Daily Archives: August 1, 2013

Fraser River sockeye run looks promising

“The two components of the early runs are looking pretty reasonable,” said Jennifer Nener, director of salmon for the Pacific region with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Sockeye runs go in four-year breeding cycles. The astronomical run of 2010, when 30 million sockeye went up the Fraser River, means their descendents are due to return from the Pacific Ocean in 2014. continued@mapleridgenews

LePage wants Maine to process own lobster, blames Legislature for stumbling blocks

BDNGov. Paul LePage said he would like to see enough factories built in Maine so that all Maine lobsters that are to be processed can be handled within the state. continued@BDN

Draft MSC Recertification Report Released… Public Comment Period is Open

radio-microphoneThe effort to get Alaska’s commercially caught salmon recertified under the Marine Stewardship Council’s label of sustainability took a major step forward Wednesday with the release of a draft report. KDLG’s Mike Mason has the story.

So crickets from the fishing industry on the fraud called ocean wind farming? – The Guest Commentary of Ec Newellman

cape-wind-power-farm-b1This is not farming for the benefit of the American public…oh “no siree”…..this is for the benefit of big green investors who see the cash cow from green energy being rammed-rodded into the American economy. continued here

NE Region Notices

NOAA Fisheries wants to remind monkfish, Atlantic sea scallop and multispecies (groundfish) fishing vessels that a vessel can obtain Good Samaritan DAS credit if assisting the U.S. Coast Guard in a search and rescue operation or towing a disabled vessel. Click here to read more about this.

NMFS  $3.6 Million in Grants to States and Tribes to Support Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery  Click here to read more.

Proposed Measures for Atlantic Herring Fishery (Framework 2) Click here to read more and to provide comments

Foundation to replace spawning bed gravel on the Campbell River in British Columbia

A project to rehabilitate a spawning bed on the Campbell River won’t have to wait long for positive results. “The fish coming in the fall will use this spawning bed right away,” said Martin Buchanan volunteer chairman of the Campbell River Salmon Foundation which is spearheading the First Island Chinook Spawning Gravel Placement Project. continued@cambbellrivermirror

Saving Seafood Special Report: U.S. Seafood: Ratings and Realities

logo(Saving Seafood) August 1, 2013 — When the National Park Service (NPS) announced it would utilize third party seafood ratings and certification programs to set guidelines for vendors offering seafood options within U.S. National Parks, the agency revived a debate surrounding the eco-certification of U.S. seafood. Tomorrow, NPS is meeting with NOAA in an attempt to reconcile concerns and ensure that its new sustainable seafood guidelines aren’t detrimental to fishermen, processors, and consumers alike. continued here

Fritz Johnson Selected to Serve on the Alaska Board of Fisheries

Commercial driftnet fishermen Fritz Johnson from Dillingham has been selected by Alaska Governor Sean Parnell to fill a vacancy on the Alaska Board of Fisheries. KDLG’s Mike Mason has the story.

The Dolphin Death by Fishermen hysteria seems to be dying down as the body count stack’s up off the coast of NJ and Va.

Mooney-Seus said the widespread geographic area where the dolphins were  washing up suggested a disease as the culprit, rather than a fishing net or  other human involvement. “I would tend to think it’s not an issue of fishing,” she said, “seeing it in  different states. Some have lesions, which is more likely a sign of some kind of  disease.” [email protected]

 

Understanding the Canadian Commercial Fishing Industry on Lake Erie by Jonathan Shoemaker

863a4ac9dc_64635696_o2The natural resources that Lake Erie provides are valuable to millions of people. That is why conversations get heated with the topic of Lake Erie fisheries management. Distrust and blame are often beseeched upon neighboring management agencies. Canadian commercial fishermen are looked upon with disdain by many Americans for their use of gill nets and harvest rates. continued@walleyecentral

