Daily Archives: March 5, 2015
Annual herring run seems heavier than usual off Comox Valley shores
Since retiring from the air force in 1996, Hal Schulz has never seen a bigger herring run, which started Monday. The annual event occurs in late-February or early-March when millions of herring spawn the B.C. coastline from Victoria to the Queen Charlotte Islands. It typically lasts four or five days. Read the rest here 21:44
Frigid February may put Maine’s lobster harvest on ice for a while
The first-ever lobster forecast is out, and it says February’s record cold will likely set back Maine’s lobster season. This winter’s 
and stormy weather have cooled the waters in the Gulf of Maine. That means lobsters, which spend their winters in deeper waters offshore, will likely get a late start migrating to the coast and shedding their shells, says Christina Hernandez, a research assistant working on the project, which is being funded with $100,000 from NASA. Read the rest here 21:06
Local fishermen benefit as another round of fishery diaster relief released – Sure They Do!
“We’re hoping the end of the month, the end of March, that things can get done,” U.S. Rep. William Keating (D-Bourne) told the News Service on Monday. “We’ve got families that are really, really hurting,” said Frank Mirarchi, a fishing boat captain in Scituate. “This money will be a blessing.” Yes it will. If it ever gets here! What are they waiting for?! Christmas again? Read the rest here 18:05
Climate change, acid oceans: NOAA research priorities
The changing climate and chemistry of our oceans is definitely on radar screens of federal planet watchers. That’s the assurance of Kathryn Sullivan, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I don’t need to tell Alaskans – you are living it, you see it all around you. And the consequences that have societally, economically, ecologically you all are living it every day. Sullivan calls NOAA the nation’s environmental intelligence agency. (Really?) Audio, and read the rest here 17:47
Integrity of small-scale fisheries policy implementation process compromised
A meeting called by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) to discuss aspects of the small-scale fisheries policy was deeply flawed, according to representatives of Masifundise and Coastal Links South Africa who attended. Masifundise and Coastal Links SA this week issued a statement to outline the basis of their concern. The media release reads as follows; Read the rest here 16:14
Crisfield watermen up in arms over DNR’s peeler crab regulations
It’s another winter day that Crisfield watermen are forced to stay off their boats, but the spring may be the start of even bigger problems. “We were hoping it wouldn’t come to this,” says Doug Hall, a waterman in Crisfield, Maryland. In Maryland, the current law requires that the minimum size of “peeler” or soft-shell crabs that watermen can harvest is 3.25 inches until July 14th, when that requirement jumps to 3.5 inches. However, this year the Department of Natural Resources is making that regulation go into effect three months earlier, on April 1st. Read the rest here 15:41
Southeast trollers fight for chums at Board of Fisheries
Regulations to increase the chum harvest for southeast trollers fell short. The Alaska Board of Fisheries held a meeting from Feb. 23 to March 3 to hear proposals regarding southeast Alaska and Yakutat finfish, which includes salmon, herring, and sablefish fisheries for commercial, sport, and subsistence harvest. The meeting limped along with only four voting members during many of the proposals, which kept at least one contentious measure from being passed for lack of board input. Read the rest here 15:08
UPDATED: Shrimp fishery reprieve? Industry proposal would avoid cuts this year
The offshore and inshore shrimp fleets have unanimously approved a plan that would see no cuts to shrimp quotas in fishing areas off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2015. In a move that can only be classified as stunning, the two sides presented the plan to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans at a federal shrimp advisory meeting in Montreal on Wednesday. “I have little doubt the minister will approve the recommendation,” Chapman told CBC Radio’s Fisheries Broadcast. Read the rest here 14:01
South Carolina Businessman to lead opposition against Big Oil
A Murrells Inlet businessman who also makes his home in the inlet is taking on “Big Oil” — and right here on the South Strand. Rich Baumann, the founder of Murrells Inlet Seafood, is putting together individuals, companies and groups opposed to seismic testing and eventually oil drilling off the South Carolina coast. Read the rest here 13:49
Pacific Fishery Management Council – Meeting in Vancouver, Washington March 6-12, 2015
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory bodies will meet March 6-12, 2015 in Vancouver, Washington to address issues related to salmon, Pacific halibut, highly migratory species, ecosystem based management, and habitat matters. Info page, Click here Download a PDF version of the Meeting Notice and Agenda Join the meeting in “listen-only” mode, Click here 10:14
Baker: Shrimpin’ ain’t easy – Federal decision to cut inshore shrimp quotas mystifying, devastating for NL economy
I wonder how many people casually dismissed the news this week about northern shrimp quota cuts as just more “fishermen crying and whining” about their lot in life. A good many I’d say. And that’s too bad because in doing so you missed something that has huge ramifications. For everyone. I don’t think people fully understand how huge the decision is. There are upwards of 3,000 direct jobs linked to northern shrimp in Newfoundland and Labrador on vessels and in the plants. This decision could begin to wipe all of that out. Read the rest here 08:33 Newfoundland shrimp workers rally against feds and cuts Video, click here
TV’s ‘Wicked Tuna’ fishermen, seafood chefs to headline 2015 Maine Fishermen’s Forum
This year, David Carraro and his first mate, Sandro Maniaci, from the National Geographic Channel program “ Wicked Tuna” are expected to help attract attendees to the 2015 Maine Fishermen’s Forum in Rockport. The three-day event at The Samoset Resort in Rockport is scheduled to start about 8 a.m. Thursday morning and last through Saturday evening. The annual conference draws hundreds of fishermen and their families, regulators and industry representatives to three days worth of information sessions on a variety of fishing and seafood-related topics. Read the rest here 07:59
