Daily Archives: September 17, 2018

DFO investigation leads to another lobster pound in southwest Nova Scotia

For the second time in a month, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has moved against a lobster pound in southwest Nova Scotia. RCMP said fisheries officers went to the facility to seize lobster, though it’s unclear whether any was taken. Police were asked to assist “by keeping the peace, and help to maintain open lines of communication between DFO and the fishers who were involved,” RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Clarke said in a statement. DFO would not confirm if the investigation is connected to an ongoing probe into illegal sales of lobster caught under an Indigenous food, social and ceremonial licence, which does not permit sales. >click to read<20:30

Southeast Texas shrimpers struggle with slow season

Shrimp boats along the Southeast Texas coastline remain docked as their owners try to navigate an industry whose hardships haven’t stopped since Tropical Storm Harvey entered the Gulf of Mexico a little more than a year ago. With federal regulations curbing production and unfavorable sea conditions hampering shrimp populations, Port Arthur and Sabine Pass shrimpers are hoping for the best after a season of loss. Peak shrimping season, from mid-July to October, is closing out this year with about 20 to 25 percent less production than last year, Texas Shrimp Association executive director Andrea Hance said. >click to read<18:38

The Visionaries of Evolution: The Future of Fish Farming May Be Indoors

If it catches on, indoor aquaculture could play a critical role in meeting the needs of a swelling human population, Nordic CEO Erik Heim says. He believes it could do so without the pollution and other potential threats to wild fish that can accompany traditional aquaculture—although the indoor approach does face environmental challenges of its own. “There’s always some risk, but the risk of the land-based system is a small percentage of the risk of an outdoor system,” says Michael Timmons, an environmental engineer at Cornell University who has studied aquaculture for more than 20 years and is not involved in the Nordic project. >click to read<16:54

NCFA – Storm Damage Info Needed – Need Cold Storage Due To Power Outage? More Info For You!!!

Wanchese Fish Co. has offered the use of their cold storage facility in Suffolk VA for anyone that needs it. If you have a fish house or packing operation and in need of cold storage to save your inventory, please let us know and we’ll make the connection. They can also arrange for trucking if needed. You can respond to this notice or call me at the number below. If you need help with cleanup or fixing your damaged home, again, please let us know! As a reminder, we need as much information on damages the commercial fishing industry has sustained as a result of Hurricane Florence! We need to know about damage done to fish houses, boats, lost gear, etc. Also damages done to your homes, vehicles, or anything connected to commercial fishing. >click to read<15:30

American Samoa tuna fishing industry “is almost gone”

Guest speakers at the American Samoa Chamber of Commerce meeting last night, Hyong Park and Frank Barron, both long serving members of the purse seiner and longliner fishing industries provided a sobering but realistic view of American Samoa’s fishing industry. “It’s almost gone”, remarked Frank Barron. The GM of Purse Seiner Services cited several reasons why the long term future of purse seiner fishing vessels in American Samoa is coming to an end. “The cost is fishing in Pacific waters is driving boats out of business”. He noted that the cost of fishing licenses had risen from $100,000 annually to $1.8 million in some instances. Fishing in neighboring island home waters costs $15,000 per day with no guarantee of a catch. >click to read<11:57

Florence Death Toll At 17, Hardest Hit Areas May Be Without Power For Weeks

The storm that is now known as Tropical Depression Florence has seen its winds slacken since it first reached the Carolina coast on Friday (though it has battered parts of the state with wind and rains since Thursday), but the unceasing rains have continued, breaking floodwater records in North Carolina and pushing the death toll from the disaster past 17 individuals, as exhausted first responders have been overwhelmed by the number of calls. Meanwhile, more than 1 million people remain without power in the region, according to the Department of Energy (though the DoE said it had some success in restoring access to customers). However, some of the hardest-hit areas may be without power for weeks. >click to read<10:56

Mi’kmaq chiefs reject any ban on Indigenous fishing in marine protected areas

Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq chiefs say Indigenous fishermen should be exempt from any prohibition on fishing within marine protected areas because of First Nations’ treaty rights. “Our concerns and our input should have a greater weight in the decision making process than those of, for example, non-Mi’kmaw commercial fishers,” said Twila Gaudet, director of consultation for the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs. That statement was part of a submission made to a federal advisory panel charged with developing standards for marine protected areas. The Trudeau government has committed to protect 10 per cent of coastal waters and oceans by 2020. >click to read<09:49

Pacifical Responds To Undercurrent’s Fake News With Facts

The menace of fake news and sensationalized lies has reached even the tuna world, with a London based seafood website, Undercurrent News (UCN), releasing an article with misleading and false information on Pacifical, the successful joint venture between Sustunable and the PNA countries. Pacifical has responded to what appears to be a hit job with a series of facts that aims to stop the efforts to spread information about the joint venture. >click to read<08:45