Monthly Archives: September 2015
Northeast Fisheries Science Center say’s key fishing area for Atlantic cod in dire shape
New data from the
says research boats caught less of the fish this past spring than in all but one spring season dating back to 1968. A report from the centre, given to The Associated Press on Tuesday, states that the boats caught about 3.3 pounds of cod each time the net went in and out of the water last spring, compared to more than three times that amount two years earlier. “Is that coming as a surprise from anybody who knows what the water temperature is out there? No, it shouldn’t be,” said David Goethel, a New Hampshire-based fisherman. “These fish are declining because of climate change.” Read the rest here 22:13
The “West Coast Salmon Fishery Elimination Act.” – H.R. 2898 to help agribusinesses
Salmon, and the fishing community, are in trouble. This year, fishermen are seeing some of the worst landings ever of California king salmon. The fish we’re catching are scrawny and hard to find. Nevertheless, Congress is considering legislation to undermine laws that protect salmon, in order to divert more water for a few California industrial irrigators. The House recently passed H.R. 2898, the by Congressman David Valadao (R-California). More accurately, it is the “West Coast Salmon Fishery Elimination Act.” Read the rest here 20:05
FISHFEST – First Fish and Fleet connects California coastsiders to their seafood!
The family-style event was meant to raise awareness of the local commercial fishing industry by introducing the public to those who actually go out to sea to do it. The food trucks lining the parking area helped. Each of them offered a dish made with fresh fish from a boat kept at the harbor.Sam’s Chowdermobile offered chilipepper rockfish and chips caught by the fishing vessel “Mr. Morgan.” A booth representing Beyond the Border in El Granada offered black cod or black gill tacos made with fish from the “Moriah Lee. Read the rest here 19:02
Lobstermen, DMR talk state of lobster fishing
“We realize a fairly large amount of people want to transfer from other zones, and we are looking into that,” Keliher replied. Lobsterman Steve Taylor, of Kittery, said “I’m sorry if this is going to offend people, but what about the people who are on the waiting list that already have a cushy job somewhere and just want to make extra money lobstering? That worries us. We depend on this for out living. Everything else in the industry has been taken away.” Read the rest here 17:46
Former Patriot Jarvis Green stumps for small boat fishermen
Former 
says federal fishing managers need to do a better job of protecting the futures of New England’s community fishermen. Green joined a group called the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance on Wednesday to lobby regulators to urge them to consider small fishermen when setting policy. Green relayed his experience growing up around shrimpers in his home state of Louisiana and talked about the challenges faced by today’s fishermen around the country. He says fishermen “mean a lot” to New England’s economy and they deserve support. Read the rest here 17:07
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 56′ Steel Lobster/Gillnetter
Specifications, information, and 16 photo’s click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 14:59
Our View: Fishery management needs balance
The requirement for consistency, above, might explain why Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator John Bullard told Rep. Ayotte that “eliminating overfishing” supersedes all other priorities. The Standard-Times is having a very difficult time trying to understand why a policy that will have such a clear negative impact on fishermen is being instituted when the beneficial impact on the resource — the fishery — is so unclear. Stock assessments are still determined by limited statistical sampling, which in addition to providing disputed results on stock health,,, Read the rest here 11:31
Gulf Stream ring water intrudes onto continental shelf like ‘Pinocchio’s nose’
Ocean robots installed off the coast of Massachusetts have helped scientists understand a previously unknown process by which warm Gulf Stream water and colder waters of the continental shelf exchange. The process occurs when offshore waters, originating in the tropics, intrude onto the Mid-Atlantic Bight shelf and meet the waters originating in regions near the Arctic. This process can greatly affect shelf circulation, biogeochemistry and fisheries. “I showed the glider data to a group of commercial fisherman back in April, in Rhode Island, and they were very surprised,” Read the rest here 11:05
Aleutians monument labeled threat, derided as ‘straw man’
Alaska Congressman Don Young and other Republicans on the House Natural Resources Committee Tuesday morning attacked the idea that President Obama might create a marine national monument around the Aleutian Islands, with unknown effects on the fishing industry. “I’ve watched this over and over: The creeping cancer of the federal government overreaching,” Young said. “The worst managers of any resource is the federal government. They do not manage. They preclude.” The idea of protecting the waters of the Aleutian Chain came from environmentalist and retired UAA professor Rick Steiner. Read the rest here 10:38
Cape Town fishing vessel swamped by high seas – Search called off in fishing sea drama
The death toll of Sunday’s sea drama in which a well-known Cape Town fishing vessel was swamped by high seas has officially been pegged at 12 after a search for one missing crewman was called off on Monday night. The fishing company, Viking Fishing, has, however, requested that passing vessels continue to keep a lookout for the body of the lost man, as well as those of two other men who were seen disappearing under the waves during the rescue attempts on Sunday night. Meanwhile, the wife of one of the victims of the fishing trawler disaster still believes her husband is swimming back home. Read the rest here 10:01
