Daily Archives: November 15, 2013

Arctic mystery fish caught recently in Nunavut waters identified

Nigel Hussey, a researcher who works with the Ocean Tracking Network, says the fish some speculated was a goblin shark is actually the mysterious “long-nosed chimaera” — mysterious because they’re rarely caught. more@cbcnews  22:44

National Marine Fisheries Service New Navy whale rules under scrutiny – NRDC: Feds Give Navy Green Light to Kill Whales and Dolphins

nmfs_logo“In a Bizzaro-World move, with these rules the agency charged with protecting whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals gives its stamp of approval to Navy training and testing activities that will harm millions of marine mammals, killing many,” the Natural Resources Defense Council stated in a blog post. more@utsandiego  21:57 Feds Give Navy Green Light to Kill Whales and Dolphins NRDC link

Gulf states get first $113M from BP oil spill pleas

untitledbp deathThe five states that border the Gulf of Mexico are getting $113 million to improve the environment. The grants, announced Thursday by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, are the first small chunk of $2.5 billion that BP PLC and Transocean Ltd. were fined as a result of criminal pleas last year following the 2010 Gulf oil spill. more@clarionledger 17:56

High Sea Surface Temperatures on Northeast U.S. Shelf Moderated in 2013, Other Ecosystem Shifts Noted

The  Northeast Shelf ecosystem continues to experience wide swings in physical  conditions. The biological responses  to these pronounced physical fluctuations have significantly influenced the dynamics of the Northeast Shelf LME, according to the  advisory. [email protected] 17:26

A potentially troubling development – Dolphin virus turns up in 4 dead whales

The virus that has killed nearly 800 bottlenose dolphins off the East Coast has turned up in four whales that have washed ashore, a potentially troubling development if it is shown to be the cause of their deaths, a government marine expert said Thursday. [email protected] 16:26

Boat of the Week from the Athearn Agency: 1986, 42′ Lobster Boat, Fiberglass, Cummins, 430HP

lb3465_03Specification’s and information here 16:02

Southeast Alaska Winter King Salmon trolling season starts strong

It’s about a month into the Southeast Alaska Winter king salmon season and so far, commercial trollers have had some of the best fishing they’ve seen in the last 20 years, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. more@ktoo  12:26

Committee Passes Hastings’ Legislation to Help Protect Endangered Salmon Survival in the Pacific Northwest

Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources approved bill H.R. 1308, the “Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Prevention Act,” by a bipartisan vote of 22 to 16. This legislation is aimed at protecting endangered Columbia River salmon and other fish species from predation by California and Steller Sea Lions. The bill only addresses sea lions that are not listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). [email protected] 10:19

University of Alaska Fairbanks new polar ocean research vessel “Sikuliaq” won’t get to Alaska until 2015

A new polar ocean research vessel to be operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks will remain on the Great Lakes this winter because of construction delays, the National Science Foundation announced in a news release Thursday. more@newsminer 10:02

Alaska Wildlife Troopers do job without discriminating – Col. James E. Cockrell

Protecting Alaskans and their wildlife resources is the mission of the Alaska Wildlife Troopers. This mission is executed fairly and equally with no discrimination to any group. I wish to respond to the letter to the editor signed by Fred Basargin, Dennis Basargin and others alleging “not all fishermen treated equally.” [email protected] 09:44

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee Hearing: Fishing industry angling for lower catch limits in Atlantic and Gulf

WASHINGTON — Recreational and commercial fishing interests are pressing Congress to relax catch limits in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, citing increases in fish populations over the past decade. [email protected] 09:23

Patronage alleged after Massachusetts Environmental Police colonel’s pick for top cop job ignored

FOX UNDERCOVER (MyFoxBoston.com) — It was Gary Duncan’s dream job, a big  promotion to coastal bureau chief for the Massachusetts Environmental Police,  where he’s worked for more than 30 years. But instead of celebrating what would probably have been his  final job before retiring, Duncan is left trying to understand what  happened. more@myfoxboston 09:04

Pacific Danger and Dungeness

While the opening of the fishery is an exciting period for crab fishermen, it’s also a time to hone in on safety. Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in America, and Dungeness crab fishing is one of the most deadly of all west coast commercial fisheries. [email protected]  08:51

Gloucester Mayor Kirk: NOAA pullout threat ‘folly’

gdt iconMayor Carolyn Kirk Thursday labeled a Senate Appropriations Committee threat to close down NOAA’s Northeast Regional Office in Gloucester and ship its 200 jobs elsewhere as “folly,” saying it represents little more than a land grab by Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski. more@GDT  00:48

GDT Editorial: Making the case for strong NOAA presence here

gdt iconThe continued inclusion of a breakup of NOAA’s Northeast Regional headquarters in a U.S. Senate Appropriations bill promising up to $150 million in aid for America’s fishermen may not seem like a big deal to many of those in the industry throughout the Northeast and beyond. more@GDT 00:41

F/V Alaska Mist disabled in the Bering Sea since Saturday arrives in Dutch Harbor under Coast Guard tow Thursday

alaska mistJUNEAU, Alaska — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche assisted the crew of the disabled fishing vessel Alaska Mist in the Bering Sea near Amak Island Thursday. Joint effort between the crews of the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, a Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, the 207-foot tug Resolve Pioneer and the fishing vessel Pavlof resulted in the successful tow of the Alaska Mist and safe disembarkation of the crew to Dutch Harbor.  Once on scene, the Waesche crew arranged the transportation of non-essential crewmembers from the Alaska Mist. more@uscgnews  00:06