Daily Archives: June 29, 2013

Unprecedented Restrictions Change Lower Yukon Fishing Culture

untitled dip netAn unprecedented set of new policies from Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game are changing the way Yukon commercial and subsistence fisherman have been fishing their entire lives. Some residents are using Kenai River style dip nets for the first time and catching lots of fish. continued@alaskapublicmedia

From the Moderator: I was wondering,,,,,,,,,,,

Just a few questions continued here0001. scroll down the page to the third article

From the Deckboss – Is this anything? Walmart sent salmon suppliers this letter.

The letter said the company will buy only from fisheries “certified sustainable to the MSC standard,” or actively working toward certification. “It is amazing to me,” Tyson Fick, spokesman for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute said, “that America’s largest retailer appears to be saying that they will not buy American seafood without the endorsement of a foreign-based environmental group while promoting foreign seafood with clearly inferior fisheries management and quality, all in the name of sustainability.” continued@deckboss  the letter

Poor lobster season ends in northeastern N.B.

Fishing in Zone 23 ends on Sunday. It started with a protest as fishermen tied up their boats to show their displeasure over low prices. They soon returned to the water. continued@cbcnewsCBC_News_logo

Opinion: Worst times, or just very, very bad? Industry splits hairs over the awful condition of cod

There remain some marginal voices in the fishing industry who continue to claim that cod populations are not in bad shape. Taking issue with a recent conclusion of mine that Atlantic cod were in their worst condition in history, these apologists for overfishingThe act of removing fish from a population faster than they can reproduce, which will thus deplete the population, or stock.  Note that both healthy and depleted (i.e., overfished) populations can be subjected to overfishing (see definition of overfished). suggest that cod are just “in the middle of a rebuilding period.” Nonsense [email protected]

New, state-of-the-art research vessel visits the Exploratorium – video (like a real fish trawler, only bigger!!)

Docked at the Exploratorium in San Francisco from now until July 1st is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 209-foot, state-of-the-art fisheries research vessel Bell M. Shimada. . continued@ktvunews

Lee County derelict crab trap cleanup planned for July 10-19

Southwest Floridians who like to boat, fish or catch crabs should be aware that the state will be closing the blue crab trap fishery briefly in July and will be out cleaning up derelict crab traps. continued@capecoraldailybreeze

Catfish on Craigslist: Man’s arrest protects public health, DNR says

A Grand Rapids man was recently arrested for attempting to sell 14 catfish caught in the Kalamazoo River to undercover members of the Wildlife Resources Protection Unit, authorities said. Prior to the attempted sale, the department received several tips that the man was using Craigslist to try and sell the fish online. continued@mlive

Virginia shucks oyster taxes, starts user fees

On Monday, Virginia officially shucks its antiquated bushel-based tax system for commercial oyster operations and replaces it with annual user fees. But not all watermen are happy with the new fee system, even if it means less paperwork and more revenue to grow more oysters. “Watermen have got it tight now as it is,” said local waterman Richard L. Green, citing his yearly costs for various commercial licenses, the limited access to public oyster grounds and the hardship of finding an affordable place just to dock his boat. “Add the price of fuel and ain’t no crab, ain’t no fish — I don’t think they can stand no more.” continued@tidewaterreview

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Address Overfishing (lots of info)

HONOLULU (28 June 2013) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council concluded its three-day meeting today [Friday]  in Honolulu on federally managed fisheries in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and other US Pacific Islands. continued@pacificnewscenter

Abbotsford fisherman, Albert Arthur Armstrong,56 dies in Prince Rupert

On June 25, members of the Prince Rupert RCMP Coastal Police Unit responded to a report of a commercial fishing boat travelling in circles off the coast of the community of Lax Kw’alaams, B.C. (Port Simpson). Boaters in the area boarded the vessel and discovered a man entangled in a gill net and in medical distress. The boaters called for help and the man was taken to the nursing station in Port Simpson where he was pronounced dead. [email protected]

NOAA seeks public input on proposed halibut catch sharing plan

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended the catch sharing plan to establish a clear allocation between the commercial and charter sectors in Southeast Alaska and the Central Gulf of Alaska, provide stability in charter harvest, and provide halibut fishery managers with greater precision in setting halibut catch limits and management measures that are responsive to changes in halibut exploitable biomass and fishing effort. continued@sitnews

Carla Ann Samson, 37, of D’Escousse, is charged with being an accessory to murder after the fact after the fact in the June 1 disappearance and presumed death of Phillip Boudreau of Petit de Grat.

A fourth person has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of a Richmond County man. continued@chronicleherald

The California Fish and Wildlife Commission modify abalone fishery regulations along the Northern California coast. Anyone tell the Sea Otters?

 The number of red abalone that can be taken annually off the coast of Marin and Sonoma counties has been cut back drastically to improve the health of the species. continued@marinij

NOAA says Pacific great white shark not in danger of extinction

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Friday that the northeastern Pacific Ocean population of great white sharks is not in danger of extinction and does not warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act. continued@latimes

Enviro’s Slam NMFS – declined to protect great white sharks off the coast of California under the Endangered Species Act.

Last August, Oceana, the Center for Biological Diversity, Shark Stewards, and WildEarth Guardians petitioned the federal government for federal endangered species protection for the apex predator’s genetically distinct Northeastern Pacific population, found off California and Guadalupe Island, Mexico. continued@lakecountynews

ADF&G closes shrimp fishing in Juneau

Sport and personal use shrimp fisheries in the Juneau area will be closed starting Monday. The commercial shrimp fishery, which opens in October, will also be closed. Commercial shrimp fishing will be closed for three years, which Harris says is a good portion of the shrimps’ life cycle, to give the stock a chance to rebound. After three years, the Department hopes to have a sustainable level and offer limited openings. Personal use and sport fishing will be closed until further notice. continued@ktoo