Monthly Archives: November 2015
Researching lobster stock trends in southwestern N.S. by tracking juvenile lobsters
Each year researchers collect samples of juvenile lobsters from the ocean floor in Lobster Bay in Yarmouth County and St. Mary’s Bay in Digby County to track levels of juvenile lobster. Three years ago scientists said there were “troubling signs.” Last year they said sampling had yielded the highest levels ever. This year the numbers aren’t as high as they were last year. “The numbers were definitely lower than last year,” says DFO research scientist Adam Cook. “They’re more on par with what we’ve seen in past years, so it is uncertain as to what that means.” Read the article here 12:21
Smart Gargoor — the first national electronic fish trap system of its kind in the world!
Dubai: New deepwater fish traps in the UAE called gargoor will be equipped with GPS, underwater cameras and sensors to reduce lost harvest amid dwindling fish stocks, officials said on Tuesday. For more than a century, traditional gargoor were fashioned by fishermen into a half-globe-shaped underwater fish net of sorts using palm leaves to include a small entrance to lure fish, very much like lobster traps used the world over.Not only will the new traps modernise the commercial fishing industry, it will also help fisheries regulators monitor and control,,, Read the article here 11:43
Calls for Ireland to double number of permits to protect migrant fishermen
The Irish government will have to issue at least 1,000 work permits to non-EU migrant fishermen – double the number announced by the government last week – if they want to provide protection to all those currently working on Irish trawlers, according to representatives from the Irish fishing industry. “I’ve been getting phone calls from fishermen all around Ireland who don’t think 500 will be enough to get everybody covered,” said Francis O’Donnell, the chief executive of the Irish Fish Producers’ Organisation. “I would be a lot more comfortable,,, Read the article here 11:00
Clark’s Harbour shipyard awash in boatbuilding orders
If you want Gregory Symonds to build you a fishing boat, get in line. “We’re booked until fall 2017,” said Symonds. Together with his son Terry, sister Sybil Kennedy and niece Randi Symonds, the 64-year-old finishes about 10 Cape Islanders a year in his Clark’s Harbour boatyard. A sign reading Boatbuilders Wanted hangs over the front door of Bruce M. Atkinson Boatbuilders just up the road. All five of Clark’s Harbour’s boatyards are flat out. Read the article here 10:28
Why China just may be the seal hunt’s last hope
If you’re looking for the new Always in Vogue location, it’s just around the corner from Sephora in the mall. Except that the mall is not in St. John’s, where Always in Vogue is best known for its boutique on Water Street. Rather, this mall is in Shenyang, in northern China, the country that is the new hope for an industry that’s seen better days. If St. John’s-based company PhocaLux International’s gamble pays off, next year’s harvest will be significantly greater. Read the article here 10:08
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for Nov. 24, 2015
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here 09:31
Catch Shares versus Sharing Catch – Comment by Stephen J. Hall, David J. Mills & Neil L. Andrew
Lee van der Voo considers catch shares in the US to be, “one of the coolest vehicles environmental policy has seen in decades,” because they reduce fishing effort, diminish incentives to fish in dangerous weather, can boost the value of seafood, and most importantly, were designed to keep fishing rights with the fishermen and their communities. However this last attribute has not worked for most catch share programs,,, Van der Voo fears that over the long term catch shares will increase costs, fishermen will earn less because of higher rental payments owed to, “people in suits,” that own the fishing rights. Consumers would then pay more in this scenario while a handful of investors would become rich. Read the article here 08:22
Murkowski: No ‘frankenfish’ labeling means no new FDA chief
Alaska’s senior senator isn’t backing off her fight to label genetically modified salmon, and she said Monday she’ll go as far as blocking confirmation of the Food and Drug Administration’s next commissioner. In a statement released Monday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she “will not stand back and just watch these genetically engineered creatures be placed in our kitchens and on our tables without a fight. The “creatures” Murkowski refers to are the genetically engineered,,, Read the article here 07:28
Research finds trawling not as devastating as often portrayed
An ongoing two-year independent study on trawling and its effect on benthic sea life — species that live on sea floors where trawling occurs – has found that the practice may not be as devastating as it is portrayed by some NGOs. The major data collection and analysis for the project has been completed, including assessments of mobile bottom contact gear in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa and most of the US, making it six times more extensive than and previous compilations. Read the article here 18:36
Will Scallop Dredging in Cardigan Bay be an Environmental Disaster?
Recently in the UK, George Monbiot, a well-known environmental journalist, criticised the Welsh Government for undertaking a public consultation about the possibility of allowing restricted amounts of scallop dredging (dragging nets along the bottom) within a legally protected marine conservation zone. (Article here) In particular, Monbiot used a quote from Callum Roberts at the University of York to imply that the scientific study which led to this consultation was flawed. Read the article here 16:21
The ENGO Eye’s in the Sky will be watching you.
