Daily Archives: May 22, 2013
Fishermen in Prince Rupert say new monitoring requirements are too costly, DFO has a hidden agenda of ridding the coast of the commercial fishery
northernview.com – Fishermen from Prince Rupert and as far away as the Nass Valley claim they are being unfairly targeted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, claiming the DFO has a hidden agenda of ridding the coast of Fishermen from Prince Rupert. continued
Tsawwassen First Nation fisherman fighting U.S. over native fishing rights
South Delta Leader = A Tsawwassen First Nation fisherman caught with $4,000 worth of Dungeness crab about 700 metres south of the Point Roberts border has found himself embroiled in a court case that could have broad implications for First Nations fishing rights. Steven Stark, 34, is an elected member of the TFN legislature and sole provider for his wife and three children. He is on trial for illegal fishing in the U.S., and faces up to a $10,000 fine or one year in prison if convicted. continued
Omega Protein Corporation reconstitutes Reedville fleet, cuts workers
Omega Protein Corporation just added two newly converted fishing boats to its Reedville plant after warning for months it would have to reduce its fleet by two boats once Virginia and other Atlantic states imposed a quota on the commercial menhaden fishery. But Omega says that, despite the new additions, its Atlantic fleet is still seeing a net reduction of two vessels overall, and the company has cut shoreside workers and fishing crews, as it likewise warned it would. continued
Commercial fisherman charged with slashing tires on trucks of other fishermen at town ramps – turf war erupts on Long Island
RiverheadLOCAL – A 60-year-old Flanders man is charged with third-degree criminal mischief in connection with slashed tires on trucks belonging to local commercial fishermen, according to Southampton Town Police. continued
F/V Ocean Negotiator Crew safe after rescue from boat near Baccalieu Island
This vessel, Ocean Negotiator, ran into trouble on Tuesday 42 nautical miles northeast of St. John’s. (Courtesy Navigator Magazine/TriNav Marine Brokerage)
Gander Search and Rescue says four crew members from a vessel which capsized about 70 nautical miles northeast of St. John’s have been rescued by the crew of another ship. A Search and Rescue spokesperson said the Ocean Negotiator began taking on water earlier on Wednesday. All four crew members aboard the vessel managed to get into a liferaft. They were all wearing immersion suits. continued
Washington Fishing Ports: Keeping Pace with Today’s Commercial Fishermen
Fishermen’s News online – Westport Marina, located in the Port of Grays Harbor, Washington boasts the state’s largest fish landing port. The marina is currently home to 285 annual boaters, two-thirds of which are the commercial fleet, including several tribal commercial fishing vessels. During the fishing seasons, transient commercial fishing boats arrive from California, Oregon, Alaska, other Washington ports and Canada, with a modest-sized charter fishing fleet still operating out of the marina. continued
Many Factors Will Affect 2013 Wild Salmon Prices
Fishermen’s News – About this time every year, the big question on the minds of commercial harvesters is what price per pound they will get for their investment of time and effort in Alaska’s commercial wild salmon fishery. continued
Former National Marine Fisheries Service director Eric Schwabb is outta here! Headed to the National Aquarium
Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) May 22, 2013 National Aquarium, a leading cultural attraction and economic engine anchoring Baltimore’s Inner Harbor for more than 30 years, announces Eric Schwaab as its first-ever Senior Vice President and Chief Conservation Officer (CCO). With a realignment of priorities that emphasizes an updated conservation mission, Schwaab’s appointment represents the Aquarium’s new dedication to serve as a national leader in ocean preservation and environmental stewardship. continued
From the Deckboss – Feds and American Seafoods are talking – pinched for “essentially stealing fish,”
Last week brought news of some big enforcement actions against American Seafoods, the top operator of pollock factory trawlers in the Bering Sea. The company is facing more than $2.7 million in fines for allegedly shorting catch weights, or “essentially stealing fish,” in the words of federal authorities. continu
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How does the Chesapeake Bay spell antacid relief? O-Y-S-T-E-R-S!
Like ocean waters around the world, the Chesapeake has become more and more acidic as a result of rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Now, by studying oyster populations in relation to acidity levels, a team of researchers has concluded that oysters — particularly their shells — can play a significant role in reducing that acidity. continued
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is seeking committee applicants
PANAMA CITY BEACH — The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is seeking applicants for the following panels and committees: Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Advisory Panel, Special Coral Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Special Mackerel 
SSC, Coral Advisory Panel and the SEDAR Workshop Pool. continued
Seven major Commercial Fisheries cleared by NOAA of harming or posing a threat to the iconic sturgeon
fishnewsseu.com – A DRAFT Biological Opinion released by US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today, found that seven existing commercial fisheries in New Jersey pose “no jeopardy” for Atlantic sturgeon. This determination, formalised by a Section 7 Consultation required under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), applies to the northeast multispecies, monkfish, spiny dogfish, Atlantic bluefish, northeast skate, squid/mackerel/butterfish, and summer flounder/scup/black sea bass fisheries. continued
AUDIO: Dr. Kevin Stokesbury Discusses Alternative Survey Techniques for Stock Assessments at the MSA Reauthorization Oversight Committee Hearing
(We are so lucky to have this guy.) “To me the way forward is to get out there, and work with the fishermen measuring what’s going on. If we can use new technologies to look at these populations clearly and simply, perhaps we can start grasping their underlying dynamics,” Dr. Stokesbury said. continued
Seafood packers struggle with shrimp shortage – Gulf shrimp proving to be hard to come by this year
BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) — Seafood Lover owner Steve Edwards is determined not to raise his shrimp prices — at least for now — despite a lag in supply this season. Edwards has been primarily buying shrimp from three boats in the area for the past 30 years. He knows the shrimpers’ costs are up and their catches down, he said. continued
Grafton IIlinois to buy 10 acres for light industry – Asian carp fish processing plant to make byproducts such as fish oil and fish meal.
The Telegraph – American Heartland is the licensee of Falcon Protein’s patented process of turning Asian carp – an invasive species of U.S. inland waterways – into fish meal and fish oil. Grafton residents Ben Allen and Bryon LeBeau also make up American Heartland Fish Products, formerly known as Inland Fisheries Processing and Marketing Research Center. Last November, the group closed on its building and land. The plant also will bring jobs to the area. continued
Florida Fisherman found dead in Osceola lake
Orlando Sentinel – An Osceola County commercial fisherman died late Monday or early Tuesday when he fell overboard while trying to untangle nylon fishing lines, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said. continued
PEI Lobster glut leads to quotas amid low prices – Prices remain low as boats return to the water
Many P.E.I. lobster fishermen face daily quotas on their catches because the processors say they’re being overwhelmed by large catches. The quotas, which started over the weekend, range between 500 to 1,000 pounds per boat. It’s adding to boiling frustrations after low prices sparked protests last week. continued
Atlantic Canada’s halibut fishery has been given the Marine Stewardship Council’s sustainable seal of approval.
“We’re all for it,” Bill Murphy, cost control manager with Fisherman’s Market International Inc. on the Bedford Highway, said in an interview Tuesday. The non-profit U.K. council certified the federally managed fishery
as sustainable after SCS Global Services of California conducted a two-year, third-party assessment. The certification means Atlantic halibut can carry the council’s blue eco-label. continued
Stubborn fire burns aboard fishing boat at Port Townsend Boat Haven
Peninsula Daily News – PORT TOWNSEND — A commercial fishing vessel on the ground at the Boat Haven caught fire when welding sparks ignited combustible material in the hold, firefighters said. continued