Fisheries observer program spawns more questions
The fisheries observer program that looms over the industry in the Northeast won’t go out for public comment until at least December, the New England Fisheries Management Council decided Tuesday. Years in the making, the preliminary draft of the measure numbers about 500 pages, testimony to the complexity of the effort. Then there is the cost, which the council staff researched and broke down. It detailed the costs of what the industry will have to pay, and what it will cost the government. Read the rest here 09:24
Our view: Loss of Large Pelagics Research Center a blow to Gloucester
It is difficult to think of the departure of the as anything less than a great loss for Gloucester. Officials from the facility, associated with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst since 2010, announced earlier this week that the center will move from Hodgkins Cove to Boston, and change its affiliation within the university system. UMass Boston’s gain is Gloucester’s loss. During its time at Hodgkins Cove, the center’s research on bluefin tuna and other highly migratory pelagic species drew international attention. Read the rest here 08:46
State probe faults DEC search, seizure policies on fishing
A state agency charged with policing Long Island’s fisheries failed to process years of vital fishing reports, had inadequate procedures for returning proceeds seized in fishing arrests and improperly allowed , a state probe has found. The findings follow a three-year probe of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation by state Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott. Newsday obtained a draft copy of the report, which is scheduled to be released this week after years of delays. Read the rest here 00:39
New Bedford crab fisherman opposes ‘National Marine Monument’ for Atlantic
“It’s very scary,” said Williams, owner of New Bedford’s 
. that employs nearly 150 people. “We have to fish these areas. That’s where the red crab live – at these depths,” he said. Roger Fleming, an attorney with Earth Justice, argued in favor of the marine monument in a recent blog post saying “a broad coalition of scientists, small business owners, fishermen, faith groups, civic leaders, and conservationists have sent a clear message that we need to save these ecologically important places before irreparable damage is done,,, Read the rest here 18:19
Gig Harbor resident, longtime fisherman drowns while fishing in San Francisco
His friends say nearly everyone in the town knew Rex Bryan Parish, a longtime Gig Harbor resident and 1973 Peninsula High School graduate. Parish, 60, died earlier this month after falling off a pier and drowning while on a commercial fishing trip in San Francisco, said a longtime friend, Kenton Bennett. “He fished with half of everyone in the Harbor at some point,” Bennett said. “Everybody knows him. It’s unbelievable the number of people who know him.” Parish had been squid fishing on the Erin Carroll, based out of Ventura, California,,, Read the rest here 15:04
Great news for Newfoundland Fishermen and Consumers – Province relaxes regulations on local fish purchases
People and restaurants in Newfoundland and Labrador will now be able to purchase local seafood as the government makes legislative changes to allow for the direct sale of fish. In a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Fisheries Minister Vaughn Granter said amendments have been made to allow for direct fish sales from fish landing stations or harvesters’ establishments to individuals and restaurants. The new rules allow for the sale of finfish, live crustaceans, squid, seal meat and scallop meat to individuals for personal consumption. There will be no limitations on personal consumption. Read the rest here 14:25
FREE! Fishing Partnership Support Services SAFETY & SURVIVAL TRAINING – Scituate, Ma. OCTOBER 1 & 2
This hands-on training, provided at no cost to commercial fishermen, is sponsored by Fishing Partnership Support Services, and conducted by Coast Guard Certified Marine Safety Instructors. The one day program includes: on-board firefighting, man-overboard procedures, flooding & pump operations, flares & EPIRBS, survival suits, life raft equipment, man overboard and helicopter hoist procedures and first aid. Lunch is provided courtesy of Ocean Marine Insurance Agency. The training is supported by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership (MFP). Read the rest here 11:19
Muskegon County man catches 600-pound tuna during Massachusetts vacation
In West Michigan, landing a 30-pound salmon is cause for serious bragging rights, but Norton Shores resident Tom Kresnak has a bigger fish story than that. Kresnak took a couple of charter boat trips out of Gloucester, Mass. during vacation a few weeks ago, and on one of the trips he helped reel in a 600-pound tuna. Tuna fishing has enjoyed increased popularity these days due to Wicked Tuna, a reality TV series on the National Geographic Channel. Kresnak is a fan and hoped for the best. “The whole purpose of the trip was this, to go tuna fishing,” he said. “I wanted the real experience.” Read the rest here 10:40
OC harbor dredging may see additional study
What is causing the commercial fishing harbor in West Ocean City to fill up with sand? If things go Rep. Mary Beth Carozza’s (R-38C-Wicomico-Worcester) way, there may be an answer by next year. Earlier this year, the mounting issue of the harbor’s depth came to a head and Carozza organized a stakeholder meeting to address it. Parts of the Inlet and harbor were filling up with sand every few months, watermen said, and wasn’t keeping pace. Read the rest here 09:50
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for September 28, 2015
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here 09:34
Not wanting to be left out of the bin three money.
