Monthly Archives: May 2016
P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association: Lower catches and increased demand are driving lobster prices up
P.E.I. lobster fishermen are getting about $1 more a pound this year than they did at this time last year. They are getting $5 a pound for canners and $5.75 for market lobsters. Craig Avery, president of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association, has heard rumours some fishermen are getting as much as $6 a pound for markets. On Wednesday, grocery stores in Charlottetown were selling live market lobsters from between $9 and $11 a pound. Lower catches and increased demand have driven the price up, he said. Much of the demand is coming from Asia and Europe. Avery credits fishermen, processors and government officials for working hard to promote Island lobster. Link 09:35
Department of Fisheries and Oceans: Northern cod biomass at highest rate since 1992
The Atlantic cod stocks are returning, but there’s still a long way to go before a large-scale commercial fishery becomes viable again. That’s the finding of new research by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which shows that cod stocks in the Northern region are on the way towards leaving the “critical” designation. The stock in the 2J, 3K and 3L regions has increased to an estimated 538,000 tons of fish — the highest rate since 1992. Still, the stock only reaches 34 per cent of the level needed to escape the “critical” zone. DFO performs stock assessments every three years, sourcing information from vessel surveys, commercial catches, tags on the cod and more. In 2013, the stock reached about 300,000 tons in biomass. Today, it’s almost double that. Read the story here 08:23
Subsidizing the effort, Riverhead gets help to avoid repeat of Peconic fish kill
It’s 5:30 a.m. and Will Caldwell and his crewman Dave Inoue step into the shallow water to set a seine net at the mouth of the Peconic River, working to prevent another biological and public relations nightmare. “It’s nothing but fish,” said Caldwell, a Hampton Bays commercial fisherman, of the bait fish swarming the river at sunrise on Wednesday. “They’re everywhere.” “We are going to clear this river out to make sure we don’t have another bunker kill,” said Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter, who toured the Peconic with Caldwell on Tuesday. “What’s great is they’re capturing the bunker before they get too far up river.” Walter said the town is paying 2 cents per pound of bunker to help make it feasible for fishermen, while the state is contributing another 2 cents. The price has fallen to 8 cents, so, he gets 12 cents per pound. Read the rest here 20:22
Texas shrimp industry battles hostile trends as season closes for two months
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Coastal Fisheries Division decided May 15 was a good time to close the state’s shrimp season because, according to its sampling, the average size and number of brown shrimp in Texas coastal waters is higher than the 20-year average. Texas closes its waters to shrimping from the coast to nine nautical miles out for roughly two months each year to give little shrimp time to grow before being harvested. The National Marine Fisheries Service typically imposes a closure out to 200 nautical miles at the same time. More, bigger shrimp is potentially good news for the state’s struggling shrimp industry, since big shrimp fetch higher prices, according to Andrea Hance, shrimp fleet owner and executive director of the Texas Shrimp Association. Read the rest here 19:27
Alaska Airlines delivers 80,000 lbs. of the first Copper River salmon of the season to Seattle
Alaska Airlines has delivered more than 80,000 pounds of fresh Copper River salmon to Seattle on four Alaska Air Cargo flights, marking the beginning of the summer salmon-grilling season, anticipated by seafood lovers throughout the Pacific Northwest, the company said. Every year, Alaska Air Cargo partners with the state of Alaska´s three largest seafood processors, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Trident Seafoods and Copper River Seafoods, to bring the fish to Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska, where it will then be shipped to restaurants and grocery stores throughout the Pacific Northwest, United States and points beyond. Alaska Airlines supports the Alaska seafood industry, which is recognized for its sustainable fishing practices. The airline flew more than 20 million pounds of fresh Alaska seafood last year, including more than one million pounds of Copper River salmon. Read the rest here 17:14
Two Kiribati fishermen lost at sea for 7 days, found in six minutes
Two Kiribati fishermen lost at sea for days were found on Wednesday just six minutes into a search that targeted a massive patch of ocean, New Zealand rescue officials said. Search coordinator Mike Roberts described it as a “fantastic” outcome after a New Zealand Air Force Orion located the men 480 kilometres (298 miles) from Nauru, the nearest land, five days after they went missing. “I can’t recall another search being successful so quickly,” Roberts said, adding that the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand determined the most likely area to look for the men who failed to return from a fishing trip on Friday. Rescuers had marked 43,000 square kilometres of ocean to scour for the operation. Read the rest here 16:31
Get your Barf Bags ready Campers. The Bionic Woman of Good Science, Jane Lubchenco
‘Wicked Tuna’ will be filmed out of Ilwaco? Sorry Charley. There’s only one “Wicked Tuna”!
