Daily Archives: January 14, 2013
BOEM to Convene Renewable Energy Public Seminars in Rhode Island and Virginia for Offshore Wind Development
Agency Will Explain Upcoming Auctions for First-EverWind Energy Competitive Lease Sales.
‘Wicked Tuna’ stars hit TV’s fast lane
I met Captain Dave Marciano at a listening session in Gloucester a few years ago. The issues were the transformation of the NE ground fishery on two fronts. Catch Shares and hard TAC’s. The future was bleak for many fishermen, and Dave was no exception. He had concluded that the best he could do for the welfare and future of his family, was to sell his permit and get out, instead of investing huge capital to stay in. He had taken his place at the podium and told us he had no choice, and I knew it was one of the toughest days of his life. I was moved by his sad speech, and as he was leaving with his chin dragging across the floor at Gloucester City Hall, built on the ocean commerce that was Gloucester for century’s, I had to say something to him. Hell. I wanted to say something to all those fishermen that day, including Joe Orlando who was quite upset that day. I followed Dave outside and got his attention. I’ll never forget the look on his face. He was hurting. What I said to him that day was, how proud I was of him for putting his family first when he made his decision.
Life is full of surprises.
I read todays article at the Gloucester Times today, and knowing Dave is “real people”, I busted up reading about our new “star” stuffing the butter flower into his mouth!
I talked to him today on the phone and we had a few laughs about things that are unnatural to a guy like Dave, and many of us that would be thrust into the limelite. Things like his driver asking him to let him do his job by allowing him to handle Dave’s luggage, things like that.
Of all the guys I know, Dave deserves this time on NatGeo’s hot TV series. He is the bonified fisherman on the show, and to tell you the truth, I probably would skip it if he was not on the show.
From the article: The second season of “Wicked Tuna” kicked off last night, now an hour earlier at 9 p.m. The series hooked viewers around the globe its first season, going into 440 million homes in 171 countries and 38 languages. The series depicts the lucrative nature of the bluefin tuna business and the fierce rivalry among the fishermen, some whose livelihood depends on their success at sea. Read more
Governor Bobby Jindal Announces Appointments to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Coastal Protection, Restoration & Conservation
BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 12 — Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., issued the following news release: Today, Governor Bobby Jindal announced appointments to the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation.
36 members, Two members representing the fishing community, one must be from the commercial fishing industry and one must be from the recreational fishing community; Only two, governor?
From the Deckboss – A salmon summit in Seattle
For a long while, Alaska and the MSC seemed to be happy partners.
In recent years, however, many players in the Alaska seafood industry have become disenchanted with the MSC, for a variety of reasons.
This also goes for state officials, who apparently aren’t too enthused about current efforts to keep MSC certification going.
A Seattle-based fishing group, the Purse Seine Vessel Owners’ Association, is seeking renewal of the MSC label on behalf of seven Alaska salmon processors led by Sitka-based Silver Bay Seafoods.
To MSC or not to MSC Southeast Alaska Seiners Association hates MSC. Always has. Always will.
So the state is having a big pow-wow with PSVOA this coming Monday over the boards decision to stick it out with MSC so that Silver Bay Seafoods could go it alone. This is a complex issue.
First let’s start out with SEAS unequivocal and total non-support of MSC from the outset in the late 1990’s when then-Gov Knowles administration welcomed the MSC folks in to get the trophy of certifying the worlds best managed commercial fishery-Alaska Salmon. SEAS, under the leadership of Jim Bacon at that time, determined that the short-term, feel good of having the MSC label would be short-lived and would not be worth the longer term of inviting the Eco-terrorists into the fold to wreak havoc on the Alaska brand. Read more
Steve Urbon: More trouble ahead at NOAA?
So, you ask: What does President Obama’s prospective chief of staff possibly have to do with New Bedford?
Answer: One of the two finalists is the spouse of the architect of the notorious catch shares in fisheries management at NOAA, Monica Medina.
And when I sought reaction, it was something between a laugh and a groan.
“What can I do other than laugh?” said seafood consultant Jim Kendall. Read more