La. Shrimpers Encouraged to Report Asian Tiger Prawn Catches

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is aware of and constantly monitoring the appearance of Asian tiger prawns, a non-native species, in Louisiana waters.  LDWF officials are asking local shrimp harvesters to report catches of tiger prawns to the Department. [email protected]

Coast Guard searching for missing fisherman Gary Kettlehut, F/V No Bull near Egmont Key

Gary Kettlehut, 55, was working for the company Fishbusterz and was aboard one of their commercial fishing boats  when he went missing Wednesday night. He was last seen aboard the 42-foot fishing boat, No Bull, 78 miles northwest of Egmont Key. Kettlehut wasn’t aboard the No Bull when the crew awoke at 6 a.m. continued@baynews9

No hope for the New Hope – Sunken boat abandoned in Ocean City Harbor

bilde new hopeShe rests on her side at the mouth of the commercial fishing harbor, salt water and worms eating at her wooden hull. The 63-foot trawler that in her prime had been a fine fishing vessel now sinks into a watery grave, abandoned and decaying. continued@delmarvanow

Skipper’s Alleged Assault Causes Crew to Abandon Fishing Vessel – being held without bail

“At the time of the assault the vessel was commercial fishing in the waters off of Cape Chiniak,” troopers wrote. “Clemens was reportedly highly intoxicated. The two victims and a third crew member escaped by taking the seine skiff to Kodiak.” continued@ktuu

Our Views: Gulf of Mexico Dead zone needs attention

Louisiana — and the nation that depends upon its fisheries — can’t afford anything less. continued@ theadvocate

Yukon River king salmon run called “dismal”

As of Tuesday, only about 20,000 kings had been counted past a sonar located 16 miles from the Canadian border near Eagle. The Pacific Salmon Treaty between Alaska and Canada calls for a minimum of 42,500 kings at the sonar. continued@newsminer

Louisiana Men Cited Red Snapper and Amberjack Violations

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents cited five Louisiana men for allegedly violating federal reef fish regulations on July 26 in the Gulf of Mexico. [email protected]

With a $3.8 million bid, Rhode Island’s Deepwater Wind New England won the nation’s first offshore wind energy auction

sct logoThe Bureau of Ocean Energy Management had split the 164,750-acre area, roughly 2½ times the size of Nantucket, into two portions for development. Deepwater Wind beat out two other developers, Sea Breeze Energy LLC and US Wind Inc, to purchase the entire area after 11 rounds of bidding. The company did receive a 20 percent “credit”,,earned its discount because it had entered into a “joint development agreement” with the state of Rhode Island. Continued@soutcoasttoday

Letter: Time for fishermen to stand united – Sam Frontiero, Gloucester, Ma

gdt iconIt saddens me and makes me angry after reading the quotes from Joe Orlando and Christine Sherman in the Times (Page 1, Wednesday, July 31). I have sent numerous letters to Obama and even his wife. Who knows if they even see them. But Michelle sent back totallly disregarding what I wrote, sending a generic response and a website to see all the good their administration has done. I thought he would make a change and to listen to him talk about jobs, makes me puke. And I voted for him. continued@GDT

Editorial: Fishermen’s plight shows need for urgent fed response

gdt iconIt’s now been 10 months since the Department of Commerce’s then-Acting Secretary, the very aptly-named Rebecca Blank,,,,It’s been months since officials up to and including Gov. Deval Patrick pressed the White House to issue the needed executive order that could have eased the dire catch limits clamped on the fishing industry by NOAA Northeast Regional Administrator John Bullard that have, based on questionable science documentation, driven Gloucester’s and New England’s fishermen to their knees.,,,And for what it’s worth, it’s even been six weeks since Gloucester’s own Frances Ferrante, mother of state Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, got the chance at a Sen. Ed Markey rally to tell President Obama face-to-face, “we need you to help our fishermen in Gloucester, Massachusetts.” continued@GDT

You know we will,” the president responded.