Daily Archives: April 14, 2018

Conservationists, West Coast bottom fishermen embrace ‘grand bargain’

People who love fresh Northwest seafood and the sea should take note of what happened this week in a hotel conference room by Portland’s airport. There, the Pacific Fishery Management Council approved a plan to protect more coral, sponges, reefs and other sensitive animals and formations from the nets of bottom trawlers who work off the West Coast. The measure also offers something for fishermen: a reopening of some prime fishing areas that had been off-limits. >click to read<18:22

Biologists expect early 2018 Togiak herring run

This year, Togiak could see one of the earliest herring harvests ever recorded. “We’re going to fly our first survey on Friday. And then I expect we’ll be seeing herring by [April] 20th, if not sooner,” said Alaska Department of Fish and Game area biologist Tim Sands.  That would be the Togiak fishery’s second-earliest start on record. The earliest recorded date a biomass was spotted in the district was April 14, 2016. But because of the unusual timing, fishing only began three days later. Herring spawn timing depends largely on water temperature >click to read<16:06

Bodies recovered from sunken boat confirmed as missing fishermen

Two bodies recovered from a sunken fishing boat raised from the seabed have been confirmed as those of two missing fishermen. Duncan MacDougall and Przemek Krawczyk were on board the Nancy Glen when it capsized in Loch Fyne in Argyll and Bute on January 18. The alarm was raised by a third fisherman who was pulled from the water by the crew of a passing boat. A specialist lifting barge brought the vessel to the surface on Thursday and two bodies were recovered.,,  “The families have been informed and the bodies have been released to them.” >click to read<14:09

Sign This Petition – MAKE COMMERCIAL FISHING GREAT AGAIN

1-Millions of jobs depend on reforming the Magnuson-Stevenson Act by passing HR 200. 2-Repeal Marine Monuments on our fishing grounds. 3-Say NO to wind turbines on our sacred fishing grounds. 4- Do all federal trawl surveys on industry boats and support increased cooperative research. 5- Restore all of the Saltonstall Kennedy money to the fishing industry>click to read, sign this petition<10:23

Key leadership changes afoot for United Fisherman of Alaska

Leadership changes are afoot for the United Fisherman of Alaska (UFA) this month, with a number of key seats being passed down following a standard election period, the collective announced on 12 April. Effective as of 15 April, Matt Alward will succeed Jerry McCune as president, Bob Kehoe will take over Alward’s former role as vice president, and new executive committee members Rebecca Skinner and Sue Doherty will be sworn in. >click to read<09:42