Monthly Archives: March 2013
Gulf of Maine shrimp season a bust
Gary Libby, a fisherman in Port Clyde, said he caught 800 pounds of the small, sweet shrimp on his best day this winter. Last year he averaged 2,000 pounds a day. “We were expecting it to be bad going in, but we weren’t expecting it to be as bad it was,” he said. Shrimp provide a small but important fishery for New England fishermen each winter. About 90 percent of the annual harvest is caught by Maine boats, with New Hampshire and Massachusetts fishermen accounting for the rest. continue
Fish farm rejected by Nova Scotia government, risk to wild salmon cited
The province’s Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Sterling Belliveau, said Fisheries and Oceans Canada expressed concern about the salmon farm’s impact on wild salmon in the bay near Sheet Harbour during the 22-month review process. 
The federal department said the site would represent a moderate risk to wild salmon. continue
Final services for Miss Ally fishermen this week
Two weeks of memorial services for the five fishermen lost on the Miss Ally will end with a final service, one for Katlin Nickerson on Saturday, March 16 at the Calvary Baptist Church in Woods Harbour. The memorial service for Billy Jack Hatfield will be held Thursday, March 14 at 2 p.m. at Huskilson’s Funeral Home Barrington. continued
Territory dedicates WPFMC funded projects – Fisheries Council welcomed with ava ceremony
The Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council dedicated on Friday and Saturday several projects that were funded by the Council for the benefit of local fishermen. continued Local leaders today welcomed members of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council with an ava ceremony at the Fale Tele at Suigaula o le Atuvasa. continued
Starkist accused of ‘under filling’ products
A Californian citizen has filed a federal civil action against Starkist, accusing the owner “of consistently under filling certain Starkist canned tuna products”, reports atuna. Patrick Hendricks claimed, among other demands, that Starkist will provide full restitution – to all purchasers of Starkist tuna – of all the money the company obtained from the sales of these products. continued
Boston Seafood Show Science Forum Suggests ENGOs are Misleading Public on Sustainability
NEWS ANALYSIS by John Sackton SEAFOOD.COM – The dominant view expressed by leading fisheries scientists at the Boston meeting was that the NGOs have a profound misunderstanding about the scientific basis of sustainability. The contrast between the scientific message about sustainability and the actions of the three most powerful environmental organizations in fisheries (World Wildlife Foundation, the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, and the Marine Stewardship Council) could not have been made more clear. continued
Lawsuit against Jindal considered over reef money
At issue is Jindal’s continuing diversions of millions of dollars donated by oil companies to turn old drilling rigs into artificial reefs to instead pay for other items across state government. continued
First seal symposium in Chatham
Topics to be explored include: How are seals impacting fishermen? What are their impacts on water quality? Are they the reason why the great whites are here? How many seals are enough? Fishermen, scientists, managers and policy makers will offer their perspectives on these and other questions asked by the audience. continued
Is the seal hunt dead?
“See all those grey things?” Hiltz asks, pointing to what we figured were hundreds of big rocks. “Those are seals.” First, let’s address the issue of cuteness. A full-grown grey seal is bigger than any fat man you know, and when you walk up to one, it bares its teeth and makes a noise like the snoring that follows a dozen beer. They defecate prodigiously. continue
Scalloping days, open areas reduced in Cobscook Bay
ELLSWORTH, Maine — The daily limit for harvesting scallops along much of the coast has gone back up to 20 gallons, but further restrictions on fishing days and territory have gone into effect in Cobscook Bay, according to state officials. continued
Who Owns Fish Under Briberization?
Susanne Rust’s “Who owns the fish?” is a well written and insightful piece. But, like all Catch Share authors, including myself, we are still learning how to really describe what is going on – having been overly influenced by the language of the wordsmiths brainwashing Congress and the public about quotas. With all good intention, here’s an expanded Opinion Piece to go with the March 12 article.,,,,,,,,,,.Catch shares are really about asymmetric market power —especially by cartelized processors with plenary power over price-setting— being brought about under government sponsorship due to accompanying asymmetric political power. Nothing makes that clearer that the rigged witness list at today’s US House Natural Resources meeting (see Richard Gaines’ Gloucester Daily Times Editorial-Witness-list-shows-Magnuson-talks-a-sham-from-start ). John Pappalardo is a minor part of the national problem, as he was schooled by the real culprits of Alaska Ratz, some of whom are also on the rigged hearing witness list. continued
“End to end” fish assessment planned in NE
BOSTON (AP) — An ‘‘end to end’’ analysis of how regulators determine the health of New England groundfish stocks is now planned after being pushed by a federal advisory board. Massachusetts Congressman Bill Keating formed the Federal Fishing Advisory Board last year and advocated the review, which will be conducted by state and federal regulators and industry members. continued
Trying to save an old boat, and avoid eviction – Skugaid skipper determined to stay
The historic Chief Skugaid fishing boat set sail on Saturday for calmer waters. All of 100 feet west. But first the vessel’s skipper, David Cobb, had to dodge an attempt by bailiffs to seize the boat on Friday and then wait out a hefty breeze so a team of volunteers could tie the boat up to its new position. continued
NMFS is accepting proposals under the MAFMC Research Set-Aside Federal Funding Program – DEADLINE: May 6, 2013
March 12, 2013 — The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced that it is accepting proposals under the Mid-Atlantic Council’s Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program for research activities to be conducted in 2014. Applications must be received by NMFS on or before 5 p.m. EDT on May 6, 2013. NMFS is soliciting proposals that address Mid-Atlantic RSA research priorities concerning summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, longfin squid, Illex squid, Atlantic mackerel, butterfish, river herring, bluefish, and spiny dogfish. NMFS and the Council will give priority to funding proposals addressing the research needs as follows: Continued
Saving Seafood Analysis – Conservation Law Foundation Misleads Public on Habitat Closed Area Changes
WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) March 13, 2013 – In the article, “Destructive Trawling and the Myth of ‘Farming the Sea’,” Conservation Law Foundation’s (CLF) Sean Cosgrove argues against the New English Fishery Management Council’s (NEFMC) recent recommendation to open certain areas previously closed to fishing, claiming that trawling, in every instance, is detrimental to ocean habitats. But Mr. Cosgrove cites incomplete and unrelated evidence in order to argue that marine scientists “unanimously” agree with his allegations. In reality, Mr. Cosgrove’s claims are contradicted by numerous peer-revised studies focused specifically on New England’s marine ecosystems. Continued
The Pacific Fisheries Management Council seek public comment on proposed North Coast salmon season
Regional wildlife officials are seeking public comment on the proposed salmon fishing season for both commercial and recreational fishermen. The Pacific Fisheries Management Council laid out a detailed series of alternatives at a meeting Monday. Council members will hold a public hearing to collect comments in Eureka on March 26. They will meet in Portland, Ore., from April 6-11 to discuss and set the final rules. continued
Proposed Rule; Request For Comments; Proposed 2013-2015 Spiny Dogfish Fishery Specifications
E-Mail comments may be submitted, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2013-0044 via the Federal eRulemaking Portal Read more
Now this is Real Environmentalism in it’s purest form – Volunteers needed for herring run cleanup April 6
Watch House Natural Resources Committee Magnuson-Stevens Act Hearing LIVE 10:00 am ET – 3/13/2013
Watch the hearing live (10:00 AM ET) 
PANEL I
* Bob Jones, Executive Director, Southeastern Fisheries Association
* Dr. Robert Shipp, Chair and Professor, Department of Marine Sciences – University of South Alabama
* Robert Dooley, President, United Catcher Boats
* John Pappalardo, Chief Executive Officer, Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association
* Captain Keith Logan, Charterboat Captain, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
* Bob Gill, Co-owner, Shrimp Landing, Florida
* Joseph Plesha, Chief Legal Officer, Trident Seafoods Corporation
PANEL II
* Sam Rauch, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, NMFS, NOAA, Department of Commerce
James Hennigan Director of Outreach and Communications Advisor
House Committee on Natural Resources, Majority
(202) 226-9019 | http://naturalresources.house.
Blowing in the wind – Menakhem Ben-Yami
American commercial fisheries are feeling increasingly beleaguered. On top of being plagued for the last four years by the adverse catch-share system, they had been hurt by the mega-spill of oil in the Mexican Bay, severely injured by the recent hurricane Sandy and struggled, evidently in vain, to obtain their share in the related federal damages. The way the wind blows Recently, East Coast fishermen have been alarmed by a new threat: the plan for a gargantuan network of offshore wind-power farms, steps hard on their fishing tows. For example, two hundred 150-180m tall wind turbines are projected to be erected on lease sites overlapping spawning and fishing grounds of several commercial species. Continue
Doug Gregory takes over as executive director Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council on May 20
After more than two decades as Monroe County’s marine extension agent, Doug Gregory soon heads to Tampa to become executive director of the federal Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. continue
John Lee’s Dented Bucket Blog has a new look!
John Lee has reworked his blog, and has included the photography of Zach Harvey, Kieeran Broach, and aerial photographer Wayne Davis. Click on The Dented Bucket
!
Who owns the fish?
“We’ve been frozen out,” said Collins, who docks near the Golden Gate Bridge. “This system has given it all to the big guys.” More and more wild-caught fish species and fishing territories in the United States are managed under catch shares, which work by providing harvesting or access rights to fishermen. These rights – worth tens of billions of dollars in the United States alone – are translated into a percentage, or share, that can then be divided, traded, sold, bought or leveraged for financing, just like any asset. Catch shares have been backed by an alliance of conservative, free-market advocates and environmental groups, some of which have financed scientific studies promoting the merits of the system, the Center for Investigative Reporting has found. continued
Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore Billboard Campaign in Halifax – “Don’t want to risk eating ISA diseased fish? Don’t buy open pen farmed Atlantic salmon.”
In the wake of news that ISA-diseased farmed salmon is being processed for human consumption, Eastern Shore residents have launched a bold new billboard campaign designed to educate consumers about the possible health risks associated with eating open pen farmed salmon. continue
Editorial: Witness list shows Magnuson-Stevens Act talks a sham from start
So, you’d like to think that New England will be well represented at these hearings, right? Wrong. The only scheduled New England witness scheduled to speak before the House Natural Resources Committee, where Malden Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Ed Markey is the ranking Democrat, is John Pappalardo of the Cape Cod Hook Fishermen’s Association. And that’s a shameful affront not only to rank-and-file fishermen in Gloucester and beyond, but at slap at our fishing communities, as well. continued
Northern Shrimp Shrimping hours expanded, season end date set for April 12, 2013
Due to low catches of northern shrimp, which officials say may be a result of relatively warm water temperatures in the Gulf of Maine, hours in the fishery are being expanded, according to officials. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission also set a season end date of April 12 and, for the trap fishery, decided to remove the daily limit of 500 pounds, the Maine Department of Marine Resources said. Read more
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy a friend of Long Island Sound
Despite the continued fiscal and economic challenges confronting the state, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is making the right choice by continuing state investment in cleaning up Long Island Sound. The legislature should support his position. Read more
Marine Protection Area committee forming in La Jolla
In the MPAs found in La Jolla — one off the coast from Emerald Street to Palomar Avenue, and another near the Cove — fishing or the removal of any marine life is prohibited. Read more
NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Actions for Red Snapper in the South Atlantic – Comment Period Ends May 13, 2013
Read the bulletin here
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