Monthly Archives: April 2013
A Fishy Revolving Door Story – Arne Fuglvog registered to lobby for four different commercial fishing companies — Aleutian Spray Fisheries, Blue North Fisheries, Fishermen’s Finest and Glacier Fish —
OpenSecrets Blog – Last February, 
was sentenced to five months in prison by a federal court in Alaska for lying about how many tons of sablefish his commercial fishing operation harvested. But Fuglvog isn’t just any commercial fisherman; he’s a former fishing regulator and fishery adviser to Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Even while he worked with Murkowski in Washington, his boat continued to harvest an illegal amount of fish, former employees have said.
Now, having paid his debt to society and the sablefish population, Fuglvog is back in Washington — as a lobbyist. continued
New England 2013 Final Rules for Framework 50, Framework 48 and Interim Final Rule for Sector Operations Plans
First of nine new COAST GUARD Hero Class vessels unveiled in Sarnia
RCMP officials have a new tool to stop crossborder smuggling and human trafficking across the Great Lakes. Canada’s Fisheries and Oceans Minister Keith Ashfield unveiled the first of nine new Hero Class mid-shore patrol vessels in a ceremony at the Sarnia Government Dock Tuesday. continued
Nova Scotia Family makes a go of lobster fishery
Herald Chronical – At the tip of the Cape George, which juts out into the Northumberland Strait, forming the northern edge of St. Georges Bay, Father Evo DiPierro was blessing the fleet on Sunday.“I found her in a snowbank,” Colin said of his wife Yvette as he brought the Paper Maker within range of the priest’s holy water. Yvette laughed and said, “We don’t need to put all our stories in the paper.” Every fisherman has to scrounge and save for a new boat, but few have worked as hard as Colin and Yvette. continued
These guy’s are in trouble! Taking alligators during a closed season. Taking a bullfrog during a closed season. bullfrog? Hang ’em.
The agent cited Jason T. Causey, 23, of Gonzales, and Shane H. Knapp, 23, of Baton Rouge, for taking alligators during a closed season, hunting alligators at night with a firearm, illegal possession of alligators, taking alligators without a license, unauthorized use of a moveable, violating frog regulations for possessing a firearm, taking a bullfrog during a closed season and fishing without a basic fishing license. continued
Louisiana Gov. Jindal: BP Agrees to Pay $340 Million for Restoration Projects
Myarklamiss.com – BP has agreed to fund approximately $340 million in restoration projects for Louisiana. This investment is part of the $1 billion that BP agreed to invest for early restoration of damaged natural resources resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. continued
Spiny Dogfish Quotas to be Increased for Commercial Fishermen
Spiny Dogfish Quotas to be Increased for Commercial Fishermen, For more information on these measures click here.
You lucky bastards! And they never do nuthin’ for ya?
Today, NOAA Fisheries announced the final management measures for the Northeast Groundfish Fishery for 2013.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — April 30, 2013 — Based largely on advice from the New England Fisheries Management Council, NOAA Fisheries announced today final management measures for the Northeast groundfish f
ishery, including much lower quotas for some key groundfish stocks, and actions that will help fishermen better manage and adjust to these quotas. In anticipation of these cuts, the Department of Commerce pre-emptively declared a fishery disaster in the fall of 2012 and continues to work with Congress to help mitigate impacts to the region and maintain the long-standing culture of fishing in these communities. continued
Passamaquoddys reduce elver licenses by over 100, seek appeal to federal regulators
ELLSWORTH, Maine — Representatives of the Passamaquoddy Tribe say they plan to go around state fisheries officials and appeal directly to federal regulators about the tribe’s elver management plan. continued
‘Wicked Tuna’ sets sail for filming Season 3 (top search engine story here is Hard Merch sinking at the dock)
The third season holds new surprises with Marciano taking to the seas in a newly outfitted boat, the Hard Merchandise, after it sank at the dock at the Gloucester Marine Railways last December when a fitting let go. Marciano was watching another reality show called “Moonshiners” at the time he got the call from the Coast Guard. “After three months of extensive work, ‘Humpty Dumpty’ is officially back together again,” Marciano said of the boat, which was built in 1984 and which he bought used in the first place. continued
See this article! Waking up with Wicked Tuna on the Morning Buzz, WHEB the Rock station – https://fisherynation.com/from-the-moderator
Letter to the Editor: RE: The Truth about the Herring – By Sam Bergeron, Ketchikan, Alaska
SitNews – Terri Wenger Anderson thinks if you call someone names their argument will be moot. Turns out the guy,,,continued
North Carolina’s HB 983,(anti commercial fishing bill) like so much state policy, is based on bogus science
Beaufort Observer Online – Why would any legislator, especially a conservative “small-government” Republican even consider such an idea? The answer they give is in the bill itself, which reads:
Whereas, the General Assembly recognizes the importance of providing plentiful fishery resources to maintain and enhance tourism as a major contributor to the economy of the State; and Whereas, the General Assembly recognizes the need to protect our coastal fishery resources and to balance the commercial and recreational interests through better management of these resources; and …”
But here’s the problem. There is no valid or reliable scientific evidence that banning the commercial fishermen from catching these species will “provide plentiful fishery resources.” continued
Bristol Bay: Largest Salmon Fishery vs Giant Mine Proposal
Environment News Service – April 29, 2013 (ENS) – If Bristol Bay, Alaska is opened to mining, the ore deposit would be mined for decades, and the wastes would require management “for centuries or even in perpetuity,” finds a revised environmental assessment issued Friday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. continued
EDITORIAL: High time for safety sea change in fishery – The Chronicle Herald
As Nova Scotians gathered Sunday to honour workers who have died on the job, many of them were remembering fishermen who never returned home. continued
P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association – Lobster price optimism fading
The P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association is watching lobster prices fall as the season on the Island opens. continued
Fisherman airlifted safely from F/V Newfoundland Pioneer after suspected heart attack
CBCNews – A fisherman had to be airlifted to hospital in St. Anthony on Monday amid a medical emergency. A search and rescue official said a Cormorant helicopter from Gander performed the medevac shortly after 3 p.m. The 46-year-old patient was aboard the vessel Newfoundland Pioneer, about 100 kilometres north of St. Anthony. It’s believed the man suffered a heart attack while fishing in the area. The official called it a successful mission, but there was no word on the patient’s condition.
