Category Archives: Pacific
Dungeness Crab season begins January 5
The commercial Dungeness crab season commences in Del Norte County, this week. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFWD) announced the Dungeness season is now open in zones 1 and 2, Sonoma County line to the Oregon border. The delay in zones 3-6, South of the Sonoma / Mendocino will continue to be restricted. Multiple delays in opening the Crab season have been attributed to excessive humpback whale entanglements and the high number of whale sightings, according to the DFWD Assessment and Mitigation program. more, >>click to read<< 17:25
Oregon Coast fishing families lean on Newport nonprofit following tough years
Newport, Oregon, resident Taunette Dixon knows how hard it can be to make ends meet in the fishing industry. “My family is a four generation fishing family,” Dixon said. “I married somebody that came from a four generation fishing family, so we’ve kind of been immersed in it all of our lives.” The last three years have been the worst Dixon’s ever had with the small boat the couple runs out of Newport. While she said her family is able to weather the challenging years, she’s seen need for aid grow through the nonprofit group she volunteers with, Newport Fishermen’s Wives. Fishing is a notoriously challenging and, at times, dangerous industry. But the pandemic hit nearly every industry hard in 2020 when the world economy came to a halt. The fishing industry was no different, and three years later it is still struggling to rebound. more, >>click to read<< 09:58
Are right whales big business for nonprofits?
Forget the green economy, the deep blue economy has it beat by a nautical mile. Ever wonder how much money is spent trying to protect the North Atlantic right whale? Ask any of the non-profit corporations that participate in funding to save them. Here in Maine, at least nine non-profit organizations support right whale conservation efforts, in addition to state agencies and the University of Maine. Nationally, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium shows 47 environmental organizations it identifies as “partners” on its website. Another 37 environmental groups signed a PEW charitable trust letter to Congress last March, critical of what it believed to be too little funding to protect the species. more, >>click to read<< by Jane Carpenter 08:36
Dungennes crab fishery held up again by recent whale and turtle entanglements
Before the restrictions, the crab fishing season off California started before Thanksgiving, in plenty of time for holiday tables. In recent years, fishermen’s ability to drop their gear has been pushed back because whales and turtles were still be spotted in their fishing zones. This season, fishermen can start dropping their crab pots on Jan. 5, and only in the two most northern California zones. In central and southern California no start date has been announced. Officials with the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations said the industry does its best to avoid whales and have accepted limiting the seasons, but notes that since the restrictions have been in place, the industry has dropped from 450 active vessels to fewer than 100 and has lost out on tens of millions of dollars. more, >>click to read<< 07:47
Lobster Market Outlook, Industry Size, Growth Factors, Investment Opportunity 2024-2032
IMARC Group, a leading market research company, has recently released a report titled “Lobster Market Report by Species (American Lobster, Spiny Lobster, Rock Lobster, European Lobster), Weight (0.5 – 0.75 lbs, 0.76 – 3.0 lbs, Over 3 lbs), Product Type (Whole Lobster, Lobster Tail, Lobster Meat, Lobster Claw), Distribution Channel (Food Service, Retail), and Region 2024-2032.”The study provides a detailed analysis of the industry, including the global lobster market share, size, trends, and growth forecasts. The report also includes competitor and regional analysis and highlights the latest advancements in the market. How Big is the Lobster Market? more, >>click to read<< 10:36
Analysis of Northwest, other salmon hatcheries finds nearly all hurt wild salmon populations
For much of the last century, fish hatcheries have been built in the Northwest, across the U.S. and around the world to boost fish populations where wild numbers have gone down. But an analysis of more than 200 studies on hatcheries programs meant to boost salmonid numbers across the globe – including salmon, trout and whitefish – shows that nearly all have had negative impacts on the wild populations of those fish. Most commonly, hatchery fish reduced the genetic diversity of wild fish, leading to poor health and reproductive outcomes. The findings weigh into a sensitive topic with a big price tag. In the Northwest, hatcheries are supposed to be a solution to declining wild salmonid numbers, caused in large part by hydroelectric dams, overfishing, irrigation and climate change. In the Columbia River Basin alone, officials have spent billions of dollars on nearly 200 hatcheries as well as habitat restoration projects during the past 50 years to improve wild numbers, but research shows those programs are having an opposite effect. more, >>click to read<< 12:34
