Daily Archives: February 24, 2014

Exposed; “The Devolution of the Seas,”, Alan Sielen opts for outdated and refuted information on tuna stocks

logoWASHINGTON (Saving Seafood)February 24, 2014 — Writing in an essay originally published in Foreign Affairs, (“The Devolution of the Seas,” November/December 2013) Alan Sielen, a Senior Fellow for International Environmental Policy at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, paints a dire picture of the state of the world’s oceans, claiming that “humanity has come perilously close to reversing the almost miraculous biological abundance of the deep.”  But in his highly selective and misleading portrayal of the current state of fisheries management, Mr. Sielen gets several key facts wrong, and recirculates ideas that are either highly disputed or have been thoroughly refuted by the marine science community. Read more here  18:52

Green Crabs & climate change pose threat to Maine shellfish- It’s bigger than Maine. Its from Mass to the Canadian Maritimes FERTILIZER!

One of Maine’s oldest commercial fisheries is in trouble, and the reason appears to be a very aggressive and very hungry predator. “Everything’s disappearing,” says Abden Simmons of Waldoboro, who is a member of the state Shellfish Advisory Board. “The only thing living there is the green crab. So what’s living is being eaten up. Clams, mussels, oysters, everything.” Read more@wlbz2 18:07

Skull found in Westport crab pot Skull found in Westport crab pot

The partial human skull was found Friday morning in a crab pot about 2 miles off of Westport. The fisherman set the pot the previous week in water 90-to-100 feet deep. Read more@fresnobee  17:57

Can Environmental Scientists be Environmental Advocates? Doesn’t the advocacy degrade the objectivity of the science?

I just learned that Daniel Pauly serves as a Director on the Oceana Board: Dr. Daniel Pauly (The University of British Columbia)  Pauly is a renowned fisheries scientist. Since 1994, Pauly has been a professor at the Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia. He currently serves as the principal investigator of the Sea Around Us Project at the Fisheries Centre, where his global, multi-year analyses of marine ecosystems has allowed him to reach startling and important conclusions, most critical among them that fish populations are declining rapidly all over the world.” Read more here  17:27

I believe Daniel Pauly to be the ultimate Pew crackpot.

A must read blog (along with Fishosophy, of course!) Recommended by Nils Stolpe

The blogger is Jonathan Gonzalez, a graphic designer with a solid and obvious commitment to ocean conservation. What separates him from the crowd, and what brought his blog to my attention, was his unwillingness to accept at face value the myriad of commonly held “truths” of marine conservation and his willingness to devote himself to researching what’s really going on in our oceans and in our fisheries. Five minutes invested in reading the “about me” page on his website, Read [email protected]  17:06

New England Fishery Management Council Meeting – February 25 – 26, 2014 in Danvers , Ma. LISTEN LIVE!

nefmc logoFebruary 25-26, 2014 – New England Fishery Management Council Meeting at Double Tree Hotel 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923 Phone: 978/777-2500 ; Fax: 978/750-7959   Read the agenda here  Webinar Registration here  15:31

China ship blasts Pinoy fishermen with water cannon – The makings of a Trade War with China.

MANILA, Philippines – A Chinese coast guard ship used a water cannon last month to drive Filipino fishermen out of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, showing aggressive enforcement of new Chinese fisheries rules, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said yesterday. Read more here 14:33

Senate and House Bills to reauthorize Magnuson to be Published side by side in Atlantic Coast Fishery News

ASFNewsSenate and House Bills to reauthorize Magnuson to be Published side by side in Atlantic Coast Fishery News.  As a commercial fisherman, or shore side industry, you probably are interested to know our commercial fishing paper is publishing the full text of both the House and Senate Bills. Further we will publish the analysis of the Center for Sustainable Fisheries, which will explain in basic terms, which Bill tends to resolve current problems with Magnuson. Read more here  14:10

Tuna: Super Fish

03BlueFinCoronado-BFT1Athletes of the Sea Let’s clarify one thing up front: Tuna are not ordinary fish. They are athletic freaks of nature, built for raw power, speed and endurance. They can withstand intense cold, dive to crushing depths and swim at speeds approaching 50 miles per hour. Read [email protected]  13:59

Shut up, and Pay up. BP gets slick in trying to undermine gulf oil spill settlement

It would be perfectly proper for BP, the giant British oil company, to feel a sense of corporate remorse. “Buyer’s remorse,” however? That’s a different story. In full-page ads, BP ridicules payouts it believes are undeserved, including $8 million to famed chef Emeril Lagasse and $173,000 to an escort service. Read more@latimes  13:38

Record Sales and Earnings for High Liner Foods in 2013

“Following years of exceptionally strong growth, we are pleased to report that in fiscal 2013, High Liner Foods achieved the highest sales and earnings in its history,” announced Mr Demone, CEO. “The acquisition of American Pride bolstered sales in the fourth quarter and contributed to a strong finish to the year, which overall, has been a successful year, but hasn’t been without its challenges. Read more@thefishsite  08:29

The Downeast Salmon Federation hopes ‘planting’ salmon eggs in rivers will restore population

The technique simulates natural activities of salmon reproduction. A female salmon creates a nest, called a redd, in the gravel of a streambed or riverbed in the fall. Using her tail, the fish scoops out a pit, lays her eggs, then covers them with gravel to protect them until they hatch in the spring. Read [email protected] 08:05

Cape Cod fishermen hoping for a lifeline as the region faces ongoing cod shortages

The fishermen of Cape Cod have been forced to approach the American government for a bailout to save the region’s fishing community. Falling catches, caused by a combination of overfishing and a predatory seal population, are driving many fishermen out of business, The Telegraph reported.Permits worth £50,000 ($85,000) just five years ago are now barely worth the paper they are printed on, Read [email protected]  07:00

‘Deadliest Catch’ captain to speak at fishermen’s forum in Rockland

BDNROCKPORT, Maine — The annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum is known for having a full slate of seminars about new regulations, marketing strategies, management, fishing techniques and other related topics. This year, forum organizers are going the extra mile to bring in some entertainment, too. Read more@BDN  06:37

Canada siding with U.S., Denmark on High Arctic fishing moratorium

Canada is preparing to join the United States and Denmark in pressing for a moratorium on commercial fishing in the international waters of the High Arctic as climate change makes their bounty accessible for the first time in more than 800,000 years. Read more@globeandmail   04:58

Coastal Villages Region Fund protesting low 2014 halibut quota

 Because of catch limit changes by the International Pacific Halibut Commission, the Coastal Villages Region Fund’s (CVRF’s) allowable catch will be reduced by almost 50 percent. During a brief two-week period in summer 2013, some 184 commercial halibut captains caught 210,248 pounds of halibut, exceeding the Coastal Villages’ quota for the year. Read more@alaskadispatch 04:54