Albacore tuna news: ‘Wicked Tuna’ will be filmed out of Ilwaco. There’s only one Wicked Tuna, and its out of Gloucester! The Tuna Club in Ilwaco has informed me of some upcoming events for albacore fishermen. • TV producer Phil Lander is working for Pilgrim Studios on a new show for the History Channel about commercial albacore fishermen in the Ilwaco/Astoria area of the “Pacific Graveyard.” They are casting the show now, and are looking for interesting boat captains with big personalities. If you are one and want to audition for the show, contact [email protected]. This should be an interesting show with local fishermen on commercial albacore boats. Read the rest here 12:52
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 86.7′ Steel Stern Trawler, 850HP CAT 3508
To see specifications, information and 26 photos Click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 12:25
Fundy fishermen call for a halt of all tidal energy activity
The Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen’s Association (BFIFA) sent out a petition to port reps and stores up and down the Bay of Fundy on May 17. “Fishermen and community members of the Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen’s Association want to urge our government leaders and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to halt all tidal power activity in the Bay of Fundy until such time that we have been properly informed of the costs and effects to our fishing industry, our environment, our coastal communities,” reads the petition. “You can’t displace a whole industry that pumps hundreds of millions of dollars into the local communities, and for what? A whole bunch of unknowns and what is that going to do for the local communities dependent on the fisheries?” Read the rest here 10:51
Ten things you need to know about British Columbia spot prawns
A decade ago, British Columbia spot prawns were a bottom-of-the-barrel seafood product – the mushy filler for chowder and fortifier of cheap fish stock. Last weekend, the luxury crustaceans were toasted with Moët & Chandon champagne. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the B.C. Spot Prawn Festival kicked off Friday night with a black-tie gala at the tony, private Vancouver Club. The wild B.C. spot prawn is the largest of all seven commercial species of shrimp found in the Pacific Northwest. Some grow bigger than a human hand – up to about 23 centimetres in length. They are reddish-brown, turning bright pink when cooked, with defining white spots on their tails. When properly handled and cooked, they are firm in texture, with a luscious, sweet flavor. Read the rest here 10:07
Coast Guard rescues two fishermen near Sitka
A Coast Guard crew rescued two Sitka-based commercial fishermen from a sinking boat near the Fairweather fishing grounds early this morning (Tue 5-17-16). Westin Chavez and Nick Middleton were hauled out of the water by a rescue swimmer and helicopter, despite dicey weather conditions, and transported back to town in good condition, Coast Guard Commander Pete Melnick says. He says the two called for help around 2 AM, when they couldn’t steer the 47-foot F/V Rosalyn because it was taking on water. The Fairweather Fishing grounds are about 115 nautical miles northwest of Sitka. “It was some pretty sporty, pretty tough conditions out in the Fairweather grounds,” he said. “I would say that the seas were somewhere at 15 feet with swells pushing the seas to 20-25 feet and sustained winds at 40 knots out of the east. It was a very challenging hoist.” Video,,, Read the story here 09:35
Following a 6 month delay, Dungeness crab catch plummets on North Coast
While the first few days of Humboldt County’s six-month-late Dungeness crab season had some good hauls, the catch has dropped to the point that some crabbers are already packing away their gear, according to local industry sources. “I’ve never seen it go down this fast,” Wild Planet Foods Eureka plant manager Jeff Huffman said Tuesday, “though we’ve never had a season start this late. Usually we’re locking the doors at this point.” But some crabbers are faring better than others since the North Coast commercial Dungeness crab season opened on May 12. Jubal Hall of the “My Lady” crabbing vessel said he will continue crabbing as long as they can, and described the catch so far as “decent, but not great.” Read the story here 08:21
Fishermen’s association changes name to reflect Bristol Bay focus on their bottom line.
