Category Archives: Letters
We need Stephanie Hawke – Mark Jones
Dear Editor: Being a lobsterman for the last 45 years, I would ask you to support Stephanie Hawke for House Seat 89 in the Maine legislature. In my opinion, never during those years, has the Maine lobster business been in such jeopardy as it is now. The proof is found in several arenas. One is the new rules coming into effect to protect whales at the federal level. Another involves politicians, including our governor, and her green new deal coalition, who are advocating to industrialize the Gulf of Maine with offshore wind power by foreign energy corporations who will be competing for the same area that many lobstermen are currently fishing. >click to read< 11:11
Letter: Can you imagine they’re soft talking Whales and Wind Turbines? We don’t want to create the UNDERNET!
They have no Data! There’s an impact study in great need! Where the Hell is Lube Job Jane? So they are like maybe the Whales won’t mind a little inconvenience?! Talk about vertical lines! How about a Wall?! A physical one, with a combination of Electrical Current and Audio. The New Undernet! If I were a lobsterman i’d be pissed. Real pissed! At least those guys are mobile, They can get the Hell out of the way. In fact, they’re already doing it…We’re just starting to get a handle on things out there.. Let’s not turn it into an industrial dump! The Whales deserve better. >click to read< 16:14
NOAA – Their mission
Back in the sixties when I was fishing with my dad we would fish about a one hundred miles east of New Bedford for whiting in the spring. We had a ninety foot dragger. And there were Russian vessels there that were three hundred foot and they were using a small mesh net that caught everything in the water. At the time there was no 200 mile limit. The Russians and other foreign vessels could come into our waters and were restricted to within fifteen miles of our coast. Today no one knows how much damage they did but our fisherman would eventually pay the price. Finally in 1978, we enacted the 200 mile limit. That was great so we thought, but we created a monster. That being NOAA. >click to read< Thank You, Sam Parisi 08:52
Salmon and steelhead Band-Aids
Here we go again putting a Band-Aid over a sucking chest wound. Ask anyone who spends time on Washington and Idaho salmon and steelhead waters why the salmon and steelhead are declining and you will get a variation of answers. They will range from sea lions to dams to nets to birds to commercial fishing. by Kelly M. Colliton, >click to read< 09:43
Letter to the Editor – FFAW fighting for itself, not the fishery
The FFAW-Unifor demonstration March 20 through downtown St. John’s was described to me as a “march of deception.” I disagreed — no one’ s been deceived. The facts have been laid out for all to see over the two and a half years that FISH-NL has battled the FFAW. Instead, I would call the protest a “march of madness.” FFAW supporters demonstrated to “fight for the future of our fisheries” when it’s the union itself that has been threatening their survival. The FFAW-Unifor is in a conflict of interest in representing inshore harvesters/plant workers/offshore trawler men/aquaculture workers/oil tanker workers/cold storage workers/Long Harbour workers, etc. >click to read< by Ryan Cleary 11:31
Dear Senator Warren, I will be exploring my options
Dear Senator Warren, I am a lifelong Democrat, have been Party Chairman in Gloucester, Ma., and have supported you in the past. I find myself very disappointed, Senator, as I continue my quest of supporting the remaining fishermen of Gloucester, the Gloucester Fishermens Wives Association, Captain Sam Novello, Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken, and others in the industry. In the last three months, I have sent numerous emails, called your Washington office, your Boston office, and left messages for you, and no one has bothered to call, or answer back! I have become discouraged that I can’t count on you, so what am I supposed to do? >click to read< by Sam Parisi 23:43
Sam Parisi: Some acknowledgments and concerns
As a third generation fisherman, I am very concerned as to where our oldest industry, the fishing industry is headed. My concern is for the younger generation that is not interested in making fishing their occupation, and a next generation of young people from fishing families where fathers are telling them to do something else because our government has imposed so many restrictions that have robbed them of opportunity, while reducing local fishing fleets to a bare minimum. If we don’t do something we will not have any of our kids going fishing, so what then? Who will take the helm? >click to read< 20:19
Letter: Save N.C. commercial fishermen
What is the REAL reason behind trying to limit the number of commercial fishing licenses? Did you know that a Commercial Fishing License, by itself, only allows the owner to catch and sell a recreational limit of finfish in N.C. waters? These seasonal limits are established by the Department of Marine Fisheries. A commercial fisherman cannot exceed the recreational limit without purchasing extra gear, permits and applying for endorsements from the state of North Carolina.,, We are being led to believe that those individuals who do not use their Commercial Fishing Licenses regularly … might be up to no good. >click to read< 09:36
Senators and Congressmen – Problems that are facing the commercial fishermen today need your immediate attention
To whom it may Concern: I am retired fisherman out of Gloucester, MA. I would appreciate if our Senators, Congressmen and anyone in office would help us. I am listing some of the problems that are facing the commercial fishermen today and need your immediate attention and help. Most of these problems can only be resolved at the Federal Level. 1. The Magnusson Act needs to be updated. The wording needs to be changed so that the Courts and NOAA will have to consider and accept other scientific data.2. The Saltonstall Kennedy (SK) Act. Enacted in 1954.,,, click here to read the letter 10:11
No silver bullet Mr. Bullard?
