Daily Archives: May 5, 2015

Future uncertain for fisheries research centre, five years after inception

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – The future of the largest seagoing fisheries research program of its kind in Canada is unclear as cash-strapped Newfoundland and Labrador reviews spending. “We want to continue with this project,” Premier Paul Davis said Tuesday aboard the RV Celtic Explorer docked in St. John’s harbour. But the centre is in the last of a five-year mandate and there’s no guarantee it will continue. The oil-dependent province has been walloped by lower prices and is reviewing all spending as it projects deficits through 2018. Read the rest here  20:48

Federal judge declares ‘moot’ a lawsuit over Newport Coast Guard air base closure

af5857_bd597e2a1bf84cecafda9cd4c6078a2d_jpg_srz_359_244_75_22_0_50_1_20_0U.S. District court Judge Michael McShane last week declared a lawsuit attempting to block the decommissioning of a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter base in Newport as moot, since the base’s existence has been guaranteed until at least early 2016. In October, a group consisting of the Newport Fishermen’s Wives, the city of Newport, Lincoln County and others, sued the Coast Guard in federal court in Eugene to block the closure, which had been scheduled for mid-December. Read the rest here 20:16

Fishing Partnership Support Services: Gloucester Safety and Survival training, May 7, Drill Conductor training May 8

training-day-adlobSafety Training Location: Coast Guard Station Gloucester – 17 Harbor Loop, Gloucester, MA, 01930 Time: 07:30am – 03:30pm Pre-registration for the training program is recommended. For more information or to register Click here  Gloucester Drill Conductor training Same as above. Time: 08:00am – 04:00pm For more information or to register Click here   19:43

Man accused of orchestrating $271,000 king crab heist

A 29-year-old Lakeland Fla. man is accused of orchestrating a heist where $271,000 worth of king crab was stolen. Joshua Paul Warner, of 2462 Harrison Place Blvd., is reportedly seen on surveillance video unlocking a bay door at the Comcar Warehouse on April 25. “This is absolutely crazy!” said Warner.  “That is a whole truck load, that is a whole semi! That is unbelievable they’d even think that of me.” Read the rest here 16:34

Fish Wars Australia – Tension flaring on commercial fishing and sustainability

TENSION between commercial and recreational fishing groups has again been in the spotlight with the release of a fishing population report. The commercial fishing industry says the report shows fish populations continue to be sustainable but the Fraser Coast Fishing Alliance says the report is “flawed” and was little more than a “desktop exercise”. The Federal Government, along with Queensland Agriculture and Fisheries Department, released data which assessed 36 nationally important species for 2014. Read the rest here 16:11

Maine proposing urchin swipe card system, rules for season

swipe cardMaine fishery regulators are proposing a sea urchin fishing season that would establish rules for a swipe card system to record transactions when urchins are bought or sold. Regulators say the rules would cover the 2015-16 fishing season, which begins in September and concludes in March. The southern coast would have a 15-day season for divers, trappers, rakers and draggers of urchins. The season for most of the northern coast would be 38 days long. Regulators are proposing the same number of days as last year for both zones. Read the rest here 15:47

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approve increase in menhaden catch limits

ASMFC SidebarA multi-state regulatory board is approving higher catch limits for Atlantic menhaden, a fish that plays important roles as bait and part of the ocean food web. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board voted to raise catch limits from 170,800 metric tons per year to 187,880 metric tons per year. The limits apply this year and in 2016. Read the rest here  15:36

NMFS seeks nominations for U.S. seats on the International Pacific Halibut Commission

National Marine Fisheries Service is seeking nominations to fill two non-NOAA commissioner seats on the International Pacific Halibut Commission. Terms for the current commissioners—who are eligible for reappointment—expire on December 31, 2015.  One must be a resident of Alaska—currently held by Donald Lane from Homer, Alaska One must be a non-resident of Alaska—currently held by Robert Alverson of Washington State. Read the rest here 12:09

Icy strait sinks Arisaig lobster event – older fishermen say ice hasn’t delayed the fishery like this since 1967

The ice still blocking the fishing harbours of Northumberland Strait has forced the cancellation of the Arisaig Mother’s Day Lobster Dinner. For the first time in over 30 years, the fundraiser that draws 1,000 annually to the Arisaig Parish Community Centre will be cancelled. On Monday, Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced that the Northumberland Strait lobster season that usually begins May 1 will continue to be delayed until ice conditions improve. Read the rest here  11:33

New Hampshire’s Yankee Co-op to use federal funds for equipment, repairs

yfc_logoAccording to Seabrook Yankee Fisherman’s Cooperative manager Peter Kendall, the Granite State’s portion of that is $1,136,400, with $267,200 headed to the Co-op for much-needed equipment and repairs. “The money for this was distributed based on the level of impact the fishing regulations of the past few years had on the states’ fishing industries,” Kendall said yesterday. “New Hampshire was impacted very hard, among the worst.” Read the rest here  11:09

Seal flippers sell out amid tight supply

A company that has made tradition of selling seal flippers by the St. John’s waterfront wrapped up this year’s activity in no time at all. “Sales were really good [but] It was too short,” said Heidi Reid, who directs sales for Taylor’s Fish, Fruit and Vegetable Market. The seal hunt was largely a bust this year, with many fishermen staying ashore over depressed international markets. About 30,000 seals were expected to be killed in this year’s hunt off Newfoundland. The total allowable catch for eastern Canada is set at 400,000. Read the rest here 09:15

VANASSE: Menhaden oped full of fish tales

The Asbury Park Press has been a source of accurate information regarding the menhaden fishery, thanks in large part to the solid reporting done by reporter Dan Radel. Unfortunately, an April 30 opinion piece by Paul Eidman, “Don’t increase menhaden catch limits,” contained a number of misleading and inaccurate statements. Eidman asserted that the current menhaden assessment “is based on a ‘single species’ model that does not take into account,,, Read the rest here  08:43

H.R. 2168 – West Coast Crab Industry applauds move toward permanent tri-state pact

A bipartisan bill introduced April 30 would permanently extend a 17-year fishery management agreement for the West Coast’s valuable Dungeness crab fishery. Currently, Washington, Oregon and California cooperatively manage the West Coast crab fishery under a tri-state agreement first authorized by Congress in 1996. Under the agreement, the states work with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to manage stocks and conduct fishery science. The plan has to be regularly extended and is set to expire in 2016. Read the rest here  08:19

OUR VIEW: Let’s make waves with fishing regulations

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Just when it seems life can’t get harder for local fishermen, the state Division of Marine Fisheries releases another statement. The state division recently announced that the federal regulations implemented in November to restrict will remain in place for at least another year. Looks like another year of eating haddock for us. Looks like another year of hardship for the people in the fishing industry. Read the rest here  07:40