A nostalgic memoir recounts a fishing life, from Southeast Alaska to Bristol Bay
As a teenager in 1964, the adventurous Upton lighted out from his east coast home to Iquique, “a small dusty town on the desert north coast of Chile” and signed on to work on a tuna boat for local wages. There, he met an old-timer who’d fished in Bristol Bay’s sailboat days and filled him with stories — stories he recounts in the book’s first pages. The hook was set. The young man found a boat headed to Seattle and then, like so many others at the time, walked the docks looking for a way north and “just by chance…stumbled into an epic Alaska fishing job: the shady skipper, the grumpy cook, the green deckhand, and the old Alaska salt as mate.” That mate, Mickey Hanson, to whom the book is dedicated, became his good friend and mentor. That summer Upton worked as the engineer on a salmon tender based out of Metlakatla, buying salmon all up and down the Inside Passage. more, >>click to read<< 07:42
Executive order bars imports of Russian fish that is processed in other countries
Russian seafood will no longer be legally allowed in U.S. markets after it is processed in China, under an executive order issued Friday by President Joe Biden. The action seeks to close a loophole that the Russian seafood industry was able to use to skirt import sanctions put in place in 2022 in response to the invasion of Ukraine. The ban is now extended to any seafood caught in Russian waters or by Russian-flagged vessels, “notwithstanding whether such products have been incorporated or substantially transformed into other products outside of the Russian Federation,” the executive order says. While the executive order affects other products, including alcoholic beverages and diamonds, it provides special relief to an Alaska seafood industry that has been struggling with competition from a flood of Russian fish, Alaska’s U.S. senators said. more, >>click to read<< 11:03
Fishermen and community leaders react to Trident announcement to sell a third of its Alaska plants
Gerry Cobban Knagin is a commercial fisherman. She and her family have fished around Kodiak and sold their harvest to Trident Seafoods, one of the largest seafood processors in the country, on and off for decades. But on Dec. 12, the company announced it’s selling off about a third of its Alaska processing plants, including their year-round facility in Kodiak. She said the announcement was a huge shock for almost everyone on the island. “Speaking with [Trident] management, there wasn’t any heads up for anyone,” Knagin said. “And they decided, according to management, that they wanted full transparency so that the fleet would know.” Photos, more, >>click to read<< 20:44
CDFW Opens Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery in Northern Management Zone, Continues Commercial Fishery Delay in Central Management Area.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will open the commercial Dungeness crab fishery from the Oregon state line to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line (Fishing Zones 1 and 2) under a Fleet Advisory beginning Jan. 5, 2024 at 12:01 a.m. with a 64-hour pre-soak to begin on Jan. 2, 2024 at 8:01 a.m. The commercial fishery will remain delayed from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the U.S./Mexico border (Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6) until at least the next risk assessment due to elevated numbers of humpback whales resulting in increased entanglement risk. CDFW is also continuing the temporary recreational crab trap restriction from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point, Monterey County, more, >>click to read<< 17:29
Major ‘climate deception’ lawsuit against Big Oil voluntarily dismissed
A major years-long lawsuit alleging that Big Oil companies have waged a disinformation campaign about the impacts of climate change was voluntarily dismissed by plaintiffs in a victory for the U.S. energy industry. The California-based Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), the largest trade association of commercial fishermen on the West Coast, requested the dismissal in a filing with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The request came after Judge Vince Chhabria ruled on Nov. 1 that the case could be heard in federal court despite PCFFA’s argument for it to be tried in state court. Video, more, >>click to read<< 17:46
Commercial crabbing start pushed into 2024
Dungeness crab in the vicinity of the mouth of the Columbia are still only inching their way toward the proportion of meat required before commercial harvest is allowed, delaying the season again. Fishery managers decided on Dec. 18 to push out the season start to Dec. 31, Jan. 15 or Feb. 1. They will meet Dec. 20 to settle on which date crabbers will be allowed to drop their pots, with deliveries back to port typically occurring around 72 hours later. Samples gathered Dec. 17 found south Pacific County crab had 20.7% recoverable meat, up from 19.4% meat on Nov. 28. Clatsop County crab tested at 22.9%, just shy of the mandatory minimum meat recovery criteria of 23% north of Cascade Head, and up from 21.1% on Nov. 29. more, >>click to read<< 14:30