My response to Mr. Bullard. (A Message from John Bullard, Regional Administrator – There Is No Silver Bullet for Groundfish). Mr. Bullard attends many meetings, and as he said himself, it is his job. Also his job is to see that fish stocks rebuild, however if we are to believe NOAA scientific data our cod stocks and flounder are in the worst shape under his administration, even though he imposed tough regulations at the fisherman’s expense without any consideration of their welfare. Instead of coming up with a solution that fisherman and government can live with, he discourage us that are still left in the fishing industry. He does not offer any remedy for those that are left. He says we need more monitoring, but at who’s cost? He says we need more law enforcement. I can not see where any of this can increase the ground fish stocks. Now, I am not blaming him alone and rather than blame the government or our fisherman, lets look for an economic plan to see our fisherman make a living and a plan to see fish stocks increase. I gave my plan to our local politicians, that being the need for a Fish Bill. Like the Farm Bill, and yes they listen to but no one has taken the ball home! After a while, I feel discouraged and want to throw in the towel, but then I think, that is the easy way out. I find myself reading Fisherynation, Seafood news etc., to see what else NOAA going to throw at us! Maybe Mr. Bullard does not see a Silver Bullet perhaps we can open his eyes. Thank You for your attention Sam Parisi, Gloucester, Mass. 09:00
Letter: Taking stock of cod stock assessments
In a Telegram letter published May 6, (“Perfectly good fisheries data being ignored,” click here ) Harvey Jarvis criticized the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ assessments of northern cod and 3Ps (i.e. south coast) cod. Based on my 20-plus years of experience with stock assessments in Newfoundland and Labrador and other regions (Canada, the U.S., and Europe), I think Jarvis is absolutely correct about the 3Ps cod assessment, but he is incorrect about the new northern cod assessment framework that DFO adopted in 2016. Jarvis suggested that the only information used in the northern cod assessment model to estimate stock biomass is the DFO research vessel survey index. He indicated that the commercial catch, the commercial logbook data and the cod sentinel catch rate indices are not used. This is not true. The 2016 northern cod stock assessment used a state-of-the-art model,,, click here to read the letter 17:23
Controversy over New England region’s cod population – Now fishermen spend more time avoiding cod than catching it
Three letters to the editor, one from from Jackie Odell, Executive director Northeast Seafood Coalition, Re “dwindling” cod population no fluke in Mass.” (Editorial, April 5): Small family-owned fishing businesses operating in New England rely upon sound science. In recent years, reports for stocks like Gulf of Maine cod have gone from being overly optimistic to overly pessimistic, seemingly overnight. This flip-flop has justifiably created doubt and suspicion among those who participate in the fishery.,, a joint letter from Reps Keating, Lynch, and Moulton, We represent the Commonwealth’s coastal communities and their hard-working fishermen and -women as well as the scientists working to better understand how the fishery is evolving. We share a common goal: understanding the science that can get us to a sustainable fishery.,, and Peter Dorfman. The cod, which used to be abundant and a staple of our economy, are now scarce and possibly on the verge of extinction. It is a genuine shame that the people responsible for this situation cannot bring themselves to accept what has long been scientifically established fact. Click here to read them, and check out the comments. 19:23
NOAA rejected New Bedford for its Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Why? It makes too much sense!
