Daily Archives: December 9, 2015
Fishermen file lawsuit in N.H. against NOAA over at sea observers
A group of fishermen in the region filed a
Wednesday against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in federal district court in Concord, N.H., arguing that the agency violated their rights by forcing them to pay for a controversial program that requires government-trained monitors on their vessels to observe their catch. The fishermen, who in the coming weeks will be required to pay hundreds of dollars every time an observer accompanies them to sea, argue that the costs are too much to bear and will put many of them out of business. The lawsuit alleges that, by forcing fishermen to pay for the monitors, regulators have violated their Constitutional rights and that their actions are “arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion.” Read the article here 19:13
Are fishing conservation efforts helping or hurting?
If you put too many restrictions on the fishing industry, it could kill off a major part of the local economy. But if too few restrictions are in place, that could kill off the fish — in which case that economy would no longer exist. That was the crux of the dilemma being debated at a congressional natural resources committee hearing in Riverhead Monday morning. The title of the hearing, held at the Suffolk County Community College Culinary Arts Center, was “Restoring Atlantic Fisheries and Protecting the Regional Seafood Economy.” Read the article here 14:29
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 28′ Cape Dory Tuna/Pleasure, 200HP, 6 Cylinder Volvo
Specifications, information and 19 photo’s click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 13:44
Maine State Legislature to consider fisheries bills on “emergency” basis
The Legislature will take up bills dealing with the lobster and elver fisheries when it returns to work next month, but new licensing rules for the scallop industry will likely have to wait. Last month, the Legislative Council approved two bills proposed by Rep. Walter Kumiega (D-Deer Isle) for consideration by the full Legislature when it returns to work in January. The council has to green-light any new bills that lawmakers want to introduce during the Legislature’s second session. Read the article here 13:14
NOAA Clarifies Commercial Shark Fishing Regulations to another special interest group
An online petition signed by thousands of outraged divers aimed at preventing the upcoming shark fishing season in the Atlantic region has drawn the attention of the federally run National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. On Tuesday morning, officials from NOAA’s Fisheries Department hosted a conference call for DivePhotoGuide and other various news outlets in hopes of reducing the ire in the underwater community sparked by the petition, “STOP Commercial Shark Fishing Set for January 1, 2016!” The petition blew up on social media and has amassed more than 12,000 signatures in its first week. Read the article here 12:09
Young Ilfracombe skipper helping to catch new recruits
Ilfracombe skipper Ben Bengey has been chosen as an ambassador to encourage other young people into the fishing industry. Ben, 19, will be part of a new The World is Your Oyster campaign launched by industry body Seafish. It features real people sharing their career stories and aims to capture the imagination of those aged between 16 and 24 currently trying to secure their first step on the career ladder. Ben is the youngest members of the North Devon Fishermens’ Association and skipper of Silver Spirit, fishing for lobster and crab out of Ilfracombe. Video, Read the article here 10:26
Alaska Board of Fisheries won’t meet on peninsula
The board made the call by a 5-2 vote at the tail end of its Bristol Bay finfish meeting, also in Anchorage. Only two board members, commercial fishermen Sue Jeffrey and Fritz Johnson, voted in favor of a proposal moving the meeting from Anchorage to Kenai Peninsula, where the board hasn’t held an Upper Cook Inlet meeting since the last millennium. “Maybe next time,” said member John Jensen of Petersburg, drawing an outraged cry from the audience. “Why maybe?” called John McCombs, a peninsula fisherman and board member of United Cook Inlet Drift Association. Read the article here 09:51
Ketchikan fishermen fined for violating Lacey Act
Three fishermen from Ketchikan admitted to violating a federal wildlife law on Tuesday for illegally catching halibut without the proper permits and selling it to a seafood restaurant at below market rates. Prosecutors say it was a failed ploy by the business owner to keep the eatery from going under. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt said the investigation showed Thornlow began having financial difficulties with the restaurant and recruited the three fishermen to catch halibut illegally to save him money and earn some for the fishermen. Read the article here 09:06
Pew lie’s, Pew cry’s – Pacific tuna conservation meeting ends in deadlock
Environ mental groups expressed frustration Wednesday after a key Pacific fishing industry meeting failed to adopt measures to protect vulnerable tuna species from overfishing. The Pew Charitable Trusts said the bluefin and bigeye tuna species could become severely depleted due to inaction by the . Critics said a commission meeting, which wrapped up in the Indonesian island of Bali late Tuesday, also did nothing to prevent shark-finning and illegal fishing. Read the article here 08:18
Lobster levy regulations for buyers approved by P.E.I. cabinet
The P.E.I. cabinet has approved new regulations that will see a one-cent-per-pound lobster levy collected from buyers next spring. P.E.I. Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Alan McIsaac said this is the final step for the province, since the regulations for a one-cent-per-pound levy for lobster fishermen were passed in the summer. “The regulations are now going to be in place for both the harvesters and the buyers,” said McIsaac. The money will be used for marketing. Read the article here 07:49
