Daily Archives: March 22, 2013
Acoustic monitoring of Atlantic cod reveals clues to spawning behavior – Phys.Org
For decades researchers have recorded sounds from whales and other marine mammals, using a variety of methods including passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) to better understand how these animals use sound to interact with each other and with the environment. Now, for the first time, researchers report using this technology to record spawning cod in the wild. continued
Convictions Under the Fisheries Act, Gaspe-Lower St. Lawrence Area
QUÉBEC CITY, QUÉBEC–(Marketwire – March 22, 2013) – 
, Quebec Region, has released a list of fishers fined in February 2013 for various offences under the Fisheries Act. The fines imposed on the offenders total $14,500. In addition, one of them was banned from being on the Newport, Chandler and Grande-Rivière docks between 5:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. for 15 months. The offenders are: continue
Alaska’s Halibut, Black Cod Harvest Season Opens Tomorrow
Grocers can start preparing their seafood departments for Alaska’s wild halibut and black cod (sablefish), for which harvest season opens tomorrow, March 23. Statewide Total Allowable Catch (TAC) limits for Alaska halibut and black cod a
re set at over 23 million pounds and 35 million pounds respectively. continue
Coast Guard identifies sunken fishing vessel missing since 1972, F/V Katmai was Kodiak bound
MOBILE, Ala. – The Coast Guard has identified a sunken fishing vessel missing since 1972. The Schmidt Ocean Institute research vessel Falkor in concert with Bureau of Ocean Energy Management found an unknown sonar target object December 2012. continue
US pollock industry faces ‘perfect storm’ on roe, blocks, surimi, and, the Russian’s are coming!
Disappointing prices and lower volumes on the roe auctions of last weekend are the latest headache for the US Alaska pollock industry, which is also facing soft markets for its other core products. “It’s the worst environment for over a decade, maybe more,” said one source with a Seattle-based supplier. “The roe auctions were a disaster,” the source told Undercurrent News. “Then, you have weaker markets for blocks in Europe and also surimi in Japan. It’s going to be one tough year.” continue
Senator Elizibeth Warrens first Amendment ever filed is Fishery Assistance Amendment
BOSTON —The Associated Press- U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has filed an amendment that would provide disaster relief funds for the Northeast fishing industry. It’s the first amendment the Massachusetts Democrat has filed since taking office. The amendment would set aside funds in the 2014 budget to aid fishermen across the New England region. continued
The New England groundfish debacle (Part III): who or what is at fault? Nils E. Stolpe/FishNet USA
It took me a while to decide how to most accurately describe the situation that has been visited upon the New England fishing communities that are and since colonial times have been dependent on the groundfish fisheries. 
I finally settled on “debacle” because it means about the same thing as “fiasco” but with a heap more gravitas. And I can only think of what’s going on, and what has been allowed to go on, in that fishery as a fiasco on steroids. An awful lot has been written – and said – recently about New England groundfish but no one appears to have tied it all up into a neat and coherent package. Not being directly involved in the fishery or its management, and being at least twelve hundred miles removed from it, I’m going to try to do that from the position of semi-objectivity that separation allows. continued
Local Petersburg fishermen urge support for sea otter bounty bill
Several Petersburg fishermen came out to support Senate Bill 60, implementing a $100 bounty on all sea otters taken legally under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Monday evening during the regular meeting of the Petersburg Borough Assembly. The resolution that was proposed by the Assembly at the March 4 meeting was brought back to the table for discussion due to the interest of the residents and fishermen of the area. Local commercial fisherman Max Worhatch was the first to step to the microphone. continue
The Fishing for Energy Partnership Awards Grant Funding to Reduce the Impacts of Derelict Fishing Gear and Marine Debris
Defence, Department and Fisheries and Oceans Canada under axe
OTTAWA — Major cuts are coming to the Defence Department and Fisheries and Oceans Canada but there are few details in the 2013 budget about where the money will be saved. The slashing at Fisheries and Oceans is on top of existing cuts announced in last year’s budget. In total, the department will lose $89 million in 2013-14. continue
Letter to the Editor – Oil sheiks must celebrate our offshore wind fixation – James H. Bodurtha, Cotuit, Ma.
We have an opportunity to be energy independent in five to seven years, but instead of using our resources to further environmentally safe production of natural gas, coal gasification, solar energy and onshore wind sited in unobtrusive locations, we find our citizens and some legislators being hoodwinked by Cape Wind into supporting the most expensive possible offshore wind boondoggle. continue
Comeback for cod, yellowtail? Gulf of Maine cod have made a dramatic return
In a welcome surprise but one with potentially complex implications, Gulf of Maine cod have returned in notable concentrations to Stellwagen Bank and are being landed with plentiful yellowtail flounder by the inshore fleet. continue
Coast guard captain recalls Queen of the North ferry search
VANCOUVER – The confusion over whether the Queen of the North’s passengers were all accounted for after the ferry sank off the northern coast of British Columbia didn’t affect the search for potential survivors, a coast guard captain told a crew member’s criminal negligence trial Thursday. By the time the Sir Wilfrid Laurier reached the scene, a number of fishing boats, mostly from the nearby First Nations community of Hartley Bay, had already arrived and were transporting survivors to Hartley Bay. continue
Canadian Food Inspection Agency shutdown Iceland-based JHS Fish Products,over ‘picky things’: fish plant president
A fish plant near Yarmouth says a recent shutdown throwing 38 people out of work that was ordered by food inspectors was based on minor infractions. continue
