Daily Archives: December 27, 2014
Florida lobsters find a market in China
The US lobster trade with China is growing rapidly, especially for a species called the spiny lobster that is harvested in the Florida Keys. “The Chinese prefer the spiny lobster over its better known brethren the North American or Maine lobster. Part of the reason is cultural – the Chinese think of a spiny lobster as similar to a dragon prawn and the dragon is a very powerful symbol in China.” Read the rest here 21:56
Coast Guard Responds to Fishing Vessel in distress off South Carolina coast
The Coast Guard responded to a vessel taking on water Saturday, 48 miles southeast of Folly Beach, South Carolina. No injuries were reported, and the vessel did not sink. Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Charleston command center received a report of the situation at 4:10 a.m., from the captain of the 37-foot commercial fishing vessel. Read the rest here 17:26
Mass starfish stranding reported on Fripp Island
The stranding of thousands of starfish on Fripp Island was likely due to Wednesday’s stormy weather, according to a marine veterinarian. George Sedberry, a science coordinator in national Office of Marine Sanctuaries, said he has not studied this stranding but offered other possible explanations for the sea stars’ deaths. (You know where this is going, right?) Read the rest here 13:31
Dead mullet troubles in Anna Maria Island
“Fisher folk have been harvesting mullet this way for many generations. They have a recognized right to a way of life and a livelihood from the sea,” he said. “But we want to work with them to see if we can find a way to better use the bycatch for food or for fertilizer or for purposes other than the cast-offs and the nonsensical practices that we are seeing. “We’re seeing unacceptable conditions along the shores of Anna Maria,” he added. Read the rest here 11:07
Managing Forage Fish: New limits hope to protect game fish
Earlier this month, the 
, at least for now, prohibited the development of new fisheries and expansion of existing ones for unregulated forage fish throughout the region from 3 miles off the beach to 300 miles out in the ocean. The action is like a moratorium designed to give regulators time to learn more about the science of how these little fish fit into the ecosystem. Read the rest here
The Bernstein family and Island Trust Agreement Development redevelopment prompts concerns for commercial fishing there
One of Stock Island’s largest landowners intends to keep commercial fishing part of a plan to redevelop a large portion of Safe Harbor, the owners said. The lack of details about the development have led to speculation and uneasiness among fishermen. The Bernstein family and the owners of Fishbusterz fish market want to ease those fears. Read the rest here 10:24
New England: Fishing regs have widespread impact
In mid-December, Les Eastman sent out one of his fishing charter party boat full of tourists who were in the region to fish in New Hampshire’s ocean waters.,, For decades, the increasingly restrictive fishing regulations handed down by Washington, D.C. bureaucrats were primarily a burden to small boat commercial fishermen in the inshore fleets found along coastal New Hampshire, Maine, and parts of Massachusetts. Read the rest here 09:53
FFAW says Shrimp Quota Cuts Having Noticeable Impact on Communities
The FFAW admits the average person may not fully understand the impact cuts to shrimp quota could have on rural parts of the province. This year the inshore took a 27 per cent cut while the offshore only saw a three per cent quota reduction. Audio, Listen here 09:34
Oceana “Bering Sea 2014 canyon cruise” turns up fewer corals, more controversy
A conservation group scientist, John Warrenchuk, of Oceana, said it could indicate the corals were wiped out by commercial net fishing, while a fishing industry scientist said they may never have grown there in the first place, and said existing records would show if any fishing had ever happened in the coral-free areas. Industry scientist John Gauvin, representing bottom trawlers, called for a review of data of fishing activity by area, based on data collected by observers onboard commercial fishing vessels. Read the rest here 09:12
Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk resigning, taking state job
Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk is resigning as the city’s chief executive officer to assume the position of deputy secretary in the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development in the incoming administration of Governor-elect Charlie Baker. Read the rest here 08:40
Sea Shepherd Attempts to Legitimize! Commences Recovery of Illegal Gillnet
Yesterday, December 25, at approximately 1326 AEDT, the Sea Shepherd conservation ship, Sam Simon, located a discarded gillnet at 62° 16’ South, 081° 14’ East, inside the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) area of management. Using the coordinates and photographic evidence provided by fellow Sea Shepherd ship, the Bob Barker, Sam Simon Captain Sid Chakravarty was able to identify the gillnet – a method of fishing outlawed by CCAMLR since 2004 – as the property of the Interpol-listed vessel, Thunder. Read the rest here 07:57
