Daily Archives: March 11, 2015
Right whales might get extra layer of protection off N.C. coast
Off Southeastern North Carolina, the critical habitat would extend about 25 miles offshore. So will the new designation mean additional red tape for commercial fishermen, ships transiting through the new critical habitat areas or other current offshore activities? No, Gouveia stressed. But it would place the whales on the proverbial radar screen for any future developments in the near-shore waters off the coast that could impact those important habitat features. Read the rest here 19:50
The Future of Fishing in the Central Arctic
Increasingly, it’s the future of fisheries that is taking center stage in the geopolitical discussions that come with planning for the future Arctic. This was made evident on January 15 and 16, 2015, when 40 Arctic experts from the United States, Canada, Russia, China, Iceland, Denmark, and Greenland travelled to Tongji University in Shanghai to attend the first “Roundtable on Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Issues.” Read the rest here 18:21
What’s Alaska’s biggest fishing town? UFA Fishing Fact Sheets has all the answers
What Alaska town ranks as #1 for total commercial fishing participation? Based on the number of fishing permits, crew licenses and skippers, Anchorage comes out on top. That’s just one of the facts available in seafood industry fact sheets complied by . The facts include well-documented statewide data; added new this year are breakdowns for the Nome and Wade Hampton Census Areas, as well as for Washington, Oregon and California, which rank as the top three states for nonresident fishermen in Alaska. Read the rest here 16:49
Captain Larry Sears was friendly, well-liked and a passionate and innovative fisherman
Sears, of Shag Harbour, died Monday after being pulled overboard while lobster fishing in the Cape Sable area off Nova Scotia’s South Shore. Sears was a noted figure in the swordfishing industry. Troy Atkinson, president of the Nova Scotia Swordfishermen’s Association, which represents long-line swordfish fishermen, said Sears was well liked. “He was one of those people who was quiet, but when he talked, you listened. He was very knowledgeable and very well-respected in the community. He spoke with wisdom when he spoke.” Read the rest here 14:37
Newfoundland/Labrador: Seeking a Fair Share for Small Boat Shrimp Harvesters
The all-party committee on federal shrimp quota allocations officially outlined its position to the Honourable Gail Shea, federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans today about how the Federal Government should proceed with Northern Shrimp allocation decisions. The All-Party Committee supports the total allowable catch rollover for Shrimp Fishing Area 6 for this year as requested by both the inshore and offshore fleet, and has asked for the Last In, First Out (LIFO) policy to be rescinded and replaced with a new sharing arrangement that is fair to both valued fleets. Read the rest here 14:12
Fishermen Knowledge in Policy and Science: It’s just a net waste to ignore fishermen
Grown-up policy-making requires significant input from those closest to the issue at hand. Sounds obvious, doesn’t it?. But you would be surprised at how often key stakeholders, to use the bureaucrats’ beloved terminology, are kept out of the loop, especially by the European Commission (and NOAA) . When it comes to my own industry, the politicians, officials and green lobbyists who have largely dictated fisheries policy over the past decade still view us (I’m borrowing this metaphor from our farming friends) as the fox in the hen house, that is, untrustworthy. Read the rest here 13:40
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 84′ Steel Raised Foc’sle Stern Trawler w/ Permits, 560HP, CAT D-379 Diesel
Specifications, and information and 11 photos of the vessel, click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 12:40
Another Greenpeace Publicity Stunt! How’s your tuna ranked?
There are lists for everything nowadays — and Greenpeace has a doozy for environmentally-conscious canned tuna lovers. The activist group on Monday released a ranking of 14 brands that examines “fundamental sustainability standards.” It found that three of the most popular brands, representing 80% of the American tuna mark, among the worst offenders: Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist. Read the rest here 09:43
EDITORIAL: Lobster levy flap foolish
Nova Scotia Fisheries Minister Keith Colwell has been clawed up over the proposed penny-a-pound marketing levy on lobster landings. So it’s not surprising his federal counterpart, Gail Shea, wasn’t eager Monday to go to battle for an idea that many players in the Nova Scotia industry think is logical, but too few want to pay for. Read the rest here 09:19
Congress Proposes Relaxing Sea Lion Protections
The Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Prevention Act, a proposed amendment to the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, could soon give tribal members and government fishery managers in the Columbia River Basin authority to kill sea lions threatening endangered salmon populations. U.S. Reps Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) introduced the amendment on January 27. Read the rest here 08:41
Pacific Fishery Management Council move to protect tiny ocean fish
West Coast fishery regulators on Tuesday banned fishing for huge swaths of species at the base of the ocean’s food chain, a major step toward ocean conservation that was hailed by environmentalists and fishermen alike. Most people probably never have heard of the hundreds of species protected by Tuesday’s vote at the council’s meeting in Vancouver, Washington. They fall into seven broad categories: Pacific saury, Silversides, round and thread herring, Pacific sand lance, Osmerid smelts, mesopelagic fishes and pelagic squids. Read the rest here 07:30
