Daily Archives: February 4, 2020

So! What’s the Big Rush to Offshore Wind?!! Part 1 and Part 2

The U.S. is currently in a mad rush to build offshore wind farms on every square inch of the ocean on the east coast, despite the fact that there is presently little known about the environmental effects of so many structures on the marine ecosystem. The surveying, construction, operation and maintenance of these huge, up to 900 foot tall structures, will create a cacophony of sound never before heard in these ocean waters.,, So, why must we ignore all semblances of concern to the possible effects of thousands of huge off shore wind turbines on the marine environment?  By Commercial Fisherman Jim Lovgren. This is a two part series,  >click to read< Part 1, >click to read< Part 2   23:04

Guernsey fishermen concerned about access to French waters after Brexit

Commercial fishermen in Guernsey say there is uncertainty over access to French waters after Brexit. When the UK left the EU on Friday, the London Fisheries Convention – which allowed French fishermen to access Bailiwick waters and vice versa – ended. Guernsey States has now introduced new regulation which it says will “ensure continuity of access for the remainder of 2020 for French vessels who previously fished in Bailiwick waters”. >click to read< 19:28

Ilwaco: Coronavirus disrupts Dungeness crab exports to China

The outbreak of a respiratory illness in China is impacting the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the Pacific Northwest. The impact of the ban has been felt locally in the commercial crab fishery, where top dollar is fetched for live crab exported to the Chinese market, particularly during the month-long New Year celebration in January. ,,, Commercial crab fishermen, now about a month into a storm-riddled season, are earning less for their dangerous catch as a result of the coronavirus. photos, >click to read< 16:45

Science Center for Marine Fisheries Releases Evaluation and Summary of Latest Atlantic Menhaden Assessments

Dr. Steve Cadrin, Professor at the School for Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and past President of the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, has completed an evaluation and summary of the latest Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) Atlantic menhaden stock assessments. >click to read< 15:58

For offshore wind, expect more delays, review won’t be done until December

The Vineyard Wind project was put on hold indefinitely in August 2019 when the federal government decided to supplement its environmental impact review with a study of the cumulative impact of the many wind farms being proposed along the eastern seaboard. The impact of wind farms on fishermen is a focus of that supplemental review. >click to read< 14:19

Ropeless Fishing! Marina firm develops tech that could help whale entanglement

The Ropeless Fisher System, or pop-up system, contains a netting device holding buoys that are attached to the crab pot. When the fishermen on the surface are ready to check the traps, they use a simple app that triggers a device that sends out sonar waves that activates a release mechanism and the buoys pop up to the surface carrying the connecting rope. Marco Flagg, the CEO of Desert Star, said his technology is already being deployed in crab and lobster fisheries along the eastern U.S. coast, Nova Scotia and New South Wales, Australia. >click to read< >click to read archived ropeless fishing articles< 11:16

Will Brexit really bring victory for small scale fishermen or big business?

During the pre-referendum canvassing, Britain’s fishermen were held up by Leave advocates as an example of a ‘homegrown’ industry decimated by what they saw as ‘draconian’ EU regulations. Compliance with the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, (that dictates that member states can’t control their own waters, nor set their own fishing quotas), was, they believed, the reason why. >click to read< 10:13

Small craft harbours throughout eastern Newfoundland assess damage in the wake of January blizzard

The hurricane-force winds caused for exceptionally rough seas along the coast of the island. In its wake the storm and resulting storm surge caused thousands in damages to coastal communities, vessels, municipal docks, wharfs and even roads — and the total is still being added up.,,  >click to read< 08:59

The Seagan Movement: Are Scallops Actually Vegan?

When it comes to bivalves, the line between plant and animal is unclear. The rules of veganism, at first glance, seem pretty clear.  Vegans don’t consume any food derived from animals.,, Now, to complicate matters further, there’s an entire movement dedicated to seagan eating, which argues that seafood truly belongs in a vegan diet.,, “Eating products from well-managed fisheries benefits the environment in many ways,” explains Togue Brawn of Maine-based scallop supplier Downeast Dayboat. >click to read< 07:41