Daily Archives: April 10, 2013

CORPUS CHRISTI Mayor Nelda Martinez hosts meeting to hear input on plan for BP settlement money

CORPUS CHRISTI — Mayor Nelda Martinez has scheduled a meeting to hear ideas on how to spend the anticipated windfall produced by the Deepwater Horizon lawsuit settlement. continuedbp projectsafe

DFO should rethink eulachon plan for 2013 say First Nation leaders

Chilliwack Progress – Sto:lo Tribal Council president Clarence Pennier said they are asking that DFO rethink the eulachon plan for 2013. DFO limited 30 First Nations on the Lower Fraser River, with a  combined population of 10,000 people, to a catch of only 400 pounds of  eulachon last year, he said. “We didn’t fail to notice that DFO allowed the commercial shrimp  trawl fleet to take up to eight tonnes of eulachon as by-catch.” continued

Now Here’s an Eel Story! Maine Wardens, take note!

Eel Removed From Man After Getting Stuck- Although this type of eel is known as an invasive species in parts of the United States, this isn’t the first time that it’s made its way into (ahem) foreign habitats. continue on this amazing journey if you can!

Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board alternative bill gets mixed reviews

Sen. Norby Chabert began sculpting a new vision for the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board during the last legislative session, and continues a path toward change during the current one. But the Houma Republican’s new bill, which would place the embattled entity under the auspices of the Lieutenant Governor rather than the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has been less than well received by fishermen and others in the industry. continued

Research enables fishermen to harvest lucrative shellfish on Georges Bank

 Phys.Org -The shellfish industry estimates the Georges Bank fishery can produce up to 1 million bushels of surf clams and ocean quahogs a year, valued $10 – 15 million annually. continued

Eastern Shipbuilding to build 194 ft fishing vessel for O’Hara Corporation of Rockland, ME

OHara-press-release-700APRIL 5, 2013 — Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc., Panama City, FL, has signed a contract with O’Hara Corporation of Rockland, ME, covering construction and delivery of a 194 ft (59.13 m) freezer stern trawler fishing vessel built to a Skipsteknisk, AS, Aalesund, Norway, ST 115 design with a highly efficient hull shape that reduces hull resistance and increases fuel efficiency. It will be built to DNV class +1A1, Stern Trawler, E0 Notation for hull and DNV ICE 1B. Read more@baycountypress

Some interesting notions here – Get Smart – An Eco-rant of an Environmental Studies major.

Huffpo green – I buy fish with the Marine Stewardship Council label of  “sustainably fished” approval. Every environmental handbook urges eco-conscious consumers to do so. But, turns out the label is not a green light signaling ‘go’ for the recovery of over-fished species, and guilt-free brain-enhancing omega-3 dining for my family. It’s green-washing.  The MSC has good intentions, but has bestowed its coveted label on fisheries at the very edge of collapse. continued

Call me Crazy, (I can take it) but does this action set a presidence? American Samoa – Stopping spread of crown of thorns is to kill it

A joint effort by three government agencies has so far killed close to 1,000 crown-of-thorn starfish but thousands more are still threatening the territory’s corals. continued  My comment in the comment section.

North Carolina Commercial fishermen are bracing for another attempt to place striped bass, red drum and speckled trout off limits

The “game fish” bill for the three species, which has failed to win legislative approval several times since 2009, hasn’t been introduced yet this session. But the North Carolina chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association, which has pushed the bill repeatedly, has left little doubt it’s going for it again, and sources say it might be introduced this week, possibly as early as today (Wednesday). continued

Bering Sea king bycatch, co-op reports and Gulf of Alaska tendering to come back before North Pacific Council

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council asked for reports and discussion  papers on several items this morning, including king bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery, the reports fishing cooperatives provide to the council each  year and tendering in the Gulf of Alaska. continued

The PEI Fishermen’s Association Snow crab registration

The PEI Fishermen’s Association will be holding a Registration and Draw for independent core fishers wishing to participate in the Snow Crab Fishery for 2013. Registration will be held at the following locations: continued

Gulf health questions linger after oil leak

BP is doing exactly what big corporations are expected to do, Muth said: Launch a massive public relations campaign to show that everything’s back to normal on the Gulf Coast. Some things are, he said, but the extent of the damage remains an unknown. continued

Dolphin deaths add to mystery in Indian River Lagoon

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. –  Add bottlenose dolphins to this year’s list of species dying mysteriously in the Indian River Lagoon. continued

Powerful House Republican Doc Hastings enters fray over Drakes Bay Oyster Company controversy at Pt. Reyes

Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, made the request in a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar that revived allegations of scientific misconduct in the government’s assessment of the oyster farm’s impact on Drake’s Estero in the Point Reyes National Seashore. “Serious questions have been raised about the science used by the National Park Service to justify the closure of the oyster farm,” Hastings said in a written statement. (oh yes they have!) continued

Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell signs oyster replenishment bill

NEWPORT NEWS — The Virginia Marine Resources Commission is preparing to embark on the largest state-funded oyster replenishment initiative in state history, thanks to a record $2 million appropriated in the budget by Gov. Robert F. McDonnell and the Virginia General Assembly. continued

The thrill of the fight – Waterboro man featured on tuna fishing show “Wicked Tuna”

KENNEBUNKPORT — Five years ago, he was injured – and not for the first time – and so Bruce Hebert thought his days of fishing for bluefin tuna were over. Recovering from spinal reconstruction surgery, he figured it was time to find another niche in the fishing industry – one that allowed him to stay working on the water. continued

Oregon crabbers struggle despite large harvest

CHARLESTON — Three months in, feedback on the Oregon commercial Dungeness crab season is mixed. “Maybe it was a big-boat season,”’ Reeves said. “The big boats got ’em while little operations like my own starve to death.” Reeves said harvest numbers can be deceptive representations of actual commercial success. For one thing, fishermen just aren’t getting the prices they’re used to. continued

Offshore extension bill dovetails into red snapper issue

BATON ROUGE — The Bayou State’s junior senator has introduced the Offshore Fairness Act to extend Louisiana’s jurisdiction in the Gulf of Mexico and solidify the state’s position on the management of the red snapper fishery. The bill doesn’t only grant states’ rights to energy resources with additional property rights, it also gives them exclusive fishery management authority over reef fish within the new boundary,” Vitter said.continued

Prince Edward Island Workers worry Mariner Seafoods fish plant will not reopen

The news came suddenly for Arsenault. Just a month ago she got a call from Mariner Seafoods looking to confirm she’d be available to work this spring, but then Monday she got another call. “I got no place to go to work,” she said. “We just heard yesterday. They won’t be open no more.” continued

The real promise of a new Maine lobstermen’s union

It takes some research and math to show that the real earnings of the average lobsterman have stayed almost flat for 30 years. continued

Clammers, wormers hope for compromise to avoid controversial bill

BRUNSWICK, Maine — Despite angry words and a few veiled threats, worm diggers and clam harvesters will try to work together to find common ground and allow the two groups to harvest the same flats without interfering with each other’s livelihood. continued