Category Archives: Pacific
National Marine Fisheries Service designates critical whale habitat areas in Alaska and the West Coast
The National Marine Fisheries Service Wednesday published a final rule designating critical habitat for three populations of humpback whales including some areas in Alaska. The federal ruling affects the eastern Aleutians, Kodiak, Prince Williams Sound, as well as the coastlines of Washington, Oregon, and California. The rule establishes about 116,000 square nautical miles of protected area for the endangered Western North Pacific and Central American populations of humpback whales and the threatened Mexico population. >click to read< 09:14
Nature is not a Whore!!!
We have incredible fishing grounds on our East Coast!!! Why destroy a renewable sustainable Resource??? Molesting these grounds by dumping massive amounts of construction materials on them is insane!!! Keep in mind the many rules the EPA has against ocean dumping!!! Not to mention the likely hood of them turning into a Dumping Ground after they become useless… Out of sight out of mind!!! What wonderful habitat the Turbine bases will make for the Green Crabs ocean Locust!!! We can’t forget about the Whales… The European Wind Farms do not see a significant Whale migration… What aren’t they saying??? >click to read< 09:41
PFMC Recommends Commercial Chinook Fishery Closure in Northern California
The Pacific Fishery Management Council has recommended closing the commercial chinook fishery between the Oregon border and the Fort Bragg area due to low fall salmon returns forecasted for the Klamath River. Meanwhile, the recreational fishery will be open for chinook from June 29 through Aug. 1,,, These recommendations will take effect if adopted by U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo,,, >click to read< 19:33
Salmon season delayed for Half Moon Bay fishermen
Fishermen are facing a shortened commercial salmon season,, “This is the least amount of fishing time that I can remember for California fishermen since the closures of 2008 and 2009,” said Half Moon Bay fisherman Don Marshall.,, Pacific Fishery Management Council made the season restrictions recommendation,, Fisherman Scott Edson said the shortened season would be tough when he fishes out of Half Moon Bay, but it could have been worse given the circumstances. He struggled during crab season and knows this will be an important few months to make a living this year. “I have to produce for salmon. Crab didn’t do anyone any favors,” Edson said. >click to read< 17:10
2021 Yukon River Chinook salmon run will likely be small, according to forecast
Somewhere between 42,000 and 77,000 Canadian-origin fish are anticipated to make the journey from the Bering Sea this year, Alaska and Yukon experts told attendees during the Yukon River Panel’s pre-season meeting on Tuesday. The most likely run size would be 57,000, they said. That’s smaller than the pre season outlooks for 2020 and 2019, and both those years ended disastrously when it came to getting enough salmon across the border. Under an international treaty, Canada and the U.S. are supposed to work together to ensure at least 42,500 fish make it to their spawning waters in Yukon. That spawning escapement goal hasn’t been met since 2018, last year only about 33,000 Chinook made it. >click to read< 13:21
U.S. Seafoods apologizes to Unalaska following coronavirus exposure at the Norwegian Rat Saloon
A Seattle seafood company has issued an apology to Unalaska after crewmembers from one of its vessels at port in the island community breached isolation protocols to visit a crowded local bar last weekend. The resulting widespread exposure forced the city to move from the “medium” to “high” coronavirus risk level after nearly a month and a half at the lower threshold. Dozens of locals who visited the Norwegian Rat Saloon have been asked to quarantine and test said Dave Wood, U.S. Seafoods’ chief operating officer. “We regret that these individuals made terrible decisions, put a lot of people at risk and harmed a lot of people. We are as outraged as you are.” >click to read< 22:55
Podcast: Want to support San Diego’s shrinking local commercial fishing industry?
