Daily Archives: July 1, 2013
Additional Details of the Response to the Sinking of the Lone Star
A large response effort is underway to deal with a fishing tender that sank Sunday morning near the mouth of one of the major salmon producing rivers in Bristol Bay. KDLG’s Mike Mason has the details. listen
Coast Guard terminates 5 vessel voyages for safety violations in Southeast Alaska . All five vessel crews were required to return to port in Petersburg
Coast Guard Station Ketchikan boarding teams terminated the voyages of the vessels following at-sea commercial fishing vessel safety boardings where a variety of safety violations were identified.. continued@uscgnews
The Worst Marine Invasion Ever – I could not believe what I found inside a lionfish.
“Do you know what this is?” James Morris looks at me, eyes twinkling, as he points to the guts of a dissected lionfish in his lab at the National Ocean Service’s Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research in Beaufort, N.C. 
Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. Stands Up to Big Oil and Fights to Protect Atlantic Coast from Offshore Drilling. YES!
“I oppose H.R. 2231, the Offshore Energy and Jobs Act. By requiring offshore oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean, this bill threatens New Jersey’s coastal environment, fishing, tourism and the associated jobs and economic activity. This bill is the same old failed attempt by the Republican majority to give away public resources to wealthy, multi-national corporations at the cost of American taxpayers and our environment. Read more here
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced it is extending the commercial Dungeness crab season to Aug. 14.
Pursuant to Fish and Game Code (FGC) Section 8277, Director Charlton H. Bonham extended the season off the coasts of Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties (Districts 6, 7, 8 and 9). This extended season coincides with the Oregon commercial Dungeness crab season closing date. information here
Should scientists avoid publishing shark migration data because it helps fishermen? (The environmental activists are a bit paranoid, me thinks.)
Spoiler: No. In recent weeks, some conservation activists have been promoting an idea that I would like to respond to as a member of the scientific community. They claim that scientists shouldn’t publish data about shark migrations, movement, or population dynamics because such data helps fishermen to find areas where there are lots of sharks and kill them. This misguided anti-science paranoia demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding about how conservation policy works. continued@southernfriedscience
Louisiana Seafood Board Enters New Era Under Lieutenant Governor’s Office
The 4th of July came early this year for the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. A heated legislative session to determined the fate of the board set off fireworks throughout the state’s seafood community. As of July 1st oversight has officially transfer from the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism under the office of Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne. continued@louisianaseafoodnews
Gloucester: A blessing for city’s fishermen
A Sunday morning Catholic Mass rich in Italian-American heritage once again transformed into a community-wide celebration on the outdoor altar and stage that served for the last five days as a focal point of Gloucester’s 86th St. Peter’s Fiesta. continued@gloucesterdailytimes
Fishery Bulletin – Commercial Harvest of Gray Triggerfish in South Atlantic Waters Closes on July 7
Commercial harvest of gray triggerfish in South Atlantic waters will close, at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on July 7, 2013. Commercial harvest will reopen at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on January 1, 2014. The 2013 commercial catch limit is 305,262 pounds whole weight. Reports indicate that commercial landings are rapidly approaching the 2013 catch limit. continued here
Bristol Bay fishermen support fleet reduction, study says
According to the seafood development association, which supports market, product and infrastructure improvements in the bay, a majority of responding permit holders are in favor of a buyback. At the time of their summer newsletter release, the returns showed that 74 percent of them supported a buyback program. A total of 81 percent supported the association’s continued investigation into a potential buyback, and what the costs and impacts to communities and economies would look like. continued@bristolbaytimes
Safety beacons signal extra protection for north Norfolk fishermen
Lifesaving equipment worth £7,000 has been handed to fishermen heading into the North Sea to help them guard against the day to day dangers of their traditional trade. continued@edp24
Coast Guard responding to partially submerged F/V Lone Star near Dillingham, Alaska
The Coast Guard is deploying personnel and assets to the site of the overturned 78-foot fishing vessel Lone Star to assess the situation and work with the owner to minimize the threat of pollution to the environment. continued@uscgnews
If you build it, they will come – The Bait Savour — a time-delayed bait release box designed to fit inside a lobster trap
The Bait Savour is a small container that fits inside an already-baited lobster trap and re-baits it automatically. The second piece of bait is protected inside a sealed container, which is held shut by a biodegradable fuse made with leftover fish 
byproduct. This container prevents the second piece of bait from being eaten prematurely by unwelcome and all-too-common visitors, such as sand fleas or seals. continued@chronicleherald
Maine Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher holding four open meetings in July to hear from lobstermen
The meetings are scheduled for July 9 in Rockland, July 11 in Machias, July 16 in Ellsworth and July 17 in Scarborough. continued@wabi
Rep Bill Cassidy and Sen. David Vitter – H.R. 1430, the Offshore Fairness Act of 2013.
This legislation will give states in the Gulf of Mexico and the south Atlantic the option to expand their offshore jurisdiction up to 10 miles off the coastline, thus giving them greater control over managing their own fisheries. It will also expand the boundary of the submerged land of the Outer Continental Shelf to 10 miles. This territorial extension will be available for the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. continued@dailycomet
A new culprit in cod decline? – Wait. What about that computer model?!!
The species of zooplankton that is one of the preferred foods of larval cod simply can’t take the heat,,,,For decades, the prevailing wisdom in fishery management was that fish stocks such as cod, haddock and flounder would reproduce in numbers sufficient to rebuild decimated populations if fishermen could simply be kept from catching too many.,,,, scientists noticed that plankton surveys showed a decline in some key zooplankton species in areas where the water had warmed. That matched up with portions of the ocean where cod, too, were not doing very well. continued@capecodonline
Shrimp season to close in some La. waters
The 
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says the inshore shrimp season will close at 6 a.m. on Thursday in the Terrebonne Basin except for portions of lower Timbalier Bay, Terrebonne Bay, Lake Pelto and Pelican Lake that directly border the Gulf of Mexico. [email protected]
