Daily Archives: June 20, 2015
PICTURES: Brixham Trawler Race 2015 – Video
More than 20 trawlers set off from Brixham breakwater to race two laps of the Bay – heading past Paignton and Torquay harbour before reaching Hope’s Nose and returning to Berry Head. The trawlers assembled at Berry Head before the race to hold a sail-past down towards the start line in memory of local fisherman Adrian ‘Jock’ Strike who died recently following a long battle with cancer. View photo gallery here This video is like being in the middle of the action. 22:47
Unintended Consequences – Protecting wild predators can lead to problems
That is, a recovering predator population can increase competition with humans for the same prey; it can start eating individuals of a protected prey species; or it can pit multiple predator populations in competition for the same limited prey. Or it can do all three. In the northeastern Pacific Ocean, for example, commercial harvests of king salmon have declined from historic levels, in part to protect declining wild-salmon populations, seven of which have Endangered Species Act protection. Meanwhile, the ecosystem’s seals and sea lions, which were once killed commercially, are now protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Read the rest here 20:48
‘Deadliest Catch’ Favorite Capt. Phil Harris Voted Greatest Reality TV Personality of All Time
Online competitions are often nothing more than a popularity contest — where a show can mobilize its fans to get out the vote before the polls close. But sometimes, as is the case with our two-week race to crown the Greatest Reality TV Personality of All Time — the popular pick is also the right one. Capt. Phil Harris — a rock star of the Bering Sea crab-fishing fleet who finally got the chance to know his sons, Josh and Jake, when they became deckhands on the Cornelia Marie — dominated each round: He won the Hero title (with 73 percent of the vote), breezed through the semifinals (with 46 percent), and ultimately defeated Hell’s Kitchen’s Gordon Ramsay in the final (with 86 percent). Read the rest here 18:00
Department of Commerce announces 2015 regional fishery council appointments
The U.S. Commerce Department today announced the appointment of 30 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils that partner with NOAA, and National Marine Fisheries Service to manage ocean fish stocks. The new and reappointed council members begin their three-year terms on August 11. Read the rest here 15:25
Despite years of delays, still no action from Newfoundland government on direct fish sales to consumers
“We’ve gone out again to the interest groups in the province, and we’ve asked them to come back to us with some of the issues, or some underlying issues that they might have,” Granter said. “Then I’ll evaluate that and see where we go from there.” That statement by Granter actually represents a big step backward for the government. In 2010, the government received a report which concluded that direct selling of fish is already happening on a huge scale in the province. The report was kept under wraps from 2010 until the summer of 2014,,, Read the rest here
Commercial fishermen protest Port of Brookings Harbor poundage fee
The poundage fee, which the board approved at last month’s meeting, would add an additional charge per pound for different species unloaded at the Brookings-Harbor docks. The fee ranges from .025 cents for Pacific whiting to 3 cents for salmon. Several audience members chastised the board for their decision to implement fees and said they were concerned about the lack of transparency from the board and port offices. Read the rest here 10:27
New England Fishery Management Council asks NOAA to suspend monitoring
The commercial fishing industry won two big battles at the bruising New England Fishery Management Council meetings this week, the first on habitat and the final on the council’s vote to seek emergency measures to suspend the bulk of at-sea monitoring of groundfish boats for the remainder of the 2015 fishing season.“The science center doesn’t have the money and the industry doesn’t have the money. But that doesn’t mean we can just get rid of monitoring. We need the monitoring for accountability and suspending it is just not good policy.” John Bullard Read the rest here 09:25
Gloucester rowers host Canadians for Saturday’s International Dory Races
Gloucester’s best dory rowers will be looking to buck the trend during Saturday’s 63rd Annual International Dory Races at the Jodrey State Fish Pier (10 a.m.). Five Gloucester tandems, representing the USA, will square off with five tandems from the Lunenburg, Nova Scotia area for the International Dory Racing crown, a title that the rowers from Canada have taken in each of the last two years. Canada’s victory in 2013 ended nearly a decade of Gloucester’s dominance in the races. Read the rest here 08:25
Coast Guard continues to investigate collision of F/V Pedlar and sinking of F/V Robert C
Divers finished plugging the vents of a sunken Fairhaven-based vessel Thursday near Martha’s Vineyard to avoid future fuel discharge, the Coast Guard said Friday. The Robert C sunk after colliding Monday with another Fairhaven-based vessel, Pedlar. At 12:08 p.m. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England’s Command Center received a radio hail, from the sole person aboard, stating the fishing vessel Robert C was taking on water 1 1/2 miles northwest of Menemsha after a collision between the fishing vessel Pedlar and Robert C, both home-ported in Fairhaven. Read the rest here 08:07
DFO find’s non native shrimp along the shores of Newfoundland’s west coast.
For the second time this year, DFO scientists have discovered a new species in the province’s coastal waters. Baltic shrimp have now found a permanent home in Newfoundland. Specimens have been identified from the Magdalen Islands to York Harbour. “Despite regulation, ballast water controls and for transportation and that kind of stuff coming from other countries, things are slipping through the cracks,” he said. In December, DFO scientists discovered a new species of razor clam based on samples collected,,, Read the rest here 07:33
Someone is slashing gear in Petit-de-Grat – business as usual
Police in Petit-de-Grat are investigating several new cases of lobster traps being cut. This new investigation takes place only months after the ‘murder for lobster’ trial, which shocked the Cape Breton community. Phillip Boudreau’s sister, Margaret Rose, says for the town, cutting traps is just business as usual. “I am not surprised because this is something that has been going on for decades in this community,” she said. Read the rest here 07:17
