Daily Archives: November 5, 2019

‘The Worst In 15 Years’: Opening day for Peconic Bay scallop season was dismal and the forecast is even more grim

Phones were ringing at seafood shops and restaurants across the North Fork and East End Monday with hungry diners hoping to celebrate the first day of Peconic Bay scallop season. But for those who’ve waited months for that much-heralded first taste of sweet goodness, the news was grim: This year’s season is, quite simply, a bust. >click to read<  16:17

‘It’s a miracle I am here:’ Fisherman found clinging to buoy meets his rescuers

When David Sigo was dragged off his fishing boat last month and spent an hour in the cold Puget Sound before being rescued,,, The 63-year-old from Suquamish didn’t panic — though he did admit to yelling at his boat in anger right after he landed in the water — and he took steps to increase his chances of getting home alive: saving his voice until a helicopter overhead passed, directing his calls for help toward the shore along with the direction of the wind, bear-hugging a buoy with all his might. photo’s, >click to read< 15:42

Commercial oyster farms that float in SC creeks need closer eye, lawmakers say

Two state senators are asking for more scrutiny on the permitting for caged oyster farms, a growing South Carolina industry that has attracted ire from some locals as they expand in coastal waterways. Sens. Chip Campsen and Sandy Senn, both Charleston Republicans, have asked two state agencies to do a better job of notifying neighbors when a business applies to grow oysters with floating cages.  >click to read<  11:59

D.C. court rules fisheries remain closed to help right whales

Thursday, a federal district judge ruled two lobster fisheries can remain closed to protect the lives of right whales moving through the area. The case began nearly two years ago as a set of environmental groups Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Law Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife and the Humane Society of the United States filed a complaint against the federal government because they disputed the finding of “no jeopardy” to right whales in the lobster fisheries, despite the finding that an average of 3.25 right whales a year would die through gillnet fishing operations. >click to read< 10:31

Maine fishermen snag unusual catch from the ocean

Oh dear, it’s a deer. Commercial fisherman Ren Dorr, was about 5 miles off of Harrington when he brought in an animal from the sea that was definitely not part of his normal catch. Dorr posted on his Facebook page that he and his crew found a small deer drifting further and further away from land.  photo’s, >click to read< 09:04

Uncle Sam wants you to eat more shark

Late last month, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) sent out a newsletter,, “While overfishing has greatly depleted some shark populations overseas, U.S. shark fisheries are some of the most sustainable in the world,” it read. I did a double take, racking my memory for the last time I saw shark as an option at the grocery store or on a restaurant menu.,,  So why is NMFS encouraging eaters to eat more shark? Pointing to its strict fishing quotas, the agency suggests that eaters buying American-caught shark can now do so without guilt. >click to read<  07:19

Lobstermen hear proposed measures to mitigate danger to right whales

Patrick Keliher, the commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, explained the plan the DMR will submit to the federal government, hoping the proposal is strong enough to meet guidelines.,, Correction, George Michael Bernier, who fishes out of Gouldsboro, said the proposed changes — while more palatable than the previous plan — still increase the danger and the cost for fishermen. Bernier said plenty of fishermen have thought of selling out but said they are just in too deep. Many would face bankruptcy if they did so,,, Video, >click to read< 06:20

‘It Sucks … But I’m Going To Try It’ — Officials Present Proposed New Gear Rules To Maine Lobstermen>click to read<

Maine proposes targeted exemptions to help lobster industry weather whale crisis>click to read<