Daily Archives: April 26, 2013
Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick makes last-ditch appeal for fishermen
With one week to go before severe quota cutbacks descend on the Northeast groundfishery, Gov. Deval Patrick has written to interim Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank and Congress imploring them to step in, ease the restrictions and send disaster relief for the industry. May 1 marks the start of the 2013 groundfishing year, bringing with it sharp reductions in cod and yellowtail flounder quota that many fishermen say will make it financially impossible to fish. continued
Aquaculture company ordered to pay $500K for pesticide use – Kelly Cove Salmon pleaded guilty to 2 charges related to deaths of lobsters in Bay of Fundy
A New Brunswick aquaculture company has been ordered to pay $500,000 after pleading guilty to two charges in connection with the deaths of hundreds of lobsters in the Bay of Fundy from an illegal pesticide about three years ago. continued
Simulator recreates sea conditions in controlled environment
A state of the art facility at Memorial University is attracting researchers and businesses from around the globe. The $4 million-Virtual Environments for Knowledge Mobilization project recreates dangerous sea conditions in a controlled environment. Memorial is developing simulator technologies and virtual environments to train those who work in the offshore industry with the ultimate goal of improving safety of life at sea. continued
Protest delays potential ship build by Burger Boat – U.S. Geological Survey awards contract but losing bidder objects
MANITOWOC — Earlier this month, the U.S. Geological Survey awarded a $5.59 million contract for construction of a large research vessel to Burger Boat Co. But, now, it’s not a done deal as late protests filed with federal officials by one or more losing bidders have prompted an adjudication process, said Russell Strach, director of the USGS Great Lake Science Center. continued
Drought won’t help migrating baby salmon
The Golden Gate Salmon Association had asked the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to release more water into the river from Shasta and Keswick dams to help the young salmon make it safely out to the ocean. The fish swim out to the Sacramento River and then down to the Pacific Ocean, where they live for two or three years before migrating back upstream to spawn and die. continued
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Proposed Management Measures for the 2013 Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Recreational Fisheries
Based on recommendations of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, NOAA Fisheries is proposing to increase the overall catch limits for the 2013 and 2014 black sea bass fishery by approximately 1 million pounds.This results in an increase of approximately 0.41 million pounds for the recreational black sea bass fishery, and a 0.39 million pound increase for the commercial fishery. summer flounder, scup recreational, continued
Sea Surface Temperatures Reach Highest Level in 150 Years on Northeast Continental Shelf from Cape Hatteras, N.C. to the Gulf of Maine
Sea surface temperatures in the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem during 2012 were the highest recorded in 150 years, according to the latest Ecosystem Advisory issued by NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC). continued
52-year-old Fisherman medevaced from F/V Katie Ann in Bering Sea – reportedly suffering from symptoms of intestinal bleeding
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew medevaced a fisherman reportedly suffering from symptoms of intestinal bleeding more than 110 miles northwest of Cold Bay Thursday. con
tinued
Should Alaska’s largest salmon fleet look into downsizing? Alaska Fish Radio
That’s the question fishermen are posing in an informal buyback poll mailed to Bristol Bay’s 18-hundred plus driftnet permit holders. continued
Alaska Fish Radio is a 2 1/2 minute program that airs weekdays on 30 radio stations and web sites. Its focus is Alaska’s seafood industry.
Friday Must Reads: Brown Admin. Official Admits Water Tunnels Won’t Save Delta; Brown Urges Feds to Fast-Track Tunnels Despite Concerns They Will Harm Fish
1. A top official in the Brown administration has admitted that the governor’s controversial plan to build two giant water tunnels in the Sacramento area won’t help save the collapsing Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the LA Times$ reports. Congressional Democrats, who strongly question the multi-billion-dollar tunnel plan, have responded to the comments made by,,,continued
The New Lobster Frontier! From Britain – This is why you’ll probably be eating American lobster soon.
The last year’s Scottish lobster catch was 90 per cent down year-on year, he says, and the ponds and vats in which the Autumn catch was stockpiled for distribution over the Christmas period are now long empty.
NOAA Budget Briefings & Blue Book Available Online
Availability of Herring Amendment 5 – Proposed 2013 List of Fisheries for Marine Mammal Protection – Please Comment
Availability of Herring Amendment 5 – Please Comment For more information read the proposed rule at the Federal Register
Proposed 2013 List of Fisheries for Marine Mammal Protection – Please Comment For more information read the proposed rule at the Federal Register
US shrimp body concerned over EMS (early mortality syndrome) threat
undercurrent.com – The Southern Shrimp Alliance, which represents more than 2000 individuals and small businesses, has issued a letter expressing its concerns over early mortality syndrome (EMS) reaching the US. The letter, sent to USDA secretary Tom Vilsack, acting commerce secretary Rebecca Blank and FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg, asked what might happen should the shrimp disease reach the US. continued You can read the full letter here.
Your View: SMAST owes answers to the industry – Attorney Harvey B. Mickelson, general counsel to the American Scallop Association
Regarding your editorial of Feb. 13, “Our View: SMAST poised to bring valuable change,” which began: “One element that will be absolutely necessary on the path to sustainable fisheries is trust, and one that must be absolutely avoided is that one group or person can supply the solution.” I absolutely agree, but what was not defined was — under the current UMass Dartmouth and SMAST leadership — how the seafood industry or anyone else can trust a person or entity that for months has been secretive in its future plans for the fishing industry or in describing any agreements it has negotiated with NOAA, which supposedly sets the tone for SMAST and federal back-scratching for the future. continued
Coastal Conservation Association allowed to intervene in Columbia gillnet lawsuit on behalf of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
SALEM — The Oregon Court of Appeals will allow the Coastal Conservation Association to intervene in the lawsuit filed by commercial fishing interests seeking to over a new bi-state Columbia River fish management plan. continued
Man gets six months home confinement, probation for fishing violation – co-defendant cannot engage in charter or commercial fishing anywhere in the world.
dailypress.com – ALEXANDRIA — A Mathews County man was sentenced to nearly six months in home confinement followed by three years of probation for illegally harvesting striped bass on a charter boat. continued
Summary of April 16-17 NEFMC Groundfish Committee Meeting
April 25, 2013 — The New England Fishery Management Council’s (NEFMC) Groundfish Committee met on Tuesday, April 16, and Wednesday, April 17, to consider recommendations from the Council’s Closed Area Technical Team (CATT) on closed areas in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. Plenty of audio in this summary, and there are plenty of reasons to question the CATT’s proposals. continued
Penalties increased for illegal harvesting of Maine elvers
State Sen. Christopher Johnson, D-Somerville, said L.D. 632, which became law Tuesday, criminalizes all aspects of illegal fishing in what has become a very lucrative industry. Each violation carries a fine of as much as $2,000 and constitutes a Class D crime. Repeat offenders can be arrested. continued
Thousands of illegal lobster condos called casitas still line seafloor off the Florida Keys
keysnews.com – The removal of illegal lobster condos called casitas from the waters off the Florida Keys has come after extensive criminal investigations and at the cost of those convicted of placing them on the seafloor.Between 1,200 and 1,500 casitas — which were built out of PVC piping, concrete blocks and in some cases hurricane shutters and highway guardrails — were removed from the Gulf of Mexico nearshore waters of the Keys between 2009 and 2012, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) law enforcement officers. continued
