Daily Archives: December 21, 2013

American Samoa longline fleet to post all fishing vessels for sale as the future of this fishery or support for the fishery does not seem imminent.

Owners of longliners in the territory say they have made their concerns known to Governor Lolo Moliga since February of this year.  In a press release issued yesterday the boat owners said a consensus to tie up all of the American Samoa longline fleet was reached at a meeting between vessel owners last Thursday. Read [email protected]  23:56

Divers brave chilly Down East waters for scallops

BDNEASTPORT, Maine — The sun is rising above Campobello Island as the Shelby Lee and Drusilla L. and a skiff motor their way to the other side of the breakwater from their mooring. Read more@bdn  23:25

NOAA: Coastal ocean aquaculture can be environmentally sustainable

cage“We did this study because of concerns that putting marine finfish farms in the coastal ocean could have adverse effects on the environment,” said Dr. James Morris, NCCOS ecologist. “We found that, in cases where farms are appropriately sited and responsibly managed, impacts to the environment are minimal to non-existent.” Read [email protected]  20:04

California fishers say quota system is all wet – criticizing the “catch shares” system

Jiri Nozicka says a federal quota system enacted to protect both fish and the commercial fishing industry has problems that he can’t navigate. From the start, the government acknowledged catch shares would thin the fleet, but hoped there would be no “lost ports” or areas such as Monterey that have just a few trawlers left. Thin the fleet?!!!  Read [email protected]  17:32

From the Moderator: The loss of Fisherman Martin “Buckwheat” Gorham.

Updated: The photo has been removed because according to people, it’s not Marty Gorham. My apologies to all.  If anyone has a photo that they would like to see in is place, send it. BH Photo/Art by Richard Schutlz   Martin Gorham, a dragger fisherman, is just off his boat at Portland Fish Pier. “I love this picture,” says Schultz. “I love his looks, his attitude. He’s a total hardscrabble fisherman.

When tragedy strikes, it affects us in different ways. The events of the past thirty six hours or so, certainly effected me personally. My heart wasn’t in posting the news. I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about horror of a fisherman falling overboard off the coast of New England, and learning it was from the F/V Lydia and Maya.    Read more here  15:29

San Joaquin Valley salmon make small gains against tough odds

LA GRANGE — With a flash of silver and pink, a male salmon signaled its arrival in a stretch of the Tuolumne River near La Grange. It sought to fertilize eggs laid in the shallow stream bed gravel by a female that also had returned from a few years in the Pacific Ocean. Chinook salmon spawning has been going on since September on San Joaquin Valley rivers. Read [email protected]  13:23

State surveys whales, turtles to spur offshore wind – So. Mr. Tom Turtle, Do you anticipate any issues with the wind farm we’re,,,,,,,

Having once hunted whales to the ends of the earth for their oil, Massachusetts is now going out of its way to protect the marine mammals as it once again looks offshore for energy. ( If they really meant that, they’d stop shilling Cape Wind!) Read more@southcoasttoday  12:08

Coast Guard ends search for Westbrook fisherman Martin Gorham

The U.S. Coast Guard ended its search Friday for a Westbrook native who fell overboard Thursday from a Boston fishing boat about 32 miles southeast of Cape Ann, Mass. The fisherman was Martin Gorham of Westbrook, according to his mother, Barbara Foster of South Portland. Read more @portlandpress  09:22