It is no surprise that NOAA has rejected New Bedford as the new site for its Northeast Fisheries Science Center. It makes too much sense. New Bedford Harbor is where it happens for the federal agency, with the heart of the East Coast fishery right here. There is deep-water berthing for its research vessels right here. UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology, a premiere oceanographic institution, is right here. There are acres of available land both on and nearby the waterfront right here in New Bedford. There are hundreds of fishing vessels that can participate in joint research efforts right here. There is major highway, rail, and regional airport access right here. No, it makes too much sense to move to New Bedford. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials would rather live and work on Cape Cod, even though their facility is over-crowded, real estate prices are at a premium, and the lack of a sizable berth forces them to dock their research vessel in Newport, Rhode Island. Leave it to a federal agency to choose a more expensive and inefficient means of operation. Leave it to a federal agency to be politically influenced to not choose the best situated, most affordable, and sensible location with the best infrastructure for their new expanded facility. Davis Sullivan, Rochester Link 18:15
Letter: Lobster decline’s link to warmth not clear
On Saturday, The Bulletin presented an article, “Research supports blaming warmer waters for lobster decline,” which was somewhat confusing. On my weekly visits to the local markets, large marine seawater aquariums are typical and usually overfilled with lobsters with frequent sales available, indicating little or no decline noticeable for the popular lobster. These are animals typical marine bottom-feeders living in cold bottom water temperatures, characteristic of the marine environment. The article reports that the populations in New England waters are booming. The temperature typical of the lobster environment was not reported, and therefore one can only assume that bottom water temperature has not changed significantly and probably is not a factor in the lobster environment. Without the temperature data available, it is hard to understand the suggestion concerning lobster decline in the article. Many of these types of presentations appear to be based on emotion and not on the scientific data. DONALD E. LEONE SR. Norwich link 11:19
The word play of the Environmentalists’
Charles Edwardson, born and raised in Ketchikan with deep roots there, write’s about the environmentalists’ manipulative wordsmithing regarding the proposed old growth timber harvest on Prince of Wales Island.,, Now these Environmentalists groups are just throwing crap out there with no requirement to be factual. On the other hand to be factual is a requirement through federal and state,,, great letter, Read the rest here 08:28
NOAA out of touch with scallop grounds, Fred Crabtree, New Bedford
NOAA is proposing more regulations on the scallop industry, to justify its existence (“Council expected to vote on scallop grounds,” April 23). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has regulated the finfish industry to almost non-existence. The draggers that are still fishing have to buy fishing time from the draggers that stay tied to the dock. The scallop fishery would also be in the same shape were it not for UMass Dartmouth. Read the rest here 08:25
StripedBassHole: The old GDT Blog, and Opening our Eyes to Global Issues
It’s interesting how blind we can become to the World around us. News in general be it written, Radio, Television, Internet, you name it. Has a great influence on us and the information is funneled by the direction of the owner of whichever form of Media you are drawn too. Now we can either be Sheep and absorb it and say well that’s the way it is or keep an open mind and seek out other sources. The truth being you’ll never know for sure unless you witness it and have a good understanding of other factors relevant to the event, even that’ll leave gray areas. So it all comes down to TRUST. Read the rest here 16:09
CODFISH IN GULF OF MAINE – Sam Novello, Gulf of Maine Fisherman
