Daily Archives: August 2, 2014
Rhode Island Seeks to Join Mid-Atlantic Council, but Politics are in Play
The Ocean State has no voice in governance, despite being a major player in those waters. A Case of Political Failure? Richard L. Fuka, president of the Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance, says the problem is inherently political—perhaps due to the current Democratic presidential administration, and certainly the ineffectiveness of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation. He particularly called out Sen. Jack Reed, who he feels should be able to get things done after his long tenure in Washington. Read the article here 20:24
2 for the Price of One from El Globo! Gulf of Maine’s cod stock falling, study says – Gulf of Maine Cod Stock at All-Time Low
The cod population in the Gulf of Maine is plummeting more steeply than previously thought, according a new assessment by the federal agency that monitors the fishing industry. Underwater surveys conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimated that the iconic species has dwindled to as little as 3 percent of what it would take to sustain a healthy population. Read more here Gulf of Maine Cod Stock at All-Time Low Read more here 16:15
Barnegat Light NJ – The harvest of the sea – “It’s not an easy business”
BARNEGAT LIGHT – It was like Christmas morning, solving a Rubik’s cube, and the movie Groundhog Day all rolled into one as soon as the Grand Larson III docked at Viking Village.,, Currently, boats like the Grand Larson III, licensed by the National Marine Fisheries Service, are permitted to harvest scallops in controlled growing areas only 15 days of the year, said Kirk O. Larson, the boat’s owner, who is also the mayor of Barnegat Light. Read more here 14:29
Reef Fish Amendment 40 – Sector Separation Public Meetings, Public Hearings,& Scoping Workshops, Aug 4 -19, 2014
All public hearings begin at 6:00 p.m. local time and end no later than 9:00 p.m. Times Locations and Dates. A Note on Scoping: Scoping is the process of identifying issues, potential impacts, and reasonable alternatives associated with the issue at hand. It provides the first and best opportunity for the public to make suggestions or to raise issues and concerns before the Council begins developing an amendment. Read more here 11:11
Maine Lobster Fest Organizers Not Plagued By Concerns Over Lobsters’ Feelings
People really like lobster. The Maine Lobster Festival draws tens of thousands of people to Rockland each summer, just as July is fading into August. According to John Jeffers, Vice President of the MLF, it began in 1947 as a way to help give a burst to the local lobster industry, which used to struggle with business during lobster shedding season (July to October). Read more here 10:48
Canadian Oyster shuckers set new world record
The 10 team members shucked 8,840 oysters in an hour. That was enough to beat the previous record of 8,472 held by a team from France, but short of the 9,500 goal the team had set for itself. Read more here 10:32
Southeast commercial troll fleet gets second crack at king salmon
Southeast Alaska’s commercial troll fishing fleet will have another crack at king salmon in August even with a big haul from the first Chinook opening in July. Even with the big first opening, the fleet will have a short, second opening sometime in mid-August.The season typically shuts down for a few days in early August to allow coho salmon to return to streams on the inside waters. Read more here 10:27
Cape Cod: Oyster thief gets jail time
A West Yarmouth man was sentenced Friday to two years in the Barnstable County Correctional Facility for poaching thousands of oysters from beds in Dennis and Barnstable last summer. Michael Bryant, 37, pleaded guilty in Barnstable Superior Court to shellfishing in a contaminated area, a commercial fishing license violation and six counts of larceny of more than $250. Read more here 09:02
Lunacy on sea: Is this your vision for your coastline?
Lunacy on sea: As Ministers agree to the world’s biggest wind farm off Brighton, has Britain ever succumbed to a more catastrophic folly? Read more here 08:52
Two watermen plead guilty in striped bass poaching case
Two Tilghman Island watermen pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court to illegally taking 185,925 pounds of striped bass from the Chesapeake Bay. Michael D. Hayden, 41, and William J. Lednum, 42, admitted to selling the striped bass for $498,293 through a ring they operated between 2007 and 2011, according to court documents. Read more here 07:24
Openings for BC sockeye fishery
The prized Fraser River sockeye-salmon fishing season is opening along southwestern British Columbia for what could be a banner year. Federal Fisheries spokeswoman Jennifer Nener says the food and ceremonial fishery for First Nations opened last week on the south coast and the lower Fraser and more opportunities will open up river as conservation concerns are satisfied for the early Stuart run. Read more here 06:55
