Tag Archives: whale entanglement avoidance measures
To Save the Whales, Crab Fishers Are Testing Ropeless Gear
Commercial crab fisher Dick Ogg, of Bodega Bay, California, knows his industry and its several hundred fishers must adapt. “We have to change. This is all about protecting our environment, the creatures that live in it, and our industry,” Ogg says. Last year, Ogg voluntarily tested two prototypes that deploy crab pots without leaving ropes in the water. One, made by Desert Star Systems, is designed so a fisher can send an acoustic signal that triggers the pot to open a mesh bag, releasing a buoy and coiled rope that float to the surface. In his test, the retrieval gear never appeared and Ogg lost his pot. >click to read<08:34
Whale response training
The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance (Hookers) is bringing together dozens of fishermen for a training today to become Level 2 first responders to whale entanglements. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) staff will certify the fishermen as part of its Disentanglement Network. NOAA is expected to release a proposed rule for new whale entanglement avoidance measures on Monday. continued@wickedlocal
