Daily Archives: June 24, 2016
NC fishermen and their advocates say local festivals should sell local seafood
We post a lot of articles about local festivals, for the fishermen! If the fishermen are not being served, we will not promote those festivals. We do not promote imported shrimp or Tilapia. Period. – Dewey Hemilright has spent more than half his life in North Carolina’s commercial fishing industry, but he says he has never heard a bigger fish story than the claim by the Outer Banks Seafood Festival that it promotes the harvest he and his colleagues work so hard to haul in.“It’s a deception,” he said, after first using a colorful phrase that rolls more easily off the tongue of a career waterman. “They’re telling people – or at least implying to people – who come down here that they’re going to get local North Carolina seafood. They’re not. What they’re getting is imported. But put that on your sign and see how many people show up. It’s not right. You shouldn’t have to read the fine print.” Read the story here 17:59
TEXAN FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Local President of Texas American Eel Association Jason Fregia was denied the right to file a petition with Texas Parks and Wildlife to add the American Eel to the Texas commercial fishing list. Fregia’s intent was to introduce (TAEA) research to Texas Parks and wildlife proving the American Eel does exist in Texas waterways and Texas Parks and Wildlife is jeopardizing over $467.1 billion dollars in industries in Texas A possible lost in the Texas GDP of 35.7% of the Texas economy could be affected if the American eel was ever listed as endangered or threatened in the United States, according to the Texas comptroller Texas America eels could be generating a huge industry for the economy of Texas Read the complaint here 17:14
Peter Apo: Obama Should Say No To Expanded Marine Monument
President Obama is considering a request to more than quadruple the size of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to 580,000 square miles – an area as large as the states of Texas, California and Montana. If Obama takes this step, the federal government essentially would assert control over hundreds of thousands of miles of ocean around Hawaii with no public discussion. According to the Antiquities Act of 1906, the trigger to designate an area as a national monument is simply the president’s signature. No discussion required — not by Congress, not by state government and not by citizens who rely on the targeted geo-cultural area. Read the story here 16:11
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Considers Menhaden Regulation Changes
Life is about to possibly get easier for menhaden fisherman in Maryland. Menhaden, a popular bait fish, are regulated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, or ASMFC. Several years ago, an ASMFC report indicated that the menhaden stock was being overfished. However, a report that came out a year ago showed that the fishery was in fact strong. The ASMFC is now undoing some of the regulations it passed to protect the species. It has been years since the ASMFC said that menhaden over fishing was occurring. One lawsuit and several years later, watermen are still feeling the effects of the regulations put in place to protect the species. “When they cut us 20 percent, some of our buyers went to alternative bait like razor clams and the price of bait went up. They went somewhere else so it has really hurt our industry. We can’t sell as much as we were before,” said Boo Powley, a fifth generation waterman. Video, read the rest here 15:23
Bristol Bay Fishermen’s Association seeks more members, better payouts
The name isn’t the only thing changing for the group formerly called the Alaska Independent Fishermen’s Marketing Association. Now dubbed the Bristol Bay Fishermen’s Association, the organization is shifting gears to focus on fair and consistent payment for its membership. “The mission [of] the BBFA is to achieve a fair price on the fish tickets when we go fishing,” BBFA member David Kopra said. “That’s our mission, that’s our purpose, that’s why we’re here.” Kopra, who has been a commercial fisherman in Bristol Bay for 37 years, said that the BBFA needs more fishermen to participate in order to be effective. “I really want us all on the same page when it comes to our price negotiations. We need to stick together,” Kopra said. “The processors stick together. If you’ve noticed, their prices are always the same.” Listen, read the rest here 13:45
More women in P.E.I. lobster fishery are becoming Captains!
While lobster fishing has long been one of the backbones of the P.E.I. economy, a woman at the helm of a fishing boat hasn’t been a common sight. But that is changing in the industry as more women are becoming captains. “Love it, absolutely love it,” said 36-year-old Bethany McCarthy at the wheel, a few minutes out from the wharf at Grahams Pond. “It was a little scary at first. There was a couple of days at the beginning where I thought I made a big mistake so I didn’t know what direction I was going. I was just like, it was awful, it was awful. But after the first week I was like, you know what, I can do this.” Read the story here 13:17
A Fundraiser – Support Luke Gurney’s Family In The Days To Come
On Monday, June 20, the island of Martha’s Vineyard lost one of its most treasured members of their community. Forty-eight year old conch fisherman, Luke Gurney, was fishing off the coast of Nantucket, where he became entangled in the gear and was swept off his boat, No Regrets. A multi-agency search ended after rescue crews were able to recover his body and bring him home. Luke, husband of Robyn and loving father to thirteen-year-old Jacob and eleven year old Samuel, embraced life with the fullest of hearts. Passionate about everything he touched and believed in, Luke lived his life with no regrets. There was nothing more meaningful to him than spending time with his boys and Robyn, whether it was fishing, hikes in the woods, traveling, or cooking dinner for everyone. Luke was able to instill invaluable characteristics in his boys where they could appreciate everyday life. Please donate whatever you can by clicking here 10:32
Frank Blum – Boost production to keep S.C. seafood industry afloat
Where did, where does, where will your seafood come from? The year 1995 was a pivotal point for South Carolina seafood production. From 1950 to 1995 the average landings of seafood was 19.5 million pounds annually. Over the last 12 years the landings have averaged about 11.0 million pounds — a decrease in production of 43 percent. Average 2014 dollars per year to producers 1950 to 1996 were $38.7 million, and from 2003 to 2014 were $22.7 million. This is a decrease in revenue of 41 percent. Today 90 percent of all seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported. Here in the Lowcountry of South Carolina our consumption of imported seafood is somewhat less than this 90 percent because of our direct access to the ocean. Low-cost imports, consisting of 50 percent aquaculture, were major players in pushing many South Carolina watermen out of the seafood business by drastically undercutting their prices. Wild shrimp producers were hurt the most by low-priced imports. One quarter of all seafood consumed in the U.S. is shrimp. Read the rest here 09:58
Alaska IPHC board member fined $49K for fishing violation, resigns
Jeff Kauffman resigned as the Alaska resident member of the International Pacific Halibut Commission on June 22, shortly after he and two fellow fishermen agreed to a $49,000 fine for harvesting more than 10,000 pounds of halibut over their combined quota limit in June 2012. The settlement the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement agreed to was nearly $13,000 less than the original Notice of Violation and Assessment of $61,781 issued on March 1 of this year. Kauffman, who is the vice president of the Central Bering Sea Fisherman’s Association, or CBSFA, and a member of the Advisory Panel to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, did not respond to a request for comment. Interesting article that should raise some questions regarding conflicting relationships. Read the story here 08:40
BREXIT! Fishermen say Leave promises on quotas must be delivered after EU referendum result
Leaders of the West’s fishing industry say they will be looking for Leave campaigners to keep their promises in the wake of the historic referendum result. Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation (CFPO), said there were challenging times ahead but it was time to look towards the future. “The dice has been thrown and now we have got to see what the future holds,” he said. “The promises that the likes of George Eustice has made have to be delivered. Read the rest here 08:02
