Monthly Archives: March 2016
Environmentalism of the Left is Religious Socialism – Dr. Tim Ball
The entire world needed the new paradigm of environmentalism. The problem is that a few grabbed it for a political agenda. They used it as a vehicle to take the moral high ground, to claim only they cared about the environment. They argue that everyone else was guilty of environmental destruction because of their avarice and wasteful ways. Contrary to what most people think environmentalism as a political agenda is pushed by extremely wealthy and powerful left wing people who made their money exploiting the environment. The psychology of that is beyond the discussion here, but consider the hypocrisy of George Soros, Maurice Strong, Bill Gates, the Rockefeller’s, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ted Turner among many others. The confusion is similar to that about another person, who most people think was a right wing fascist, but was a socialist promoting environmentalism, Adolf Hitler. Nazi stands for National Socialism. Read the rest here. 21:56
Trawlers banned from Unalaska Bay
Unalaska Bay was completely shut down to trawlers by state regulators last week after a long campaign by the Unalaska Native Fisheries Association representing local small boats. The Alaska Board of Fisheries approved UNFA’s request last week while meeting in Anchorage, closing all waters of Unalaska Bay year-round to groundfish fishing with pelagic trawl gear, according to UNFA member and Unalaska resident Walter Tellman. The fish board voted 6-1 to close the bay to trawlers, he said. Opposed, Tellman said, were officials of and trawler captains. Brent Paine, the executive director of United Catcher Boats, declined to comment this week on the latest closure. Jim Paulin photo Read the article here 16:14
Cooper: Hypocritical winds blowing over Atlantic
Just a day after saying it will ban commercial oil drilling off the Atlantic Coast, the Obama administration dedicated more than 125 square miles off Long Island in the Atlantic for the development of commercial wind energy. The hypocrisy could be heard up and down the more than 2,000 miles of Atlantic coastline. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell was the administration point person sent out to make the case. The oil drilling decision, she said on Tuesday, “protects the Atlantic for future generations. Now is not the time to start leasing off the Atlantic Coast.” Read the rest here 14:09
Video – Expectations high for 2016 elver catch, prices
If last year’s prices hold and warm weather persists, it could be another big year for Maine’s elver fishery. The annual elver fishing season in Maine, which is one of only two states that permit the harvesting of baby American eels as they swim upstream into fresh water from the Atlantic Ocean, is due to start at noon Tuesday, March 22. In 2015, the average price Maine elver fishermen were paid for their catch, also called the shore price, reached a record high, as it rose above $2,000 per pound — more than twice as high as it had been the year before. Read the rest here 10:22
Commercial fishermen want state to halt Columbia River gillnet ban
Commercial gillnetters said Oregon should halt its phased-in ban of their salmon fishing method in the main channel of the Columbia River. Speaking to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlfe Commission on Friday, panelists representing gillnetters said alternative commercial fishing methods are expensive or unproven, and plans to develop salmon runs in side channels show little promise. Astoria fisherman Jim Wells, president of , said only big migratory fish returns the past couple years have kept gillnetters operating. He said limiting gillnetting to the Columbia’s side channel sloughs will cost commercial anglers two-thirds of their income. Read the rest here 08:48
Fishermen raise concerns over proposed measures that could harm lobster fishery
It was a concerned and frustrated group of fishermen that met with DFO officials Thursday in Yarmouth during a special meeting of the Lobster Fishing Area 34 Advisory Committee. The fishermen say proposed measures to help in the recovery of the cusk population – including a potential 10 per cent trap reduction for lobster licence holders – are based on incorrect data and, if implemented, would hurt the lobster industry. The LFA committee passed a motion to have another meeting in June, once the lobster season is over, with DFO and others to discuss the issue further. Fishermen attending the March 17 session said there doesn’t seem to be a problem with the cusk population and that the measures DFO is considering are unnecessary. Read the rest here 08:12