Sky Truth has partnered with Google and Oceana to launch a global fishing watch project to bring more transparency and accountability to the commercial fishing industry around the world. Because the fishing industry everywhere must be held accountable, and its up to them, google, Oceans, and Pew to watch over all fishermen, honest or not. All your tows will be seen, stripping away generational proprietary information (if they don’t have it already). Read this article and tell me this is a good thing. I say its bunk. 15:42
Wärtsilä Design & Propulsion Machinery for Pelagic Trawler
A new pelagic fishing trawler ordered by Scottish owner Mewstead LLP will be built according to a Wärtsilä design and will feature a broad scope of Wärtsilä propulsion machinery. The ship is to be built at the Nauta Shipyard in Poland and when completed will be the largest and most efficient ship of its type in the world. The contract with Wärtsilä was signed in November. Delivery of the vessel is scheduled for mid-2017. Read the article here 10:47
WWF calls for end to harassment and worse of fisheries observers
With World Fisheries Day being celebrated today, WWF is calling upon fishery managers to urgently address the increasing assaults and intimidations targeted at fisheries observers and to immediately take measures to ensure their health and safety onboard fishing vessels. WWF is shocked about the number of disappearances of observers on fishing vessels: marine biologist Keith Davis disappeared at sea in September working as an observer in MRAG Americas’ IATTC Trans-shipment Observer Programme. Charlie Lasisi, another observer,,, Read the rest here 09:35
Fishermen say communities will ‘die’ if new regulations come into force
Fishermen have warned their industry could be ruined and communities will die if planned regulation goes ahead. The Clyde Fishermen’s Association has said the viability of fishing in the firth would be undermined by changes to regulations governing marine protected areas (MPA), leading to economic collapse in the towns and villages dominated by fishing. The change to the regulations means fishing vessels could be restricted from certain areas, including south of Arran and the Sound of Jura, for environmental reasons. Read the article here 08:40
3MMI – Scientist Muzzled on the Sockeye Collapse, Why Coho Prices Have Climbed So High…
We have an exclusive interview with Department of Fisheries & Ocean Scientist Kristi Miller who’s study on the collapse of the Fraser River Sockeye resulted in a direct order from the Prime Minister’s Office to suppress the findings and to STOP talking publicly about it. Pricing on Wild Caught Coho’s have been gradually climbing out of the gutter since we reported on them plummeting in August… So why the Price Incease? Watch the video here 07:50
North-east boat that sank and killed three fishermen had fatal flaw on deck
Investigators probing a trawler disaster which left three fishermen dead found a fatal flaw on the deck of the vessel. A survey of the wreck of the Ocean Way revealed ports designed to allow water to drain away were not big enough to stop it being swamped by the sea. The 55ft Fraserburgh-registered vessel capsized and sank in bad weather off the north-east coast of England. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has now released its report,, Read the article here 17:58
Fate of shrimp fishery will be decided soon
Fishermen wondering whether there will be a shrimp season this winter won’t have long to wait for an answer. On Monday, Dec. 7, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section and Advisory Panel will meet in Portsmouth, N.H., to decide whether boats from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts will be allowed to this winter. Last year, the regulators imposed a moratorium on fishing because scientists said the shrimp stock was on the verge of collapse. Read the article here 13:18
Barry “Baz” Kirk didn’t take to school life but when he went fishing, a new world opened before him.
