Monthly Archives: August 2013
Newfoundland / Labrador Cod fishing for food: right or privilege?
I’m writing on the last day of the first leg of the 2013 recreational cod fishery. It’s early Sunday morning and the rain is pouring down in buckets. There’s quite a breeze of wind blowing as well, a very sweet morning for relaxing or working under a tight roof with a steaming cup of strong black Costa Rican coffee. There won’t be any boats cod fishing off Mad Rock this morning. But you never know, the last day and all, some silly soul might venture forth from a sheltered harbour and risk life and limb for a few fillets of cod. I’ve seen it before with my own eyes. more@weekendtelegram23:11:39
Monterey Bay trawling deal hailed as a breakthrough – Fishermen, environmentalists long at odds ( I won’t let the enviros off the hook, Uh uh)
The groups spent nearly a year negotiating a proposal that identifies areas the Pacific Fisheries Management Council should reopen and close to bottom fishing in the sanctuary. It was a task, participants said, that took its toll and tested the mettle of individual patience. (A lot to ponder because of this article. We’ve all got lots to talk about .) more@montereyherald22:49:02
The five-chapter series on F/V Lady Mary sinking
The Star-Ledger spent months investigating the sinking of a Cape May-based scallop boat that left six dead and spared just one crew member. This five-chapter series was printed in a 20-page special Sunday Star-Ledger section and will be presented over four days on NJ.com. Read more about how this story was researched. [email protected] EC Newellman provided this pdf version. Thank you, EC
American eel discovered in Ind.’s White River – It swam here from the Atlantic Ocean, biologist says
When fisheries biologist Drew Holloway applied electric current to the White River during a fish population survey last week, he was as stunned as the fish. more@thestarpress 13:51:54
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians takes steps toward retrieving some fishing nets from Lake Michigan
Although commercial fisherman Thomas Battice has been sent to prison, his trap nets in Lake Michigan can’t just be pulled out by anyone who wants them out. The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, which licensed Battice, did what it could to start the process for removing Battice’s nets this week, though, and said in a press release Friday that the nets would eventually be retrieved. more@ludingtondailynews
Thomas Battice sentenced to prison – the story
Coast Guard, State of Alaska monitors defueling of fishing tender F/V Fate Hunter near Shoup Bay, Alaska
VALDEZ, Alaska — Coast Guard and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation personnel continue to monitor response efforts to remove the pollution threat and cargo of fish from the 65-foot fishing tender Fate Hunter, grounded near Shoup Bay, four miles west of Valdez, Friday. more@uscgnews
High-tech data will help guide fishing nets in South Jersey
LOWER TOWNSHIP – The next time Lund’s Fisheries wants to land a particular species of fish while avoiding other species they aren’t supposed to catch, a new high-tech system aboard the boats could point them in the right direction. That’s the promise of a system currently being installed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on all 12 vessels owned by Lund’s Fisheries, as well as independent fishing boats docked locally. more@pressofac
Man. This is one slow fish news day! Dead whale stuck underneath Agentia dock
According to Argentia Management Authority Port Facility and Operations Officer Loyola Pomeroy, there’s been a bad smell in the harbour for at least a few days, but most people thought it was coming from the regular work that goes on in the harbour. more@cbcnews
Latest boat crash a reminder to be safe
Two shrimpers were rescued Wednesday by Terrebonne Water Patrol deputies after spending the night on their boat, which capsized in Tuesday’s heavy rain. Boat owner Dale LeBeouf of Montegut and his helper, Ronnie Blanchard of Chauvin, were found about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday on the 27-foot skiff in Bay La Fleur near Montegut, the Sheriff’s Office said. Neither man was hurt. more@dailycomet
Thriving in Cape Cod’s Waters, Gray Seals Draw Fans and Foes
A survey in 1994 spotted 2,035 seals in Cape Cod waters. In 2011, surveyors counted more than 15,700, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. Some scientists suggest the number of gray seals in United States waters may now be at its highest point in history. more@nyt
Another Company Refuses to Stock Non MSC Labeled Salmon from Alaska – SODEXO
