Daily Archives: October 6, 2015
Fisheries commission delays vote on southern flounder and Sammy don’t like it!
The Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina has written to the commission chairman, Sammy Corbett, saying it is “infuriated” at his decision not to take up the topic until the next scheduled meeting, in mid-November. In August, Corbett said a special meeting would be held in September to consider the restrictions. “This is not your commission, but a governor-appointed body that includes diverse interests, tasked with the duty to safeguard and manage public fisheries resources for all of the citizens of North Carolina,” Bud Abbott, the organization’s president, wrote. Read the rest here 19:59
A Fishery Policy Action – Fishermen walk out of Fisheries Management Council meeting
Dozens of local fisherman, from Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and even New Orleans – most wearing bright orange “Who Fishes Matters” shirts – joined voices to produce a wail of dismay over regional fishing policies that they believe are eradicating both the fish and community-based fishing. “Who Fishes Matters” is a slogan of the North Atlantic Marine Alliance. Fishermen like Ed Barrett, skipper of the Plymouth-based fishing vessel (F/V) Phoenix, whose voice cracked as he spoke outside the conference room after a large group of fisherman had walked out of a meeting of the New England Fisheries Management Council (NEFMC). Read the rest here 19:04
Newfoundland and Labrador Economy: Fishing on Solid Ground
Amidst the recent volatility of oil and mineral production, the fishery has been a steadfast economic driver for Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly in rural areas. Many thought that the collapse of key groundfish stocks in the early 1990s was the death knell for rural Newfound- land and Labrador. Now, two decades later, even a trade as ancient as the fishery is showing that it’s capable of change in modern markets. “We fished mainly cod back then, but when the moratorium came on,,, Read the rest here 17:37
Costa Rica stands with fishermen – will not protect any shark species of “commercial interest”
Luis, spotting globe trotter clf Peter Shelley in the crowd, issues the Green one finger salute, which we edited out for the children.
In a move that is being condemned by numerous conservation groups, the government of Costa Rican president, Luis Guillermo Solis has promised the commercial fishing sector that it will “not propose or support” the inclusion of shark species with commercial value to be protected in Costa Rican waters – or anywhere, for that matter – regardless if such species are threatened or endangered. The government will also actively take part in the promotion of shark fin exports, which will unleash an Enviro backlash that will rival the demonstrations when Keystone X finally,,,,,,, Read the rest here 15:43
Long Island Fishermen Say Governor And Investigators Failed Them – Violating fishermen’s basic rights for decades
Commercial fishermen this week scoffed at a long-awaited report on an investigation of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, saying the report was a hollow failure by State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott’s office to hold the DEC accountable for “institutionalized violations of fishermen’s basic rights for decades,” said an attorney who has represented several fishermen from East Hampton and Hampton Bays. Read the rest here 14:55
Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters’ Federation – Major shift in fisheries thinking as parties vie for coastal vote
A major political shift in fisheries thinking is taking place amongst Canada’s political parties as they compete for the coastal vote according to the survey results released today by the country’s national fishermen’s organization. “There is a recognition across the political spectrum that sustainable fisheries are not just about the ecology and economy; they are about the social values Canadians hold dearly” Christian Brun, President of the Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters’ Federation said. “All the parties are saying that who fishes matters, the community they fish out of matters, and how fishery benefits are distributed matters. Furthermore they are saying that our fisheries policies and laws need to reflect and protect these values”, Brun said. Read the rest here 12:42
New trawl door design from Morgére significantly reduces seabed contact
Morgére will for the first time be exhibiting an innovative new type of trawl door known as the ‘Jumper’ that has been designed to minimise contact with the seabed. A model of the Jumper door will be on display on the Morgére stand at next week’s Itechmer 2015 exhibition in Lorient (14 to 16 October). Rather than having continual contact with the seabed when demersal trawling, the door is designed in such a way that it only intermittently hits the bottom before jumping up again. This delivers environmental benefits by significantly reducing contact time on the sea floor. Read the rest here 12:02
It’s time for 1906 Antiquities Act to be drastically reformed or scrapped altogether.
Clearly, the intent of creating these monuments has nothing to do with historical or cultural preservation. As Maine Gov. Paul LePage rightly noted, the designations would “serve only one purpose — excluding commercial fishing activity from certain segments of the ocean.” While the areas in question already enjoy a great deal of protection from destructive practices like trawling and dredging, environmental advocates are hopeful that a national monument would end all fishing activity by means of executive fiat. Read the rest here 11:24
Delta Prince Edward Hotel donates 200 lobsters Upper Room soup kitchen
People dining at the Upper Room soup kitchen in Charlottetown were given a rare treat recently after the Delta Prince Edward donated more than 200 cooked and cracked lobsters. Donna Richards, who works at the soup kitchen, says the hotel called offering her seven crates of lobsters. “I was pretty happy to get them because the clients love them,” she said. “One lady came up and said that was the first lobster she had this year, and she was crying when she came up to the window. Made me feel pretty good, because we can give them something that they never had before.” Read the rest here 10:17
Not clear how TPP will affect fishery, says FFAW’s Keith Sullivan
The president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union says it’s not yet clear how the 
deal reached this week will affect Newfoundland and Labrador’s fishing industry. On Monday, a 12-nation tariff-cutting trade deal was reached that will see the participating countries enjoy a significant drop in tariffs almost across the board. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper says the deal with “without any doubt” in Canada’s best interests. But FFAW president Keith Sullivan said he’s still not sure how significantly the agreement will affect fish harvesters in this province. Read the rest here 09:38
Atty. Gen. Lynch: Deepwater settlement historic (it ain’t enough)
The justice department says a settlement to resolve claims against BP for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico deepwater horizon
oil spill is ‘historic’. The agreement with the five Gulf States affected is worth billions in civil claims. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch made the announcement at the department of justice Monday: (Loretta Lynch) “Today, I am pleased to announce, that we have secured an historic resolution of our pending claims against BP totaling more than 20-billion dollars, making it the largest settlement with a single entity in American history,,, Read the rest here 09:08
New Hampshire: NOAA monitoring fee will kill local fishing industry
Local fishermen say the looming cost of paying $700 per day, for at-sea monitors, could put them out of business by the end of the year. It’s a threat that everyone should take seriously. “The day I really have to pay for this is the day I stop going fishing,” says David Goethel, a commercial fisherman from Hampton. “The airlines do not pay for the TSA, agribusiness does not pay for meat inspection, and pharmaceutical companies do not pay for the FDA, to name a few,” Goethel said. “These are considered functions of government and so is catch monitoring.” Read the rest here 08:40
Mixed messages for the New England fishing industry
Last week brought a mix of news for the region’s fishermen, some of it straight-out bad, some offering a glimmer of hope for the future of one of New England’s oldest industries. We’ll start with the bad news — the state’s rejection of the so-called “Gloucester Plan” for distributing the last batch of U.S. fishery disaster aid to Massachusetts fishermen with federal permits. Instead, the stead opted for a plan with much lower standards. Allowing a boat with one monitored trip in a year to qualify for disaster aid seems an overly lax standard. Read the rest here 08:07