The Alaska Independent Fishermen’s Association recently re-named itself the Bristol Bay Fishermen’s Association, and is now looking to boost it’s efforts with more members and a focus on their bottom line. Naknek fisherman Everett Thompson has been a member for several years, and joined the nine-member board last fall. “It’s a competitive business and if we stick together we could do great things,” he said. “With building up our membership we can do even more.” The organization is hoping that by doing more it can have a stronger impact on prices. Read the rest here 07:55
Bay of Fundy fishermen worried about fish stocks being destroyed by tidal turbine generators
Four companies are planning on placing test turbines at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy. FORCE has a facility on land near Parrsboro that manages and monitors four berths for turbines in the Minas Passage. Kevin Gidney of Digby Neck was one of 50 fishermen who attended an information meeting in Annapolis Royal May 15. “Everybody is scared to death,” says Gidney. “The Minas Basin is the number one spawning ground for the Bay of Fundy. After a lobster lays its eggs on bottom, the larva float around on the surface, drifting around the basin with the tide. Are they going to get beat up in the turbines?” “The only thing they (FORCE) are saying to the general public is these fish can avoid, may avoid, or our studies suggest they will avoid the turbines,” said Porter. “In the hundreds of years we’ve been fishing them, there’s never been a fish who learned to avoid a weir, or a gillnet. Read the story here 20:05
Dock death in Caraquet N.B. – WorkSafeNB investigates
The mood remained tense on the dock at Caraquet Monday after a 40-year-old man was killed in an industrial accident there. Workers on the wharf were unloading a truck full of ice and transferring it to a boat when Gérald Doiron was killed. The exact cause of the death is under investigation, but it’s believed he was struck by ice that slid out of the truck, pinning him in the boat. Doiron worked for Provincial Trans Ltd. in Lamèque, delivering ice to fishing boats. A large dump truck was being used to move the 25 tonnes of ice from the truck to the fish hold of the boat. Two other men were injured in the accident, which WorkSafeNB is investigating. Read the rest here 18:34
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for May 16, 2016
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here 18:03
Fishermen in Orkney launch appeal for safety equipment
Fishermen in Orkney have started a crowdfunding appeal to raise money towards state-of- the- art radio rescue equipment, which could mean the difference between life and death at sea. The money raised through the online fundraiser JustGiving will support an application from the Orkney Fisheries Association to the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF). No public funds are normally made available for safety gear for fishermen despite the high fatalities in the industry. The association explains “Our fishermen are dads, boyfriends, husbands, pals, sons and brothers. We want to make sure that they have the same chance to come home safe from work as everyone else. However their work can be more dangerous than everyone else’s and sadly every year some are lost at sea.” Read the rest here 16:23
Listen – Todays Oversight Hearing on the Implications of President Obama’s National Ocean Policy
Following unsuccessful efforts to pass major national ocean policy legislation during three successive Congresses under both Democrat and Republican majorities, the Obama Administration initiated the development of a sweeping multi-agency federal management plan for oceans. This effort culminated with the July 2010 issuance by the White House of National Ocean Policy Executive Order 13547. Invited Witnesses: Mr. Dan Keppen Executive Director, Family Farm Alliance Klamath Falls, Oregon Ms. Elizabeth Kerttula Director, National Ocean Council Washington, D.C. Mr. Jim Lanard Chief Executive Officer, Magellan Wind Collingswood, New Jersey Ms. Meghan Lapp Fisheries Liaison, Seafreeze, Ltd. North Kingstown, Rhode Island Mr. Bob Zales President, National Association of Charterboat Operators Hurley, Mississippi 15:47
Two companies have proposed offshore wind farms in Hawaii
