Daily Archives: November 28, 2015
Environmentalists, fishermen clash over proposed Chumash marine sanctuary
A controversial underwater national park proposed off the Central Coast aims to protect and manage the area’s marine life, stop oil drilling and seismic surveys, and encourage scientific research. In October, the nomination for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary was accepted for consideration, setting the stage for a showdown in coming months and years between environmentalists who strongly support the proposed sanctuary and the fishing community that opposes it. Read the article here 23:22
Navy ‘deep sixes’ Phuket probe into missing IUU trawler
PHUKET: The 
this week formally declined to reveal any findings of the investigation into how the seized Antarctic trawler Taishan, also known as the Kunlun, and its crew and illegal cargo managed to escape Phuket earlier this year, or name any of the officers who may be responsible. “The results are not for publication,” Vice Admiral Sayan Prasongsamrej, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy’s Third Naval Area Command. Read the article here 20:56
Don’t under-estimate the importance of crab season
The North Coast is undeniably crab country. Our traditionally cold coastal waters have been perfect for producing some of our nation’s healthiest crab harvests. This harvest, a time-honored tradition since the mid 1800s here in Northern California, represents a change of season.,, So, when North Coast crab tested with high levels of a naturally occurring toxin, fishermen, industry leaders and public officials all came together, as partners, to call for a delayed opening to the crab season to ensure the public’s safety. Read the article here 17:10
N.S. lobster pilot project to be expanded
Fifteen months after announcing a pilot project focused on lobster quality, Nova Scotia’s fisheries minister says the project is so successful it is expanding — but he still won’t reveal the locations of the work. The aim of the pilot is to add value to a lobster at every step of the process, from the time it comes out of the water to the time it ends up on a person’s plate in an export market. Argyle-Barrington MLA Chris d’Entremont said it’s great to hear the project is successful, but if that’s the case it would be nice if there were some more details. “I think he’s trying to be too cute,,, Read the article here 12:06
Private Fishing Rights: Control Over Access to Seabed, Harvest at Issue in Texas
A novel claim that a fleet of commercial boats on the Texas coast has exclusive rights to thousands of acres of seabed — and the lucrative oysters found there — has spawned a flurry of high-stakes lawsuits and has state officials saying the move undermines their efforts to protect wildlife. Some fear the move could lead to a handful of commercial operators holding rights to depleted fisheries, freezing out smaller competitors. The fight could be fierce, in light of how the oyster market alone yielded 4 million pounds and $19.2 million in sales last year. Read the article here 11:39
This is good! Mullet plan could create hundreds of jobs, preserve fishing industry
Mullet could one day be Florida’s desired fish, help create hundreds of jobs and preserve the fishing industry. Local organizations have teamed together to study the uses of the under utilized and widely available fish and say one day it will be a big money maker. Mullet is abundant in the Bay Area. However, right now the only part of the fish that’s profitable to commercial fishermen is the roe from the females. Some local organizations are working to change that. Read the article here 10:48
Lobster fisherman arrested. Again!
A Summerland Key fisherman arrested in October 2014 for lobster fishing with hundreds of illegal traps was arrested again Thursday for lying on a wildlife form about his marine violation history, according to court records. David Lee Boggs, 51, was ultimately charged with more than 100 counts of misdemeanor fishing without proper tags. Boggs was initially found to be fishing with about 100 untagged traps, but later confessed to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers that he had more in the water that needed to be removed,,, Read the article here 10:04
Cape Breton energy plans worry fishermen
Although no oil and gas activity is expected in Cape Breton waters in the foreseeable future, fishermen say they have concerns about their livelihood and the future of their communities if petroleum exploration begins in the area. “I’m certainly concerned,” said Merrill MacInnis, a crab and lobster fisherman from Jersey Cove, near Englishtown, Victoria County.“We all are. Fishing is the lifeline of our rural communities here. “It could jeopardize our livelihoods, this whole thing, and maybe we should try and put a moratorium in like they’ve got in Georges Bank,,, Read the article here 09:39
Enviros Upset! Hawaii-based longline fishermen allowed to keep catching ahi
Regulators have approved a deal allowing Hawaii fishermen to attribute up to 1,000 metric tons of bigeye tuna catch to Guam, said Mike Tosatto, National Marine Fisheries Service regional administrator for the Pacific Islands. Environmentalists say the arrangement contributes to the overfishing of bigeye tuna in the western and central Pacific. Environmentalists argue this enables fishermen to circumvent international agreements aimed at controlling overfishing of bigeye. yeah yeah. Read the article here 08:45