Maine seaweed company vies for $50,000 prize at national Slow Money event
Bangor Daily News – The VitaminSea business is growing, with SeaCrunch varieties available in health food and specialty grocery stores around the state. Whole Foods is going to stock the product at its Portland store starting in May, according to Rod Williams, one of VitaminSea’s investors who handles marketing for the company. continued
Maines Groundfish industry considers options with lobster bycatch bill’s defeat
With the bill’s defeat, Odlin said it makes no sense to continue living in Maine when his livelihood in more viable in Massachusetts. “Looks like we are moving the company down to Gloucester,” Odlin said. continued
“day of reckoning”? the fishing community “can’t take its foot off the pedal. This is a fight that has to continue,”
But Bullard was the person who made the official decision to slash quotas to rebuild stocks, and there were many in the crowd who are angry at him for that. Finally, after the speeches had ended, Paul Vitale, of Gloucester, owner of th
e 50-foot trawler Angela and Rose out of Gloucester, broke the silence over Bullard, angrily challenging Bullard to explain himself, but Bullard said nothing. Vitale told The Standard-Times that with the new quotas, he will be fishing “one or two times a month” and is looking for outside work. continued
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Taking the Long View – The Fall & Rise & Fall of Stripers
Striped bass, for thousands of years, have been coming back to the great spawning rivers of the Chesapeake Bay. And scientists, for decades, have been trying to figure out why striped bass reproduce so well during certain eras and so poorly during other eras. Bob Wood (above) has come up with a new theory that may answer these old questions. Credit: top, David Harp; bottom, Michael W. Fincham.
That’s a twist worthy of the old gods out of Greek myths. Every gift they ever gave us mortals carried a dark side. As mere mortals trying to manage the natural world, we instinctively try to maximize all the fish that matter most to us. We want a Bay full of stripers and a Bay full of menhaden. But that may not be an option. continued
Fishing regulators to hold hearing on elvers today
AUGUSTA — Maine elver fishermen are being given a chance to comment on a proposed range of new regulations for the American eel fishery. continued
‘Take the ‘no’ out of NOAA,’ rally speakers urge
It was Attorney General Martha Coakley, a leading advocate for the fishing industry along with Gov. Deval Patrick who put it directly to NOAA’s Gloucester-based Northeast regional administrator while addressing the roughly 300 fishermen present as well.
“I hope, Mr. Bullard,” she said, speaking beneath a big canvas tent, “that you can take the ‘no’ out of NOAA.” continued
I am disgusted.
On May 1st, the allocation for cod will be cut by as much as 78% , and drastic cuts to yellow tail flounder and other species, will all but finish off New England’s storied fishing fleet, and jeopardize the nation’s most lucrative fishery, the scallop industry. Following these articles and reading endless proclamation’s of politicians stating their outrage, and pledging help,,, continuedAs feds look to replenish fisheries, catch limits decried at rally
Wicked Local Photo By David Sokol. Caleb
By Matt Murphy/STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE – At times heckled by angry fishermen during the course of the rally, NOAA Regional Administration John Bullard, a former mayor of New Bedford, stood silently for almost two hours as elected official after official criticized his agency for refusing to intervene. continued
Facing deep cuts, fishermen & politicians demand disaster relief – video
BOSTON, Massachusetts (NEWS CENTER) – Fishermen from Maine and the rest of New England are calling new federal fishing quotas “a disaster”, and say many of them will be put out of work. continued
New England Fishermen Rally For Relief From Strict Catch Limits
WBUR BOSTON — As of May 1, commercial fishermen in New England won’t be allowed to catch as many cod and haddock and other groundfish — not nearly as many. Federal regulators have drastically reduced so-called catch limits so that depleted stocks can recover. On Boston’s fish pier Monday, with a newly painted fishing boat as a backdrop, fishermen and Massachusetts politicians railed against the new catch limits — and asked for a reprieve. Richie Canastra, co-owner of the New Bedford and Boston seafood auctions, cited reports from boats currently out at sea that groundfish such as flounder are coming back. continued
We did what we could for the Northeast Seafood Coalition, and we were glad to do it.
Not sure if our viewers noticed the big blue banner ad we posted for the Northeast Seafood Coalition to promote the Boston Fish Rally, but we were pleased to put that information out there for them, in support of the cause.We posted supporting articles that included all the press information, including the speakers they had lined up to address the situation of New England fishermen, and the still looming allocation gutting for the up coming fishing season.
The reason we are here is to inform interested people about these issues, and we will be glad to post any information from any organization that has a need to bring attention to their issues.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can help.