Tommy Gomes has done his fair share of time at sea as a fourth generation commercial fisherman. Now, at 60, he’s dedicating much of his time and energy to raising awareness about San Diego’s local fishing community and how to get and eat fresh-caught fish. We need to support our local fishermen. There are not many commercial fishermen left in California. Electronics have taken away our tradition, our heritage and our sea time. Artisanal fishing, small boat operation, family-owned and operated boats — those have been pushed out. We’re trying to hold on to the few that are remaining in California, Oregon and Washington because it’s important. And they bring in the best fish. They go out for shorter trips, they bring in the best fish. >click to listen, read< 09:56
Bering Sea Fishermen likely had Coronavirus and went to the bar, locals have to quarantine
Unvaccinated people who visited Unalaska’s Norwegian Rat Saloon late Saturday are being asked to quarantine this week, after officials say they shared the space with fishermen who broke their company’s own quarantine plans,,, The Norwegian Rat is a popular spot for both fishermen and locals, with pool tables and shuffleboard, and it’s the closest bar to the docks used by many large fishing vessels. Saturday was margarita and taco night. >click to read< 07:50
It’s Not Just Windmills – Nils Stolpe
Demand for undersea cables will only grow as more businesses rely on cloud computing services,,, “All of that data is going in the undersea cables.” I have known Captain Jim Lovgren for most of thirty years. I have worked with him on a number of issues,,, Based on this I have no compunctions about strongly recommending that you read the piece that he wrote and titled, “Its Time For A Fishing Industry Buy Out By Offshore Wind” And, unfortunately, I see the struggle that both recreational and commercial fishermen are facing with myriad huge windmills planned in our coastal waters as only the tip of the iceberg. >click to read, with links< 20:51
How a shocking environmental disaster was uncovered after 70 years
Just 10 miles off the coast of Los Angeles lurks an environmental disaster over 70 years in the making, which few have ever heard about. That is, until now, thanks to the research of a University of California marine scientist named David Valentine. Working with little more than rumors and a hunch, curiosity guided him 3,000 feet below the ocean’s surface. A few hours of research time and an autonomous robotic submersible unearthed what had been hidden since the 1940s: countless barrels of toxic waste, laced with DDT, littering the ocean floor in between Long Beach and Catalina Island. Video, >click to read< 09:33
The sinking of the Star
The first picture I am sharing was taken in September of 1957 after a valiant fight to save this 40-foot commercial fishing boat, Star, which ended up on the beach south of the jetty. The boat’s owner, Harold Powell, and his son Richard, both of Charleston, were rescued from their sinking craft by another fishing boat, William A, near Whiskey Run, the point of land north of the Coquille River mouth. They had fish on the deck and were oblivious of anything wrong until the owner noticed water splashing over the gurleys. >click to read< 13:41
Lower and middle class Americans will pay for the Biden Administration offshore wind power “plan”
Last week, the Biden administration announced “a bold set of actions” that it said will “catalyze” the installation of 30,000 megawatts of new offshore wind capacity by 2030. A White House fact sheet claimed the offshore push will create “good-paying union jobs” and “strengthen the domestic supply chain.” One problem: It didn’t contain a single mention of electricity prices or ratepayers. The reason for the omission is obvious: President Biden’s offshore-wind scheme will be terrible for consumers. >click to read<,,, Offshore wind is a bad deal for the marine environment, ratepayers and taxpayers. Biden’s plan should be torpedoed before it leaves the harbor. 17:28
Commercial horse seining on the Columbia River
These days, the rotting pilings that sit in the middle of the Columbia River don’t seem like much at first glance. But they are the remnants of a booming cannery industry. Near the old Desdemona Sands Lighthouse, they were considered home for teams of horses that helped fishermen catch salmon along the river. Commercial horse seining on the Columbia River played a vital role in the area’s economy from the 1890s through the 1940s. When the river was in full swing, dozens of men would gather near Desdemona Sands and Sand Island to collect the bounty of salmon that awaited them. photos, >click to read< 14:20
California Crab Groups Oppose Legislation Requiring ‘Ropeless’ Gear
The crabbing season has been repeatedly delayed by state agencies citing concerns about whale sightings,,, The most recent industry challenge comes in the form of proposed legislation which would require crabbers and many other fishermen to use “ropeless” traps by the end of 2025 in order to avoid killing or harming sea creatures which can become snared in lines stretching from a trap at the sea-floor to a buoy at the surface. In a recent press release, Ben Platt, president of the California Coast Crab Association, an industry group formed last year, says AB 534 “promotes an unproven and unviable fishing method that presents significant operational and safety risks to West Coast fisheries.” >click to read< 08:13
ITS TIME FOR A FISHING INDUSTRY BUY OUT BY OFFSHORE WIND
If Offshore wind farm companies want the commercial fishing industry to support the construction of massive wind farms on their long time historical fishing grounds, then those companies must offer a vessel buy out option to fishermen before they are put out of business by these same wind developers.,,, While the Biden administration is busy throwing billions of dollars to people who aren’t even citizens, how about throwing a few billion to the commercial fishermen that your green new deal is about to destroy. If multi national corporations are allowed to just prance right into our territorial waters and take them over from the local fishermen leaving them bankrupt and out of work, then the federal government ought to own up to the damage it is creating to the fishing industry and create a voluntary buy out program, jointly financed by them and of course the Windmill companies,,, >click to read< By Jim Lovgren 21:37