California Commercial crab season to begin as domoic acid levels drop
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife lifted prohibitions against fishing everywhere south of the Sonoma-Mendocino county line after state health officials determined the crabs “no longer pose a significant human health risk.” It means the coast is essentially clear of , the potentially deadly neurotoxin that has been found in crabs. Health officials said “low or undetectable levels” of the toxin were found throughout the range, including San Francisco, Half Moon Bay and Monterey. “We’re very happy to be going back to work. We hope everybody gets their big pot of boiling salt water going,” said Larry Collins, president of the Crab Boat Owners Association. Read the rest here 07:48
Seattle shipyards flush with work, including repairs to ‘Deadliest Catch’ crabber
Aging fishing vessels are keeping Seattle-area ship repair yards busy, as the crab fleet returns from the season early thanks to a smaller quota this year. Around the area shipyard owners report full yards and full employment as they tend to the needs of fishing vessels that often are 30 to 40 years old. “If equipment becomes aged, maintenance goes up,” said Hobie Stebbins, president of Lake Union Dry Dock. “The cost of construction of a new boat is almost prohibitive, so a lot of people are making decisions to put money into their old boats.” photo by Jeff Pond Read the rest here 07:20
The Cover Up Of The Texas American Eel – by Jason Fregia
Recently there was a petition filed with USFW to list the American eel as a Threatened species by CESAR “Council for Endangered Species Act Reliability”, The American eel was not listed under the threatened Species Act by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. According to the wildlife service the American eel’s population is still stable. Without knowing of the huge population of American eels that exist in Texas. Texas is not allowing the harvest of the eels due to the result of a cover up to protect Texas Parks and Wildlife from legal repercussions due to falsifying Federal Documents. Read the rest here 19:27
Interview – Dave Marciano fishes his way to success on ‘Wicked Tuna’
Dave Marciano, captain of the F/V Hard Merchandise vessel on Nat Geo’s Wicked Tuna, lives a life on the open sea, pulling in a variety of fish to make a decent living. The star of the reality series, and its offshoot Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks, is a native of Massachusetts, but his immediate family members were actually not part of the fishing industry. He found this trade himself, and now he’s someone who lives and breathes the salty air of Gloucester, Mass. He’s also had to welcome the scrutiny of cameras on his vessel and the scrutiny of the blogosphere. Read the rest here 18:36
Seafood company to pay back wages to migrant workers
An Alabama-based seafood company has agreed to pay a group of migrant workers back wages in a class action lawsuit. A federal judge Wednesday ordered R&A Oysters to pay 18 migrant workers more than $30,000 in back wages and attorney fees. The laborers were brought from Mexico on H-2B temporary work visas to shuck oysters at the company’s facility in Mobile County. The H-2B visas allow employers to temporarily hire foreign nonagricultural workers. Attorneys for the Louisiana-based company and lawyers representing the workers agreed to a consent judgment to settle claims that laborers were paid less than the federal minimum wage during their first week of work. Read the rest here 15:42
How B.C. mining could hurt Northwest fishermen
AS a second-generation commercial fisherman my life has always revolved around salmon. Although a resident of Washington, I have spent summers fishing in Southeast Alaska since I boarded my parents’ boat as a 2-week-old. My livelihood depends on healthy salmon runs, something we have struggled to maintain here in Washington. Now, Alaska’s salmon also face major threats, from unprecedented development proposals across the border in British Columbia. Though I catch Alaskan salmon a few hundred miles north, I’ve seen how Western Washington’s economy has reflected the strength of Alaska’s salmon runs. Fishermen across the Pacific Northwest have cautiously sighed with relief at the delayed, but not dead, Bristol Bay Pebble Mine proposal. Read the rest here 12:07
Sweden Asks EU to Stop American Lobster Invasion. How do they know they’re not Canadian?!!
