Daily Archives: June 18, 2014

What’s Stopping Fishermen from Tackling the Market on Dry Land

Fifteen minutes before the makeshift market would open, the line on the narrow dock in Tuna Harbor was jammed. Forget any ideas of maintaining personal space. It’s a regular Saturday morning crush for live rock crabs and sea urchins, trap-caught sablefish, bright-eyed red vermillion rockfish and tasty California halibut. Zack Roach and Luke Halmay work with 10 other commercial fishermen to sell seasonal, locally-Read more here  21:46

Regional Fishery Management Council Coordination Committee debones Oceana bycatch report – Calls for Detraction

After an exhaustive analysis of the report, the Councils found “a variety of substantial errors, omissions, and organizational approaches” in the Oceana report that “may seriously miscommunicate bycatch information.” The Councils have recommended that Oceana retract the report “until [they] have the time and/or resources to develop a better understanding of the data summarized in the report.” Read more here 20:32

Hastings: Imperial President Moves Forward with Ocean Zoning

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement regarding  statement announcement of President Obama’s overreaching Executive action to unilaterally lock-up huge portions of the Pacific Ocean: Read more here 20:16

White House addresses ocean issues

23523_354387901211_7651997_aYesterday, President Barack Obama announced several ocean-related initiatives. According to a White House fact sheet, the administration’s National Ocean Policy Initiatives include an effort to address pirate fishing, a white paper on ocean acidification, and an aquaculture research plan. Read more here  20:01

Obama’s Pacific no-fish zone questioned

baby fishermanA United States fishery scientist says the US President’s vow to dramatically increase a no-fishing zone in the Pacific is nothing more than a gesture. “It will have no conservation benefit on tunas and other highly migratory species. They move about so if they’re not subject to fishing mortality in one area, they may be in another. And we just don’t see this as anything more than really sort of being a gesture more than anything else.” Read more here 19:50

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Senator Begich talks about fed bashing.

FISH-With-Mic-Logo-GRAPHIC-303-x-400-e1360148757522Both of Alaska’s US Senators are on the powerful which has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate. That gives them combined clout when it comes to delivering multi-millions of dollars to their home state. Listen, and Read more here 18:09

Shrimp season looking good on opening day in Mississippi Sound

As the sun rose over the Mississippi Sound, hundreds of boats, big and small, were ready to drop the nets. A short time later, elation set in. John Guidry talked about his first drag. “45 minutes, and probably one of the best drags I’ve ever did in my life. Probably a good 50 pounds,” Guidry exclaimed. Read more here 17:41

Is Decline in Snow Crab Caused by 2002 Seismic Testing?

863a4ac9dc_64635696_o2The Margaree Environmental Association (MEA) is concerned that the crab fishery cutbacks in the , along the shores of Cape Breton Island, due to the decline in the crab population, may have been caused by seismic testing which was carried out in this area in late 2002. Read more here 16:56

Then, this: Seismic survey will give Statoil better handle on Bay du Nord find Read more here 17:03

New Federal Research Plan Highlights NOAA’s Critical Role in the Future of Aquaculture

A Message from , Head of NOAA Fisheries  National Marine Fisheries Service I am pleased to announce that the White Houses’ Office of Science and Technology Policy has released its National Strategic Plan for Federal Aquaculture Research which includes a clear role for NOAA in advancing aquaculture research. Read more here 16:05

Chatham defends fishing rights as Feds’ ‘land grab’ disputed

monomoy w rAfter joining a makeshift band singing a cheeky rendition of Woody Guthrie’s famous folk song, “This is not your land, this is our land,” outside a public hearing on the expansion of the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, shellfisherman Wendy Homer heard the distant sound of thunder.

“That’s our forefathers turning over in their graves,” Homer said. Read more here 15:06

Kerry Immersed in Conference on Clean Oceans as Iraq Falls Apart

As Iraq is overrun by terrorists and President Obama said “intensive diplomacy” is needed to solve the crisis, Secretary of State John Kerry is spending the beginning of the week hosting celebs and royalty at Foggy Bottom to discuss clean oceans and climate change. Read more here, read the comments at the article, too!  14:57

Phyllis A vessel group eyes Railways deal

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If you’re going to restore the oldest commercial fishing boat in Gloucester, why not look into the possibility of purchasing the oldest operating marine railways in the country as a place to berth her? Read more here. 14:44 Pay -wall

Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week – Fiberglass 44′ 2003, Crab/Lobster Cummins, 440HP

7312_01Specifications, and information, 13 photo’s call John Moran @ 508 999 4505  Click here 11:55

Conservationists challenge Obama’s Columbia salmon plan

Conservation groups and salmon advocates have challenged the Obama administration’s latest plan for making Columbia Basin dams safe for salmon. NOAA Fisheries NMFS said in a statement that the agency has made “clear and demonstrable progress in rebuilding salmon and steelhead runs throughout the Columbia Basin,” and it expects progress to continue. Read more here 11:12

Infectious Diseases Play A Part Of Declining Chesapeake Blue Crab Population

It’s almost summer. Seafood restaurants from coast-to-coast are serving platter after platter of steaming crabs, ready for hammering and picking. The supply seems endless, but is it? Not if we’re talking about blue crabs from Chesapeake Bay. Read more here 10:28

Premier Tom Marshall of Newfoundland and Labrador says his province is uniquely equipped to lead exploration of oil in the Arctic

Marshall says the province has a proven track record of safe offshore oil development in some of the harshest conditions on Earth. He says he understands that there are environmental concerns and that safety must always come first. Read more here 10:19

Blowing hot air – Offshore wind leases announced – HUGE Acreage – 742,000 acres off the coast of Massachusetts

The proposed sale of leases for the largest area in the nation designated for offshore wind energy projects was announced by U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, and other officials Tuesday at the state’s wind turbine technology testing facility. Read more here 10:04

Kodiak Fishermen Target A Niche Consumer Market

Small boat fishermen out of Kodiak have found a premium market for their catch, based on the idea of buying local. The jig fishery uses gear as light as ten pounds, and is open to anyone who buys a permit. A number of restaurants are willing to pay more for fish caught that way. Listen to the report  09:52

NOAA a big part of New Bedford’s groundfishing woes, says new report

sct logoMagnuson lies at the root of many problems, conclude the six authors, among whom are economics professor emeritus Dan Georgianna of UMass Dartmouth and Rodney Avila, a longtime local boat owner and activist. NOAA, the arm of Congress charged with implementing the law, tilts the playing field against fishermen by imposing “conservation for conservation’s sake, said Kate Kramer, CEO of the city-based Center for Sustainable Fisheries. Read more here 05:56