The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the agency that would decide whether to approve ocean leases for the projects, held a meeting about the proposals Monday. Among concerns raised so far is the potential danger that whales or submarines could bump into the cords anchoring the turbines to the ocean floor, said Henry Curtis, executive director of Life of the Land, a Hawaii nonprofit organization. “Do you want to really turn the ocean into the next industrial site?” Curtis asked. Some fishermen are concerned about the possible impact on birds flying over the sea. “The best fish spotters we have are birds,” said Ron Tam, secretary of the Hawaii Fishermen’s Alliance for Conservation and Tradition. “And then, are we going to be able to fish in and about and through these floating machines? We don’t know…That has a definite economic impact.” Read the rest here 11:42
A battle between oil and fishing – How an oil industry fiasco saved Kachemak Bay 40 years ago
The trouble in Homer in 1976 brought world attention to oil politics in the Alaska Legislature and vindicated fishermen who had been fighting oil drilling for three years politically and in court. On Sunday, I visited Clem Tillion at his home here on the south side of the bay, to recall those events. When he was a state senator, the George Ferris fiasco gave him the support he needed to pass a bill that had seemed to have little hope — buying back the leases and declaring Kachemak Bay a critical habitat area to be protected evermore. The issue also helped elect Jay Hammond as our only conservation-oriented governor — and he became the father of the Permanent Fund. And it set Homer on the path to be the eco-tourism center it is today rather than an oil town. Read the story here 09:30
Toxic ‘red tide’ in Chile prompts protests and investigation of salmon farming
An algal bloom ‘of biblical proportions’ has led to protests and health emergency as concerns raised over dumping of rotting salmon in ocean. Chilean authorities are investigating the country’s salmon-farming industry after an algal bloom carrying a virulent neurotoxin spread for hundreds of miles along the rugged coastline of Patagonia, triggering a health emergency and angry protests by fishermen. The huge “Red Tide” has grown rapidly over recent weeks, in what has been described as the country’s worst environmental crisis in recent years: dozens of people have been poisoned by the algal bloom which makes seafood toxic and has deprived thousands of fishermen of a living. But the spotlight is now being focused on the salmon industry amid allegations that the algal bloom may have been exacerbated by the dumping of rotting salmon in the open ocean and the massive piles of salmon faeces and salmon food now smothering portions of the seafloor. Read the story here 08:24
Federally protected aggressive Steller sea lion harasses fishermen
A 2,500-pound terrorist has been surprising sport and commercial fishermen outside Sitka harbors. There’s one thing he’s after—fish — and the season is just ramping up. This federally-protected mammal is causing more trouble than his weight for the city. A Steller sea lion has been frequenting the Sealing Cove fish cleaning station for more than a month now. When anglers cruise into the floating dock to fillet their catch, the animal beelines toward them for what he hopes is an easy meal. Police Lt. Lance Ewers had his own run-in with the sea lion, after a day out on the water with his kids. He says he saw his friend cleaning fish by the runway on his way back into Sealing Cove and asked what was up. Read the rest here 20:03
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Agents bust four men for illegal shrimping
Four Plaquemines Parish men sought to get a jump on their competition by shrimping in inshore waters Tuesday (May 10), according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The inshore shrimp season won’t open until May 23 at 6 a.m. Agents say they saw the vessel Captain Bean actively shrimping with skimmers in the Bayou Grand Liard area near Buras around 9 p.m. They cited Eulice J. Ordoyne Jr, 67, of Buras, and Trebor Fabiano, 33, of Belle Chasse, for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season. Additionally, Ordoyne was cited for using improper navigation lights. Agents seized 60 pounds of shrimp. That same evening at around 9:30, agents say they watched a boat use skimmers near Yellow Cotton Bay. After making contact with the vessel, agents cited Bradon Granger, 19, of Boothville, and Deiontae James, 19, of Venice, for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season. Granger was also cited for not using any of the required navigation lights. Read the rest here 15:15
Greenpeace and Labour call for MPI to be investigated over fisheries mismanagement
