Daily Archives: August 18, 2015
In The Upper Midwest, Summertime Means Fish Boils
Long ago, when settling the Great Lakes, Scandinavian immigrants brought with them an ingenious method of feeding lots of people, on the cheap. Mark Weborg, whose family immigrated to the area in the 1800s, says his family has been doing fish boils for generations. “I’m the fourth generation, my son-in-law is the fifth generation, here, at commercial fishing in Door County,” Weborg says. “My great-great-great-grandfather brought [the fish boil] over here from Norway. And we used to have it around the sheds just for the crew.” Read the rest here 20:02
Meetings will shape AK fishing futures: salmon vs coal, setnet ban, NPFMC, BOF, IPHC
It’s a meeting line up like never before for Alaska’s fishing industry. Starting off this Friday – the state Department of Natural Resources will hear both sides on competing claims to water rights for salmon streams at Upper Cook Inlet’s Chuitna River or to dewater the region for what would be Alaska’s biggest coal mine. The decision could set a state precedent. A decision is expected on or before October 9.Next Wednesday, August 26, is the state Supreme Court hearing on the setnet ban proposed for Cook Inlet and five other Alaska regions. Read the rest here 18:03
Ocean Warming Blamed For Northward Shift In Lobster Population
The lobster population has crashed to the lowest levels on record in southern New England while climbing to heights never before seen in the cold waters off Maine and other northern reaches — a geographic shift that scientists attribute in large part to the warming of the ocean. The trend is driving lobstermen in Connecticut and Rhode Island out of business, ending a centuries-old way of life. In northern New England, meanwhile, lobsters are booming. The population in the Gulf of Maine — a body of water,,, Read the rest here
Whole Foods partners with American Tuna, expands Pole & Line Tuna and Deck Hand Premium Cat Food lines
American Tuna announced the expansion of its partnership with Whole Foods Market with the introduction of three new products for the popular Pole & Line Tuna and Deck Hand Premium Cat Food lines. All Pole & Line and Deck Hand tuna are caught by artisanal fishermen using a sustainable method called “Pole & Line caught” in which fish are caught one at a time. “Our partnership with Whole Foods is helping fishing families keep a century-old tradition of sustainable, small-scale fishing alive,” said Natalie Webster, a member of one of American Tuna’s founding families. Read the rest here 15:55
Seal 1, White Shark 0 – a life-loving seal slapped a pursuing great white shark in midair
Researchers with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy said they were out Monday in waters off Cape Cod for a twice weekly great white shark survey when researcher Greg Skomal captured the footage. “The escape was incredible to witness. We’ve seen three predations over the last two years, and this was a first — to watch a white shark leap from the water in an attempt to grab a grey seal. The seal won that battle but shortly after the same shark successfully consumed a different seal further offshore,” Watch, Read the rest here 14:33
Deepwater Wind Opponents of RI Wind Farm Head to Court
The first off-shore wind farm in the United States will have Rhode Islanders footing the bill at $497 million above market cost, taxpayers claim in Federal Court. The Aug. 14 lawsuit comes less than a month after Deepwater Wind touted the installation of its first foundation component for the Block Island Wind Farm. With construction “now imminent,” plaintiffs Benjamin Riggs and Laurence Ehrhardt say a federal judge must enjoin Deepwater’s power-purchase agreement with Narragansett Electric Co., more commonly known as National Grid. Read the rest here 14:09
Third Time’s a Charm for F/V Paige Marie
When owner David Sorensen brought his 58-foot seiner F/V Paige Marie into the Columbia River last December, his 42-year old steel boat was showing its age, despite regular maintenance since he bought it in 1998. He was heading for the Tongue Point ramp on the east side of Astoria where J & H Boatworks has been modernizing good old boats with hull extensions, new houses and systems since 2006. Like the Tongue Point Industrial Area, formerly a WWII navy base, the Paige Marie also had a long history and a lot of miles under her keel. Read the rest here 13:55
Group led by Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance buys ARC hatchery
The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance was the first to sign on to the effort to purchase the business about eight months ago, according to a joint statement from non-profit organizations, local legislators and towns that has been working on the project. The non-profit group was successful in sparking the interest of several investors, including Wellfleet Shellfish Promotion and Tasting which oversees that town’s OysterFest, and “a consortium of Cape Cod families who understood the important role shellfish play in the local economy and environment,” Read the rest here 13:18
Fish skin fashion is coming to the catwalks
What’s more, fish leather is an eco-friendly material; a byproduct of the food industry. “We only use fish skins from the food industry, which would otherwise go to waste,” says Sirpa. She admits, however, that it is not the easiest material to handle. “We order our materials from small fish tanneries, and the technology we use to produce the fish leather is kind of a commercial secret,” she smiles. “I can only tell you that it is quite a complicated process with many stages, including cleaning the raw fish skins and taking the oils away, followed by drying and dying. Read the rest here 09:20
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for Aug. 17, 2015
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here 09:03
Making a Living in Maine: ‘Diving for Scallops’
For James Sewell, diving for scallops on the ocean floor off Maine’s jagged coastline transcends making a living – it’s what keeps him alive. In 2009 Mr. Sewell lost his right arm in a snowmobile accident. Less than a year later, he plunged back into the familiar cold sea, unsure if he could still dive. Just a few decades ago, hundreds of fishermen in Maine made a living harvesting sea scallops by hand along the ocean floor (“diver scallops,” as opposed to “day-boat scallops,” which are harvested by boats that drag nets across the ocean floor). Now, with scallop populations under pressure, Mr. Sewell is one of only about 30 active scallop divers left in his state. Read the rest here 08:01
