Daily Archives: June 27, 2014
Shark Fin Controversy – The Pew Nuts are Cracked!
NOAA is attempting to strengthen an existing federal law against shark finning. While it would be easy to assume that advocates for the protection of sharks would be greeting these measures warmly, the reality is anything but. Pew, an advocacy group based out of D.C., has been a vocal proponent of ending shark finning,, Read more dogma here 17:13
Managers ‘cautiously optimistic’ about Yukon king goals – Strong sockeye catches continue
The 2014 Yukon River king run could come in stronger than managers expected before the season began, they said during a June 24 conference call with Yukon residents. Other commercial fisheries throughout the state are also taking off. Statewide, the commercial catch through June 24 was 5.8 million salmon, including 4.1 million sockeye. Read more here 16:08
Scallop boats remain the same after change to open access
Despite a new management structure, Alaska’s commercial scallop fisheries will look much the same as they have in prior years when they open July 1. Read more here
When tragedy strikes people gather. Some to offer words to console, some because they feel drawn to share in the grief and others to help in any way they can.
That’s exactly what happened in Lark Harbour, the small community at the end of the south shore of the Bay of Islands, on Thursday evening. Hours earlier one man lost his life and three others were rescued after the boat they were in capsized while crab fishing near Little Port. Read more here 14:30
Feds Quintuple Allowed Catch on Endangered Salmon Species
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is allowing commercial fishermen to catch five times as many endangered coho salmon in anticipation of this year’s massive sockeye run on the Fraser River. Read more here 13:18
The Maine Lobstermen’s Association seeks end to federal ban on discussions related to supply
has asked the U.S. Department of Justice for relief from a 56-year-old restriction that limits the trade group’s ability to discuss management of the fishery. Read more here 11:46
Maine Lobstermen’s Association says 54-year-old consent decree doesn’t work anymore – Read more here 14:02
Revealed: whale-watching boats the greatest collision threat to whales
Whales are more likely to to be hit by whale-watching boats than any other identified vessel type, data from the International Whaling Commission shows. Plenty of charts and grafs. Read more here 11:30
Coast Guard rescue crews assist fishing vessel in distress 95 miles east of Chatam, Massachusetts
BOSTON — Coast Guard rescue crews assisted a fishing vessel in distress by air-dropping de-watering pumps after the 53-foot Canadian flagged vessel Island Cruiser collided with the 120-foot converted ferry vessel Esperanza June 26, 2014. Read more here 10:14
US scallop prices to remain high, winter increase predicted
The US scallop market remains edgy, with neither buyers nor sellers willing to lock into any long-term arrangements, sources told Undercurrent News. After some saw a slight dip in prices over the past couple of weeks, things are back to what now seems normal, despite what has been described as healthy landings. Read more here 09:57
Alaskan fisherwoman publishes third cookbook and travelogue
LaDonna Gundersen recently released her third cookbook, “My Tiny Alaskan Oven.” based on her experiences on the LaDonna Rose, her and her husband’s 32-foot commercial salmon fishing boat based in Ketchikan. The tiny oven of the title refers to the 18 x 21 inch diesel oil stove on the boat and its tiny “easy bake oven’” which is only big enough for an 11 x 7 inch pan. Read more here 09:36
AMSEA offers class on common commercial fishing injuries – Strains, sprains, pains and retraining the brain
An Alaska Marine Safety Education Association, or AMSEA, class offered Saturday at the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association building in Kenai will focus on prevention for common injuries and ergonomics for commercial fishers — specifically gillnetters in the Cook Inlet. Read more here 09:31
Rescued fisherman found clinging to gas can
The Canadian military says three fishermen rescued off Newfoundland’s west coast on Thursday are lucky to be alive. A fisheries patrol vessel was in the area of Little Port when its crew spotted the overturned boat and people in the water. Read more here
Nova Scotia Fish processing industry facing ‘imminent’ labour shortage
The Nova Scotia seafood processing industry expressed concerns Thursday with changes to the federal government’s temporary foreign worker program as the province’s labour minister called for more flexibility from Ottawa. Read more here 09:07
Steve Urbon: Oceana pitches flawed fishing report undeterred
The environmental group Oceana seeks to impress us this week with Part 2 of a report on fishing bycatch, those fish that are brought up incidentally while fishermen target another species. “Wasted Cash,” the follow-up to “Wasted Catch,” says that fishermen are throwing $1 billion worth of fish away each year, over the side instead of going to auction. Read more here 08:50
