Daily Archives: September 17, 2017

‘Why is there piles of lobsters in the woods?’ – DFO Investigates

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is investigating after dozens of piles of dead, dried-up lobsters were found around Weymouth, N.S., last week. Weymouth is in Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 34 and the season runs between the last Monday in November until the end of May. Jody Smith, a lobster fisherman from the area, said he and others found the lobsters in wooded areas where people have been known to illegally dump their garbage. “You’re wasting a valuable resource to dump it in the woods. This is sick,” click here to read the story 20:06

‘Lazy’ NSW fishing reforms breach ‘hierarchy of wealth’ test, fishing consultant says

Daryl Sykes now manages the NZ Rock Lobster Industry Council, but has been involved with reforms in Queensland, Victoria and in Commonwealth waters as a member of the Australian Fish Management Authority. He said the reform model in NSW “didn’t look at the individual fishing businesses” and had ignored the “hierarchy of wealth” principles underpinning other reforms. He also said it was not based on science, was lazy in its approach, and had ignored widespread concern in the industry about the devastating impact it had on family fishing businesses. click here to read the story 19:03

Hurricane Jose Expected to Bring High Surf to the Eastern Seaboard in the Upcoming Week; Tropical Storm Conditions Possible

Jose, a Category 1 hurricane in the western Atlantic, will continue to produce dangerous high surf and rip currents as it moves parallel to the Eastern Seaboard in the upcoming week. Rain and tropical storm-force winds could also brush portions of the East Coast. Jose is currently located around 355 miles southeast of the Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and is moving north at near 10 mph. At this time, the majority of forecast guidance still shows Jose curling north, then northeast off of the U.S. East Coast. click here to read the story 13:09

Make way for Maine-New Hampshire trawl survey!

The fall groundfish trawl survey conducted by the state of Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) is scheduled to begin Oct. 2 in New Hampshire, working east to Lubec. Ahead of the survey, the DMR hopes to move lobster traps and other gear within the area that will be surveyed. The Maine-New Hampshire trawl survey provides valuable information for the management of important commercially harvested species. Not completing all of the proposed tows could jeopardize the use of DMR data for state and federal lobster and finfish management. click here to read the story and contact info 11:36

No West Coast fishery relief funds again in Congress’ $1.2T spending bill

For Yurok Tribe member Sammy Gensaw III, the divide between Capitol Hill and his hometown of Requa on the mouth of the Klamath River is measured in more than miles. The tribe and commercial fishermen across the West Coast learned this past week that the House of Representatives once again did not include fishery disaster relief funds in a $1.2 trillion spending bill it approved. The relief funds would aid fishermen who suffered major losses after the disastrous 2015-2016 crab season and 2016 salmon season. This year’s salmon season was even worse, with the forecast return of Klamath River Chinook salmon being the lowest on record. click here to read the story 10:22