Daily Archives: January 13, 2015
Does the size of a boat matter?
Do fishermen within the small boat sector get the representation they deserve and do they even want or need that representation? Firstly to share a lovely quote I often use when discussing difficult issues facing fishermen, when it appears that they are not all that interesting in engaging. “If you as a fisherman do not take an interest in your own future, someone else sure as hell will.” That of course applies equally, to the bigger boat sector. Read the rest here 20:55
“Snappy Dresser” Peter MacKay says $280M CETA fisheries fund never meant to be ‘slush fund’
Ottawa and the provincial government have been at odds over the interpretation of the $280-million fisheries fund for 
, with the province claiming the federal government has put new stipulations on the deal. Read the rest here 20:25
South Pacific Tuna Corporation Knuckles Under – Partnership to supply MSC-standard tuna
The company will be working with PNAO/Pacifical, the marketing arm of the eight Pacific Island Nations known as the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) Pacific Tuna Corporation says that this action underscores its commitment to maintaining the highest sustainability standards while harvesting tuna from PNA island waters. The company oversees management and operations of 14 US Flag tuna vessels owned by ‘The Global Fleets,’ Ocean Global Fisheries LLC, Sea Global Fisheries LLC and Pacific Global LLC. Read the rest here 17:40
Westward is Portland-bound – In Boothbay Harbor, it’s two strikes and you’re out
The F/V Westward, which has been moored in Boothbay Harbor since 2012, appears to be headed to Portland after its latest mishap has left it without a mooring. Early Friday, Jan. 9, the Westward broke loose in high winds from the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard mooring where it has been secured for most of the last two years. It then drifted shoreward and ran aground near the shipyard. Read the rest here 16:38
Adak Fish Plant Seeks Additional Operators
The community of Adak depends on its fish processing plant for jobs and tax revenue. But they’ve struggled to keep the lights on over the years. Now, the plant’s latest operator is looking for new partners to help shoulder the financial burden. Listen, and read the rest here 15:27
Boat captains ordered to stop dredging clams off of Provincetown
For the past month, sea clam vessels have been dredging thousands of shellfish from a 2-square-foot mile area off Herring Cove Beach. But this type of fishing — known as hydraulic dredging — is prohibited without a permit, according to a 2007 Provincetown Conservation Commission regulation. The fishermen don’t have to obey the local regulation because the state Division of Marine Fisheries, which has jurisdiction over fishing, allows it, said Monte Rome, owner of the Tom Slaughter. Read the rest here 13:10
Fishermen want better fish counts for black sea bass – MRIP is not available during January and February???
Fishermen are looking for better management of sea bass by fishery regulators after another winter closure of the fishery. “We have no way of knowing how much fish are being caught. We need to know so we can count them, and when we can’t do that we can’t open the season,” said Moira Kelly, a fishery policy analyst for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Read the rest here 11:29
Lobster industry rebounds with low dollar and high prices – Lobster exports from Nova Scotia are worth $385M
Nova Scotia’s largest lobster fishery is enjoying a banner season thanks in part to low fuel prices and a low Canadian dollar. Jamie Osborne, a lobster fisherman, is one of those enjoying the perfect storm of good news. “Fuel is going down, lobster are going up,” he said. Cheaper fuel is just one factor. The lower Canadian dollar is another factor, for an industry that relies on exports. Lobster exports from Nova Scotia are worth $385 million annually. Read the rest here 09:16
Editorial: Markey, Warren right to stress core issues on fishery
In posing their questions to Sullivan, Warren and Markey targeted the issues at the very core of the current dispute over the latest NOAA regulatory actions. Those are questions over the validity of the science that has led to the new area closures decreed by NOAA northeast administrator John Bullard in November, and the timing and justification for carrying out the unscheduled stock assessment that produced the controversial data in the first place. Read the rest here 08:35
