Daily Archives: March 6, 2013

Maine Department of Marine Resources proposes 100 elver licenses for four Maine Indian tribes

At issue is the state’s newly lucrative elver fishery, which over the past two years has become one of the most valuable commercial fisheries in Maine, second only to the state’s $339 million lobster industry. But last spring, more than six weeks into the 10-week elver season, the Passamaquoddy Tribe caught state officials and others off guard when it issued 236 licenses to its members. Read more

Industry-wide reductions begin as menhaden cap becomes law

REEDVILLE—Menhaden, alewife, mossbunker, fatbacks, bunker or pogy—no matter what it’s called—the fish is making news up and down the East Coast as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) mandated harvest reductions have fishermen scrambling to determine the impact. Read more

Alaska Board of Fisheries votes 4-3 to limit Area M fishing at the far end of the Alaska Peninsula

Also, Unalaska trawl compromise, Permit stacking voted down,  Read more

Mixed Response To State Fisheries Bill

Legislation before the New York State Legislature intended to ease some of the burdens of tightening fishing restrictions and high gas prices on the state’s commercial fishermen has drawn support but also criticism and doubts from East End fishermen. Read more   https://fisherynation.com/archives/4939

Coast Guard rescues 1, searches for 2 from 67-foot F/V Seafarer off Eastern Shore

uscg logoPORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard is responding to a distressed fishing vessel approximately 15 miles east of Assateague Island, Md., Wednesday. Read more

UPDATE: Coast Guard temporarily suspends search for 2 missing men off Eastern Shore

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries to hold meeting on gill net restrictions

CAPE CARTERET — New gill net restrictions will take effect this month to help resolve an ongoing conflict between Cape Carteret residents and fishermen over nighttime net fishing activities. Read more

Alaska fisherman from Coupeville isn’t sure where reality TV journey will take him but he’s enjoying ride

“It happened rather quickly,” Keohane said. Keohane answered a casting call last summer and landed a part on the reality fishing series, Alaska Fish Wars, which recently aired on National Geographic’s Wild channel. Read more

Guest Editorial – Where have all the fish, plants gone? By BOB DAW

At present, the creek is healthy, which allows it to function as a nursery area for many types of fish, plants and other critters that they feed on. Ruin the water and we ruin its ability to let little fish grow into big fish.

Read more

The Petersburg Borough Assembly silent on otter bounty

A proposed bounty on sea otters drew some criticism from the public followed by no discussion at all from the Petersburg Borough Assembly during its regular meeting Monday afternoon. The agenda included a resolution in support of Senate Bill 60 which is sponsored by Sitka Senator Bert Stedman. Read more

From Chris McCaffity – Please sign the Petition – Support for Alternatives to Vessel Monitoring Systems

Target: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council  Sponsored by: Chris McCaffity  Stopping this Vessel Monitoring System law from passing will help to keep similar invasions of our privacy from spreading to other areas of our lives.  Please think about how you would like to be required by law to install an expensive and intrusive Vehicle Monitoring System in your car to make sure you did not park in No Parking Zones. What if you were one of only 5% of drivers required to do this? Would you think a video camera monitoring only the no parking zone to insure 100% of drivers complied with the law would be fairer? Sign the Petition

Click This Ad!

Fishermen, Foodies, Check out the Seafreeze Ltd. Ad! “The Only Thing We Treat Our Fish With Is Respect” TM

Established in 1984 by fisherman Richard Goodwin and Geir Monsen, Seafreeze Ltd. has grown to become a leader in the seafood market place. 30 years of integrity and commitment enables us to build global partnerships with industry leaders.With forward thinking, Seafreeze keeps a constant watch on trends and opportunities. This enables us to maximize offerings to our clients.

Same Ocean. Same Species. Better Product.

 

Rescue teams race to sinking fishboat in Georgia Strait, off Vancouver

VANCOUVER – A fishing boat has gone down in Georgia Strait, off Point Grey, west of Vancouver, but its two crewmembers are safe. Read more

Changes in fish population, algae cause study of Baffin Bay water quality

Texas – Commercial and recreational fisherman say they’ve long suspected deteriorating bay conditions in what is considered one of Texas’ premier fishing destinations. A 2010 fish kill and a persistent brown tide bloom have elevated their concerns. Read more

Optimistic outlook for next salmon season

Last week’s data presentation was the first step in the annual process of determining the length and terms of the commercial and sports salmon seasons at sea and in the rivers. Members of the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the multi-state body that sets the rules for the season, will meet again in Tacoma, Wash., later this week, and at various coastal locations through early April. Read more

Washington state Senate votes to close loophole on shark fins

Two years ago, Washington state lawmakers banned the sale of shark fins but grandfathered in fins bought before July 2011. Read more

Wake up: Non-indigenous species are a danger to Alaska’s waters

One example of an aquatic invasion: In June 2010, researchers discovered Didemnum vexillum — also known as “rock vomit” — in Whiting Harbor near Sitka. This species, which can cover large areas of the seafloor, is an aggressive invader and a potential threat to shellfish farms, groundfish fisheries, fish spawning and other resources. Read more

 

Village stops as service honours lost crewman, Steven Cole Nickerson

WOODS HARBOUR — Woods Harbour continues to be a community in mourning. The village grocery store stood empty Tuesday afternoon and all commerce appeared to grind to a halt during a memorial service for a lost crewman from the fishing boat Miss Ally. Read more

This ones for you, Laddy boy

MSC Introduces New Bilingual Ecolabel for Canadian Market

CANADA – The Marine Stewardship Council has launched a new, bilingual French-English ecolabel in response to requests from MSC partners in Canada who want to further increase consumer awareness about their commitment to sustainable seafood and the MSC programme. Read more

‘Colbert Report’ tackles MDI missing scallop guts caper – Get’s to the Bottom of it

SOUTHWEST HARBOR, Maine — Scallop gonads do not have a reputation as being intrinsically funny, the way banana peels or rubber chickens might. Last Nov. 26, police on Mount Desert Island and in Ellsworth alerted the public that the buckets went missing after the fisherman, Andy Mays, mistakenly put them in the back of the wrong car and the person then drove off, not knowing the bivalve bits were coming along for the ride. Watch the video, read more

Maine lobstermen seek to claw into new markets

With last year’s glut of lobsters and plummeting prices still a vivid memory, Maine lobstermen are hatching strategies to cultivate new markets and more customers for the state’s leading fishery. Lobstermen expect another big harvest this year, but it’s unclear whether it will begin early again, said Marianne La-Croix, acting director of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council, an industry-funded organization in Portland. Read more

My View: Science, sense needed in fishing’s ‘human crisis’ – Scott W. Lang

The human crisis in the groundfishing industry is a real crisis. It is not contrived, it is not looming, it is not a threat, it is here.

Read more

Jesus Christ! Not Cape Pond Ice. Cape Pond Ice on the block

Scott Memhard cited the decision by NOAA against allowing the industry a second year of relief via interim catch levels as forcing his hand. The first year of interim limits held the reduction in Gulf of Maine cod to only 22 percent  but without the same for the 2013 fishing year beginning May 1, landings will be compressed by 77 percent. And with $1 million in debt coming due, Memhard said he has little choice. Read more