Daily Archives: November 8, 2012

South Jersey fishing ports escape brunt of storm, but fleet damage extensive up north

New Jersey’s commercial fishing industry is asking the federal government to declare a “fisheries disaster” from Hurricane Sandy that could lead to aid to rebuild. The Garden State Seafood Association, a trade group based in Cape May, has asked Gov. Chris Christie to seek the declaration from the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to make the declaration. The U.S. Department of Commerce oversees the National Marine Fisheries Service. Ernie Panecek, who runs the Viking Village docks in Barnegat Light, said they only suffered minimal damage but none of the smaller boats has been out fishing for days. One larger boat that weathered the storm in New Bedford is due in today. http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/cape_may/south-jersey-fishing-ports-escape-brunt-of-storm-but-fleet/article_4ffc1352-27a2-11e2-86b9-0019bb2963f4.html

New Bedford Fire Department boat saves critically injured fisherman

NEW BEDFORD — The father of a critically injured fisherman is crediting a speedy rescue effort by the New Bedford police, fire and EMS departments with saving his only son’s life after a serious accident at sea last Saturday night. “He’s still critical but he’s breathing on his own. Thank God for New Bedford fire and rescue. They did a fine job,” said Carl Albert, the mate aboard the clam boat Misty Dawn. “I already lost a brother and my father at sea so I didn’t want it to go to a third generation.” http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121108/NEWS/211080369/1011/TOWN10 http://bore-head007.newsvine.com/_news/2012/11/08/15031119-new-bedford-fire-department-boat-saves-critically-injured-fisherman-southcoasttodaycom

LIVE – Northeast Groundfish Science Forum – Listen via Webinar set for November 9 begin at 8:30AM,

Registration is not required, but we are trying to get a headcount. To confirm your participation or for more information, contact Teri Frady at [email protected] / 508 495 2239.

Speakers have been added and the agenda has been further developed since the first announcement. The forum will also be available via webinar . An audio recording will be posted afterward. http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/groundfish/meetings/

Feds reverse, keep commercial yellowtail harvest open

Hopefully, these extra fish will be enough to keep everybody working,” Roy Crabtree, regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Southeast Region, said Tuesday. http://www.keysnet.com/2012/11/07/483126/feds-reverse-keep-commercial-yellowtail.html

Task force members named to study Kenai’s late run of kings

The Alaska Board of Fisheries members in charge of filling seats on a task force to recommend adjustments to the Kenai River Late-Run King Salmon Management Plan have announced their choices. http://homernews.com/stories/110712/seawatch_kings.shtml#.UJvHsM1siEM

State Measure 81: Attempt to bar commercial gillnets from Columbia River fails

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/11/state_measure_81_bars_gillnets.html

Editorial: Unjust debt cuts, fish report need prompt attention GDT – Cameron Kerry, sits at the flashpoint

 Enough is enough. And answers are needed to each of these issues — not in January, but now.

Look, 550 pages is comprehensive enough, and aptly named acting Commerce Rebecca Blank needs to turn it over now, without any additional comments or responses apparently being added in-house. Again, Tierney, Brown and all of their colleagues need to begin next week making the case not only for the release of this document, but for a federal prosecutor with subpoena power to step in and give NOAA’s entire enforcement record the true investigation that’s needed. http://www.gloucestertimes.com/opinion/x121543028/Editorial-Unjust-debt-cuts-fish-report-need-prompt-attention

NOAA: New Opportunity Proposed for Groundfish Fishermen to Target Redfish

November 7, 2012 — NOAA Fisheries is proposing a new measure to allow members of the  groundfish industry to use smaller mesh sizes in their fishing nets in  certain areas to target healthy Acadian redfish stocks. 

http://www.savingseafood.org/regulations/noaa-new-opportunity-proposed-for-groundfish-fishermen-to-target-re-2.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SavingSeafoodRss+%28Saving+Seafood%29

New Bedford Mayor to NOAA Fisheries Science Center: Fishermen have no confidence in Groundfish Assessments

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell has written to NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center Science and Research Director Bill Karp regarding anticipated cuts in 2013 Annual Catch Limits. The mayor says the forecasted cuts are impossible for New Bedford fishermen to accept due to the growing concerns about the accuracy of the groundfish stock assessments. http://www.savingseafood.org/fishing-industry-alerts/new-bedford-mayor-to-noaa-fisheries-science-center-fishermen-have-no-confidence-in-groundfish-assess-2.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SavingSeafoodRss+%28Saving+Seafood%29

Fisheries Survival Fund to hold forum on Georges Bank Yellowtail Incidental Catch Avoidance

The Fisheries Survival Fund will be hosting a forum on Georges Bank Yellowtail Flounder and Incidental Catch Avoidance on Tuesday, November 13, at 5:30 pm.

 The forum will be held at the Atrium at the Newport Marriot Hotel (25  America’s Cup Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island), and is open to the general public.

The presenters at the forum will be:

Dr. Steve Cadrin and Cate  O’Keefe of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s School of Marine  Science and Technology

Dr. David Rudders of the Virginia Institute of  Marine Science,

Capt. Ron Smolowitz of the Coonamesset Farm  Foundation.

View the bulletin for the forum here

Listen to a July 7, 2011 interview conducted by Saving Seafood Radio with Cate O’Keefe and Greg DeCelles on the SMAST yellowtail bycatch avoidance program here

Environmentalists object to 2013 sardine limits-SANTA CRUZ

Some environmentalists are upset that federal regulators continue to set sardine catch limits they say are too high given the declining population. Advocates for the fishing industry say environmentalists’ concerns are overblown. They argue the sardine fishery is already tightly managed, and believe regulators have been missing fish in their stock assessments.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_21942996/environmentalists-object-2013-sardine-limits