Washington State making a muddle of saving salmon
Local experts connected in various ways with salmon fishing and conservation must be ready to blow a gasket over the Washington Legislature’s latest clumsy efforts to “help.” In legislators’ defense, saving salmon is a supremely messy business, with more murky cross currents and furious undertows than a dangerous outer coast beach.,, Intentional confusion is added by outsiders whose only interest is in grabbing salmon for themselves or using the issue merely as a means to generate financial donations from well-wishing urbanites. And as if all that wasn’t enough, salmon management is also bound up with the need to help Washington’s endangered resident orcas, and with the obligation to coordinate some policies with Oregon and Canada. >click to read< 18:31
Dungeness Crab season is going strong on Oregon Coast
The commercial Dungeness crab season has been underway for about four months. About 11 million pounds of crab have been off-loaded so far. The Dungeness Crab Commission says season yields go up and down each year. This year is expected to be a down year, but the commission doesn’t expect to see too steep a drop in the overall catch. >click to read< 09:10
NOAA Report: Pacific waters off the West Coast show improved productivity – Cooler temps created a robust environment
Ocean waters off the West Coast showed signs of improved productivity in 2020 after several years of warm water and poor fisheries conditions, The higher productivity seen in 2020 comes after a period of poorer conditions in the Pacific Ocean off the West Coast. “The previous five years, starting in early 2014, were very warm. We were seeing conditions that were not good for the fisheries,” said Toby Garfield, a researcher with NOAA and co-editor of the report. “We’ve had some tough times in the last few years,” said Tracy. “For a lot of species, the cold water regime is favorable, so that’s encouraging.” >click to read< 11:27
California Fishermen are worried about the commercial salmon season
The commercial salmon season typically starts on May 1, but the season’s start for the coastal area of California is expected to be delayed due to low salmon numbers. Instead of having a wide-open season from May to September, there will likely be only one to two weeks each month for fishing, with expectations for a late June start for the Bay Area, according to Kandice Morgenstern, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Ocean Salmon Project. “It’s very personal, and it hits home. Don’t put your eggs all in that basket,” Half Moon Bay fisherman Don Marshall said. >click to read< 08:54
Shipwreck lodged on Marin coast probed for pollution threat remains in place
Nearly a month after a 90-foot fishing boat ran aground on the Marin coast, the wreckage remains in place while specialists assess the risk of environmental damage. A team of marine engineers and safety experts has been enlisted to determine how much fuel is aboard the American Challenger, which drifted to shore on March 6. So far, the contractors have evaluated 13 of the 17 tanks onboard, but progress was halted when the ship shifted, making work conditions unsafe,,, >click to read< 08:08
North Coast crabbers line up against bill mandating ropeless gear, AB 534
A coalition of crab industry associations across California has issued a letter opposing a state Assembly bill mandating all fishing fleets switch to ropeless fishing gear by 2025. The coalition of the state’s major fishing industry groups sent the letter opposing Assembly Bill 534, or the Whale Entanglement Prevention Act, this week to its author Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) and the Assembly’s Water and Parks Committee members who will vote on the legislation. The Crescent City-based California Coast Crab Association sent the letter, also signed by Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association President Harrison Ibach. >click to read< 11:35
Misguided AB 534 ‘Pop-Up Crab Gear’ Will Hurt Whales, Fishing Families, Coastal Communities
Data Show Whale Populations Soaring, Virtually No Interactions with Crab Gear! Recently, Assembly Member Bonta of the California Legislature introduced a bill, AB 534 that if passed, would require faulty and failure prone ropeless fishing gear, as determined by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), to be used when taking any species of fish for commercial or recreational purposes when using a trap. AB 534 promotes an unproven and unviable fishing method that presents significant operational and safety risks to West Coast fisheries and that will result in more harm to marine life. The bill is an end-run around existing state and federal regulatory >click to read< 13:32
Bill 534 could eliminate whale entanglements, hurt (destroy) the crab fishery – 03/4/2021, Authored by Rob Bonta-D California, in collaboration with Social Compassion in Legislation and the Center for Biological Diversity, Assembly Bill 534 argues that crabbers use antiquated trapping gear >click to read<
Obituary: Commercial Fisherman Marvin Edward Tolonen in Sequim, Washington
Marvin Edward Tolonen, fisherman extraordinaire, boat builder, woodworker, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away March 17, 2021, after a brave battle with mantle cell lymphoma. Previous to his marriage, Marvin served two years with the U.S. Army. In 1980, the family moved to Prunedale, California, but eventually moved back to Astoria, where Marvin continued his commercial fishing career. He built his own fishing boats, the Olympia, the Seabreeze and the Seawind. He fished for tuna, salmon and swordfish on the Washington state, Oregon and California coasts. In 1999, Marvin moved to Sequim, Washington, where he lived until his death. >click to read< 11:09
Deadliest Catch: The Crab Industry Is Struggling – Will Mandy take over F/V Northwestern if Sig retires?