U.S. Senator Mark Begich is objecting to a decision by a large food contractor to only serve seafood certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. Alaska’s commercially caught salmon currently lack that certification. KDLG’s Mike Mason has the story. listen @kdlg
Shark tale: 12-foot Arctic predator caught in warm Gulf of Mexico
Greenland sharks are cold-water swimmers, and usually live in the northern Atlantic, near the Arctic Circle. When they swim south, as they often do, they swim deeper, at depths below 3,000 feet where the water is a bracing 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s quite a contrast to the Gulf of Mexico’s waters, more than 80 degrees Fahrenheit the day the shark was caught. more@nbc
Panama City Fishermen going where the ice is
Necessities in the commercial fishing world are few. Beyond a fueled boat, a vessel’s captain only needs the gear, the men, bait and ice to preserve the day’s catch. But on Aug. 9, the ice house departed the Panama City Marina via barge and has not yet been set up at its new home at St. Andrews Marina. After 26 years of pumping out about 50 tons of ice per day at its former location, the 41-by-74-foot Ice Systems International ice house owned by Steve Darden now sits dormant on the St. Andrews Marina. The lack of ice in the abundance needed by Bay County fishermen has caused a migration of sorts. more@newsherald
Second Ragfish Washes Up in Juneau
An unusual creature from the deep sea has made another appearance in Juneau. The Juneau Empire reports a resident this month spotted a dead ragfish on Lena Beach. Another was found in May. more@ktuu
Gang Green Canada misleads the public claiming DFO Response Misleads Public – Bows to Corporations
The video is very misleading, but, hey. When you want to mold public opinion, what the Hell! Show a few dead fish floating, and that’s all they showed was a few, and describe fishermen in a manner that tells the story the way you see it! Words like slamming, kicking, back breaking, mishandling, all seem to work in the video for causing public outrage by people that don’t have a clue about industrial food production. These nut’s want the salmon handled like Uncle Fred handles them on the stream. Watch the video. What do you think? DFO Response Misleads Public: Bows to Corporations
P.E.I. lobster fishermen, who started the fall season last weekend, are dreading a replay of a familiar story
While they have been fishing almost a week, processors have not yet announced a price for what they have been collecting at the wharf. Prices in New Brunswick are $ 2.50 a pound for canners and $3.00 a pound for markets, $0.60 less than in that province last fall. more@cbcnews
Haaay. This is GREAT News.The level of cancer causing pollutants left in the waters of the Gulf by BP was greater than reported by NOAA, who said they were safe!
That report questions whether some waters should have been opened to fishermen during the three-month spill, citing the unsafe levels of toxic chemicals to which fish and other sea life would have been exposed. The scientists determined that the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a cancer-causing pollutant, was up to 3,800 times greater than levels considered safe for human consumption! SWEET! more@thedailycomet
NOAA Inaction in the Gulf of Mexico – http://www.fishnet-usa.com/NOAA_Inaction.htm
The Alaska Fisheries Report
Coming up this week, two boats go down in Southeast in separate incidents just hours apart this week; Skagway is seeing a good king run, but that doesn’t help the Canadians, and pink salmon just keep rolling in. We aired stories this week from KTOO’s Matt Miller in Juneau, KUAC’s Dan Bross in Fairbanks, KHNS’ Margaret Friedenauer in Haines, KFSK’s Joe Viechnicki in Petersburg and KDLG’s Mike Mason in Dillingham. [email protected]
In the Guest Writer Column – The Massachusetts commercial striped bass fishery. Poster child for an abused resource – John Rice, Director, CIIFA
The Massachusetts commercial striped bass fishery. This fishery is the poster child for an abused resource. The MA DMF policies and regulations for the striper fishery are directly responsible for 2013 being the shortest season ever recorded since the fishery re-opened. Read more by John Rice in the Guest Writer Column
Tossing out the National Marine Fisheries Service’s “opinion” based on flawed scientific data- U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England in Sacramento – My New Hero
A federal agency will have to start from scratch on a new biological opinion on Yuba River fish restoration following a court ruling that effectively scrapped the report. The opinion, put forth by the federal Fisheries Service on how to restore endangered fish runs on the Yuba River, included options of removing Englebright and Daguerre Point dams. But Water Agency officials maintained the opinion was based on flawed scientific data. A Fisheries Service spokesman could not be reached Thursday for comment. [email protected]
