Tag Archives: Marine Mammals
South Australian fishing community calls for seal cull
Fisherman Glen Hill says he’s been battling against an increasing number of 
for almost a decade, and he’s had enough. “The seals don’t belong here. They’ve got to go. They have to go,” he told SBS. The co-owner of Coorong Wild Seafood said he first noticed long-nosed fur seals in his patch at Lake Albert, near the mouth of the Murray River, about eight years ago. “It’s just becoming bigger and bigger and bigger,” he said. “Fifty seals will follow you around of a night. One seal can pull out anywhere from 100 to 200 kilos of fish. Read the rest here 11:58
More NOAA Over Reach: Proposed Rule to Protect Marine Mammals in International Fisheries
NOAA released a proposed rule designed to implement sections of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) that aims to reduce marine mammal bycatch associated with foreign commercial fishing operations, ensuring that those fisheries support a healthy and diverse marine ecosystem. Under the proposed rule, nations wishing to export fish and fish products to the United States would be required to demonstrate that they have a regulatory program for reducing marine mammal incidental mortality and serious injury that is comparable in effectiveness to the U.S. program. Read the rest here 20:07
Seals threaten Scottish cod stock recovery
PREDATORY seals are constraining the recovery of cod stocks in Scottish west coast waters, research by the 
suggests. The study found that, although fishing has now halved, predation by seals has rapidly increased to compensate, eating up more than 40 per cent of the total stock. Seals have, historically, been anecdotally blamed for the reduction of Atlantic cod stocks. Grey seals are believed to consume nearly 7,000 tonnes of cod each year off the west of Scotland, where landed catches now amount to only a few hundred tonnes. Read the rest here 20:40
Expert says claims that war games will harm thousands of animals are ‘overblown’
That assessment was backed by Brandon Southall, a former fisheries service researcher who researches at the University of California at Santa Cruz. “I think the numbers” citing potential harm presented by the Navy and NMFS “are overestimates,” he said. “Overall, I think the concerns are being amplified because the conservation groups are interested in getting people’s attention, and they get it by saying these animals are all going to die,” Southall said. Read the rest here 06:03
Seals ‘brought TB to the Americas before Europeans’
BLAME the marine mammals. Seals and sea lions may have brought a form of tuberculosis to the Americas, centuries before the Spanish did so. Read more here 09:32
State surveys whales, turtles to spur offshore wind – So. Mr. Tom Turtle, Do you anticipate any issues with the wind farm we’re,,,,,,,
Having once hunted whales to the ends of the earth for their oil, Massachusetts is now going out of its way to protect the marine mammals as it once again looks offshore for energy. ( If they really meant that, they’d stop shilling Cape Wind!) Read more@southcoasttoday 12:08
Op-Ed: How You Can Prevent 130,000 Marine Mammals From Going Deaf
In the coming months, the Obama Administration will make a decision that will profoundly impact the health of the Atlantic Ocean. It will decide whether to proceed with seismic survey off the Eastern coastline to map oil and gas resources. continued
Swordfish Caught in Driftnets is California’s Deadliest Catch
indybay.org – The California drift gillnet fishery for swordfish and shark is the most dangerous fishery for whales and other marine mammals along the U.S. West Coast from California to Alaska. A new federal review of marine mammal bycatch in commercial fisheries found that the drift gillnet fleet is causing more harm to whales than ever. The 25 vessels operating in the drift gillnet fishery now accidentally capture and kill more whales and marine mammals than any other fishery along the U.S. West Coast. continued
John Bullard, enemy of porpoises?- or Is Carl Safina just a winey Enviro Wench?!
Bullard just gave those fishermen a free pass to ignore the law for another four months,” fumed Carl Safina of the Blue Ocean Institute in a sizzling commentary titled “As Fisheries Service Dithers, New England Porpoises Drown.” And Sufina is willing to sacrifice the remainder of New England fishermen. John Bullard upheld National Standard 8. Finally someone has the balls to do things right, and Safina the winey bitch is drooling with mad contempt while co-author Andrew Read, professor of marine biology at Duke University pouts with him. I think it’s time to land these porpoises, and process them for people to eat. I’m willing to eat it instead of wasting it. They like all other Marine Mammals are experiencing a population explosion thanks to the success of MMPA, a law pushed by environs and others in 1972 with no consideration of consequence. That being huge numbers of marine mammals! Bon Appetit!
November 02, 2012 12:00 AM, Steve Urbon-Three months into his tenure as the Northeast regional administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service, former New Bedford mayor John K. Bullard is being called a heartless porpoise killer and a pushover, or worse, for the fishing industry. And it’s not just anyone doing the accusing. It is a pair of prominent marine scientists, one of whom Bullard says he considers a friend from his earlier days at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121102/NEWS/211020324