“Deadliest Catch” has been hinting this could possibly be the very last King Crab season. Episode 1 already shows the captains joining forces to find and catch crab since they endured many obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic. This could be the final straw for Sig. He comes from a long line of fishermen and started fishing at age 14. Sig is 54 years old. While he’s not technically considered old, he does have a slew of health issues. He’s had two heart attacks, yet fans can still see him smoking cigarettes in various “Deadliest Catch” ads. >click to read< 10:09
Fishing industry unimpressed with Biden Harris’s NOAA/NMFS climate crisis notions. (Offshore Wind Farms, either!)
President Biden ordered NOAA to collect information from a wide range of groups on increasing the resilience of fisheries as part of his plan to address climate change and to protect 30% of U.S. ocean areas by the year 2030. The NOAA directive is included in the sweeping executive order Biden signed his first week in office that made “the climate crisis” a centerpiece of his presidency. “Fisheries, protected resources, habitats and ecosystem are being affected by climate change,” acting NOAA Fisheries chief Paul Doremus said at the beginning of yesterday’s conference call. >click to read< 07:55
Female Sockeye salmon are dying at higher rates than males
Female adult sockeye from the Fraser River are dying at significantly higher rates than their male counterparts on the journey back to their spawning grounds, “This is causing skewed sex ratios in their spawning grounds, something that has been observed in recent years,” says lead researcher Dr. Scott Hinch, a professor in the faculty of forestry and head of the Pacific Salmon Ecology and Conservation Laboratory at UBC. “The implications on the health of Fraser River stocks are concerning, particularly as Pacific salmon populations in British Columbia have been declining over the past several decades.” >click to read< 15:48
How moviemakers drove Depoe Bay ‘Cuckoo’ in 1975
It’s been 46 years since director Milos Foreman turned Depoe Bay into a Hollywood set to film the Oscar-sweeping 1975 movie “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” thrusting the quaint fishing village and its residents into everlasting cinematic glory.,, “I was just sitting on my boat, the Jimco II, one day when this fellow came up and wanted to know if it was for hire,” “Jack Herford, a great old salt, and his son Ted, got all the glory when they drove the Hyak and that boatload of rubber-room escapees to sea, but I got most of the money,”,, >click to read< 11:36
Selling Direct to the Public: What looked like disaster for Haworth Fish Co. has turned into new business
After a week at sea, Nick Haworth returned to port with 30,000 pounds of big eye tuna and opah aboard Kaylee H,,, Having been hundreds of miles offshore, the crew had not heard the news: On March 17, 2020, fearing a surge of coronavirus cases, the county health department shut down all indoor dining, instantly destroying the restaurant industry’s appetite for the fresh investment sitting on ice below deck in the fishing boat’s hold. “We had nowhere to sell our catch,,, photos, >click to read<,09:17
Maine Fishermen oppose offshore wind as alternative energy option – Support LD 101
“There’s so many different reasons to oppose it,” said Jack Merrill, a resident of Mount Desert and a member of the Cranberry Isles Fishermen’s Co-op,,, In an effort to meet Maine’s requirement of 80 percent of the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and the goal of 100 percent by 2050, there is a project being proposed to research offshore wind energy by installing up to 12 floating wind turbines in a 16-square-mile area, 20-40 miles off the coast. “By removing thousands of acres of bottom from fishing access, these turbines threaten the economic health of Maine’s second largest industry,,, >click to read< 13:48
Morro Bay: Fishing Industry Opposes New Floating Wind Farm Project Area – Tom Hafer, president of the 90-member Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization, criticized the proposal, saying it amounted to a “bait and switch.” >click to read<
Inshore fishing crews think new registry requirements could be about EI claims
A small section of the Canada’s new Fisheries Act, adopted last December, was barely noticed when the legislation was first unveiled. After all, the main purpose of the act was to close the loopholes on controlling agreements, and much of the legal wording was directed to that. However, the requirement for crew lists has created lots of chatter in the fishing community on social media. There’s been some speculation by some that crew lists could be used by other departments, like Employment and Social Development,,, >click to read< 11:39