Sweden has asked the European Union for help to stop an invasion of American lobsters, saying they could wipe out their European cousins with deadly diseases. The Swedish Environment Ministry said Friday that more than 30 American lobsters have been found along Sweden’s west coast in recent years. It said the American lobster, also known as Maine lobster, “can carry diseases and parasites that could spread to the European lobster and result in extremely high mortality.” It also said interbreeding among the crustaceans could have “negative genetic effects” and threaten the survival of the European species. Sweden asked the EU to list the American lobster as a “foreign species,” which would prohibit imports of live American lobsters into the 28-nation bloc. link 11:11
Crustacean invasion: Museum to feature 3rd annual Core Sound Shrimp-Off
Saturday, March 19, is a day dedicated to shrimp at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center on Harkers Island. The reason behind the crustacean takeover is the third annual Core Sound Shrimp-Off, which is starts at 5:30 p.m. The celebration of Core Sound shrimp features shrimp cooked over 20 different ways, along with shrimp stories, art, shirts and a cooking competition. “The Core Sound Shrimp-Off is a great example of what Core Sound does best, mixing local seafood, old-time recipes, experienced cooks and folks who love to eat,” said Karen Amspacher, executive director of the museum. “The night is complete with the Shrimp Tales, stories of the men and women who worked to bring this important seafood to the docks.” Read the rest here 10:41
140 minutes to fish 15,000 tons of Sitka Sound herring
The commercial herring season opened Thursday, more abruptly than in past years. Herring seiners had about two days’ notice to get to Sitka. And then about another four hours’ notice to prep their gear. Although winter salmon trolling wrapped 10 days ago, this always feels like the opening bell of the commercial fishing season in Alaska. State biologist Dave Gordon manages the commercial herring fishery. Over the years, he has also become its voice. “Five, four, three, two, one, open! The Sitka Sound Sac Roe Herring Fishery is now open. This is the Alaska Department of Fish & Game standing by on channel 10,” Gordon announced. Read the story here 08:41
80k acres off Long Island coast dedicated (HIJACKED) for wind energy
Federal officials on Wednesday dedicated hijacked more than 125 square miles in the waters off the coast of Long Island for the development of commercial wind energy, pushing forward a renewable energy proposal initially created by New York utilities. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said the state has “tremendous” offshore wind potential. “Today’s milestone marks another important step in the president’s strategy to tap clean, renewable energy from the nation’s vast wind and solar resources,” she said in a statement. Read the rest here 08:29
Rescheduled for 4 pm Friday Join Us: Phone Call with BOEM Director on New York Offshore Wind
Time to discard top-down regulation of Scotland’s fishing
Brussels is not working for any but the bureaucrats, argues Simon Collins At a time when the health of our seas has become a serious and global concern, attention has focused on the fishing industry and the way our wild fish stocks are managed. This is not only understandable but perfectly reasonable. Fishing is by no means the only human activity that affects the sea. It’s probably not even the most important one – pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are obvious candidates – but it has to be regulated somewhere. For somewhere like Shetland, where fishing and aquaculture together account for a third of economic activity, the consequences of a free-for-all would be unthinkable. Read the rest here 21:11
Tuna Recall: ‘Life-Threatening’ Contamination Fear Forces Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea into Recall
A nationwide tuna recall for potential “life-threatening” contamination includes the popular Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea brands, the FDA reports today. Deviations from the standard commercial sterilization process that occurred in a co-pack facility in California not owned or operated by the tuna companies forced the recall. These deviations could result in contamination by spoilage organisms or pathogens, which could lead to “life-threatening illness if consumed,” according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. A total of 31,579 Bumble Bee cases (six cans per case) produced in February 2016 and distributed nationally are included in the recall. Read the rest here, and spread it around 15:48
Victors in suit against NMFS want hired skipper rule scrapped
The victorious plaintiffs in a case challenging a federal rule over hired skippers in the sablefish and halibut fisheries filed a motion Feb. 24 to vacate the National Marine Fisheries Service action. Fairweather Fish Inc. and Ray Welsh filed suit against the National Marine Fisheries Service, or NMFS, in 2014, following the finalization of a regulation that prohibited the use of hired skippers to harvest halibut and sablefish quota acquired after Feb. 12, 2010. A U.S. District Court judge in the Western Washington District ruled in their favor on Jan. 13, finding that the regulation didn’t meet legal muster. The court ruled that NMFS violated the Administrative Procedures Act, and failed to ensure the new rule complied with National Standards 9 and 10 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Read the rest here 14:40
Pacific Salmon Foundation – Health of salmon not determined by catch counts
B.C. fishermen may have to console themselves with limited harvest of salmon in the coming years, but the long-term prospects for wild Pacific salmon are not as dire as some critics claim, the head of the Pacific Salmon Foundation told members of the Qualicum Beach Streamkeepers during their annual general meeting Saturday at St. Stephen’s United Church. “If you’re interested in the future of salmon, it’s better than indicated by what people talk about in the media,” said Brian Riddell, CEO and president of the PSF and a former staffer with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. “In the past, people have been fixated on catch as the measure of abundance and health of salmon. But the health of salmon is not determined by the catch. It’s determined by the amount of fish that come back and spawn after the catch.” Read the rest here 13:31
