Daily Archives: June 6, 2013
Mississippi River freshwater and sediment diversions criticized by George Barisich, president of the United Commercial Fishermen
“If sediment diversions come through as designed, I won’t be here,” Barisich said about the fishing industry. He asked the advisory commission to take another look at sediment diversions and how they compare with the effectiveness of dredging and placing sediment to build land instead. Clint Guidry, president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association, echoed Barisich’s statements and said, “I think there’s not enough concern for fisheries.” continued at The Advocate
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Names Jeff Mayne New Chief of Enforcement Division
KATC.com – 
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) promoted Jeff Mayne to colonel, which is the highest ranking position in the Enforcement Division.Col. Mayne takes over for the recently retired Col. Winton Vidrine, who served the department for 43 years of which the last 25 years were as colonel. continued
Gray Aqua Salmon Farm salmon on Newfoundland’s south coast test positive for infectious salmon anemia
Fish from a Gray Aqua salmon farm on Newfoundland’s south coast have tested positive for infectious salmon anemia. The Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association says the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed the test results on Thursday. The federal agency has issued an erradication order to destroy the( preparing for a cull of up to a half a million ) fish at the company’s Hermitage Bay site. It’s the third such outbreak in Newfoundland in less than a year
Lobster glut leaves Cape Breton fishermen docked
Lobster buyers on the eastern side of Cape Breton say they can’t buy any more lobster Thursday and possibly Friday because of a huge haul this year. continued
Lack of Crabs in Pontchartrain Basin Leads to Unanswered Questions
Louisiana Seafood News – 
A number of factors could be responsible for one of the worst crop of crabs in Pontchartrain Basin and Lake Maurepas, including colder surface and water temperatures. Gary Bauer, owner of Slidell crabmeat processing company Pontchartrain Blue Crab, reported that this is the slowest he has ever in all the years he’s been in the business. continued
Great white Lydia is on the move, Dal is on her tail
She’s big, hungry and headed here. A great white shark named Lydia is on her way to Nova Scotia, apparently to chow down on some seals at Sable Island. Researchers at the new Dalhousie Ocean Sciences Building, headquarters of the international Ocean Tracking Network, are tracking the endangered shark through a new wave glider launched May 16 off Prince Edward Island. continued
News Release: Coast Guard to boaters in Tropical Storm Andrea’s path: prepare now
The Coast Guard is urging the maritime community and the boating public to track Tropical Storm Andrea’s progress and take early action to protect themselves and their vessels. Extremely high seas, heavy rains, flooding and damaging winds that accompany tropical storms and hurricanes present serious hazards to mariners. Here are a few tips to help mariners protect themselves, their families and their vessels: continued
Now this is something! SPECIAL REPORT, PART 1: The Deadliness Below – Weapons of mass destruction thrown into the sea years ago present danger now
In the summer of 2004, a clam-dredging operation off New Jersey pulled up an old artillery shell. The long-submerged World War I -era explosive was filled with a black tarlike substance. Bomb disposal technicians from Dover Air
Force Base, Del., were brought in to dismantle it. Three of them were injured – one hospitalized with large pus-filled blisters on an arm and hand. The shell was filled with mustard gas in solid form.The bottom-dwelling cod population in the Northern Atlantic has been decimated. Hundreds of bottlenose dolphins mysteriously washed up on Virginia and New Jersey shores in 1987. They died with large, never-explained skin blisters that resembled mustard gas burns on humans. continued at the LA Times
GM salmon in wild might produce bold hybrids
There could be potential risks, if genetically modified salmon escape into the wild, indicates a new study from Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador. Researcher Krista Oke bred AquaBounty Technologies’ GM salmon with wild brown trout. Almost half the resulting hybrids carried the genetic modification. continued
Lawsuit may be too late – “We just don’t have the luxury of time,” said Scituate Mass fisherman Frank Mirarchi.
Wicked Local Scituate-“There is no light at the end of the tunnel for us,” he said. “A lot of fishermen are getting to the point where they need to get out of this business. Others have already decided to get out and are just 
waiting for someone to buy their boat. It’s pathetic. We have tried pushing every button you can imagine from local to state to federal and nothing has happened.” continued
Finns visit Michigan to learn about Great Lakes trap net fishing
After spending time with Michigan commercial fishermen, a Finnish delegation returns home with new techniques and knowledge to begin to create a thriving new fishery in their home country. continued
University of New England researcher nets 7-foot, 250-pound Atlantic sturgeon in Saco River, says it’s a sign of the prehistoric fish’s comeback
BIDDEFORD, Maine — University of New England associate professor James Sulikowski has a big fish story. On Wednesday, his team of marine science researchers caught what they estimate to be a 7-foot-long, 250-pound Atlantic sturgeon on the Saco River, potentially the largest ever recorded in the southern Maine waterway. Photos – continued
2 fishing boats charged with fishing in prohibited areas
cbcnews – Two Nunavut fishing vessels face charges under the federal Fisheries Act for fishing in Greenland waters. Workers on board are said to have been fishing for Greenland halibut when they were not supposed to. continued
Grand Falls fishway reopens, ending dispute over cross-border fish
A rift between Canada and the United States was settled on Wednesday after an international agreement was signed, marking the reopening of a fishway. The fight was over a fish with two different names – one for each side of the border – and a decision made two decades ago to shut the door on those fish returning to the New Brunswick side of the St. Croix River to spawn. continued
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she won’t see a former aide-turned-lobbyist in her office for the time being.
A former fisheries aide to Murkowski, Arne Fuglvog, has started work as a lobbyist for commercial fishing interests after serving time in prison for falsifying his fishing records.
continued
CLF sues NOAA to block openings – “It’s not hypocritical at all,” says Peter Shelley who criticized Coakley for interfering with the federal regulatory process.
The day after Peter Shelley, senior counsel for Conservation Law Foundation, derided Attorney General Martha Coakley’s federal lawsuit to block NOAA’s tight new groundfish catch limits as political “soapbox” posturing, CLF and a litigation partner filed two lawsuits of their own against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. continued
