Monthly Archives: March 2013
The Fisheries Broadcast with John Furlong – Bottom Trawling and Seals
Bottom-trawling study has a critic calling for crab grounds to be protected, and We’ll check in the Northeast Coast Sealers Co-op in advance of this year’s seal hunt. listen here
RFA ASKS SENATE TO HOLD NOAA ACCOUNTABLE – Letter Spotlights Government Failure To Meet Federal Data Deadline
In their letter to Chairman Begich, RFA cited recent testimony given before the House Natural Resources Committee by Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) at the U.S. Department of Commerce when he revealed that legal requirements to improve recreational fishing data have not been implemented. “It is correct that we have a 2009 deadline that we did not entirely meet,” admitted Sam Rauch, III on March 13, explaining that angler registry requirements have not yet been implemented despite a 2006 congressional mandate. continue reading
Auctions confirm renewed ‘uptick’ in cod – following its age-old pattern
Both of Gloucester’s general fish auction houses are confirming reports by fishermen that cod — the fish that helped make this city the world’s oldest, most famous and, for a long time, its busiest fishing port — appears to be following its age-old pattern as it swims in increasing numbers into the shallow waters off Cape Ann. continue reading
Letter to the Editor: Lobster bill deserves lawmakers’ support – Capt. Arthur “Sooky” Sawyer, Vice president, Massachusetts Lobsterman Association
After reading the story about selling of processed lobster tails and the followup editorial (the Times, March 19, March 21) plus letters to the editor, a few facts need to be emphasized. continue reading
Republican Senate candidate Dan Winslow wants to fight for fishermen, National Standard 8, Saltonstall-Kennedy funding
“Fishermen by default are environmentalists. I think you can be pro-fisheries and pro-environment.” Winslow criticized catch limits and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration policies, and said that his commitment will be twofold: to ensure that environmental agencies that oversee the fishing industry adhere to the laws that already exist to protect fishing communities, and to keep fishing families in business through a common-sense regulatory structure based on trusted science. continue reading
Written Testimony by Eric Schwaab, Assistant Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service on Developments and Opportunities in U.S….
Written Testimony by Eric Schwaab, Assistant Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service on Developments and Opportunities in U.S. Fisheries Management WASHINGTON, March 19 — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a copy of the following congressional testimony by Eric Schwaab, Assistant Administrator: Introduction Good morning, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today about interjurisdictional fisheries management. My name is Eric Schwaab continue reading
Wabash River commercial fisherman arrested – harvesting shovelnose sturgeon from the Wabash River and selling the sturgeon eggs
Illinois conservation police officers arrested Aaron Taylor, 34, at his home Thursday in Darwin, Ill., located on the Wabash River. The investigation revealed that Taylor had been harvesting shovelnose sturgeon from the Wabash River and selling the sturgeon eggs for several years. Taylor did not possess a valid Illinois roe harvester permit. Also in the boat was Larry L. Bryan, 66, also of Darwin, Ill. Bryan received several citations for boating violations and was released. continue reading
Hearings next month on eel fishery rules – Three Maine hearings will be held in April on proposed catch regulations.
The proposed regulations are the result of a stock assessment that concluded the American eel population is technically depleted, likely due to a combination of overfishing, habitat loss, predation, environmental changes, disease, toxins and contaminants, food web alterations and turbine mortality. continue reading
Biscayne Bay Shrimpers suggest a warm winter and after-effects of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf are causes for this year’s dreadful season.
Steve Heintz says the food shrimp harvest season in Biscayne Bay that opened Nov. 1 has been the worst he’s seen in nearly 30 years of commercial fishing. “Last year was bad, but not anywhere near as bad as this year,” Heintz said i
n an interview earlier this month. “I’ve gone ten times and my biggest night was 250 pounds. It’s so bad that I’ll only go when I hear they caught some. Then, when I go, it’s already over.” continue reading
Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance Weekly Update MARCH 24, 2013
“The Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance is dedicated to its mission of continuing to help create sustainable fisheries without putting licensed fishermen out of business.” Read update here
Forecast for Cape seals: Lots of gray
CHATHAM — On a recent fishing trip around Monomoy Island, Orleans fisherman Bill Amaru and his crew counted 4,000 gray seals that had hauled out on the island’s sandy beaches. While the experts still don’t know
the exact number of gray seals in our waters, the latest stock assessment from the National Marine Fisheries Service estimated gray seals on the Cape and Islands at 15,756 in 2011 as compared with 5,611 in 1999. On one day in April 2011, researchers counted more than 10,000 seals hauled out on Monomoy alone. continue reading
Bay Delta Conservation Plan will fail to restore the estuary by Dan Bacher
Tuesday, March 20 was a busy day for Restore the Delta (RTD), a coalition opposed to the Brown administration’s rush to construct massive peripheral tunnels to divert millions of acre-feet of water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to corporate agribusiness, oil companies and Southern California developers. continue reading
Ocean salmon season looks bright; rainfall, river flows concerns for river season
