Daily Archives: September 4, 2015
Fishing vessel groundings prompt alert on fatigue dangers
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a safety alert following an increase in the number of groundings on Alaskan shorelines involving uninspected commercial fishing vessels. Since July 14, 2015, a total of 16 reported groundings have occurred. In a number of investigations, it was learned that the captain or crewmembers on the vessel had fallen asleep at the wheel after working extensive hours over several days. The safety alert (No 8-15 “Asleep at the wheel: When fatigue catches up”) says that fatigue may have been a causal factor in many of these groundings. Read the rest here 17:08
Summer season was the perfect storm for some Southeast trollers
“We had small fish, poor price, bad weather, and also no fish or very few fish,” said Matthew Donohoe, a fishermen from Sitka. He has been fishing for nearly 40 years and said it’s been the strangest Coho season he’s ever seen. “That all added up to quite a whammy for the troll fleet.” Dale Kelley is the Executive Director of the Alaska Trollers Association. She said this is the year that she has dreaded. “This is the year where our King salmon quota is too low, and Coho are coming in about average with a poor price and that is about, it’s one of the worst scenarios,,, Read the rest here 16:44
South Atlantic – More no-fishing zones unjustified – Rep. Steven Goldfinch
Of the 59 snapper-grouper species managed by the SAFMC, just six are now considered experiencing overfishing or are overfished. None of the mandatory fishery rebuilding plans require any additional closed fishing areas for success. Until the SAFMC and NOAA can properly assess spawning activity and other fishery biological information within the existing MPAs, it’s wrong and unfair to fishermen and fishing communities to close more fishing areas without solid justification. Read the rest here 16:19
Niaz Dorry of Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance – Top 10 Myths About Seafood, Fisheries, and Marine Conservation
To me, from the start it was these similarities that were the untold story of the ocean and fisheries work. Some of the items on the list – like #1 – were clear to me from day one. Others emerged as I learned more. My convictions about this list are a manifestation of my instincts that are often reinforced through experience and information. 10. We need stability, so we can’t change the current system. This is code word for maintaining status quo. In some ways, they are right; we can’t change the current system. At least not in ways that will matter, so at some point we will need to start from scratch. It’s like a bad batch of dough. Nothing you do is going to fix it. In the end, you’ll have a loaf of brick. Time to start anew. And this time,,, Read the rest here 15:17
Cheers & Jeers, Treasures that washed ashore this week – Cape fishermen deserve fair share
While many commercial fishermen, especially big-boat crews out of New Bedford and Gloucester, blame the federal government for the dismal state of the New England fishing industry, the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance prefers to work with the federal government to manage sustainable fisheries. For example, the Alliance wants to help the feds collect accurate information about fish stocks to help improve fisheries science. In other words, they do not point fingers; they are problem solvers. Which is one reason why we think,,, Read the rest here 11:32
Federal regulators are eyeing a possible moratorium on eel fishing in Delaware waters
The National Marine Fisheries Service is reviewing a referral from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission that found Delaware out of compliance with the interstate management plan for American eel, whose numbers are depleted.If the national agency determines that Delaware failed to carry out its responsibilities, and that the measures the state failed to implement are necessary for conservation, then it must declare a moratorium on eel fishing in Delaware waters. A determination must be made by Sept. 18. link 10:24
Lobster Fisherman loses hand in lobster boat accident
A 51-year-old lobster fisherman from West Point, P.E.I., remains in hospital in Halifax, following a frightening accident at sea on Saturday that resulted in the loss of his hand. Carol Livingstone said her son Trent was injured when he was trying to haul up some lobster traps that had become stuck in the sand. But the trap line broke and flew up in the air. “Trent put his right hand up to keep it from falling on his head and it wrapped around his hand so tightly,” said Livingstone. Read the rest here 09:38
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami ‘sad’ to lose EU seal ban legal challenge
Yesterday, the Court of Justice of the European Union announced that it had dismissed a legal appeal from ITK and a group of hunters and other sealing advocates, who argued that the ban is unlawful. “We don’t have the deep pockets like the animal rights groups and that’s what’s maddening about this,” said ITK President Terry Audla. “It angers me that whoever has the deepest pockets can actually influence legislation. That’s just not right.” Last May, the World Trade Organization’s appellate body upheld a decision that linked the trade ban to moral objections against the seal hunt. Read the rest here 09:22
City of Gloucester seeks director for Fisheries Commission
The quest to appoint an executive director of the Gloucester Fisheries Commission continues, with interim Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken saying she hopes to fill the paid position by the end of the year. The position, which has been vacant since Vito Calomo left it almost two decades ago, remains on the books and Romeo Theken and the members of the seem to be in strong agreement that the time has come to put someone back in the job.“ The Mayor said, “This would be someone not only to advocate for all of our fishermen and fishing-related industries, but enhance the profile of the city of Gloucester.” Read the rest here 09:00
Sad news from Alaska today – John Enge (Jr.) passes over the bar
John established the www.alaskacafe.blogspot.com on fisheries. He was a relentless champion of integrity for the fishermen of the State of Alaska and beyond. He lived an exemplary family life, caring for his family under often demanding challenges, and his sons served well in the US military during MidEast campaigns, and so much more….Formerly a Fisheries Infrastructure Development Specialist, with Alaska Dept of Commerce, a fish plant manager etc. https://www.blogger.com/profile/07287813394824547601 Many examples of his writing are on his website, for example, on the CFA concept for Kodiak, see: http://alaskacafe.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-cfa-or-rsda-for-community-benefit.html John had a brain cancer called a glioblastoma. Rest easy, John, you left this world a better place. 08:22
