Monthly Archives: September 2014
UPDATE: Coast Guard suspends search for missing F/V Christopher’s Joy shrimpers
The Coast Guard suspended its search for two missing shrimpers from the fishing vessel around 5 p.m., Thursday. Response crews searched more than 5,745 square miles for more than 64 hours for the two missing crewmembers of the 75-foot shrimping vessel. Read the rest here 20:43
Score One for the Good Guys! Endangered Leatherback turtle saved by fishermen, DFO
Two fishermen from Cape Egmont, P.E.I. came upon a tangled turtle on Wednesday. Fisheries and Oceans Canada says what the fishermen found was an endangered Leatherback. It was wrapped up in lobster gear. The fishermen contacted fisheries officials in Summerside for help. When the officers showed up, they were met by two lobster fishermen, one of whom was an 84-year-old. Read the rest here
Swordfish Sustainability
Did you know Boston Sword & Tuna is one of the founding members of Sustainable Seafood LLC? Our two longliners, the Iron Maiden and the Iron Lady, fish in one of the best-managed fisheries in the world: the Northwest Atlantic swordfish fishery. A highly migratory fish, swordfish are managed in the Atlantic by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Read the rest here 19:32
U Calgary Study: Recreational boat, fishing vessel activity a major pollutant on Canadian coast of Pacific Ocean
Summary: From recreational boats and fishing vessels to commercial cruise ships and private marinas, a newly published study shows that oil discharges related to human maritime activity on the Canadian coast is posing a major threat to marine ecosystems in the Pacific Ocean., more than oil tankers and commercial cargo ships. Read the rest here 17:00FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS AT THE 2014 WORKING WATERFRONT FESTIVAL
Fishing Partnership Support Services will be on Steamship Pier all weekend. Stop by our booth to learn about all the services we bring to the fishing community, including help with health insurance, free safety training, mobile dental clinics, CPR/Ergonomics training, and more. Read the details here 14:01
Georgia Shrimpers report successful season
The commercial shrimping season is shaping up to be a successful year when compared to what it was in 2013, even though the harvest by historical standards would only be considered average. Bruce Collins, manager at the City Market seafood store in Brunswick, remembers how bad last year’s season was and has revelled in watching the trawlers bring in loads of the tasty crustacean. “It’s been 10 times better than last year,” Collins said Wednesday. Read the rest here 13:12
New Zealand: Questions over fishing quotas spark raid
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) compliance officers swooped on Hawke’s Bay Seafoods yesterday to secure evidence in an investigation into suspected fishing quota irregularities in the inshore commercial fishing sector. MPI director of Compliance Dean Baigent said it was the largest investigation of its type for many years. Read the rest here 12:29
Sad news – North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman Paul Rose of Moyock dies suddenly
Paul Rose, the chairman of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission, died Wednesday of an apparent heart attack. The Moyock resident was a commercial crabber, pound netter and fish dealer who ran Paul Rose seafood. Read the rest here 11:59
Tanya Tagaq fires back at PETA over Polaris award speech
In her acceptance speech of the Polaris Prize, Tagaq took a moment to encourage people to support the seal hunt. She also used the F-word to criticize PETA and its anti-sealing campaign. (You go girl!) “Our fight (PETA) is — and always has been — against the East Coast commercial slaughter, which is run by white people who bilk Canadians for millions in tax dollars in order to prop up the non-existent seal trade,” the statement reads. (stfu) Read the rest here 09:16
Western Pacific Fishery Management Council Responds to the President’s Pacific Monument Expansion Decision
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) acknowledges that the President’s amended Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) expansion plan reduces the economic toll the original plan would have taken on sustainable US Pacific Island fisheries. The announcement of the final plan comes after months of the WPRFMC expressing serious concern for a sudden, unilateral proposal from the White House to expand the monument. Read the rest here
Obama Extends (Scaled Back) Hawaii National Marine Monument – Kitty Simonds,“U.S. fishermen should be able to fish in U.S. zones,”
The White House announced late Wednesday that President Barack Obama would prohibit fishing in three of America’s remote island territories in the Pacific by declaring them marine national monuments. In June, Obama had proposed closing five areas, which would have doubled the no-take zone. Read the rest here 07:54
Enviro group Oceana pushing for gillnetting reforms
Oceana, the ocean conservationist that labeled the Northeast multispecies groundfish fishery as one of the nation’s nine most wasteful fisheries, is pushing for reform of gillnet practices in the Northeast region. “It is time for the region’s fishery managers to address the shortcomings of gillnet management and take action to review, revise and reform the use of gillnets for the 21st century,” Gib Brogan, Oceana’s,,, Read the rest here 07:33
Coast Guard cutter crashes into, sinks fishing boat
ST. THOMAS – A 110-foot U.S. Coast Guard cutter drove into a 42-foot commercial fishing boat Tuesday morning, sinking the boat but miraculously leaving no one injured. Two men, Capt. Winston Ledee, 57, and Kenneth Turbe, 30, were fishing for lobster in Ledee’s vessel, the when the San Juan-based cutter “Key Largo” smashed into the fishing,,, Read the rest here 06:50
UPDATE: Coast Guard continues search for missing shrimpers after boat capsizes in Mississippi River
The search continues for two Jacksonville fishermen who went overboard after a local shrimping boat capsized in the Mississippi River Tuesday afternoon. Charles Christopher remembers the last conversation he had with his brother Nickoloas before the 34-year-old fisherman set out to sea. “The same thing we always say, ‘be careful and I love you,'” said Christopher as he held back tears. Read the rest here 23:04
Something’s fishy: Canada’s fish products often labelled as the wrong species
Canadians aren’t big fish eaters according to Statistics Canada, averaging less than 10 kilograms per person each year. But it’s safe to say when we do tuck into a nice piece of cod or tuna, we want to be certain that’s what we’re actually eating. An investigation by Quebec’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food suggests our confidence may be misplaced. Read the rest here 22:44
Fishermen voice concerns on new regulations at the Surf City Commercial Fisherman’s Town Hall meeting
Fishermen from up and down the coast gathered Tuesday in Surf City to make their voices heard at the Commercial Fisherman’s Town Hall Meeting. The meeting at Batson’s Galley Restaurant gave people in the commercial fishing industry a chance to ask questions and voice concerns about new fishing regulations. Rep. Chris Millis, R-Pender, was present along with Jerry Schill, president of the N.C. Fisheries Association. Read the rest here 20:05
This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Support for Frankenfish surfaces in DC.