All signs are pointing to a great salmon ocean fishing year, a good follow-up to last year’s record salmon run. The Pacific Fishery Management Council is seeking public input on its preseason report, which lays out several options for the length of the season and other restrictions for fishing areas along the West Coast. continue reading
Puget Sound Herring, other forage fish, at risk
The survey for herring eggs in kelp beds continues throughout the herring spawning season, from February in most areas of Puget Sound through June for late-spawning stocks near Bellingham. What has caused the Cherry Point stock 
to decline has not been determined, but researchers have raised questions about chemical contaminants, oil spills, parasites, disease, lack of prey or too many predators, as well as ongoing shoreline development. continue reading
Minister Ashfield Announces the Acceptance of the CCGS S. Dudka
The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Gateway, today announced the acceptance of the CCGS S. Dudka, a new Canadian Coast Guard specialty vessel which will be used primarily to support the conservation and protection of fisheries resources. continue reading
Salmon farms near Campbell River capped for 7 years – Province agrees with intent of eight recommendations from the Cohen Commission
Six months after the release of the Cohen Commission’s final report on the decline of Fraser River sockeye salmon, the B.C. government says it accepts the intent of a number of the report’s recommendations, including putting a cap on future open-net fish farms along a critical migration route. continue reading
Senate passes federal aid for fisheries
PROVIDENCE, R.I (AP)– The U.S. Senate has passed an amendment that would allow funds in next year’s federal budget to be used to aid fishermen in the Northeast and elsewhere. continue
Competing bills for alewife repopulation toe lines of international jurisdiction
ST. STEPHEN, New Brunswick – The Maine Legislature’s Committee on Marine Resources will listen Monday to the public’s views on three bills that affect St. Croix River alewives. The committee will hold a public hearing in Augusta on bills to open a fishway at the Grand Falls dam to allow alewives to return to historic spawning beds in the international river. “Canada wants open fish passage on the St. Croix River right through the system,” he said. “Science shows that alewives pose no threat to smallmouth bass.” American federal authorities seem to support Canada’s stance. continue
B.C. fish-farm foes criticize aquaculture committee, fear being “shouted down”
VANCOUVER – Critics of British Columbia’s salmon-farming industry fear they could be “shouted down” and that their concerns will disappear into a “black hole” when a new committee meets to advise federal fisheries officials on aquaculture issues. continue
Coast Guard terminates fishing vessel Donna Jean voyage near Kake, Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Naushon terminated the voyage of the fishing vessel Donna Jean near Kake after discovering several safety issues aboard the vessel Friday. continue
New elver licensee Awesus Mitchell goes for the gold as season opens – video
NOBLEBORO, Maine – Awesus Mitchell stood at the Nobleboro Town Landing at noon Friday and eyed the icy Medomak River beneath him, preparing to claim his lottery prize. The proud winner of an elver fishing license, he had been at the landing since 8 a.m. Friday, and “stakin’ this spot out for a couple of weeks.” “It’s a good, anxious feeling,” he said. “It’s like I’ve won the lottery … I didn’t get much sleep last night.” continue
Mass. senators join the fray on fisheries – Warren, Cowan onboard..
BOSTON — Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., stepped into the fray to bring relief to Northeast fishermen, introducing her first Senate amendment in the form of a disaster assistance fund for fishermen. “It’s long overdue,” said Jim Kendall, a former scallop fisherman and president of New Bedford Seafood Consulting. “First of all, it’s been officially declared a disaster in the fisheries (for some time).” continue
New Ship Assembly Hall To Be Dedicated
Ketchikan, Alaska – Alaska Ship & Drydock (ASD) in cooperation with the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) will host a ceremony March 26 to dedicate the new ship assembly hall at the Ketchikan Shipyard. continue
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signs territorial waters bill
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Gov. Phil Bryant has signed a bill that extends Mississippi’s territorial waters by about seven miles. Mississippi and Louisiana waters now extend only about 3 miles south of their barrier islands. The new lines would put the two states closer to the boundaries of other Gulf of Mexico states, which extend their waters to 9 miles or 10 miles out. continue
Adding insult to injury: The budget and Indigenous relations – “Supporting First Nations fishing enterprises”
The Government of Canada is trumpeting $626 million in new investment for Indigenous peoples in yesterday’s budget. Let’s just say that’s a slight exaggeration. Here’s a closer look at the four “investment” areas. continue
Fraser River sockeye salmon run may be lower than expected, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
VANCOUVER – A federal official says this year’s Fraser River sockeye salmon run may be lower than expected. continue
Cape fishermen learn skills in emergency drills
Orange smoke billowed across the restaurant’s parking lot as fishermen practiced using flares, a critical rescue tool. “Most people don’t know how to use them properly or how to ignite them properly. They can be injured, they can be burnt if they aren’t properly trained,” said Ted Williams, a former commercial fisherman and now a Coast Guard certified drill instructor. One fisherman admitted that if he had received flare training, he likely wouldn’t have blown off his thumbnail in a flare accident 15 years ago. continued
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
