Tag Archives: public comments

Fishermen fear Hudson Canyon sanctuary will mean more restrictions

The canyon is a prolific fishing ground that starts about 90 miles offshore from Manasquan Inlet and is in the crosshairs of a public debate over the sanctuary designation, which would give NOAA more leverage managing the resources of the largest submarine canyon off the Atlantic Coast. Commercial vessels fish for tunas, squid and lobster, while the state’s recreational fishing fleet of for-hire vessels continually run anglers out to the canyon to catch fresh tuna and tilefish. “We’re probably the greatest and strictest fishery management country in the world. Why do we need this extra layer on top of everything we have now?” said Jason Bahr, a seafood wholesaler and vice president of Blue Water Fisherman’s Association, a trade group of commercial longline fishermen who fish for pelagic species such as tuna and swordfish in the Hudson Canyon. >click to read< 07:50

Public comments of residents and officials reiterate concerns about Ocean Wind offshore wind farm off Atlantic City

Rick Robinson likens the idea of building up to 98 wind turbines on the ocean horizon to placing them on the rim of the Grand Canyon.,,, Saying offshore wind farms will “forever reshape our Eastern Seaboard,” U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, joined representatives of the fishing industry and tourism interests in asking for changes in the way wind farms are approved. “I have spoken with many fishermen, and they continue to feel disenfranchised in this process by both their government and the corporations that now own their established fishing grounds,” >click to read< 11:26

Right whales: Public comments range from ‘save the whales’ to ‘save the fishermen’

Samuel Sautaux posted his comment from Lentigny, Switzerland, located north of the Alps. His comment is among about 171,208 received from individuals who live near and far from the right whales’ cruising grounds and posted an opinion on the latest federal effort to protect the species on the public comment page overseen by NOAA. These comments are now being processed,,, Some of the comments are quite succinct, as was Sautaux’s. Others are more elaborate – including one from an author who signs as a 69-year-old, sixth generation lobsterman from Maine who says the proposal amounts to a “death sentence” on the industry. >click to read< 07:16

Mississippi DMR hearing public comments on spillway relief funding

The 2019 openings of the Bonnet Carre Spillway are still being felt here on the Gulf Coast a year later. NOAA has allocated about $88 million in relief funding due to the spillway impacts, and a little more than $21 million is coming to Mississippi. “Everything from the fin fish, to the crab, to the oysters, to the shrimp. Any type fish in the Gulf, it covers that,” said Joe Spraggins, “We’re not going to have that without our commercial fishermen. We’ve got to have them,” said Spraggins. “It’s a matter of whether you stay in business or not, and if these companies leave, if they ever leave us, we’ll never get them back, If these oyster fishermen shrimpers, crab fishermen, we’ll never get them back.” Video, >click to read< 08:56

Important: Industry Funded Monitoring Amendment Public Comments – open until Monday! Make your Comment!

fisheries-observer-e1475938712202This is the comment portal for the industry funded monitoring amendment. It’s only open until Monday, so we need to get comments in quickly. The omnibus part can apply to every fishery in the future, and that needs to be stopped. Please send to anyone else you know and get them and all their crew to write in comments. Even quick one liners. This is a big deal. And if they all thought it was only herring and mackerel originally, make sure to say that. That was the original plan but the sneaks at NMFS are trying to pull a fast one and make EVERY FISHERY PAY FOR OBSERVERS TO THE TUNE OF $700.00+ PER DAY. The Councils/NMFS have not publicized this to other fisheries or advisory panels, etc. But the omnibus part will affect every fishery. Nobody can afford that in the future, so I would suggest that you and everyone you know comment. Also even if you are a seafood consumer or run a support business. Your ability to buy local seafood and your business’s will be affected immensely. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you comment. Sorry for such short notice but this was just thrown at us and it is critical we comment before the day is over….TODAY! This has to be stopped. JH  Read David Goethels letter to understand what is at stake. 10:32

Had it with high halibut bycatch? Tell the NPFMC by May 26

pacific_halibutAlaskans across the state are demanding that fishery overseers say bye-bye to halibut bycatch in the Bering Sea. More than six million pounds of mostly small halibut are discarded as bycatch each year in trawl fisheries targeting flounders, rockfish, perch, mackerel and other groundfish besides pollock. In two weeks federal fish managers will decide whether to cut the bycatch level by up to 50 percent. “This is about conservation of the resource in a region that provides halibut for all other regions throughout the state. Really, this is halibut ground zero.”  Listen, and read the rest here 18:29