The Harbor Fish Co. is Gig Harbor’s next-gen fishing family
Wild, packed with nutrients, and heart-healthy. For Gig Harbor residents, a local fishing family provides direct delivery of fresh wild Alaskan-caught salmon to your doorstep. Alex James and Zack Worrell launched their company, The Harbor Fish Co., in 2022 to connect Gig Harbor with high-quality wild-caught Alaskan salmon, Dungeness crab, and striped shrimp harvested from the pristine and icy waters of southeast Alaska. The company is anchored in Gig Harbor and Juneau, Alaska. “We started it because we wanted to get a good product to our community. Food is such a great way to bring people together,” explains Alex. Inspired by their connection to the sea, she believes their fishing business can help “nourish the community” with “wild, sustainable, and nutritious food.” She also encourages consumers to learn more about their food. photos, links, more, >>click to read<< 09:50
Dungeness Crab Season Delayed Again, SF Crabbers Miss Holiday Haul
For decades, fishers have earned a living selling Dungeness crab out of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. But many, like Shawn Chen Flading, have struggled over the last five years as the state has consecutively delayed the commercial season. “Every delay is difficult. Right now, I have zero income as a fisherman,” Flading said. The season, which has historically started on Nov. 15, is delayed until at least New Year’s Day to protect migrating humpback whales. Crabbers like Flading hope to catch the tail end of the holidays to recoup what they’ve lost. “It’s something people like to splurge on to create a feast,” Flading said. “But with the delay, we’ve lost all the holiday markets.” Photos, more, >>click to read<< 13:37
Commercial Fisherman Peter Allen Zuanich of Anacortes, Washington has passed away
Peter Allen Zuanich was born September 3, 1946, in Bellingham, Washington. He passed away peacefully on November 24, 2023, in Oak Harbor, Washington, with his wife, Kimberly, by his side. Peter graduated from Bellingham High School and Central Washington University. Though he graduated with a degree in business, he ultimately followed in his father’s wake, working for many years as the owner and captain of commercial fishing vessels along the coasts of Alaska and California. A celebration of life will take place at 1pm on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at The Boathouse in Zuanich Point Park. more, >>click to read<< 08:05
Hoyle’s Bill to Support Commercial Fishing in Port Infrastructure Act Passes
This week 4th District Congresswoman Val Hoyle’s “Supporting Commercial Fishing in Port Infrastructure Projects Act” passed both the House and Senate as part of the Maritime Administration Reauthorization Act. A release from Hoyle said President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law. Hoyle said H.R.4618 will ensure ports can apply for infrastructure grants that support commercial fishing, bolster jobs and drive the economies of coastal communities. Hoyle said current law does not make it explicitly clear whether ports can apply for Port Infrastructure Development Program grants that support commercial fishing, often leaving it up to interpretation that can overlook commercial fishing communities who are the backbone of coastal economies. more, >>click to read<< 14:44
Coast Guard urges safety precautions in advance of Dungeness Crab season
Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery opens Dec. 16 from Cape Foulweather, just south of Depoe Bay, to the California border, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The Coast Guard is urging mariners to take safety precautions in advance of the season, which in the past is historically followed by a spike in search and rescue cases involving commercial fishing vessels. Most major marine casualties involving the loss of life or loss of a vessel occurs during Dungeness Crab season for an array of reasons including unavailability of lifesaving equipment, poor weather conditions, and fatigue. more, >>click to read<< 15:08
Project Salmon Claus delivers Christmas to children along the Columbia River
For 11 years, Officer Jerrod Daniel has delivered gifts to children living at tribal fishing sites along the Columbia River. For some children there, Salmon Claus delivers the only Christmas gifts they receive. Members of the public can donate to the program until this Friday, While helping put a smile on people’s faces never gets old, one story in particular stands out for him. During a long day of delivering gifts along the river, Daniel met a young girl, about 8 years old. He handed her a wrapped present and unlike many of the children around her, she did not open it right away. When Daniel asked her why, she smiled and said “I’m going to save it so I have something to open on Christmas.” more, >>click to read<<09:47
Sonoma County snags disaster relief designation for salmon fishery devastation
