Monthly Archives: November 2012
Groupergate – Goliath Grouper Is Overfished
In Florida, the Goliath grouper is considered to be responsible for the depleting of spiny lobsterharvest, and sport fishermen blame them for eating snappers. But a recent study has vindicated the fish. Independent scientist Sarah Frias’ study, released this month, found that goliath groupers are not the cause for declining lobster and snapper stocks in Florida. According to her study, overfishing is the main cause. http://fishery.about.com/b/2012/10/30/groupergate-goliath-grouper-is-overfished.htm?nl=1
Scientists mull over 2013 fish quotas for US Pacific Islands
A group of international scientists concluded its three-day meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii late last week after determining the level of fishing mortality that various fish stocks in the US Pacific Islands can sustainably withstand in 2013.
http://fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&ndb=1&id=56513
Hurricane Sandy stirs up trouble for NE fishing sector
Hurricane Sandy did not spare New Jersey’s or New York’s fishing communities. Fishers are ready to venture out into the seas again soon, but nobody knows how long it will take for things to settle down so that the fish start biting again.
The hurricane also destroyed Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbour in NJ. Captains http://fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&ndb=1&id=56578
THE FACTS
Federal fisheries enforcement and the 2012 election – a purposeful cover-up?
Fact: Senator Scott Brown (Republican) and candidate Elizabeth Warren (Democrat) are in a close race for one of the two Massachusetts seats in the United States Senate.
Fact: A majority in the United States Senate, which is now in the hands of the Democratic Party, is considered by many pundits to be “up for grabs” in the rapidly approaching election, and the outcome in Massachusetts will be critical in determining which party controls the Senate – and the United States Congress – starting in 2013.
Fact: Senator Scott Brown has been an ardent supporter of the commercial fishing industry and has been particularly outspoken about an ongoing investigation of corruption at the highest levels of the enforcement branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Fact: New Englanders in general and residents of Massachusetts in particular tend to be extremely supportive of their fishing communities and of the fishing heritage that has played such a significant role in shaping the character of their coastline.
Fact: A 514 page report on the follow-up investigation by Special Master Charles Swartwood of NOAA enforcement abuses of fishermen and fishing associated businesses centered in New England and primarily in Massachusetts was completed and delivered to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce in March of 2012.
Fact: In spite of strong bipartisan Congressional prodding to make the report public, prodding in which Senator Scott Brown has assumed a leadership role, (Acting) Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank has refused to do so. To her credit Elizabeth Warren, his opponent, has been seeking the release of the report as well.
Fact: Massachusetts Senator John Kerry’s brother, Cameron Kerry, is general counsel of the Department of Commerce.
Seal overpopulation is causing controversy! Culling seal to save cods is nonsense- Keeping the Sea Coyote in Check!
It’s a predictable response, replete with arrogance, ignorance, rationalization and insensitivity. Consider: Because the Atlantic cod has declined drastically in numbers and can no longer sustain a once-flourishing fishing industry, a Senate committee wants to cull some 70,000 grey seals “to preserve remaining fish stocks.”http://www.torontosun.com/2012/11/02/culling-seal-to-save-cods-is-nonsense
Fishing community hit hard by Hurricane Sandy Sandy’s near-term effect on Long Island’s recreational angling community and the local fishing industry
Nowhere on Long Island was Sandy’s impact greater than along the Atlantic coast from the western South Shore through the West End towns and beaches.
http://www.newsday.com/sports/outdoors/fishing-community-hit-hard-by-hurricane-sandy-1.4179209
John Bullard, enemy of porpoises?- or Is Carl Safina just a winey Enviro Wench?!
Bullard just gave those fishermen a free pass to ignore the law for another four months,” fumed Carl Safina of the Blue Ocean Institute in a sizzling commentary titled “As Fisheries Service Dithers, New England Porpoises Drown.” And Sufina is willing to sacrifice the remainder of New England fishermen. John Bullard upheld National Standard 8. Finally someone has the balls to do things right, and Safina the winey bitch is drooling with mad contempt while co-author Andrew Read, professor of marine biology at Duke University pouts with him. I think it’s time to land these porpoises, and process them for people to eat. I’m willing to eat it instead of wasting it. They like all other Marine Mammals are experiencing a population explosion thanks to the success of MMPA, a law pushed by environs and others in 1972 with no consideration of consequence. That being huge numbers of marine mammals! Bon Appetit!
