Daily Archives: November 12, 2015
First Nations seek meeting with fisheries minister
Members of the First Nations Wild Salmon Alliance in British Columbia have written to federal 
, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss plunging salmon returns in the province’s rivers. The alliance’s Chief Bob Chamberlin says six million sockeye salmon were forecast for the Fraser River this year, but only two million fish arrived, while 14 million pink salmon were expected, but barely one-third showed up. Read the rest here 18:56
Gov. Cuomo Sinks Proposed Gas Terminal Off Long Island
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has rejected a proposal to build a liquefied natural gas terminal in the waters off New York and New Jersey, effectively killing the project amid an outcry from residents of some coastal communities that it could endanger the environment and be a target for terrorists. The deep-water docking station known as Port Ambrose was to be built 19 miles off Jones Beach on Long Island and 29 miles off Long Brach, New Jersey. Liberty Natural Gas LLC, the company vying to develop Port Ambrose, said the port would allow it to inject natural gas into the New York-area pipeline,,, Read the rest here 17:55
Europeche accuses Pew of defending the ideas of “false and contrary” to the weight and impact science discussion forums, advisory councils and ideas.
As fishermen provide more and more data and reap the benefits of their efforts to curb by-catches and fish more sustainably through technical methods so the big NGOs will respond in ever more aggressive ways as the evidence begins to undermine their attempts to indirectly and directly influence legislators – in this instance they have upset Europeche who have accused the Pew Foundation (an American charity like the Oak Foundation which sees fit to fund many anti-fishing activities here in Europe – High Fearnley-Whittingstall’s infamous FishFight being one to the tune of,,, Read the rest here 15:00
Sylvia Earle says our Taste for “Aquatic Bushmeat” is Killing the Sea – She is wrong!
A recent Newsweek article titled, “Our Taste for ‘Aquatic Bushmeat’ is Killing the Sea
” comments on the state of worldwide fisheries as food. The article uses interviews with Sylvia Earle and the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance to paint a bleak picture of the state of worldwide seafood. The article claims that 90% of fish in the ocean had been removed in the last half-century and 90% of the worlds stocks were unsustainably harvested (since corrected to 29%). Likening fish to “aquatic bushmeat” Sylvia Earle admonishes people who don’t think about what kind of fish they eat or where the fish is from. Read the rest here 13:42
Chinook salmon numbers surge in U.S. Northwest’s Columbia river system
Chinook salmon are swimming in nearly unprecedented numbers this fall through the U.S. Northwest’s Columbia River system, a federal official said on Wednesday, even as fish advocates worry about forecasts for unusually hot, dry conditions ahead. The Bonneville Power Administration has counted 1.2 million returning to spawn in the Columbia and Snake river systems, which run through Oregon and Washington states, since Aug. 1. It is the second-highest autumn run since fish counts began in 1938, Joel Scruggs, a spokesman for the federal agency, said. Read the rest here 12:09
Tropical storm Kate to bring high winds, waves to southern Grand Banks
Environment Canada has issued a tropical cyclone information statement for Newfoundland in relation to tropical storm Kate. The weather office says Kate is transitioning to a post-tropical storm and will have no direct effects over land. However, it will give bring strong winds to the southern Grand Banks today. The system is about 720 kilometres south of Cape Race, with maximum sustained winds of 110 km per hour. Its current movement is east-northeast at 56 km/hour.
Environment Canada also says waves near seven metres are possible not far from the storm centre. Read the rest here 11:15
Gardaí raid premises after fishermen trafficking claim
Gardaí have raided a number of premises and the naval service has arrested a fishing boat in the Irish sea as part of the response to allegations of abuse of migrant workers in the fishing industry. Speaking ahead of the second meeting later today of the taskforce set up to deal with issue, Minister for Agriculture and Marine Simon Coveney said he does not want a “witch hunt” of people who may be in Ireland illegally and may be vulnerable. Read the rest here 10:14
Monster supertrawler currently operating in Irish waters
The country’s fishing watchdog has said a supertrawler currently operating off Ireland’s Atlantic coast is likely to be inspected — even though it is not doing anything illegal. It comes as an online petition, sparked by the presence of the Margiris off the Irish coast and calling for supertrawlers to be banned from the area, has received more than 6,000 signatures. It fished off the Irish coast last year and has now returned, prompting a furious reaction from many fishermen here. Read the rest here 09:46
Fire at Town Dock – Lobster boat sinks, another significantly damaged
A lobster boat sank, another was significantly damaged and a 50-foot section of the 
was destroyed by a fire reported around 4 a.m. Wednesday. The fishing vessel Lindy was on fire when the Stonington Borough Fire Department responded. The boat eventually sank at the dock. The Martha Elizabeth, docked next to the Lindy, suffered significant damage but remained afloat. The Connecticut State Fire Marshal arrived on the scene at 9:30 a.m., and is investigating the cause of the fire. Read the rest here 08:26
Just Now!! The first loads of Mackerel are being unloaded in New Bedford!
The first loads of Mackerel are being unloaded in New Bedford by the Midwater pair Enterprise and Retriever. The fish are rumored to be high quality and should provide a nice bit of money for crews whose livelyhood has been beleaguered by increasingly difficult regulation and closures. With the recent bit of bad weather subsiding expect most midwater vessels to depart for sea in search of some holiday cheer after a very poor herring year. 07:43
