. Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield declined an interview request and his office did not address specific questions about the IFAW’s decision to skip this year’s hunt.Instead, after several hours, Ashfield’s office said in an email that the government “supports the sustainable and well-managed seal harvest, which continues to be an economic and cultural activity in Atlantic Canada, Quebec and the Arctic.” continue reading
Public lecture Thursday at VIMS spotlights menhaden
GLOUCESTER Va. – Rob Latour of the College of William and Marys Virginia Institute of Marine Science will explore long-simmering issues surrounding Atlantic menhaden, their commercial harvest and the recreational fisheries that target their predators at an After Hours lecture this Thursday evening. continue reading
Want to go? The 45-minute lecture will begin at 7 pm in Watermen’s Hall on the VIMS campus in Gloucester Point. Reservations to this free public lecture series are required due to limited space. Register online at http://bit.ly/ahmenhaden to attend in person or call 804-684-7846 for further information.
State senator’s bill aims to reel in ‘rotten invasive’ sea lamprey
A bill circulated by a Republican lawmaker aims to control sea lamprey — eel-like parasites that look like monsters, attack trout and other fish, and could suck the lifeblood out of the Great Lakes ecosystem. The toothy invasive species threatens the commercial and recreational fisheries and tourism industry, said the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay. continue reading
The Race for Kerry’s Seat: Votes separate Markey, Lynch on fisheries
On fisheries, the differences between Massachusetts Congressman Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch, candidates for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by John Kerry in late January, were exposed in a dramatic vote by the House in February 2011. A short-lived bipartisan coalition that night glued onto a continuing budget resolution an amendment from North Carolina Republican Walter Jones that barred the Obama administration from expanding its signature fishing industry innovation — the creation of new catch share fisheries and their commodity quote trading markets — beyond the mix of the Northeast groundfishery that, now three years into the new system, is in a recognized state of economic disaster. continue reading
If you are following Northeast Ground fish Issues, some comments in this article should promp a Red Flag!
US releases plan to help wildlife adjust to climate change (threats)
Dog in sea lion attack has clean record in Texas, necropsy results sent to fisheries service
The daughter of former astronaut Mark Kelly was walking her dog Shiner on Goff Island Beach when the dog bolted, ripping the leash from her hand and fatally attacking a beached baby sea lion. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also does not expect to take legal action, spokesman Jim Milbury said. continue reading
Looking out for the fishing community; Rep. Jared Huffman announces bill – “Revitalizing the Economy of Fisheries in the Pacific Act”
The opportunity to refinance the loan at a lower interest rate would give local groundfish fishermen the same opportunities as any homeowner or business, Huffman said during a news conference to announce the bill held outside the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center Tuesday afternoon. The bipartisan bill would not require the federal government to spend any new money. continue reading
