Daily Archives: February 14, 2013
Just Released – NOAA’s Intent on Groundfish Carryover in 2013 – John K. Bullard, Northeast Region Administrator
Today, as I promised the fishing industry I would do, I am announcing our intent to allow carryover of unused 2012 quota into the 2013 fishing year. Current fishery management regulations allow up to 10 percent of unused quota to be carried forward. This provides fishermen with some flexibility on when they fish — so they can avoid bad weather and take advantage of times of year when fish are available and prices are highest. Read more here
Unwanted lionfish may help end ban
Lionfish now range up and down the East Coast and can be found throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Lionfish dangers: • They compete with native aquatic species for food and habitat • Eat young gamefish and commercially harvested species • Are venomous to humans, and stings cause conditions from a mild rash to death • Females can release up to 30,000 eggs per spawn and can spawn three times a month Read more here
UCIDA again sues over fed management of Cook Inlet salmon fishery
UCIDA and Cook Inlet Fishermen’s Fund are suing the National Marine Fisheries Service over the decision to transfer control of the fishery from federal to state control, saying the move violates the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. Read more here
Peter Shelley -Conservation Law Foundation – Enviro group urges fishery shutdown
While fishing industry group and federal lawmakers have sought to ease dire new catch limits seen as threatening Gloucester’s and New England’s groundfishery, a leader of at least one prominent environmental group says the limit cu
ts of up to 77 percent “did not go far enough. ”In his report, Shelley wrote that “recent assessments showed stocks at the lowest levels and declining rapidly. The fish just aren’t there anymore.” Read more here
Maine – Four lucky fishermen win a state lottery to harvest baby eels, which can bring up to $2,600 a pound.
Four Mainers hit the jackpot this week when their names were chosen in a state lottery that won’t pay them any money – at least not yet. The winners were notified Tuesday that they have been awarded licenses by the Maine Department of Marine Resources to use dip nets to fish for elvers – translucent baby eels that are roughly the size of a toothpick. “At certain times during the season, prices were running above $2,600 a pound,” Read more here
Cruise ship wastewater bill survives amendments, vote next week
JUNEAU — The Senate turned aside a series of Democratic-sponsored amendments Wednesday to the Parnell administration bill rolling back cruise-ship wastewater restrictions, setting up a final vote next week. Read more here
Fish and Game announces Pacific cod openings
Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game announced yesterday that the state waters Pacific cod pot fishery in Chignik Area and South Alaska Peninsula Area will open March 7. Read more here
US Commerce shortchanges’ American Samoa of monies that fishing companies pay for polluting territorial waters
At a meeting yesterday at the Tauese Ocean Center to inform district governors, county chiefs, and village mayors about the National Sanctuary of American Samoa, Alo expressed sadness that the territory is getting just a small portion of fines and citations levied against companies that harm our ocean. Read more here
News Release: Coast Guard medevacs fisherman 2 miles west of Tillamook Bay, Ore. – Video
SEATTLE — A Coast Guard boatcrew from Station Tillamook Bay in Garibaldi, Ore., medically evacuated a 64-year-old crew member from a commercial fishing vessel (F/V Tomboin) the Pacific Ocean approximately two nautical miles west of the ent
rance to Tillamook Bay, Wednesday afternoon. Read more , Video here
Marine Stewardship Council Responds To NPR Series On Sustainable Seafood
Earlier this week, NPR aired a three-part investigation of the Marine Stewardship Council on Morning Edition and All Things Considered. The MSC contacted NPR on Wednesday with a response to the series Read more here
Our View: SMAST poised to bring valuable change
Lohrenz was recently appointed as co-director of the Marine Fisheries Institute, a collaboration between UMass and the state Department of Marine Fisheries, to the chagrin of many supporters of the former co-director, Dr. Brian Rothschild, a man held in high esteem by colleagues around the world, fishermen and this newspaper. Read more here
Companies signal interest in offshore Va. winds
Energy Management Inc., developer of the Cape Wind project in federal waters off Massachusetts’ Cape Cod, and Sea Breeze Power Corp. alerted the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that they might join the bidding later this year to develop wind energy in the 133-square-mile area off Virginia Beach. They join Dominion Virginia Power and seven other energy companies that have already expressed interest. Read more here
From the Deckboss – A few items
$9 an hour , UFA going to the authorities, Hey kids! Need money for college? As always, read the comments! Read more here
Sewage spill closes shellfish beds in Charleston S.C.
Shellfish harvesting beds in a portion of the Intracoastal Waterway in Charleston County were closed Wednesday due to a sewage spill at the Sullivan’s Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, according to the S.C. Department of Environmental Health and Control. Read more here
FDA extends GM salmon consultation
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending for 60 days the comment period for the draft Environmental Assessment and preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact linked to AquaBounty Technologies’ application for its genetically modified AquAdvantage salmon. Originally slated to end on Feb. 25, 2013, the comment period now runs until April 26, 2013. Read more here
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