November 02, 2012 12:00 AM, Steve Urbon-Three months into his tenure as the Northeast regional administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service, former New Bedford mayor John K. Bullard is being called a heartless porpoise killer and a pushover, or worse, for the fishing industry. And it’s not just anyone doing the accusing. It is a pair of prominent marine scientists, one of whom Bullard says he considers a friend from his earlier days at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121102/NEWS/211020324
Time to change NOAA to EDF because they sound like EDF- Lube Job Jane and the Parrot Brigade You can’t sell that in New England, Jane its bull bleep
According to a 16-page NOAA report, 138 quota holders ,,,,,,,,fishermen compete for the total allowable catch, which often turns into a fishing derby as vessels rush to haul in as much as they can before the overall limit is reached.,,,,,,,,,,creates a situation with “too many vessels going after too few fish.” Fishing derbies, they note,,,,,,“Catch shares allow fishermen to plan their businesses better, and be more selective about when and how they catch their ,,,,,Shares are typically allocated based on historical participation levels ,,,,,,yadda, yadda, yadda, you know the drill. http://www.fishermensnews.com/story/2012/11/01/features/noaa-officials-say-trawlers-adjusting-nicely-to-catch-shares-system/129.html
Who is this stooge, and why does he want to destroy the fishing grounds of the East Coast?
Public comments? I just made mine in the title.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is requesting public comment on an environmental assessment (EA) for an area in federal waters off Massachusetts where commercial wind energy development would take place.
“Responsible development of abundant wind energy in places like offshore Massachusetts is a key part of the Obama Administration’s all of the above energy strategy,” says BOEM Director Tommy P. Beaudreau. “At the same time, we must ensure that the potential effects of wind energy development on other resources, such as marine mammals and fishing, are closely analyzed and that appropriate protections are put in place,” he adds.
And allow me to add Tommy, you’re fulla shit! Appropriate protections? Keep that junk out of the water. BH http://www.rechargenews.com/energy/wind/article326664.ece
Garden State Seafood Association Seeks Federal Disaster Aid After Hurricane Sandy
New Jersey’s commercial fishermen landed and processed finfish and shellfish valued at almost 200 million dollars at the dock in 2011. These landings generated more than a billion dollars in economic activity for the State of New Jersey. Our commercial fishermen and fishing-dependent businesses from Cumberland County bordering Delaware Bay up the coast to Monmouth County on Raritan Bay suffered grievously from Hurricane Sandy and now face myriad challenges as they attempt to rebuild both their facilities and their markets. Accordingly, the GSSA is requesting that NJ Governor Christie make requests to the Secretary of Commerce under both programs and encourage the Secretary to act in a timely manner to help New Jersey’s fishermen and those in fishing-dependent businesses rebuild their facilities and their markets as rapidly and effectively as possible.
For more information contact Greg DiDomenico, Executive Director, at 609 898 1100 or [email protected].
Date set for rockfish lawsuit hearing – To my Alaska Connection – ABOLISH CATCH SHARES NOW!
U.S. District Court judge Marsha Pechman has announced that a long-awaited hearing on the fate of the new Kodiak rockfish catch share plan will take place Nov. 19. Pechman, the chief judge in the district court for western Washington, will hear the case that pits Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty, Westward Seafoods and North Pacific Seafoods against the federal government. The processors contend that the rockfish program, which transitioned to full operation this year after a five-year pilot program, gives fishermen an unfair advantage in price negotiations. The key point of contention is a clause in the rockfish program that allows fishermen to freely shift among cooperatives that each deliver to a single processor. This allows fishermen to shift their deliveries to the processor offering the best price. Under the pilot program, fishermen were locked into a cooperative and could not shift.
