Daily Archives: October 25, 2015
The lure of the sea, a lifelong debt trap for fishermen
When in rough weather the waves rise up, it can take all a man’s strength and then some for a fisherman to overcome. There’s wit, skill and experience in sea fishing, and beyond that prayer and perhaps a little luck… The open sea: it’s no place for an octogenarian. But for Taiyab Ali Sarder of Chitholiya village in Pirojpur Sadar upazila, regularly returning to the sea in his twilight years is the only option. “There’s none to bear our family’s expenses,” he says. It’s rather the need to repay advance loan money called dadan to his master, the boat owner, which chains Sarder to the sea. His story is not unique. Read the rest here 19:14
Long Island restaurant owner receives 23-pound, 95-year-old lobster
A lobster that spent 95 years in the sea was a sight to behold when it was finally captured. The mammoth, 23-pound shellfish was finally captured and sent to a Long Island restaurant where it’s been a big talking point for the owner and his customers for the past week. Steve Jordan, owner of Jordan Lobster Farms seafood restaurant and market in Island Park, got a heads up about the surprising catch by the fisherman who nabbed the large crustacean in the Bay of Fundy in Canada. But he was not prepared for what was delivered Read the rest here 13:10
Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance Weekly Update, OCT 25, 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 12:12
Life as a lobsterman: Better times, but it’s still a struggle.
SEABROOK — After a windy morning 9 miles off New Hampshire’s coast, Charles Knowles and his brother transferred 216 pounds of live lobster with their bare hands into plastic bins on Knowles’ docked fishing boat during Wednesday’s lunch hour. Some of his catch was destined for dinner tables this weekend. A man with a winch pulled up several plastic bins from Knowles’ 32-footer at the Yankee Fisherman’s Cooperative, nestled between salt flats and Route 1A. For his efforts, Knowles will earn $4.10 a pound — or $886 for the day’s catch. Read the rest here 11:37
Office of the State Auditor is looking at a potential audit of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries
Dr. Louis Daniel, DMF director, confirmed Friday the division has been contacted about a potential audit. He said he received a letter from the OSA on Thursday. However, the letter didn’t include any details, such as the audit’s focus. News-Times staff contacted Bill Holmes, media contact for the OSA, with questions about the audit, including the reason for an audit. Mr. Holmes wouldn’t say who requested an audit of the division or why; he said at this point, the OSA is “just asking the DMF a few questions to help us evaluate whether we need to do any additional work. Read the rest here 10:24
Capt. Jack Hansen of Morro Bay
Captain Jack Hansen, 85, a long-time Morro Bay commercial fisherman, crossed the bar peacefully on August 22, 2015, at the home of his daughter, of whom his cherished boat, “The Darlene,” built with his own hands, was named after. At his side, of course, was his beloved cat and best friend, Morris. While fisherman and friends cheered him on, Jack regretfully left his boat for the last time just days ago, refusing assistance and stating, “By God, I’ve done it all these years, I can do it one more time!” As he was leaving, he placed his hands on the stern, and expressed gratitude for his boat aloud, “Thanks for the wonderful life, providing for my family and keeping them safe.” Read the rest here 09:48
Senate Passes Legislation to Combat Pirate Fishing
The Senate unanimously passed the Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act of 2015. In May, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced legislation to combat the multi-billion dollar threat posed by illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. The legislation is the House companion to the Senate bill, which passed the House of Representatives in July. The bill now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. Read the rest here 08:38
Don Cuddy: Collaborative research can save the New England groundfish industry
The data used for fish stock assessment in the Northeast is derived primarily from the annual spring and fall surveys conducted by the Henry B. Bigelow, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s 208-foot research vessel. The results are largely distrusted by many fishermen who contend that NOAA is using the wrong bottom-trawl gear on a vessel that is in any case too large for the task. Furthermore, fishermen say, random sampling of the vast survey area is not sufficient to develop an accurate picture of stock abundance. Read the rest here 08:07
