Daily Archives: June 27, 2016
Crossing the Bar: Captain Roswell P. Staples, of Rockland, Maine
Born at Deer Isle, March 11, 1934, he was the son of Chester B. and Dora Staples. After moving to Rockland with his family at a young age, Paul attended local schools. In 1950 he began fishing aboard the FV St. George out of Rockland, working aboard that vessel until he entered the U.S. Navy. A Korean War veteran, Paul served with the Navy from 1951 to 1955. Returning to Rockland, he resumed his career as a commercial fisherman, aboard National Sea Products vessels until the closing of that plant. Beginning in November of 1969, he spent nine months aboard a research ship, sailing between Antarctica and Punta Arenas, Chile. Sept. 22, 1970, he married Mildred E. Harvey Dodge in Rockland. In 1971, Paul earned his 1st Mate License and in 1974, his Master Captains License. He later worked aboard vessels out of Boston and Alaska, retiring from the sea in 1993. Read the rest here 22:19
Listed fishing boats that are registered for commercial fishing in Massachusetts
This table lists fishing boats that are registered for commercial fishing in Massachusetts, along with the vessels’ owners. The data can be sorted by the boat’s name, the boat owner’s name (first name first), the boat owner’s home community, the boat’s home port and principal port. Boats, large and small, can also be sorted numerically by their length in feet. Note: Only boats that list a home port in Massachusetts are included in this table. Some boats may be owned in one state and ported in another. This listing includes boats used for myriad types of commercial fishing, including ground fishing, lobsters, shellfish, etc. 25 per page, 44 pages with 1048 listed Source – NOAA Fisheries 2016 vessel permit data, Greater Atlantic Region Read the list here 20:07
U.S. Commerce Department announces 2016 regional fishery council appointments
The U.S. Commerce Department today announced the appointment of 19 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils that partner with NOAA Fisheries to manage ocean fish stocks. One at-large seat on the Mid-Atlantic Council will be announced by the Secretary at a later date. The new and reappointed council members begin their three-year terms on August 11. Each year, the Secretary of Commerce appoints approximately one-third of the total 72 appointed members to the eight regional councils. The Secretary selects members from nominations submitted by the governors of fishing states, territories and tribal governments. Council members are appointed to both obligatory (state-specific) and at-large (regional) seats. Council members serve a three-year term and can get reappointed to serve three consecutive terms. Asterisks preceding a member’s name indicate a reappointment. Read it here 17:24
Black gill disease shows up early in Georgia shrimp
“We’re seeing 40 percent of our white shrimp infected,” said Pat Geer, chief of fisheries at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “We have never seen that before. Ever. So why, why are we seeing it that much earlier?” Geer put that question to a gathering of researchers, shrimpers and fisheries managers from Georgia and South Carolina on Wednesday at the University of Georgia Aquarium at Skidaway. Though unattractive, black gill shrimp are safe to eat. The discoloration is a result of a parasite that infects the gills. When it does, that tissue reacts by producing melanin, resulting in the tell-tale blackening. Researchers have determined the culprit is a ciliate, a single-celled organism with hair-like structures that propel it, but they haven’t been able to nail down which species it is. Read the story here 15:12
Two Maryland fishermen banned from fishing for striped bass forever
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources said that Michael D. Hayden Jr. and William J. Lednum, both of Tilghman Island, have received lifetime revocations of their striped bass privileges and have been suspended from all commercial fishing activity for the next year, followed by a four-year probationary period in all other fisheries. Their striped bass allocations are being returned to the commercial fishery allotment. In simpler terms, the two men were convicted of poaching and selling nearly $500,000 of striped bass over four years and have received lifetime bans from taking part in that fishery. Hayden and Lednum remain responsible for $498,000 in court-ordered restitution to the state of Maryland. Read the rest here 13:23:08
Oceana researchers say getting federal data on fish stocks is a challenge
A team of researchers that spent months digging up data, hounding scientists and chasing leads to assess the state of Canadian fish stocks say old, incomplete or inaccessible federal research means the health of nearly half of the country’s commercial fish stocks remains a mystery. Oceana Canada, a non-profit advocacy group whose work focuses on ocean health, released a report last week that it claims is “the most comprehensive public study ever conducted” on the state of Canada’s fish stocks. But the report’s authors say they faced barriers accessing federal data that could allow them to properly determine whether commercial fish stocks are healthy. (which didn’t stop them from saying the fishery’s are in severe decline) Read the rest here 12:35
NMFS Shoots Down Defenders of Wildlife petition to list Smooth Hammerhead Shark under Endangered Species Act
We, NMFS, announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the smooth hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have completed a comprehensive status review of the smooth hammerhead shark in response to this petition. Based on the best scientific and commercial information available, including the status review report (Miller 2016), we have determined that the species does not warrant listing at this time. We conclude that the smooth hammerhead shark is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range and is not likely to become so within the foreseeable future. Read the rest here 11:28
BP spill cost fishing industry at least $94.7 million to $1.6 billion from May through December 2010
The BP oil spill may have cost the Gulf of Mexico’s commercial fishing industry between $94.7 million and $1.6 billion and between 740 and 9,315 jobs from May to December 2010, according a study released Wednesday (June 22) by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The study, conducted by The Vertex Companies of Boston, Mass., measured the impact of the spill during the same period of time that is being used to calculate claims being paid to fishermen under a 2012 court-approved settlement agreement between private parties and BP. The three-year study cost $355,888. Louisiana’s commercial fishing industry bore the brunt of the costs of the spill, compared to the four other Gulf states, the report found, with the highest costs affecting the catch of shrimp, oysters, crabs and menhaden. Read the rest here 10:34
Alaska’s ‘graying of the fleet,’ – Some determined young fishermen are bucking the trend
It takes about half a million dollars to get set up as a full-time fisherman — a heftier price tag than for a plush house. Today, a seine permit in the Kodiak region costs about $50,000. A salmon drift permit in Bristol Bay runs about $150,000. Halibut quota is being sold for upwards of $50 per pound, an increase from about $15 per pound in 2010. At today’s rate, a young person trying to buy into the halibut fishery either needs a million dollars in cash or be willing to pour all income into a loan payment. Here’s a brief look at some young Alaskans getting started in the industry that helped shape Alaska’s history and identity. Darren Platt, John Christensen, Ken Jones, Jake Everich, Amy Schaub, Luke Smith, Read the article here 09:08
