Daily Archives: June 11, 2017

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting in Ponte Vedra Beach, June 12-16, 2017

The public is invited to attend the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to be held at the Sawgrass Marriott, 1ooo PGA Tour Boulevard, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 . Click here for details Webinar Registration: Listen Live, Click here 19:05

We must fight any plan to drill off the Jersey Shore

Drilling for oil and natural gas off the coast of New Jersey is a bad idea that never goes away.,,, Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, oil companies actually drilled exploratory wells off Atlantic City. They didn’t find significant enough deposits to continue the effort. But here we are again. New Jersey’s two U.S. senators and House members from coastal districts are opposing the latest push for offshore drilling, just as they have done every time this issue has bubbled to the surface, no matter their party. And the argument — a good one — against offshore drilling is always the same: Why endanger the state’s $44 billion-a-year tourism industry and the 500,000 jobs it supports? Half of that revenue is generated from counties along the coast. Offshore drilling could also threaten the state’s $7.9 billion-a-year fishing industry and the 50,000 jobs it creates. click here to read the story 17:54

White spot – Shellfish disease unlikely to become major threat to shrimp

A shellfish killing disease discovered in crawfish ponds around Louisiana about a month ago isn’t as likely to be a major threat to the shrimp population, state officials say. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologist Jeff Marx said the virus is most likely in wild populations, but it shouldn’t affect wild shrimp as much as the crawfish because shrimp aren’t in contained spaces like crawfish are. Although the disease has only been found in crawfish, it could also infect shrimp and crabs in coastal estuaries, according to a report by the LSU Ag Center. Shrimp and crab will be tested for the virus. click here to read the story 14:57

Unlikely to become a major threat? They thought that in Queensland. Australia: Fears grow as white spot detected in crab in Logan River, click here for more info.

Boat and Ship Industry Ideal for 3D Printer R&D Tax Credits – What is 3D Printing? An Overview.

Although many boat and ship components are standard items, the added transportation costs and marine specifications often make parts and components difficult to source and very expensive.,, Vessels need to have spare parts stocked at all times in case something goes awry and a replacement is necessary. This leads to more space and weight taken up on the vessel related to the spare parts inventory. 3D printers on boats would eliminate the need for an inventory of spare parts. With a 3D printer on deck, many spare parts could be printed on demand. The quick and cost-efficient benefit of having a 3D printer onboard a vessel can dramatically change the way the changing and fixing of parts is managed. Although 3D printing may seem like a daunting idea, it is not too difficult for the average person to use. click here to read the story 13:37

What is 3D Printing? An Overview. click here to read it

Theresa May warned over handing UK fishing waters to Brussels

Despite failing to capture a Commons majority, the Prime Minister has insisted she will stick to the schedule and get the Brexit talks underway despite pressure from inside her own party to resign.
Ukip MEP Bill Etheridge forewarned Mrs May about using Britain’s fishing waters as a bargaining chip, with the possibility of them being handed back to Brussels in exchange for other concessions. The Brexiteer described the potential move as the “ultimate betrayal” by Mrs May and her Conservative minority government. He said: “It would be a huge betrayal and quite frankly the second time the Conservatives have betrayed our fishing fleets. Video, click here to read the story 11:23

Letter: Sanctuary action has affected fishermen

A recent story on the Monterey Bay Sanctuary quotes Superintendent Paul Michel: “We do not regulate fishing … We have not negatively affected fisheries, in fact, over a half-billion dollars worth of fish have been landed since (sanctuary) designation.” That’s a surprise. There is ample evidence that sanctuary actions have negatively affected recreational and commercial fishermen. In 2007, fishermen witnessed the sanctuary’s leadership role in closing the best fishing areas in the region, displacing fishing effort to less productive areas.  click here to read the letter  (short and sweet)   10:29

Fishing for hope and faith

Many mornings the trucks of fishermen and lobster-men can be seen parked on Country Way in front of the North Scituate Marylou’s Coffee. Recently one truck had a new bumper sticker added that proclaims, “PRESIDENT TRUMP MAKE COMMERCIAL FISHING GREAT AGAIN!” After last week’s decision by the president to pull the US from the non-ratified Paris climate accord, perhaps there is some hope for commercial fishermen that other actions will mitigate the burdensome regulations and ineffective quota restrictions that have practically destroyed the industry. Now most commercial fisherman will not disagree that the climate is changing, along with seawater temperatures. Many of those that make their living harvesting the sea’s bounty respect the phenomenal force that is our environment and have faith that the system is naturally self-correcting. In other words, trying to control nature is like shoveling sand against the tide.  Speaking of hope and faith, a well-known member of the Scituate community who happens to be recreational fisherman had his own reminder of the importance of hope and faith. click here to read the story 09:31

A mystery is born: Where are all the baby lobsters?

Biologists and lobstermen are growing increasingly worried that the state’s most valuable fishery, which in recent years has boasted record volume and value and accounts for more than 80 percent of Maine’s fishing profit, is about to go bust, a doomsday economic scenario some call the curse of the “gilded trap.” At the center of their concern: The number of baby lobsters found in the Gulf of Maine continues to fall. “We call it the great disconnect,” said Joshua Carloni, New Hampshire’s state lobster biologist. “And as you can imagine, it has us concerned.”,,,  The Seabrook tows found a decline in copepods – tiny planktonic crustaceans that are most likely a staple of the lobster larval diet click here to read the story 08:14

Fish in the Northwest Atlantic Are Going Hungry – New Science From Maine’s Department of Marine Resources Helps To Explain Why. click here to read the article