Daily Archives: December 20, 2014

Trawlers defeat relief for halibut fishermen – Balk at Compensation

The emergency measure was opposed by the At-sea Processors Association, United Catcher Boats, and other industry groups. The failed emergency measure was part of the voting to set quotas for Bering Sea groundfish species, including the billion dollar pollock fishery. Trawlers feared that a reduction in halibut bycatch limits for trawlers could shut them down early, leaving their fish in the water. But halibut fishermen complain that the trawlers are allowed to waste more  than they’ll be allowed to catch for the high-value market, a policy called “unacceptable” by St. Paul mayor Simeon Swetzof. Read the rest here 21:08

US responds to petition on Taiwanese fisherman

The U.S. White House has finally made an official response toward a petition raised regarding an incident that occurred between Taiwan and the Philippines on overlapping waters in 2013 that strained bilateral relations for months. On May 9, 2013, 65-year-old Hung Shih-cheng (洪石成) was shot dead when the Philippines Coast Guard sprayed Hung’s boat with bullets in the part of the South China Sea where the two countries’ EEZs overlap. Read the rest here 20:02

Newfoundland and Labrador’s fishing communities hitched to change

Conway Caines fishes out of Port Saunders, on the western side of the island’s Northern Peninsula. “Port Saunders is built on the fishery. Yes, there’s government jobs there, but if the fishing community wasn’t there, the government jobs wouldn’t be there. The hospital is there because the people are there. The forestry is there because the people are there. If the people wasn’t there — it’s no good bringing government jobs where there’s no community, no people.” Read the rest here 12:42

Fishermen in Cornwall urged to stay safe during ‘deadliest month of the year’

As  research reveals more fishermen die in January than in any other month of the year, the lifesaving charity has launched a hard-hitting campaign encouraging fishermen to make sure their boats keep them safe at sea. RNLI figures show that 59% of commercial fishing fatalities were due to a loss of vessel stability leading to capsize, leaking or swamping between 2010 and 2013 – with 30% of deaths occurring in the month of January when seas can be rough and water temperatures are at their lowest. The campaign is targeted at fishermen who work on vessels under 15m in length, Read the rest here 11:11

Pollock, salmon catchers clash over bycatch

Severe declines closed chinook salmon fishing on the Yukon River this year, and further steps to keep the big fish out of Bering Sea trawl nets are under consideration by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. “The biggest reduction in salmon bycatch has probably occurred,” said Stephanie Madsen, executive director of the At Sea Processors Association, representing pollock factory trawlers. The public shouldn’t expect dramatic reductions, although efforts may be made to “nibble around the edges,” she said. Read the rest here 10:03

Baker: New fish science report paints dizzying picture for industry future, And the news for the fishing industry as a whole is not good.

It might be one of the most important fish science reports in years, but it was released with so little fanfare, you could forgive even the most hardcore of fisheries observers for missing it. It basically looks at the effect of warming oceans and then sets the table for the next three to five years in the shrimp, crab and cod fisheries. Read the rest here 09:04

Granite State Fishermen – Trying to stay afloat

aluminum boatGov. Maggie Hassan will write a letter to federal fishing regulators supporting an alternative plan that, while still protecting local ,,, The measures stem from an unscheduled and controversial cod stock assessment conducted by federal officials that claimed cod stock continue to be in danger, not rebounding after restrictions cut the allowable cod catch by 77 percent about 18 months ago. Read the rest here 08:34