My family has been fishing the GULF OF MAINE,since 1920 to present times . My grandfather and father always told me ,the GULF OF MAINE HAS VAST CODFISH LESS AREAS!! I have fished this area most of my life and agree with them . Noaa ,when they do their surveys , it seems, they always pick codfish dead areas. , the GULF OF MAINE IS MORE COMPLEX THEN MOST AREAS SURVEYED BY NOAA BECAUSE OF TOPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES OF GULF OF MAINE.Lots of valleys and peaks. Codfish fellow contours and depths , where Noaa goes in a straight line. So, all GULF OF MAINE FISHERMEN SHOULD HAVE a SAY WHERE NOAA SURVEY TOWS ARE MADE IN THE FUTURE!!!!! SAM NOVELLO, GULF OF MAINE FISHERMAN 12:32Letter to NOAA RA John Bullard, From Fisherman Sam Novello – Open Area 1 Early for Whiting
TO REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR MR. JOHN BULLARD, AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE WHITING STARTS ( JULY 15 AND ENDS NOV. 15 ) ,DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING AND CHANGES IN OUR OCEAN , WHITING HAVE BEEN ARRIVING EARLIER , AND ARE GONE SOONER . THIS PAST YEAR, THE WHITING LEFT AREA BY AUG. 30 , 2014. Read the rest here 09:39Sam Novello Writes: I HAVE FISHED GULF OF MAINE FOR FORTY YEARS
TIME, I LEARNED WHERE CODFISH USUALLY ARE , AND WHERE THEIR SPAWNING AREAS ARE AND THE TIME OF SPAWNING WITH IN TEN DAYS. MOST VETERAN FISHERMEN KNOW THIS . MOST CODFISH SPAWN IN 40 TO 60 FTMS,,, Read the rest here 14:59
Hello Ms. Schiffer, Chief Counsel, NMFS – About that Document Shredding
Once again, I find it difficult to understand, as indicated by the attached article, how a poor working stiff fisherman is hauled all the way to the Supreme Court for discarding two fish. As I am sure you will recall, your Mr. Dale Jones (at the time, head of enforcement) admitted to Congress, on camera, that he routinely shredded documents, including those under scrutiny, and he appeared to be smiling when he admitted it. Mr. Jones apparently was confident that he was in safe hands. A short time later he was given a cushy reassignment and a raise. Crime pays when you work for the government! Read the rest here 15:56
BRING CODFISH HATCHERIES BACK USING S-K GRANTS – Sam Novello
GLOUCESTER HAD A CODFISH HATCHERY FROM 1897 TO 1954 , WHICH WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, HALF OF THE EGGS THAT WERE COLLECTED WERE HATCHED INTO FRYS AND THEN DEPOSITED IN NATURAL SPAWNING- GROUNDS. Read the rest here 12:28
Around and around we go, Where the Rogue NMFS Asset Forfeiture Fund Money goes, nobody knows! It’ll cost ya to find out!
On, or about, Sept. 15th, 2014 I inquired from the same FOIA office the following information: ‘Please forward information on all monetary disbursements from the (NMFS) …(who were the recipients and what was the dollar amounts and for what purpose) from 2010 to the present (August 31, 2014). Also, what is the current balance in the account. The charge for that request would be $2965.44 …letter attached. Business must be booming! Read the rest here 19:09
Gentlemen, I am addressing these comments to you and not the council – David Goethel
Mr. John Bullard, Dr. Bill Karp, Gene Martin, Esq., Gentlemen, I am addressing these comments to you and not the council because I believe you are the people that have to address the issue. From my perspective, as a scientist, NOAA committed two unpardonable sins with its press release on Gulf of Maine cod on August 1. Science was replaced with advocacy that day when statements were made about the condition of cod, and that immediate action must be taken after a secret, experimental stock status update before peer review. Read the rest here 18:47
Letter: BLAME CONGRESS NOT NOAA FOR FISHING REGULATIONS
Fishing regulations are controlled by politics and big business, not to mention environmental interests. We all want to help preserve our fish stocks, but how about leveling the playing field? In 1976, the U.S. Congress passed the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act purportedly to “re-Americanize fisheries by controlling or limiting foreign fishing and to restore and conserve the fish.” Read the rest here 14:11
Letter: Ludger W. Dochtermann, Bycatch 14-011 (C7) CGOA Trawl Bycatch Management Discussion Paper & CFAs etc.
Secretary Pritzker, Chair Olson and NPFMC members: My name is Ludger W. Dochtermann, owner of the F/V Stormbird and F/V Northpoint. Among the species we fish are Halibut and Sablefish. We tender salmon, as well. 1. I remain steadfastly against the allocation of Groundfisheries Catch Shares in the Gulf of Alaska. 2. I especially oppose the awarding of Bycatch Quotas of Halibut, Salmon and other species. Bycatch quotas are,,, Read the rest here 20:21
Comment on Amendment 23 re: Slighted Ports – Jim Kendall
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