Daily Archives: July 11, 2019

Canadian company wins approval for new lobster bait fish

The blackbelly rosefish is an abundant species that ranges from Canada to South America. Cooke Aquaculture, a New Brunswick, Canada-based company, requested Maine’s approval to sell rosefish as bait, and the company announced plans to harvest the fish off Uruguay. “We believe this is a solution to address concerns from the lobster fishery on the challenges they are currently facing on account of bait shortages,” said Glenn Cooke, chief executive officer of Cooke Inc., which includes Cooke Aquaculture.>click to read< 22:22

Van Drew co-sponsors fisheries bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery and Conservation Management Act

U.S. Reps. Jeff Van Drew, D-2nd, and Don Young, R-Alaska, introduced a bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery and Conservation Management Act on Thursday. The fisheries legislation was first written by Young in 1975, according to Van Drew’s office, and was last reauthorized in 2006. In a statement, Van Drew said H.R. 3697 “ensures that we have healthy fisheries, keep anglers in the water and keep fishermen fishing.” <click to read< 17:31

Congressman Don Young Fights for Alaskan Fishermen, Introduces Bipartisan Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization>click to read< 13:06, 7/12/2019

Vinnie Grimes Is Montauk’s Fishing Legend of the Year – 90-year-old started Blessing of the Fleet in 1955

In 1951 when Vincent Grimes witnessed a ceremonial blessing of various boats while serving in the Navy at Port Hueneme in Southern California, it made a lasting impression. “During the Korean War, I was stationed out there and I thought it was a very touching moment to see the boats blessed by members of the clergy,” said the 90-year-old Montauker, who is known as Vinnie. He stored that emotional memory for future use. “Given how well it was done, I thought it would be nice if we did something similar here in Montauk,” he said last week, and so, thanks to Mr. Grimes, the annual Montauk Blessing of the Fleet was born in 1955. >click to read< 16:49

Kentucky – Local government leaders and business owners say ‘War on Carp’ is working

For the past several years Asian carp have plagued Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. That’s why about a year ago, the War on Carp initiative was started. Its goal is to get rid of as many Asian carp as possible. Asian carp harm native species and jump out of the water — sometimes hitting boaters. “I think we’re winning the war on these fish,” says Kuttawa Marina owner Wayne Breedlove. Breedlove has seen tourism on Lake Barkley struggle as Asian carp became a problem. He says the carp problem has affected business.  >click to read< 15:58

Storm strengthens in Gulf of Mexico as it races to Louisiana

A mass of thunder and rain in the Gulf of Mexico could become Tropical Storm Barry on Thursday and hit Louisiana as a hurricane this weekend, worsening flooding in New Orleans and causing almost $1 billion in damage. The system, which was about 115 miles (185 kilometers) southeast of the Mississippi River’s mouth as of 8 a.m. New York time, has already curbed energy production in the Gulf and helped lift oil prices to a seven-week high. It’s also prompted Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards to declare a state of emergency, while hurricane and tropical storm watches are in place along the state’s coastline. The storm — with current top speeds of 35 miles an hour — may drop as much as 20 inches of rain in some places. >click to read< 15:08

Message to Maine’s Lobster Industry from Governor Janet T. Mills

Dear Maine Lobster Industry Member, In light of pending federal regulations to protect right whales, Commissioner Keliher has held a series of Zone Council meetings to gather feedback from Maine’s fishermen about how these regulations could impact your operations, your livelihood, our economy, and our state. I am grateful to the more than 1,200 fishermen who took the time to participate in these meetings and share their views. Commissioner Keliher has briefed me on what he learned, and it is clear to me – as it is to you – that the federal government’s pending regulations are unfair, unreasonable, and unwarranted. I will not stand idly by as Washington attempts to threaten your livelihoods and our way of life. >click to read< 13:53

Vineyard Wind dealt blows on two fronts: Edgartown commission rejects cables; feds delay EIS

… Meanwhile, federal officials have also put the project’s approval and overall timeline into jeopardy. According to a statement posted on Vineyard Wind’s website, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is not yet ready to issue a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the project. A decision had been expected Friday to clear the way for construction to begin by the end of 2019 on the 84-turbine wind farm.,,, To this point, Vineyard Wind has cruised along beating out two other offshore wind projects with leases south of Martha’s Vineyard. But, more recently, the project has received considerably more pushback as the extent of the project became clear to fishermen and others. >click to read< 12:45

Steuben boatbuilder calls it a day

Mike Light stood in the doorway of his boatshop and watched as a truck hauled the spanking new lobster boat Thai Lady off toward the Milbridge town dock one day before its scheduled launching. On the boat’s starboard quarter, tucked up beneath the rail just forward of the transom and above the federal fisheries permit number, gold lettering outlined in black proclaimed the boat to be “Light’s Last.” But is it? “I’m tired,” Light said as the boat he said is his 79th disappeared down the road on the first day of July. “I’m just tired. I’ve been doing this 34 years, 27 on my own.” If the big Calvin Beal, Jr.-designed 44-footer really is the last boat Mike Light finishes it will end a remarkable career with a perfect Downeast Maine story. >click to read< 12:11

Maine’s congressional delegation asks President Trump to help lobstermen facing right whale regulations

“Dear Mr. President: We write to urge your intervention in a matter of serious economic importance to the State of Maine. The livelihoods of thousands of hardworking lobstermen and women are currently under grave threat from new regulations under development by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),” the letter states.,, “In the past two years, fourteen of twenty-two confirmed right whale deaths were found in Canadian waters,” they write. “So far in 2019, there have been six right whale deaths, all of which took place in Canada. Three of those deaths have been attributed to ship strikes, not fishing gear entanglements.” >click to read< 10:02

FISH-NL calls for immediate halt to all fishing for northern cod outside stewardship fishery; independent assessment of DFO science

“When one of the preeminent fisheries science researchers in the world warns that Fisheries and Oceans may be dramatically overestimating the size of the iconic northern cod stock — which is already classified as critical, and in the 27th year of a commercial fishing moratorium — you listen,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL. “From FISH-NL’s perspective, we must also err on the side of caution and take immediate and unprecedented action,” said Cleary. “That means a cancellation of all fishing for northern cod outside of the stewardship fishery — including the sentinel (test) fisheries, cod quality program, recreation/food fishery, and any and all fishing of northern cod by offshore, factory-freezer trawlers, foreign or domestic.” >click to read< 09:02