The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has drafted a “forage fish” plan
Oregon fishery managers are quietly embarking on a plan to ban new commercial fisheries on several species of small ocean fish considered diet staples for salmon and sea birds. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has drafted a plan to ensure that certain smelts, squids, sand lance and other so-called “forage fish” remain prey for larger fish like salmon and myriad sea birds in Oregon’s near-shore waters. The draft plan does not restrict any current commercial fisheries. But it does address “by-catch” that occurs during commercial seasons for species such as sardine and Pacific whiting in which non-target species are caught. Only Alaska has a similar ban on new commercial seasons on near-shore forage fish, according to the Pew Charitable Trust, which has trumpeted forage-fish protection for years. Read the story here Read Dick Grachek’s, THE FORAGE FISH FARCE Click here 12:50
Also please see Ray Hilborn’s site for the sardine “shortage” farce debunked. http://cfooduw.org/california-sardine-numbers-are-low-why-is-oceana-blaming-fishing/
The entire idea of “forage fish” as members of some kind of separate species being depleted by near shore small boat operations and depriving baby Seals and Salmon of their sustenance is just another vapid NGO talking point: Herring eat Cod eggs. Cod eat clams, crabs and beer cans. Bass eat Lobsters. Dogfish eat Flounder and Fluke and just about everything else in their path. Squid eat small Hake; and Hake eat small Squid. So who’s “forage” and who’s “predator”?
However if there was ever a species that would qualify as “forage” it would be Krill, which is being vacuumed by the shipload as we speak to produce “non-fishy” Omega-3 supplements. While all the crusading NGOs look the other way probably due to the fact that the Krill fishery involves the mega-capitalized conglomerate fishing companies that can afford the 300 foot factory-ship vacuum cleaners.
And how about the squid that attack juvenile stripers? OMG!!!
Oregon has long been the source of NGO douchebaggery. It is no surprise their department if fish and wildlife has chosen to leave the path of proven science and join the screamers and sign wavers who will shout anything that demonizes an honest hard working citizen just trying to make a living.