Daily Archives: September 6, 2015
Shrimp: a Little Creature’s Big Impact by Matt Rhoney
Shrimp has had a wide-ranging set of influences on the United States. This buggy little sea-creature has brought cash flow into our economy, nutrients into our bodies, and life into our culture. No matter where you live, you’ve definitely felt their impact. The next time you think of shrimp, remember the outsized impact of these pint-sized crustaceans. Economics: For huge populations of people, particularly those living in maritime climates, shrimp are more than cute critters; they’re a main source of livelihood. In Louisiana, fishermen landed around,,, Read the rest here 17:09
UPDATED: Commercial Fishing Vessel Caledonian capsizes off Tofino, B.C., three dead
A commercial fishing boat capsized off the coast of Vancouver Island overnight Saturday, killing at least two men. The boat capsized about 50 kilometres west of Tofino, B.C., according to Lieutenant Nicole Murillo, with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, Murillo said. Three Coast Guard boats and a helicopter continued to search for a third person Sunday. Rescue crews located one survivor, who was found wearing a life jacket and floating on a safety raft. He was taken to a Victoria hospital by cruise ship. Read the rest here 16:08
Federal models for saving the species have proved faulty as Feds scramble to avoid another mass salmon die-off in the Sacramento River
Larry Collins, a commercial fisherman operating out of Pier 45 in San Francisco, said that in the fight over water, the fishing industry – and wild fish – lack the political clout compared with municipal and agricultural interests.“I’ve been around a long time, and I’ve fought the battle for a long time, and I’ve watched the water stolen from the fish,” he said. “The fish are in tough shape because their water is growing almonds down in the valley. To me, it’s just outright theft of the people’s resource for the self-aggrandizement of a few, you know?” “You got money you can buy anything,” he added. “You can buy extinction.” Read the rest here 12:57
Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance Weekly Update, September 6, 2015
The Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance is dedicated to its mission of continuing to help create sustainable fisheries without putting licensed fishermen out of business.” Read the update here To read all the updates, click here 12:04
Campbell: Flounder changes fishy
When I was a boy we could walk out on the shore of our Neuse River summer home, cast out a line on a rod and reel and catch enough good-sized Croakers for supper in about an hour. Many an afternoon was spent “crabbing.” We would tie a fish head on a string, weighting it down it with several nails or a lead sinker, throw it in the river and before long a Blue crab would be tugging on your line. Using a pole net we could usually catch enough for momma to make a delicious crab stew. Those “good old days” are long gone for reasons that include topsoil runoff, sewerage spills and pollution, but chief among them is the overfishing of our waters by commercial fishermen. Read the rest here 10:51
New England – Experts Say Wasteful Fishing Regulations Not Keeping Pace With Climate Change
Hundreds of thousands of pounds of valuable fish caught off Connecticut’s coast are thrown overboard every year, and 80 percent of them are dead by the time they hit the water, experts say. Commercial fishermen, environmentalists and state officials say a prime reason for such a stunning waste of a natural resource is an out-of-date federal regulatory system that hasn’t kept up with the realities of a changing climate and shifting fish populations. “The whole construct of the [regulatory] system needs to be questioned,” said Curt Johnson. Read the rest here 09:26
Activity increasing all along New Bedford Harbor
The Port of New Bedford is not only home to the vastly profitable scallop industry, making it the No. 1 value fishing port in the nation, it is also the No. 2 commercial port in Massachusetts, after Boston. Commercial and recreational activity in the port has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, with an occasional setback. Shoreside fish processors, meanwhile, are bringing in fish from other sources to be put through value-added processing before shipping to distributors. Read the rest here 07:45
