Daily Archives: August 15, 2013
California’s ban on shark fins stems from racism against Chinese-Americans
California’s ban on shark fins stems from racism against Chinese-Americans by lawmakers, one of whom is also Chinese-American, a lawyer told the 9th Circuit. The Shark Fin Law, codified as Sections 2021 and 2021.5 of California Fish and Game Code, became effective in 2012 with the purported aim of promoting shark conservation and health interests. more@courthousenews
Editorial: Pouring it on — Thirsty Atlanta, Gulf Coast oysters and more water-war litigation
Even though the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration did not take a position on metro Atlanta’s water use, we all know what has decreased the downstream flow, don’t we? (It’s best to think of it as a free-flowing spigot watering the lawns of thousands of suburban .) more@annistonstar
Fishermen concerned about industry if fracking approved – West coast fishermen wary of possible problems
“And when I had … the sand in my hand, one of the chief engineers ran over to me and said, ‘Get that out of your hand, wash your hands, do you know what’s in that?’ They just dumped it in a field, just in a cattle field, so it seems to me that they weren’t really too concerned about just dumping that stuff into a cattle field and I don’t think they’d be really concerned about dumping that stuff into Bay St. George or Port au Port Bay where I fish.” more@cbcnews
Proof that people don’t understand the food production sector. Mr. Hill from the Watershed Watch proves it. Video
The commercial fishing industry has long claimed it strives to ensure salmon that can’t be legally kept are released alive and well. But a video shot for a conservation group in British Columbia shows seine boat crews kicking salmon across decks, or waiting for fish to stop moving before picking them up and throwing them overboard. more@globeandmail
Cape Fishermen hook access to surf clam fishery
Some locally-owned, independent fishing vessels from Cape Cod will begin testing new methods of harvesting surfclams that should help improve product quality and bring a better market price. [email protected]
He figured the novelty of it would wear off – Keys woman follows in dad’s wake as a commercial fishing captain – Video
She got a crash course in navigating the boat in bad weather and high seas, lobster-catching strategy and boat maintenance. And while her dad could have helped guide her, he usually was many miles away on his own boat. Kelly was on her own, including the day the electrical wiring caused two fires on her boat, spewing smoke in the wheelhouse when she was 40 miles offshore hunting for stone crabs. more@miamiheraldChanges proposed to Calif. twin tunnel project
The height of pumping plants would also be reduced and the tunnels’ length would be shortened from 35 miles to 30 miles. The tunnels would carry water south from the delta to vast farmlands and thirsty cities. Proponents say the project would provide a reliable water supply while reducing the mortality of threatened fish, because water would mostly be diverted from the north portion of the delta, where fish would not be sucked into deadly pumps. more@sacbee
Environmentalists and fishermen have negotiated the outline of a deal to reopen a historic trawling fishery off the Santa Cruz coast.
The deal still needs state and federal approval, but is quietly gathering support from major players around the Monterey Bay. The moment of harmony is both rare and tenuous, but could represent a thaw in the relationship between two sides often at odds on matters where marine conservation and economic livelihoods intersect. more@santacruzsentinal
Shaheen Reaches Out to NH Fishermen on Brink of Collapse – More lip service
Shaheen tells fishermen efforts to land $150 million in federal disaster relief have stalled, but federal grants of $5- to $10 million may still be available. “We’re doing everything we can to help our fishing industry,” Shaheen said. ( Are you really Senator? Really??) [email protected]
Struggling fishermen still await federal disaster relief more@seacoastonline
North Carolina – New Members of Marine Fisheries Commission Sworn In – Recreational seat given to a lifetime member of the CCA.
Governor Pat McCrory announced his selection of three new commissioners to serve on the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) on Tuesday, July 30, according to a press release from his office. The announcement came just in time for new appointments to be sworn in at a joint meeting of advisory committees and a public hearing on a possible shrimp trawling ban held in New Bern the same day. more@ocracokecurrent
The Masterful Bureaucratic Cunning of NOAA – Listening from afar, NOAA gets feedback to its one-halibut-a-day plan
This time, in a masterful display of bureaucratic cunning, they hid behind the security forces at the Juneau Federal Building and did the whole meeting by phone. What transpired sounded like the worst of local candidate debates on a public radio station in the hinterlands. Julie Speegle, NOAA’s Alaska spokeswoman, played the role of moderator after warning those online that meeting was purely “informational.” The comments of those who dialed in would not be considered by NOAA in its review of proposed regulations, she said, and the comments from the federal officials in attendance were “not official agency responses.” “Please say on topic and be respectful,” she added. more@alaskadispatch
Panel eyes sea coral protection in mid-Atlantic – Atlantic mackerel, squid and butterfish fishery’s could be become jeopardized
Lars Axelsson, a commercial fisherman from New Jersey, who serves on a council advisory panel, said some of the proposed alternatives could virtually put an end to squid fishing. He noted that he already shares information with other fishermen about areas of “bad bottom” and snags that could damage their fragile and expensive nets. more@thesentinel
Hawaii is raising mass quantities of a native sea urchin to battle an invasive seaweed that has smothered coral reefs in Kaneohe Bay.
The state Division of Aquatic Resources has been spawning and growing thousands of Hawaiian collector urchins at the Anuenue Fisheries Research Center on Sand Island. The urchins are the newest weapon against fast-growing “smothering seaweed,” which overtook Kaneohe Bay. “They were being tested for years before then, but we needed to mass-produce them to really make a difference on the reef,” said Jono Blodgett, an aquatic invasive species program leader with the state. more@hawaiinewsnow
Concerns about feeding changes at Cooke Aquaculture’s Jordan Bay salmon farms are unfounded, say’s Cooke Aquaculture
“It’s purely a case of people who don’t understand our business,” Nell Halse said in an interview Wednesday from Trondheim, Norway. Well Nell, seems people understand a little more than you give them credit for! From the comment’s: The big problem Nell Halse and Cooke are facing is that Nova Scotians actually now understand the industry only too well- from feces polluted bays and illegal use of pesticides, to sales of infected fish. more@chronicleherald
NDP mock Liberals over fish kills – FISH KILL 2013 – At a river near YOU!
P.E.I.’s NDP have released a poster mocking what they call government inaction on fish kills in the Island’s rivers. “There have been 38 significant fish kills on Prince Edward Island over the last 23 years. With continued ineffective provincial government leadership on watershed management, we are heading to a crisis,” said NDP Leader Mike Redmond, in a news release. more@cbcnews
Kenai River East Side Setnetters shutout – told on Tuesday the river was 29 fish shy of meeting the lower end of the escapement goal.
Nets remain dry in the East Side Setnet fishery where fishermen learned Wednesday that the fishery will be closed for the last regularly scheduled fishing period of the season. more@peninsulaclarion
Sizes up, landings down for tuna fleet – “The availability of really big fish seems to be higher than the last couple years,”
The evidence that this year’s stock includes larger fish also was strengthened by the fact that one local tuna captain recently hauled in a bluefin that weighed 920 pounds, as confirmed in an earlier email to The Times from P.J. Mead, owner of Compass Seafood in Gloucester, a primary grader, processor and seller of tuna. more@GDT
