Daily Archives: February 9, 2016
CFOOD: Ethical Issues in the Gulf Snapper Fishery
In 2007 the Gulf snapper fishery moved to an individual fishing quota management system (IFQ). Under this system, each fisher was allocated a certain amount of fish for the year instead of having a fishing season and race to fish. Kingpins of the Gulf make millions off red snapper harvest without ever going fishing by Ben Raines, AL.com January 24th 2016 “AL.com has looked into the issue of leasing of red snapper quota, and found that prices for commercial leases have meant working fishermen often pay more to lease snapper quota from the quota holders than they earn from the catching the fish itself. They question why commercial snapper, unlike oil or forestry products, should not be put out to bid, but allocated to the historical fishermen.” Raines concluded that 77 percent of the annual red snapper catch is held by just 55 people. Bruce Turris, President of Pacific Fisheries Management Inc. responds. Read it here 21:12
Judges Urge Mediation in Water Contract Fight
Calling an appeal between California environmentalists and federal agencies over expired water contracts a “bizarre position,” a Ninth Circuit panel Tuesday encouraged the parties to mediate the issue instead.,, Appellant Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations argued Tuesday that the federal government failed to do environmental impact statements and violated the National Environmental Policy Act by approving the interim contracts. The federation claims the government has repeatedly renewed two-year interim agreements with contractors and ignored the long-term environmental impacts on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Read the rest here 20:55
Finally, California Seeks Federal Disaster Declarations for Commercial Crab Fishing
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. today requested federal declarations of a fishery disaster and a commercial fishery failure in response to the continued presence of unsafe levels of domoic acid, a potent neurotoxin, in Dungeness and rock crab fisheries across California and the corresponding closures of those fisheries. “Crabs are a vital component of California’s natural resources and provide significant aesthetic, recreational, commercial, cultural and economic benefits to our state,” Governor Brown said in the letter to Secretary Pritzker. “Economic assistance will be critical for the well-being of our fishing industry and our state.” Read the rest here 20:17
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for Feb 8, 2016
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here 14:09
Coast Guard rescues two Fishermen Tuesday after boat overturns near Carolina Beach
The Coast Guard rescued two men Tuesday after their boat overturned near Carolina Beach. Sector North Carolina watchstanders received a report at 11:06 p.m. Monday stating two men, ages 25 and 35, were aboard the 41-foot fishing boat Allicat, when the boat ran aground in Snow’s Cut. The men remained aboard and waited for high tide to re-float the boat, but at 1:16 a.m. Tuesday, watchstanders received notice the vessel overturned and one man was in the water. Read the rest here 13:37
Moulton reports his letter spurs Reforms to NOAA observer program
Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) commended the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for agreeing to make important reforms to the Northeast Fishery Observer Program (NEFOP) for lobster fishing. In August, Moulton, along with Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Ed Markey, Congressman Stephen Lynch and Congressman Bill Keating sent a letter to NOAA that called on the agency to address issues with the observer program and its impact on the New England lobster industry. The letter asked for an action plan from NOAA for specific cost, sustainability and safety concerns raised by the region’s lobstermen. Read the rest here 12:44
Why Does the ‘Calamari Capital’ Import the Frozen Stuff from China When Buying Local Supports the Economy?
Globalization has hit Rhode Island hard. Those manufacturing jobs that allowed my immigrant parents and generations of other Rhode Islanders the opportunity to raise their families in modest comfort are long gone. It’s not just manufacturing, either. Our state is touted as the “calamari capital” of the world. Yet, walk into any local supermarket today and you will find packages of frozen calamari from China competing with offerings from Galilee, often at a lower price. Now, we can sit around and lament the impact that globalization has had on our local economy, or we can personally change this troubling societal trend by taking a very simple action. Read the article here 10:08
Cheap dollar paying off for lobster fishermen in southwestern Nova Scotia
Yarmouth – After being trapped by low shore prices in past years, this is a good season for lobster fishermen in southwestern Nova Scotia. What’s the catch? Many people are attributing the turnaround to the low Canadian dollar. Fishermen were paid around $6 a pound for their catches at the start of the season, compared to prices of $4 and even closer to $3 in recent years. Last week the price had climbed to around $10 a pound – not so great for the consumer, perhaps, but good for the fishermen. Read the story here 09:39
Shetland Fishermen’s Association (SFA) warns skippers of dangers fishing near Total’s gas pipelines in Yell Sound
The fishermen’s body has accused the company of “doing nothing” to make the area safe. It is urging shellfish boats in particular to stay away amid “serious” concerns for vessel safety. The concerns are due to the amount of rock dumped on top of the MEG (monoethylene glycol) and service lines running adjacent to the main gas pipelines coming from the Laggan-Tormore field west of Shetland. On Monday, following delays of more than 18 months, Total was finally able to announce that it had brought ashore the first gas as part of a £3.3 billion development viewed as crucial to the UK’s energy security. Read the rest here 08:55
Thomas O’Malley, of Marshfield, joins Mark Alliegro in race to unseat U.S. Rep. William Keating
“There’s a lack of common sense and nothing going on in Washington,” O’Malley said Monday about what prompted him to launch a campaign for Congress. “I want to bring common sense back to government.” Creating jobs in the district, easing government rules and regulations imposed on fishermen, stopping illegal immigration and strengthening the military to be “second to none” are major issues that should be addressed, O’Malley said. “He’s probably a nice man,” O’Malley said about Keating. “But I don’t think he’s done enough for the middle class and fishermen. He’s been in lockstep with the current administration and voted for the Iran deal, which has been horrendous for the U.S.” Read the rest here 08:26
FFAW ‘lied to and misled’ members about scallop settlement, says lawyer
A lawyer for scallop fishermen in the Strait of Belle Isle says the Fish Food and Allied Workers union lied to and misled members about a settlement with Nalcor. David Goodland made the comment Monday in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, where he summed up the case brought brought by 71 fishermen from the Great Northern Peninsula and southern Labrador. During summations from both sides, Cletus Flaherty, the FFAW lawer, argued that the court cannot consider any allegation of fraud because it’s not part of the fishermen’s statement of claim. Read the rest here 07:17
Kodiak Fisherman Charged With First-Degree Murder Claims Self Defense
The man killed at a Kodiak harbor early Sunday morning was shot with an assault rifle by a former crewmate aboard his fishing vessel, according to charging documents filed in the case. Kodiak police announced the arrest of Washington state resident Matt Bowe, 28, early Sunday in the death of 25-year-old Welton Daniel Albers. Albers, who went by “Dan,” was from Houston, Texas, according to a statement sent Monday by the Kodiak Police Department. According to an affidavit filed Sunday by Kodiak Police Department officer David Duncan, police first received a 911 call about the shooting about 12:45 a.m. Sunday. The caller, 26-year-old Everett Grass, told police that his friend had been shot several times aboard the fishing vessel Katherine. Grass frantically pleaded for officer assistance, the Kodiak statement said. Read the story here 05:53