Pink harvest could be record number
Alaska’s preliminary commercial salmon harvest reached 186,202,000 fish on Aug. 13, leaving the preseason forecast of 178.8 million salmon in the dust, as the humpy catch alone soared to over 139 million and appeared heading for a record. more@thecordobatimes
Van Peer’s newest creation launched – F/V Anita
A crowd of about 50 people gathered along Highway 20 at Van Peer Boatworks Tuesday morning to watch the 56-foot boat, Anita, eased down South Harbor Drive to the boat ramp. According to the boat’s owner, Jay Gillman, the boat was constructed in about 11 months and will be used to fish in Washington and Alaska. more@fortbraggadvocatenews https://www.facebook.com/pages/Van-Peer-Boatworks/406399709440155
Iles-de-la-Madeleine lobster fishery achieves MSC certification
The fishery is located in Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 22 surrounding the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence off the east coast of Canada. Lobsters harvested by 325 registered vessels in the fishery by baited trap are now eligible to display the blue MSC ecolabel. more@coaster
“The Coolest Guys in Town” Cape Pond Ice seeks Designated Port Area relief
The Cape Pond Ice property looks out onto Gloucester Harbor in two directions, affording owner Scott Memhard a panoramic view of the melting away of the Gloucester commercial fishing fleet during the past decade. Still, beyond the erosion of the city’s seminal industry, Memhard also sees the opportunity to recast his property into something more sustainable as the city and its shoreside marine businesses strive to transform the waterfront. more@GDT
Bad Deal Scrutinized – OCI was granted government approval to ship out all of its redfish and 75 per cent of its yellowtail flounder unprocessed.
[ST. JOHN’S, NL] – Liberal fisheries critic, MHA Jim Bennett, is still putting pressure on the provincial government to release details on the progression of a deal with Ocean Choice International (OCI) which granted the company an export exemption to ship out unprocessed fish. more@dailybusinessbuzz
Deadly Sea Lion Mystery Draws Biologists to Remote San Miguel Island, Calif in Search of Clues
It’s late June, and San Miguel Island’s white sand beaches are filled with barking sea lions. More than 100,000 of them. The marine mammals have come to this windy, remote island to breed and give birth – a rowdy, stinky summer extravaganza that last year, enigmatically, ended in disaster. Sardine and anchovy, which normally cycle in abundance, are both low now, a combination that strains the food resources available to predators like sea lions. Though the cause of the decline is still unknown, it doesn’t seem to be the result of overfishing. [email protected]
North Star Marine Insurance Services LLC is a new sponsor of Fisherynation.com
We are proud to announce that the Fairhaven Ma. branch of North Star Marine Insurance Services LLC is a new sponsor of Fisherynation.com. Bradford Bowen brings a “hands on” service approach to his clients and their crew. Call Brad @ 508 272 1245 for all of your insurance needs with confidence knowing that he understands the industry, and your business.
Shaheen joins Portsmouth, NH fishermen to highlight their challenges
PORTSMOUTH — Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, was at the commercial fishing pier on Thursday to hear about the many challenges the local fishing industry faces, how Congress can help, and what the fishermen are doing to try and save themselves. more@nhunionleader Video here@wmur
‘Few bad actors’ should not tarnish entire fleet: Rob Morley, vice-president of fishing company Canfisco – ENGO video footage is “very selective
A video released by environmentalists to highlight wastage in the pink salmon fishery is not representative of the commercial seine fleet and contains inaccuracies and exaggeration, a senior official with the B.C. commercial fishery industry said Thursday. [email protected]
FINALLY!! They Caught One.
The team of scientists and fishermen on the OCEARCH expedition caught and tagged this summer trip’s first great white shark on Thursday afternoon. The team had been anchored off Chatham’s Monomoy Island for 17 days and fished for great whites for 12 of those days with the intention of catching and tagging as many as 20. They have a state permit allowing them to catch great whites within three miles of shore throughout the month of August. more@capecodonline