“The first round was money distributed by the federal government to permit holders who caught 5,000 pounds of ground fish in either 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013,” explained Claire Fitzgerald, policy analyst for the Chatham-based Cape Cod Commercial Fisherman’s Alliance. However, there was a second larger “bin” of $8.3 million, and the net was cast wider; permit holders who caught 3,000 pounds of ground fish, in either 2009, 2010, 2011 or 2012 were eligible. But many local permit holders, who switched their targeted fish, or didn’t land a lot of cod, were left out. With the final $6.7 million (bin 3) about to be allotted the Alliance was worried the field was tipping towards the bigger ports of New Bedford and Gloucester Read the rest here 09:07
33 crew members of foreign fishing boat held after high-speed sea chase
Malaysian coastguards fired warning shots amid a high-speed sea chase that ended with the arrests of 33 crew members of a foreign fishing boat in waters off Pulau Billean in Sabah’s east coast Sandakan district. In relating the incident near Pulau Billean, close to Sabah’s border with Philippines, Capt Razak said that an MMEA patrol team spotted the foreign fishing boat surrounded by their crewmen in rafts fishing for squids in the area. “On seeing our patrol boat, the skipper pulled up his anchor and immediately fled leaving some of his crewmen,,, Read the rest here 08:32
Papal Encyclical Draws Harsh Critique from Peru’s Private Fishery Sector
Elena Conterno is a former minister of production for the Peruvian government and she has served as president of the National Fisheries Society of Peru since 2013. It’s an important position: Peru lays claim to one of the planet’s most productive commercial fisheries, with a world market for more than 6 million tons of fish for animal feed, fertilizer and human consumption annually. Conterno’s role as a policy maker and lobbyist is highly influential. She spoke with journalist Justin Catanoso about Peru’s fisheries, government regulations, the poor, and her views on Pope Francis’ encyclical on environmental protection. The interview was edited for length and clarity. Read the rest here 20:37
Geez, Louise!!! Maine DMR seeks to reduce waiting times for lobster licenses
Fishermen are used to having to wait until they catch something, but there are many in Maine who don’t think it is right that they should have to wait a decade or more to catch lobster. The state Department of Marine Resources agrees that the waiting list for lobster licenses in most fishing zones along the coast is too long and, if possible, something should be done to reduce the time it takes to get a license. “What do people on the waiting list want?” Keliher asked the group, most of whom were fishermen with and waiting for lobster licenses. “They want predictability.” Read the rest here 19:55
Don’t fall for the deep-sea scaremongers – wild fishing is healthy and sustainable
Fishermen can’t win. The harder they work, the more successful they are, the more they are apparently despised. Take Scotland, for instance, where the EU (heavily influenced by well-financed NGO lobby groups) is attempting to exclude fishermen from large areas of the sea off the west coast that they may have fished for generations. Most fishermen agree with conservationists that there is a need to protect deep-sea coral and other vulnerable ecosystems far beneath the waves. Read the rest here 17:16
TRADEX 3MMI – Salmon Market Instability, Cod and Pollock Pricing on the Rise
We anticipate a smaller run and smaller fish size this year. Overall, there is still market instability for sockeye salmon right now. Market pricing is heading up for once frozen Cod and Pollock as well. Click here to watch this weeks TRADEX 3MMI 16:56
Who’s really in charge of U.S. fisheries? – Nils Stolpe, FishnetUSA
An Oligarchy is defined as “a country, business, etc., that is controlled by a small group of people” – Ancient City Shrimp is an eight minute YouTube video (Click here) produced by the St. Augustine Lighthouse Museum that examines St. Augustine’s past as one of several centers of commercial shrimping in Florida. Unfortunately – or perhaps tragically is a better fit – Florida’s shrimp fleet is only a shadow of what it once was. One of the reasons for this is the imposition of unrealistic regulations on U.S. shrimpers that has made the fishery much less profitable than it used to be. A history lesson or two. Read the rest here 16:27
N.E. Fishery Management Council Meeting – Plymouth, MA, September 29-October 1, 2015, Listen Live
Read the Agenda here Register to attend the meeting via webinar here 12:04
Southern Flounder – Disputed fisheries studies: Politics or inexact science?
Science plays a big role in managing fisheries. Scientists assess fish stocks, migration patterns, environmental issues — useful data that allow regulators to set policy. We expect our science to be accurate and unaffected by politics, and as citizens, we expect political actors to treat science in the same manner.,, Yet a series of e-mails found their way into the public domain from a 2007 round-robin discussion among several N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries scientists trying to peg a mortality rate for speckled seatrout caught by recreational anglers. See video It would take a few hundred words to demonstrate where science goes off the rails and how other factors, including interest group reactions, exert an influence on what is expected to be an unbiased, fact-driven process. Read the rest here 10:30
North Pacific industry officials – Five year Coast Guard dockside safety examinations are far too infrequent.
The Coast Guard will require commercial fishing vessels to undergo dockside safety examinations only once every five years, a move that North Pacific industry officials are protesting as far too infrequent. The industry officials want the exams, which become mandatory Oct. 15, to be required every two years so that the Coast Guard has a better chance of spotting torn survival suits, malfunctioning alarms and other safety problems. Read the rest here 09:23
