Daily Archives: February 12, 2016
Black Point Fish Trap to close due to windmill farm cable installation
The largest and oldest fish trap in Rhode Island will be closed due to the installation of the undersea transmission cable that will connect the Block Island Wind Farm to the mainland. Rich Fuka, the President of the R.I. Fishermen’s Alliance, returned a phone call from The Block Island Times, confirming the fish trap “will have to suspend operations, which is a very big deal for Rhode Island. It’s our state’s oldest fishery.” Fuka said it was also the largest. The fish trap is located at the mouth of the west passage of Narragansett Bay. The fish trap cannot be moved, both Fuka and Mastrati acknowledged. The fish trap is not a fishery, but rather the location where the floating fish traps are used. Read the rest here 18:20
All about family, and seafood, at O’Neal’s Sea Harvest, A true North Carolina family operation
The family-run fish house is a dying breed on the North Carolina coast, especially in the northeast, where only a handful still exist. Even more rare these days in our part of the state is the dockside seafood market and restaurant, where they literally unload the catch from the boat, walk it into the cooler, clean it, cook it, and put it on your plate in a matter of minutes. That experience can still be found in the bustling Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park at O’Neal’s Sea Harvest. Read the story here 15:13
Captain’s Log: Appreciating Santa Barbara’s Awesome Commercial Fishing Fleet
Do you like seafood? If the answer is “yes,” then join me in appreciation for our local commercial fishing fleet. I’ve come to know many of these guys and gals over the years and I have a deep respect for their workday, camaraderie and for the service they provide — sometimes at great risk and always with great labor — to our seafood-hungry community. A great variety of food from the sea comes into Santa Barbara Harbor. Some of our folks dive for uni (sea urchins), which means they enter the food chain on a regular basis to bring in what the community wants. Read the rest here 14:21
Senator Blumenthal to meet with Fishing Industry Monday, February, 15, 2016 in Stonington Conn.
You are invited to participate in an open discussion with Senator Richard Blumenthal, pertaining to the issues effecting the Commercial Fishing Industry today. Senator Blumenthal is eager to listen to points of the fishermen on the current problems facing the industry i.e. current quota regulations, discarding of fish, etc. Your participation is greatly appreciated as Senator Blumenthal is doing his best to help the industry resolve some of these lingering issues. The Portuguese Holy Ghost Society, located at 26 Main Street in the Stonington Borough will be hosting this meeting on Monday, February 15th at 2:00pm. All are welcome to attend. 13:09
Texas Shrimpboat captain found with illegal lobster tails
The operator of a Texas-based shrimp boat has been arrested after Lee County deputies searched the boat and found undersized lobster tails and fish. 45-year-old Francisco Hernandez of Brownsville, Texas is facing 47 counts of conservation violations. According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, a marine unit conducted a vessel stop on the “Lady Michelle A” Wednesday and received consent from Hernandez to search the boat. 34 spiny lobster tails were found in the boat’s freezer. All were undersized and separated from the body,,, Read the rest here 10:13
P.E.I. lobster levy will launch this spring
When the lobster fishery begins this spring, P.E.I. will become the first province in the region where a two-cent-per-pound levy will be collected. The levy will take one cent per pound from P.E.I. fishermen for lobster they bring in and another cent per pound from the buyers. The money will be used for marketing. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are expected to launch their own levies in 2017. A lobster marketing board — comprised of six executives from the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA) and six lobster fishermen — has been established to decide how to spend the harvesters’ half of the money. Read the story here 08:06
Gloucester is at a crossroads – The end of our rope, Sam Parisi
Another slap in the face! NOAA is out to put our fishermen out of business. The endless regulations make it impossible for our small boats to survive. However, it seems that NOAA is not concerned. Fishermen see plenty of fish. NOAA does not. What else is new? Vito Giacalone is right. No one is listening and it seems that our government does not care. The reason, perhaps, is that our industry is a drop in the bucket compared to other industries. Many forget that the majority of homes in this city were paid for by waterfront dollars from waterfront jobs. Read the letter here 07:10
This is exciting! SMAST scientists improving cod counting technology
A new video system designed by UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) scientists to assess the population of cod has passed its first major test, giving the researchers confidence that they can use this new approach to help improve the accuracy of future scientific assessments of this iconic species. Recent stock assessments indicate that the Gulf of Maine cod population is low and struggling to recover. Members of the fishing industry contest those results, suggesting the stock is much healthier than depicted in recent assessments. Video, Read the rest here 06:03