“Small businesses in Sonoma County that rely on salmon fishing for their livelihood were devastated when the fishery was shut down,” said county Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, whose district encompasses the Sonoma Coast. Hopkins added the business loans are intended “to help them recover. The SBA also lists other, bordering counties, with the presumption that those “may have suffered economic injury as well.” These include Napa, Marin, Solano, Mendocino and Lake. “We have lost 80% of our fleets in the last 40 years,” said Glen Spain, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, which manages about a dozen fishing groups. He defined California’s $45 million fishing industry as being especially hard hit with state Fish and Wildlife’s permits dropping from 7,744 in 1980 to 1,006 this year. “These loans are trying to keep people intact as much as possible,” Spain said. photos, more, >>click to read<< 14:38
Caring Community: Newport Fishermen’s Wives seeking donations
Dear Community Partner, The Newport Fishermen’s Wives is a non-profit organization of fishermen’s wives, mothers, daughters, and friends, supporting a strong sense of community helping to further the causes of industry, safety, seafood education, and family support. Through the support of our community partners, we are able to provide a number programs to our fishing community such as an Emergency Fund (for local fishing tragedies) and funeral support, Fishermen’s Memorial Sanctuary, Holiday Outreach for fishing families, scholarship funds and the Blessing of the Fleet community lunch and boat parade. more, >>click to read<< 12: 06
For Sale
In the wake of a November warning that the entire industry is in trouble because of global market conditions, Trident Tuesday announced that it was launching a “comprehensive restructuring initiative” that called for “streamlining” and modernizing its 49th state operations. Or, in other words, it is trying to offload a third of its 12 processing operations, including one of the biggest. Industry insiders had been forecasting significant changes in one of the state’s main industries since processors paid high prices for a record run of Bristol Bay sockeye in 2022 only to be left holding the bag as both demand and prices dropped. But major downsizing by Trident, which has long promoted itself as “Anchored in Alaska,” still caught many by surprise. more, >>click to read<< 06:27
Susan Collins and other lawmakers seek to expand health support for commercial fishermen
A federal program that protects the health and wellbeing of commercial fishermen should be expanded to include substance use disorder and worker fatigue, a group of lawmakers from New England and Alaska said. The lawmakers want to expand a federal commercial fishing occupational safety program that funds research and training. The program is designed to help the nation’s fishermen with the often hazardous conditions they face at sea.Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is one of the lawmakers pushing for the change, said expanding the program would help fishermen access more safety training and mental health resources., more, >>click to read<< 10:08
California’s Central Valley Chinook Are Getting Lost on Their Way Home
Picture yourself: a chinook salmon in the prime of your life. You dart through the water off California’s central coast, winding through kelp and dodging hungry sea lions. Long, sleek and silver, dappled with dark spots. Eyes wide and vigilant. More than 20 kilograms of pure muscle. You’ve been out at sea for several years now, first voyaging north along the Oregon coastline, then westward into deeper water. As winter approaches and the days grow shorter, you’ve found your way back to California. You’ve felt the seasons turn before, but this year, it means something special. Your kind, the Central Valley chinook—what fishers call the king salmon—are not born at sea. For thousands of years, your ancestors began their lives in the heart of California, where tributaries and streams flow together to form the mighty Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. photos, >>click to read<< 08:31
California Dungeness crab season on hold again, fishermen losing out big
“Absolutely criminal”.
Crabber Matthew Paul,
Dungeness crab season is on hold again. There are a lot fewer fishing boats at Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay these days. A high number of migrating humpback whales and a recently confirmed leatherback sea turtle, the largest turtle in the world, being caught in Dungeness crab fishing gear, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, has caused the state to prevent crab traps from being used once again. “Absolutely criminal ’cause they’re not solving the problem by keeping us tied to the dock,” Matthew Paul, who has been crabbing along the California coast for four decades.”That’s about six bucks to the public,” Rick Hauschel explained the price of a crab held in his hands, after lifting one out of a tank on his boat, the Polaris. Video, photos, >>click to read<< 06:59
Where will the whales be? Ask the climate model
Fishers Richard Ogg and Dan Kammerer catch Dungeness crab in waters off Bodega Bay, Calif.