Oh, go CRY ME A RIVER!!! Why is it the largest and most global fish corporations hate competition, want the ‘stability’ of restraints of trade, and hate to pay “the rational price” (natural prices) – while being given permanent access to public resources without paying a dime for them, just like the IFQ special interests in the Coops? We all know “why” … winners and losers, rich get richer … labor gets enslaved… (broken record, sing to choir, …yawn). I predict the judge will rule against the processors (and rightfully so) for their “un-American” filing. Next, we have to make sure Sen. Murkowski or some other crooked pol doesn’t slip new end-run language in an appropriations bill.
Court tries to tally money stolen from whaling commission – More Tails of the AFF Travel Fund?
Federal prosecutors said a former director of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, who pleaded guilty in May to stealing commission funds, spent some of the more than $420,000 she embezzled on her and her husband’s gambling. “Some of the money is money that was consistent with (the commission’s) purpose but not technically approved by a particular grant,” Fitzgerald said. But Ahmaogak and her husband, former North Slope Borough Mayor George Ahmaogak, spent thousands of dollars gambling at casinos in the Caribbean, New Orleans and Las Vegas, according to Internal Revenue Service Special Agent Clinton Wight, who testified Wednesday. Maggie Ahmaogak made cash withdrawals with the commission’s credit card and received fraudulent reimbursements for hotel rooms or plane tickets during or just after the trips, which were paid for by the commission or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Wight said.
Federal fisheries enforcement and the 2012 election – a purposeful cover-up? By Nils Stolpe
Here are the facts.
Federal fisheries enforcement and the 2012 election – a purposeful cover-up?
Fact: Senator Scott Brown (Republican) and candidate Elizabeth Warren (Democrat) are in a close race for one of the two Massachusetts seats in the United States Senate.
Fact: A majority in the United States Senate, which is now in the hands of the Democratic Party, is considered by many pundits to be “up for grabs” in the rapidly approaching election, and the outcome in Massachusetts will be critical in determining which party controls the Senate – and the United States Congress – starting in 2013.
Fact: Senator Scott Brown has been an ardent supporter of the commercial fishing industry and has been particularly outspoken about an ongoing investigation of corruption at the highest levels of the enforcement branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Fact: New Englanders in general and residents of Massachusetts in particular tend to be extremely supportive of their fishing communities and of the fishing heritage that has played such a significant role in shaping the character of their coastline.
Fact: A 514 page report on the follow-up investigation by Special Master Charles Swartwood of NOAA enforcement abuses of fishermen and fishing associated businesses centered in New England and primarily in Massachusetts was completed and delivered to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce in March of 2012.
Fact: In spite of strong bipartisan Congressional prodding to make the report public, prodding in which Senator Scott Brown has assumed a leadership role, (Acting) Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank has refused to do so. To her credit Elizabeth Warren, his opponent, has been seeking the release of the report as well.
Fact: Massachusetts Senator John Kerry’s brother, Cameron Kerry, is general counsel of the Department of Commerce. READ MORE
BP Oil Spill – Time to Settle?
Should Gulf fishermen settle?
http://www.thevindicator.com/news/article_69f9ccdc-2427-11e2-9656-0019bb2963f4.html
Slidell seafood processor arrested, accused of not reporting purchases from commercial fishers
The owner of a Slidell seafood processing company who was arrested in Baton Rouge on felony charges of failing to report purchases of thousands of pounds of seafood was charged with similar misdemeanors earlier this year in St. Tammany Parish, court records show. Gary Michael Bauer, owner of Pontchartrain Blue Crab, is now facing 18 counts of filing false public records and 18 counts of injuring public records, according to the Wildlife and Fisheries Department.
http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2012/10/slidell_seafood_processor_arre.html
Alaska Editorial: Mind the gaps
This week in Anchorage, the state brought in experts to identify the gaps in the draft plan. They received some useful comments. Reviewers urged that more attention be given to ocean acidification, climate change and the ecological effects of the Bering Sea pollock-fishing industry. They also encouraged research into how wild salmon populations are affected by the annual release of millions of fish from commercial hatcheries.http://juneauempire.com/opinion/2012-11-01/alaska-editorial-mind-gaps