Alaska trawlers furious about Walker’s North Pacific Fishery Management Council nominations
Two months after a heated meeting, trawlers are again accusing Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Sam Cotten of short-changing their industry. Gov. Bill Walker submitted nominations to fill two seats of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council on March 9, sending waves of dissatisfaction throughout an industry segment that claims Walker’s administration is forcing it out of the process at the worst time possible. Walker nominated Buck Laukitis of Homer and Theresa Peterson of Kodiak to replace Duncan Fields and David Long among the 11 voting members of the council, one of eight regional councils established by the 1976 Magnuson-Stevens Act to oversee federal fisheries from three to 200 miles off the coast. Read the rest here 09:28
Board of Fish adjusts Bristol Bay set net boundaries
Months after the issue was first raised, the state Board of Fisheries made a decision on set net sites affected by erosion. In December, Bristol Bay set-netters went to the board looking for help after erosion had taken its toll on boundaries at their commercial fishing sites. And on March 11, at its statewide meeting and the final regular meeting for board members Fritz Johnson, Tom Kluberton and Bob Mumford, the board agreed to adjust the lines as requested by the affected fishermen, with some modifications. Read the rest here 08:55
Sandy Hook Bay National Marine Sanctuary proposal pounded by wave after wave of criticism
The main proponent of a “marine sanctuary” that would include some 12,500 acres of northeastern Monmouth County waters found himself pounded by wave after wave of criticism Wednesday night. With 75 or so commercial and recreational fishermen, clammers, hunters and others packed into a basement meeting room at the Red Bank Public Library, and a comparable number turned away due to crowding, maritime historian Rik Van Hemmen got a cold reception for his proposal for a Sandy Hook Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which he hopes will win federal approval. Read the rest here 08:17
Dog presumed lost at sea from a commercial fishing boat reunited with family
Luna, a 1½-year-old, blue-eyed German Shepherd, was presumed to have died after falling overboard from a commercial fishing boat near San Clemente Island on February 20, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. After five days, the dog was presumed dead. Luna’s owner Nick thought he had lost her. Then on Tuesday, five weeks after Luna went missing, Navy biologist Melissa Booker called him to tell him she had found Luna. Read the story here 07:33
Pacific Halibut Season to Open Saturday at Noon
NMFS is providing notice of the immediate effect of regulations of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC). The commercial IFQ halibut season opens Saturday, March 19, 2016. At its annual meeting in January, the IPHC recommended to the governments of Canada and the United States catch limits for 2016 totaling 29.89 million pounds, a 2.3 percent increase from last year. Alaska’s total halibut catch was set at 21.45 million pounds, up 235,000 pounds from 2015. For commercial and charter halibut fishers in Alaska, the following regulations are in effect: Read the rest here 20:12
NOAA proposing new regulations for turtle excluder devices from Texas to North Carolina
The federal government is considering new requirements and regulations for turtle excluder devices to reduce sea turtle bycatch in shrimp fisheries. The new requirements, which could potentially apply to all vessels from Texas to North Carolina in both state and federal waters, are meant to counteract an increasing number of small, juvenile sea turtles being encountered by inshore and nearshore fisheries. According to a document on the proposed changes, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be floating four potential alternatives at public hearings in April aimed at reducing sea turtle mortality. Read the rest here 19:25
Maine Fishermen concerned about loss of disaster relief funding
The Maine Department of Marine Resources announced on March 1 that it will soon be issuing the third and final payment to Maine-homeported commercial groundfish permit holders under federal disaster relief funding which is being issued due to changes in fishing regulations and cutbacks in the industry. This is the third and final bin of money being allotted in Maine. Other New England states have also received federal relief funding in three separate dispersions, and although it is federal money, each state has individual discretion on how to allocate use of the funds. While some other states divided the money among permit holders and their crews, Maine chose a formula based criteria for fishermen in this category to qualify for relief funds. Read the rest here 16:07
Breaking: Eight arrested in drug raids on New Bedford fishing boats
Eight people were arrested on local fishing boats over the past two days in drug raids by national, state and local law enforcement, who seized heroin and opiates that fishermen were intending to use at sea, police said. “This is the second time we’ve done this, and it’s actually a continuing effort to tie (off) the flow of illegal drugs from getting to sea, aboard fishing vessels,” said Major Patrick Moran of the Massachusetts Environmental Police. “This operation, we had eight arrests,” he said. Moran said environmental police worked with the New Bedford Police Department’s marine unit and local officers from the Department of Homeland Security in the two-day operation. Read the rest here 15:44
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 42′ Fiberglass Gillnetter/Lobster, Permits, John Deere 6068 Diesel
Specifications, information and 8 photo’s click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 12:18
