Daily Archives: January 9, 2017
The Rise and Fall of a Shrimp Biologist
Yes, I am a marine biologist. But, before you get all doe-eyed, thinking about swimming with dolphins, or saving the whales, I need to explain that there are two very different kinds of marine biologists in the world, one kind triumphantly leaps off of boats wearing stylish wetsuits to study highly intelligent and beautiful marine mammals, these are the dolphin huggers, while the other kind of marine biologist studies the less popular animals in the ocean, things like worms and slugs, or in my case, shrimp. And to be precise, I don’t study just any shrimp. My career choice was to study sick shrimp, shrimp laden with bacteria. While my dolphin-hugging colleagues are inundated with students—all of which, by the way, look remarkable in scant swimwear—they travel the world giving invited seminars to large enthusiastic audiences and seem to get research support with the flick of pen, I on the other hand am basically the proctologist of the marine biology world in terms of popularity. And like all proctologists, my expertise is entirely unappreciated. Read the article here 19:57
Coast Guard responds to fishing vessel taking on water 50 miles south of Grand Isle
The Coast Guard is responding to a vessel taking on water approximately 50 miles south of Grand Isle, Louisiana, Monday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at 1:58 a.m. of an 85-foot fishing vessel (F/V Ocean 1)with three people aboard taking on water approximately 50 miles south of Grand Isle. Watchstanders at Sector New Orleans directed the launch of a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Grand Isle, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Alabama. The helicopter aircrew arrived on scene at 3:36 a.m. and lowered a de-watering pump and a rescue swimmer. The 45-foot response boat transferred coast guard personnel and pumps to the vessel. The HC-144 Ocean Sentry crew, the 45 foot response boat, and the offshore supply vessel Joanne Morrison are currently on scene. Link 16:04
FFAW-Unifor Statement on FISH-NL Application to Labour Board
Today the exact number of cards submitted by FISH-NL in an application to the Labour Relations Board was made public. As FFAW-Unifor anticipated, Cleary did not obtain nearly enough of the support required to represent the bargaining unit “Ryan Cleary and his group have taken advantage of a time of transition in our fishery and are preying on harvesters who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of that transition by making promises without any plan to back them up,” said Keith Sullivan, President of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union. “The numbers are now public and it is clear FISH-NL does not have adequate support.” Read the Press Release here 13:44
Truths About Trawl Life – Fisheries advocates expose truths and misconceptions regarding drastic NC shrimp industry rule changes
In the name of environmental stewardship, a non-profit group based in Raleigh and Charlotte has aimed their fire at the state’s commercial fishermen. Stakeholders say this effort could ultimately shut down a historic industry. According to their website mission statement, NC Wildlife Federation (NCWF) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that “has worked for all wildlife and habitat bringing together citizens, outdoor enthusiasts, hunters and anglers, government and industry to protect North Carolina’s natural resources.” Their latest conservation effort is aimed towards a fishery that brings one of our state’s highest prized commodities to the table – fresh NC shrimp. Contrary to their mission statement, the NCWF has not brought together citizens in this effort, nor have they based their claims on industry facts. Calling the trawling industry “killers,” they’ve petitioned the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) to drastically change rules for the fishery. Folks in the business of fresh seafood say these cuts will take fresh NC shrimp off the table for good. “Basically, the impact of this petition will be to shut down the NC shrimp industry,” said Jerry Schill, president of NC Fisheries Association. Fisheries advocates with NC Catch have compiled facts, complete with sources cited, to educate the public on some of the misrepresentation. This information, along with a host of benefits that come with enjoying fresh, local seafood can be found on their website, nccatch.org. Read the article here 11:40
Catch share threat is back
As we enter 2017, the biggest threat to commercial and recreational fishermen in the South Atlantic is back: private ownership of the snapper-grouper fishery through a catch share program. Fishery stakeholders have year after year overwhelmingly rejected any form of catch shares. Most recently, 97 percent of the comments on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s long-range snapper-grouper management plan opposed catch shares — a plan the council promised would be “stakeholder-driven.” Yet, SAFMC Vice Chair Charlie Phillips has revealed that he, SAFMC member Chris Conklin and former SAFMC member Jack Cox, all commercial snapper-grouper fleet owners and dealers, are leading an effort to get a voluntary “pilot” catch share program in place this year using an “Exempted Fishing Permit,” which is a back door way to avoid the normal fishery regulation approval process. In a recent article in the Charleston, SC Post & Courier, Vice Chair Phillips touts that the permit would “allow them to catch all year.” The article also reveals that the Seafood Harvesters of America, which has been funded with over $300,000 from the radical Environmental Defense Fund, is supporting the EFP application. The Seafood Harvesters represent some of the biggest catch share owners in the nation. Read the post here 11:06
A ‘Gentle Giant’: Shelburne fisherman dies at sea
A fisherman who fell from a fishing boat into the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Sable late Saturday afternoon has died. Shelburne resident Jim Buchanan, 44, was described by friend Krista Peterson on social media as “a gentle man gone too soon and missed by many.” His friends and family called him “the Gentle Giant” or “Big Jim.” The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax said Buchanan, on board the Secret Sea, was laying lobster traps about 25 nautical miles south east of Cape Sable when he went overboard around 5 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The JRCC asked the Canadian Coast Guard to assist, and they brought him into West Head on Cape Sable. Harbourmaster Dick Crowell said an ambulance was there to provide medical assistance, but Buchanan had already died. The boat is owned by Harding Lobster Ltd. of Shelburne. Captain Audie Harding said he and his crew are still struggling to understand what happened to their friend. Read the story here 09:07
FISH-NL releases details of certification application — 2,372 harvesters sign membership cards, well over 50 per cent required
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) is today releasing details of its certification application filed with the Labour Relations Board on Dec. 30th, including the total number of fish harvesters signed on. “A total of 2,372 harvesters from more than 300 Newfoundland and Labrador communities signed FISH-NL cards over our two-month membership drive,” says Ryan Cleary, president of FISH-NL. “From all indications that number represents well over 50 per cent of all inshore fish harvesters.” Read the Press release, click here 08:04
Upstart fishing union says more than 2,300 fish harvesters have joined Click here 08:56
NMFS Seeks Public Comment for Proposed Rule to Require Turtle Excluder Device Use for Skimmer Trawls, Pusher-Head Trawls, and Wing Nets (Butterfly Trawls)
FisheriesNMFS is seeking comments on a newly proposed rule. The rule, if implemented, would require all skimmer trawls, pusher-head trawls, and wing nets (butterfly trawls) to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in their nets. A TED is a device that allows sea turtles to escape from trawl nets. The purpose of the proposed rule is to aid in the protection and recovery of listed sea turtle populations by reducing incidental bycatch and mortality of sea turtles in the southeastern U.S. shrimp fisheries. We have scheduled six public hearings in January 2017 to solicit public comment on the proposed rule. The dates, times, and locations of the hearings are as follows: Larose, LA – January 9, 2017, 4pm-6pm, Larose Regional Park and Civic Center, 307 East 5th Street, Larose, LA 70373. Gretna, LA – January 10, 2017, 12pm-2pm, Belle Chasse, LA – January 10, 2017, 4pm-6pm Biloxi, MS – January 11, 2017, 4pm-6pm, Bayou La Batre, AL – January 12, 2017, 10am-12pm Morehead City, NC – January 18, 2017, 12pm-2pm Read the bulletin here 09:33Share this post