A group of 90 scientists and biotechnology execs from around the world are pushing President Obama to expedite approval of genetically modified salmon for US markets. They urged in a letter last week that the Food and Drug Administration put an end to the long wait for final approval of laboratory produced salmon made by Aqua Bounty Technologies. Listen, and read the rest 17:54
States set more commercial fishing time in lower Columbia
Nine additional nights and five days of commercial salmon fishing in the lower Columbia River were adopted on Wednesday by Washington and Oregon officials. Read the rest here 17:45
Mar-Lees drops RICO case against co-founder, others
US scallop supplier Mar-Lees Seafood has dropped the federal racketeering case against its former CEO and co-founder, John Lees. In a document filed in the docket on the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) lawsuit, filed on Oct. 26, last year, Mar-Lees stated the action is “voluntarily dismissed”. Read the rest here 17:37
Lobsters pack up and move north
Climate changes have made scientists speculate about the possible future shift in range of many species, but in the ocean waters off the southern coast of New England, one major ocean species isn’t waiting for further changes — it’s already packed up and headed north, primarily for Canada. Lobster fishermen across southern regions of Connecticut and New York,, Read more here 17:09
Four Virginia watermen lose licenses for violations “The commission takes this responsibility seriously. “We expect compliance.”
Four commercial fishermen have had their licenses revoked by the Virginia Marine Fisheries Commission. “The commission vote to unanimously revoke these individuals’ fishing licenses continues a steady and consistent message from the commission to the watermen that violations of the commonwealth’s fisheries laws and regulations will not be tolerated,” “The commission takes this responsibility seriously. “We expect compliance.” Read the rest here 16:09
Good catch: Fishermen clean ocean of lost crabbing gear
“The most exciting thing about this project is that the fishermen themselves are taking the lead,” said Kirsten Gilardi, director of the California Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project, a program of the SeaDoc Society, which is part of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Read the rest here
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 47′ Lobster/Tuna/Dragger,2013, Fiberglass, John Deere, Onan 13.5 Kw genset
Specifications, information and 13 photo’s click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 11:04
WPRFMC Press Release, September 23, 2014 – Workshop Addresses Issue of Disproportionate Burden in Pacific Island Fisheries
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council sponsored a first of its kind workshop on Sept. 18-20, 2014, at the Council office in Honolulu to discuss the concept of “disproportionate burden.” Read the rest here 09:01
How Norway and Russia Made A Cod Fishery Live and Thrive
The prime cod fishing grounds of North America have been depleted or wiped out by overfishing and poor management. But in Arctic waters, Norway and Russia are working cooperatively to sustain a highly productive — and profitable — cod fishery.
Blue crab helping fight invasive green crab in Atlantic
Invasive green crab in Atlantic Canada may have met their match in a naturally occurring blue crab that is increasing in waters off Nova Scotia. Naturally occurring? ( I dunno about this one.) Read the rest here 00:30
Digby and Annapolis halibut fishermen and fish plant rack up big penalties
A Little River fish plant and five Digby Neck and Islands halibut fishermen have received fines totalling $71,000 and another seven halibut fishermen from the Annapolis Royal area have received $50,000 in fines and penalties. As the result of a three-year investigation into the halibut fishery on Digby Neck, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans charged Ocean Trawlers, operated by Fred Trask of Little River, and fishermen,, Read the rest here 22:00:12
NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard is searching for two missing shrimpers south of Southwest Pass, Tuesday.
Watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector New Orleans command center received notification from an offshore rig reporting a capsized shrimping vessel at 4 p.m. The reporting source stated two people were rescued by the good Samaritan vessel Miss Anna from the keel of the 75-foot shrimping vessel Christopher’s Joy. Search is on for two missing crewmembers of the Christopher’s Joy. 21:44
Maritime lobster industry watches Maine vote on boost for processors
The lobster industry in the Maritimes faces a new competitive threat from south of the border. People in the industry in Eastern Canadian are watching closely as Maine awaits the outcome of a November vote that could see US$7 million of public money pumped into lobster processing. Read the rest here 18:01
Groups Say Americans sent a strong message supporting Bristol Bay’s irreplaceable salmon fishery
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