Daily Archives: March 1, 2013
New study reveals how sensitive US East Coast regions may be to ocean acidification
Zhaohui Wang, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and his colleagues sampled the waters off the US East Coast about the R/V Ron Brown. Starting in the waters off Galveston, Texas, they worked their way around the Louisiana and west Florida coasts, past the Florida Straight, and up the eastern seaboard,,,,,,,read more
Great white sharks off California given greater protection
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Great white sharks off the coast of California gained protection on Friday as regulations took effect designating them candidates for future listing under the state’s Endangered Species Act. Read more
Using Amount of Fish Caught as Measure of Fisheries Health Is Misleading
“The sea is a big place. Most fish are small. So it stands to reason that it is difficult to work out with any degree of accuracy just how many fish live in the sea. One way is to measure how many fish we pull out of it. But is that the best way? Or even an accurate way?” asks an editorial in this week’s (Feb. 21) issue of Nature.The topic is featured on the cover of the journal and debated in two “Point/Counterpoint” commentaries, one jointly written by Ray Hilborn and Trevor Branch of the University of Washington, and the other by Daniel Pauly of the University of British Columbia. Read more here
Part 1 of 3 – The State of World Fisheries – Ray Hilborn Video here
Seal Hunt Cancelled For Hay Island In Nova Scotia
Spokesman Robert Courtney says the hunt has been suspended because there is no market for the pelts. (check the comments!) Read more here
Gulf Coast senators ask for investigation of National Marine Fisheries Service
Eight senators from coastal states asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the way the National Marine Fisheries estimates the size of fish populations in U.S. waters. Called stock assessments by the fisheries service, those estimates are used to set annual catch limits for recreational and commercial fisheries. Read more here
Women in the fishing industry highlighted in Portholes Project
NEW BEDFORD — During March, the Working Waterfront Festival’s Portholes Project will present three programs exploring the theme “Women in the Industry.”The programs kick off at 7 p.m. March 8 with “Mothers, Daughters, Wives: Songs, Poems and Stories from Women in Fishing Families.” The closing program March 28 will feature Linda Greenlaw of “Perfect Storm” and swordfishing fame. Read more
The Fisheries Broadcast with John Furlong
From the early 1900’s: outlaw over-fishing : We’ve all heard the concerns about the dangers of over-fishing. In fact, there was a petition to the House of Assembly from one group of fishermen to have this murderous practice outlawed..this was in the early 1900’s. Listen to the show here
2012 Maine elver season netted nearly $38 million, second only to lobster in fishery value
Compared to 2010, it’s even more staggering. That year, the fishery generated only $584,000 in revenue for licensed fishermen — one sixty-fifth of its value in 2012. The elver fishery now ranks behind only lobster in Maine for overall fishery value. Read more
Shark fin soup might leave the menu in Maryland
A bill in both the House and Senate would make it illegal, with some exceptions, to distribute, possess, sell or trade shark fins in the state, effectively making it illegal to sell shark fin soup in Maryland. John Martin of Martin Fishing Compa
ny agreed with the benefits of promoting sustainable fisheries. That is in his best interest, too, he said. If a fish is allowed to be caught, use 100 percent of that fish, he said. Read more
Maine bills aim to boost lobster industry
One bill calls for sharply increasing surcharges on lobster fishing, wholesale seafood and other lobster-related licenses, the other, which will draw strong opposition from lobstermen, would allow net fishermen who catch cod, haddock and other so-called groundfish to bring lobsters they inadvertently catch to shore. Read more here
‘Credibility in Gulf’s fishery management is decreasing’
Bob Gill, a former chairman of the Gulf of Mexico fishery management council, told Undercurrent that credibility in the fishery management system is decreasing over the red snapper deliberations. Read more here
The Truth, a Good Story, and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Fish Fight
…….the case with the latest Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Fish Fight TV series where it would appear that the public are being well and truly hoodwinked. Read more here
In Woods Harbour – “Some very difficult, emotional days ahead”
As the first memorial services were being planned for five Shelburne County fishermen lost in a tragic fishing accident, thoughts about a larger community service were being considered. Read more
Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance nervous – Gulf snapper quota reallocation could set national precedent
An upcoming decision on quota allocation between recreational and commercial fishermen will be vital in setting a precedent for fisheries management all over the US, said sources on all sides of the ongoing red snapper fishery disc
ussions in the Gulf of Mexico. Read more here
Lubchenco leaves NOAA, ‘disaster’ behind
Jane Lubchenco’s provocative tenure as NOAA administrator ended Thursday, three years, 11 months and nine days after it began, with the groundfishery she promised to save in an apparent death spiral – Read more here