TAKING in the sight of an engine room awash does wonders for your awareness of safety at sea. Barry “Baz” Kirk was 17 when it happened to him. “We were between Portland Island and Table Cape, on a big old ex-Scottish trawler called the Golden Grain,” he said. “I’d gone to bed and the skipper, Bruce Cordiner, had taken the boat. When I woke up I went upstairs to see where we were, and Bruce said we were sinking. I thought he was joking until he told me to go down to the engine room, and I saw the bilge was full of water!” That incident 35 years ago resonates with Baz’s later work with Coastguard and Maritime New Zealand. Read the article here 12:31
Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance Weekly Update, November 22, 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 11:30
Seal tannery coming to Fleur de Lys
Plans are underway for a new seal tannery in the Newfoundland community of Fleur de Lys. The company PhocaLux is presently constructing the tannery, and has asked government for an environmental assessment. Once that approval comes through in December, general manager Shannon Lewis said the tannery should be operating by the next day. They also want to expand their oil processing facility. “We’re not just a fur industry, we’re not just a oil industry, we’re not just a meat industry,” said Lewis. “Our plan is to make sure we’re utilizing the full animal,,, Read the article here 11:09
Oceana, fishers and scientists differ on heavy anchovy declines
“Sea lions rely on forage fish for survival. But years of overfishing have put this important food source in jeopardy,” Ushkowitz narrates while underwater footage shows her swimming through kelp. “Join Oceana and help protect forage fish in the Pacific. … We need to stop this and replenish.” The West Coast’s leading fishery scientists, however, disagree. They believe the fish are most likely enduring natural population fluctuations and are on the cusp of making a big comeback. Oceana, a nonprofit advocacy organization favored by celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio,,, Read the article here 09:40
Interview – “Counting Fish” – Don Cuddy tells how the film came about
“Counting Fish” a new documentary by Don Cuddy, profiles the work of Dr. Kevin Stokesbury, researcher at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, in his efforts to improve the way scientists assess fish stocks. Stokesbury drags a net with an open end, which fish swim through. As the fish pass out of the net, cameras record them. Scientists can then identify fish by their images. This allows for longer tows – as much two hours at a time – and the fish are not killed by the process. Listen to the interview here 08:47
Earle McCurdy pledges restoration of commercial cod fishery
The provincial New Democrats have announced plans to re-establish a viable commercial cod fishery. At a campaign stop in Petty Harbour on Saturday, NDP Leader Earle McCurdy disclosed the party’s plans to try and make life better for fish harvesters. “The moratorium on fishing the northern cod stock resulted in the largest industrial layoff in Canadian history. The province has been out of the cod selling business for 20 years,” he said in a statement. “It’s time to get back into the cod fishery business. The NDP is committed to get a viable commercial cod fishery once again operating.” Read the article here 20:00
Seward Fishing Community dismayed by FDA precident approving genetically modified fish
Word that the Food and Drug Administration had approved the huma
n consumption of a genetically modified animal for the first time ever Thursday, the dreaded “Frankenfish,” traveled fast in Alaska. Several Seward residents SCN spoke with were not happy about its implications, either for the Alaska fishing industry, or for consumers. In a town that prides itself on the plentiful supply of wild Alaska salmon, halibut, cod, and other species, and on supporting sport and commercial fishing, that’s not surprising. Read the article here 16:14
Toxin Levels Dropping in California Crabs
Seafood lovers and California’s commercial fishermen received good news Thursday as tests revealed dropping levels of the dangerous neurotoxin that has temporarily delayed the state’s crab season. Dungeness crab caught and surveyed from the San Francisco Bay, Half Moon Bay and Morro Bay were found to have safe levels for domoic acid, according to test results from the California Department of Public Health. Read the article here 15:32
Martello to lead Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association
After a lengthy search, the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association has a new executive director set to start in December. The organization, which is funded by a tax on drift fishermen, announced Nov. 12 that Becky Martello would take the top job beginning Dec. 14. Martello replaces Sue Aspelund, who said last spring that she’d like to resign from the position after holding it for about a year. Martello grew up in Bristol Bay and has fished commercially,,, Read the article here 13:38
Oregon and Washington delay crab season because of toxin
Oregon on Friday delayed the Dec. 1 start along its entire coast, after testing in recent weeks showed higher toxin levels in the southern half of the state. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said delay of the season will allow completion of additional testing to make sure toxin levels are safe. And in Washington, officials on Friday also said they’re delaying the season along parts of the coast where it starts on Dec. 1. Read the article here 11:13
36 fishermen taken into custody
Stepping up its protection drive ahead of mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles, forest personnel have taken into custody 36 fishermen in separate mid-sea interceptions along in Odisha in the past four days, officials said. The trawls used by the intruders for fishing along the prohibited breeding zones of the endangered marine animals were seized by the patrolling unit engaged by Forest Department for conservation of the turtles, forest officials said. Read the article here 10:27
NOAA says Haddock flourish, while cod stocks dwindle
The groundfish stock updates released this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reflect what the agency says is the continuing deterioration of the Gulf of Maine cod stock, while showing that other stocks such as haddock, pollock and redfish appear to be flourishing. The operational assessment updates were performed on 20 Northeast groundfish stocks, with the results corresponding to the state of the individual stocks through 2014. The news for cod, according to the update, is really no news at all. Read the article here 09:40
Feds: Seafood company owner failed to pay taxes on $2 million
The head of a major seafood processing company based in Gloucester was indicted Friday on charges he failed to pay taxes on more than $2 million in income he earned between 2006 and 2009, according to the . Jack Ventola, 68, who lives in Ipswich and serves as president and part owner of National Fish & Seafood Inc., located at 11-15 Parker St. and 159 E. Main St., was indicted on three counts of filing false tax returns and one count of conspiracy to defraud the federal Internal Revenue Service. Read the article here 08:49
