Monthly Archives: November 2013
TUNA SHOWDOWN: Pacific tuna stock faces growing crisis of inaction
A showdown that could decide the sustainability of the US$7 billion Pacific tuna industry is expected at the annual meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in Cairns, Australia, on December 2-6. [email protected] 12:33
Poachers: Jefferson Parish fishermen plead guilty in Plaquemines to red snapper violations
Four Jefferson Parish fishers fishermen pleaded guilty this week in Plaquemines Parish to red snapper violations. They admitted to intentionally concealing fish that were over their red snapper limit or undersized. more@nola 11:33
Florida: Commercial Mullet fishing: Ban feud casts wide net – Video
Traditionally, Florida’s inshore fishermen used gill nets to catch mullet, varying the size of the mesh with the size of the fish: In the spring, when mullet are small, they used 3-inch mesh; in the winter roe season, when mullet are at their maximum size, they used 4-inch mesh. But under the state’s net limitation regulations, which went into effect in 1995, nets cannot have mesh sizes greater than two inches, so most of the mullet simply bounced off Dooley’s net. [email protected] 11:28
A fight on the F/V Alaska Juris landed one crew member in the hospital with knife wounds, and another behind bars
According to preliminary police reports, 47-year-old Wayland Smith and his coworker had a disagreement aboard the Alaska Juris on Thursday night. The 238-foot catcher-processer was anchored in Captains Bay to offload seafood to a tramper. Public safety director Jamie Sunderland says the two men took their fight up to the ship’s deck. It escalated from there. more@kucb 09:06
Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership is organizing a health-care forum next Thursday at 6 p.m. in Gloucester
Angela Sanfillipo – “Because we’re in the fishing community, and fishing affects everyone else in the community, the meeting is a public meeting for anyone who wants to come,” “Even if people are not in the industry and they need assistance, we’ll be happy to give it to them.” Health-care forum next Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library more@GDT 08:30
Blowin’ 20 -30, Rough Sea’s in the Bay Area leaves Dungeness Fleet tied to the dock
Seafood markets and crab experts said boats likely won’t be bringing in their bounties until Sunday at the earliest as high winds are expected to continue through Saturday night. The National Weather Service reported sustained offshore winds of 20 to 25 mph Friday in the Bay Area with gusts as high as 30 mph. Winds are expected to diminish to 10 to 20 mph Sunday. more@marinij 08:21
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
“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
The 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
Specification’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’
Mayor 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
The 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
JUNEAU, 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
NOAA Announces Partial Approval of Amendment 14 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan
On November 7, 2013, NOAA – National Marine Fisheries Service, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, partially approved Amendment 14 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan. For the rundown, click here 21:24
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service unveil vast, $1.24 billion 50-year tidal marsh restoration plan for San Francisco Bay
FREMONT, Calif. — A 50-year plan for the restoration of San Francisco Bay and other coastal wetlands was released Thursday by federal wildlife officials who say it’s the biggest effort to save tidal marshes outside the Florida Everglades. more@wapo 18:17
Commercial fishing groups worried about initiative – Proposed setnet ban draws fire
Since the newly formed Alaska Fisheries Conservation Alliance released its ballot initiative proposition to ban setnet fishing in areas of the state it defined as “urban,” several commercial organizations have met to plan strategy against the new attack. While a large part of any planned strategic maneuvering includes waiting, another part includes picking apart portions of the AFCA’s initiative that commercial fishermen are calling “vague” and “misleading,” more@peninsulaclarion 18:01
Penobscot County district attorney dismisses cases against Passamaquoddy elver fishermen
The charges stem from an ongoing dispute between the tribe and DMR over how many fishing licenses for elvers, which are juvenile American eels, the tribe is allowed to issue to its members. more@bdn 17:14
Fishermen’s Mission Appeal for Filipino Fishermen page
This is the page dedicated to helping Filipino fishermen, fishing in UK waters, to return home during this time of crisis. If you would like to make a donation towards this appeal we would be so grateful. All gifts made via this appeal will be used only to support Filipino fishermen more here 16:37
Homer Alaska regains status as the halibut capital
Homer is No. 1 once again when it comes to halibut, landing some 4.4 million pounds and beating out Kodiak this year by 1 million pounds. more@homertribune 16:33
Apalachicola Bay Oyster Restoration to get $4.1 Million in Funding
New help is on the way for Florida’s ravaged oyster industry, and fisheries and marine projects hurt by the BP oil spill in 2010, according to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL). [email protected] 16:09
Following the salmon value chain from boat to throat – This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch
“We often get asked what share the fisherman retains and how much each segement of the supply chain gets for salmon. The answer depends on the species and the product you are talking about and what gear type .” listen@fishradio 15:48