Prime Minister John Key is “sceptical” about a report’s claims that the number of fish caught is more than twice the number officially recorded. For the first time a report in collaboration with Auckland University provides a reconstructed picture of New Zealand’s marine catches dating back to 1950 – it reveals while 15.3 million tonnes of catch was recorded up until 2013, an estimated 24.7 million tonnes had fallen through the cracks. Greenpeace says government officials were aware of the recording botch-up but instead of fixing it, the Ministry for Primary Industries “deliberately covered it up”. Read the rest here 14:23
It’s Down to the Wire! ‘Wicked’ Tuna’ – The Season Finale
“Like every season, everybody wants to be the top boat for multiple reasons—one being bragging rights and the next making the most money,” Captain Dave said. “And we have been on the top almost every season… it’s pretty stressful for us though. We have to be at the top of your game everyday and try to do the best we can. It’s very stressful overall but we enjoy it, we love being out there—we love fishing. The show has already been renewed for a sixth season, and Carraro thinks he understands why so many Americans are fascinated with the show. “Most people that are in the middle of the country just away from the ocean, never knew that Bluefin Tuna of this size and magnitude existed,” he said. “So for them they are just totally fascinated by the sheer size and power of the fish in addition to the money.” Video, read the rest here 13:28
Marine Accident Investigation Branch: Louisa has been raised and is being transported to Glasgow
INVESTIGATORS probing the sinking of a fishing boat off the Western Isles have issued images of the stricken vessel being lifted from the seabed. Three crew members were lost when the Louisa sank while at anchor near the island of Mingulay, south of Barra, early on April 9. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is carrying out an investigation into the tragedy along with Police Scotland. As part of the probe, the Louisa has been raised and is being transported to Glasgow for further examination. “Our investigation aims to establish why Louisa sank and why lives were lost. A full and detailed report will be published at the end of our investigation. Read the rest here 12:40
Mullet: Trash Fish to Gourmet Dish
There’s an ongoing effort to change the reputation of mullet. The fish was mostly used as bait. But now, mullet and its roe are appearing on menus at fancy US restaurants and business owners are betting on a growing demand for the fish. Meet some southwest Floridians who are giving mullet a second chance: Third generation Pine Island commercial fisherman and seafood producer Michael Shane Dooley said the main mullet run in southwest Florida is from Thanksgiving to the first of January. “The fish bunch up to make their move to the Gulf of Mexico,” he said. “And that’s when you see your really big schools of fish. You can almost walk on them they get so thick at times.” Audio, read the rest here 09:25
Alaska’s congressional delegation asks Kerry for review of Canadian mine plans
Rep. Don Young and Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan sent a letter to Kerry on May 12 requesting the State Department to question Canadian officials about the impact active and proposed hard rock mines in British Columbia and the Yukon could have on salmon in several large “transboundary” rivers. “Like most Alaskans, we strongly support responsible mining, including mines in Southeast Alaska, but Alaskans need to have every confidence that mining activity in Canada is carried out just as safely as it is in our state,” the delegation wrote. “Yet, today, that confidence does not exist. Proposed mining development in the Stikine, Taku River, and Unuk watersheds has raised concerns among commercial and recreational fishermen, tourism interests, and Alaska Native communities regarding water quality maintenance of the transboundary rivers that flow by their homes and onto their fishing grounds.” Read the rest here 08:43
Tiny American town Little Cranberry Island, Maine is staking its future on Chinese foodies
The long journey from this remote island of free-spirited fishermen to the most populous country in the world began, as it does most mornings, at just about sunrise. Bruce Fernald, a sixth-generation fisherman, loaded his 38-foot fiberglass boat with half a ton of bait and set out in search of Maine’s famed crustacean: the lobster. One by one, Fernald checked the 800 traps he had placed along 30 square miles at the bottom of the Gulf of Maine. He quickly hauled each wire cage onto his boat, reached a gloved hand inside and plucked out the lobster lurking within. The young ones, the breeders and the crusty old ones were thrown back into the water. The rest were dropped into a saltwater tank to keep them alive and energetic on their 7,000-mile trip to China. Read the story here 20:45