In a new study, scientists say they can now use global temperature models, commonly used in climate science, to predict up to a year in advance when hot ocean temperatures will raise the risk of whale entanglements. This lead time could allow state regulators, fishers and other businesses that depend on the fishery, as well as Californians hoping for a Dungeness crab holiday meal, to plan ahead for potential fishing restrictions. Ecological forecasts could help New England and maritime Canada, where highly endangered right whales are also getting entangled in fishing gear. “My personal opinion is that this is very, very helpful,” said Richard Ogg, a commercial fishing boat captain based in Bodega Bay. more, >>click to read<< 11:57
Bellingham’s shoreline history: A boom, bust of resource extraction
By 1890, the U.S. Census estimated approximately 18,500 people lived in Whatcom County. In the years that followed, additional lumber mills popped up. These included the Puget Sound Mill at the mouth of Padden Creek, the E.K. Wood Mill at Boulevard Park, and the Whatcom Falls Company (Loggie Mill) off Whatcom Creek. Pacific American Fisheries (PAF) first appeared in 1899 to process local salmon, eventually establishing the largest canning operation in the world. Both industries attracted large numbers of Asian immigrant workers, leading later to a significant shift in culture — along with significant racist worker backlash — in the region. The rich salmon runs also attracted canners and fishermen from Croatia, Finland and Ireland. Photos, >>click to read<< 09:20
I’m Dreaming of a Crab Christmas: Dungeness Season opens Dec. 16 south of Cape Foulweather
Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery opens Dec. 16 from Cape Foulweather, just south of Depoe Bay, to the California border. Targeted to open Dec. 1, Oregon’s ocean commercial Dungeness crab season can be delayed or partially opened so consumers get a high-quality product and crabs are not wasted. This year’s season was initially delayed until at least Dec. 16 due to low meat yield in some coastal areas. >>click to read<< 06:50
Markey bill would expand safety training, grant opportunitiies for fishing industry
The bipartisan Fishing Industry Safety, Health, and Wellness Improvement (FISH Wellness) Act would build upon the success of the Commercial Fishing Occupational Safety Research & Training Program to better address the occupational safety and health risks facing fishermen, including worker fatigue and substance use disorder, said U.S. Sens. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. “Every day, our fishermen are faced with demanding and dangerous working conditions that take both a physical and mental toll, all while they work to bring food to the tables of families across the country,” Markey said in a prepared statement. “The FISH Wellness Act will provide much needed funding to ensure that fishermen are getting the information and resources they need to stay safe and healthy on the job.” more, >>click to read<< 07:37
California’s commercial Dungeness crab season delayed yet again
California’s commercial Dungeness crab season has once again been delayed, officials from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced. Delays in the crabbing season have been implemented to protect humpback whales and leatherback sea turtles, protected species that are sometimes entangled in crabbing lines and gear. Years of repeated delays and the cancellation of this year’s salmon season have hurt Santa Cruz fishermen financially, says Tim Obert, local commercial fisherman and president of the Santa Cruz Commercial Fishermen’s Association. “This year’s crab season is going to be some of the first income for these boats since last year’s crab season closed,” said Obert, noting that he has economically relied on the black cod fishery this year, instead of the usual salmon and Dungeness crab mainstays. more, >>click to read<< 13:54
Bay Area business hauling in, washing boats for free as fishing industry struggles
Local fishermen are getting a helping hand as they eagerly wait for the commercial Dungeness crab season. They didn’t get to fish salmon this year, and the presence of Humpback whales is delaying the crab season, causing them financial hardship. To help them, Paul Kaplan, for the first time since establishing Keefe Kaplan Maritime decades ago, is offering all Northern California fisherman hauling-in and power washing services free of charge. “They’re a vital part of our industry and supporting our craftsmen, and so I thought it was the right thing to do,” said Kaplan. Delayed starts and shortened seasons for crab fisherman have taken a toll on the livelihood of small businesses. “It’s becoming for most of us maxed credit cards and hoping that we get to go crabbing soon enough before they’re due. Everybody in the fleet is hurting,” said Brand Little. Video, more, >>click to read<< 13:11
