Daily Archives: May 4, 2014
Only 5 countries earn more from seafood exports than Alaska
From a global perspective, Alaska, with $3.28 billion in seafood exports to 125 countries, ranked first in 2012 among all of the United States, and sixth internationally, behind Norway, Russia, Vietnam, Chile and Canada. In value alone, these exports compared with $9.5 billion from Norway, $4.5 billion from Russia, $4.2 billion from Vietnam, $3.9 billion from Chile, and $3.7 billion from Canada, said seafood economist Andy Wink of Juneau’s McDowell group. Read more here 20:55
Crew member hospitalized after vessel strikes new bridge
A crew member was taken to hospital early Sunday morning after a fishing vessel collided with a new bridge that’s in the process of being built in Placentia. Read more here 17:39
West Coast starfish being killed by pathogens, scientists suggest
Scientists are making some headway in figuring out what is killing millions of sea stars in the waters off the Pacific coast, from British Columbia to Mexico. While a definitive answer eludes them, researchers suggest a pathogen — either bacterial or viral — is responsible for the death toll. Read more here 17:30
Strange fish netted at Pamban
A day after catching deep sea lobsters, considered a ‘prize catch,’ country boat fishermen have caught strange-looking rare fish, believed to be fully grown ‘Rhinochimaera,’ a deep sea fish. Read more here 12:45
Cape Wind blows past another legal challenge
The Anti Fish
BOSTON — A federal judge has dismissed the latest efforts by opponents to derail a proposed offshore wind farm in Nantucket Sound. “There comes a point at which the right to litigate can become a vexatious abuse of the democratic process. For that reason, I have dealt with this matter as expeditiously as possible,” Stearns wrote. Read more here 10:11
Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance Weekly Update May 4, 2014
“The Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance is dedicated to its mission of continuing to help create sustainable fisheries without putting licensed fishermen out of business.” Read the Update here 09:40
After record lows, herring stock is now healthier, living longer
After years of lobbying and litigation by local fishermen and environmental groups, the fisheries service and the New England Fishery Management Council are considering regulations to make sure the offshore herring fleet isn’t also catching river herring, but the majority of their runs remain dammed or neglected. A 2001-2002 survey looked at 215 Massachusetts coastal waterways and found 380 blockages, including dams, that kept fish from spawning grounds. The same survey found that almost half the 175 structures intended to get fish past dams were not functioning. Read more here 09:13
New England: Groundfish Revenue DOWN 41 percent – Local fishermen critical of NOAA reports on industry
Despite the findings, locals aren’t convinced that the much-maligned industry or fishermen in the Northeast are recovering. “I don’t believe them,” said New Hampshire Commercial Fishermen’s Association President Erik Anderson. Anderson said local reports still show New Hampshire groundfish revenues are down by about 41 percent, which is part of the reason why he doesn’t believe the hardships of the Seacoast and other struggling areas are a focus of the mainly national-level NOAA reports. Read more here 08:44
