Daily Archives: July 9, 2016
Scituate’s tribute to fishermen should be wake-up call of industry’s troubles
It is often said, “All politics is local;” a phrase that is often associated with former Speaker of the House from Massachusetts Tip O’Neil. The phrase is appropriate for the re-dedication of the Scituate town pier on Friday, June 24. The event, hosted by the Town of Scituate and The Scituate Harbor Cultural District, not only recognized the extensive renewal of the pier and the public servants that shepherded the project through the political funding process, but importantly also recognized the fishing families that make their living by operating the small fishing businesses that remain in Scituate. Sadly, there are only three groundfish boats in Scituate these days. As Mirarchi explained, the law that protected the industry from foreign vessels has become the biggest challenge to the fishing industry. “In reality, fishermen are challenged more by an inflexible regulatory system than by a scarcity of fish,” he said. “We have transitioned from a no-holds-barred regime prior to 1976 to a cap and trade system where every pound of catch is counted and is deducted from an annual allocation.” In other words, overregulation is killing the local fishing industry. Read the article here 16:10
Another Crackpot ENGO, Another ESA Lawsuit against the NMFS
Defenders of fish with funny names — including the blackchin guitar fish, the violin fish and porbeagle shark — sued the federal government Wednesday, demanding the fish be listed as threatened or endangered. WildEarth Guardians says the Secretary of Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Service missed their 12-month deadline to rule under the Endangered Species Act. All five species — including the Caribbean electric ray and Hector’s dolphin — are “at significant risk of extinction,” the Montana-based conservation group says. Listing could protect the species from recreational and commercial fishing and development. The Endangered Species Act requires the defendant agencies to issue findings within 90-day and 12-month timeframes in most cases. But the National Marine Fisheries Service has “regularly ignored these statutory procedures and have consistently missed statutory listing deadlines,” WildEarth Guardians says. Read the rest here 14:10
This reel and related electronic components were stolen, and the owner would like them back!
A commercial fisherman from Gloucester said that sometime between Tuesday and early Thursday, one or more intruders broke a padlock off the vessel’s wheelhouse and entered it, making off with a computerized mackerel fishing reel, mackerel hooks, the computer used with the reel, and an additional computer tablet. the equipment is rare, with only seven known individual computer-reel systems operating out of Gloucester. The fisherman has estimated the reels and computer equipment losses at $4,500, with the hooks worth an estimated $1,500. If you have any knowledge of who stole this equipment, or are offered this equipment, please contact the Gloucester Police, or send a tip in confidence to us https://fisherynation.com/contact Thank you 10:59
3 fishermen rescued off Sydney, Nova Scotia
Three fishermen were rescued from their grounded vessel in waters off Sydney early this morning, says the Royal Canadian Navy. The vessel ran aground on Scatarie Island, about 17 nautical miles southeast of Sydney. It crew sent out a distress call around midnight, said navy spokesperson Lt. Christine Hurov. “It was taking on water, so the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre tasked 413 Squadron’s Hercules and Cormorant as well as the Canadian Coast Guard ship Spray,” Hurov said. The three crew members were “cold and tired” but otherwise in good shape when the zodiac picked them up, Pink said. The fishing boat was left on Scatarie, but Pink said a salvage operation is in the works. The fishermen were taken aboard the Spray to Louisbourg, from where they left for home. Link 10:22
“The Plan” – Mid-Atlantic states draft regional plan for improving coastal waters
With the ocean facing significant challenges in the near future, Mid-Atlantic states, federal agencies, and others have banded together to draft a plan to promote more regional planning and coordination in managing the resource. While the new coalition has no regulatory authority, President Barack Obama has directed federal agencies to incorporate regional plans like the Mid-Atlantic’s into the policies they develop, according to , who endorsed the effort. “If we want to protect the things we value, we have to change the rules of the game,’’ Dillingham said. “There are clearly increasing demands for use of the ocean. Some are potentially harmful to marine life and the environment. All of them need to be managed.’’ What a bunch of crap! Read the rest here 09:55
New England’s Lobstermen face growing bait shortage
The state of Maine has implemented further restrictions on the amount of herring caught off its coast as New England faces a growing shortage of the fish, the top bait of lobstermen. Regulators and members of the fishing industry say the problem is that not enough herring are being caught on Georges Bank off Massachusetts. The Maine Department of Marine Resources instituted a weekly landing limit of 600,000 pounds of herring per boat to assure landings don’t cause a shortage in August. Both New Hampshire and Maine have always had regulations involving herring caught in the Atlantic Area 1A, but regulators say they fear a shortage could cause the herring fishery to close at the start of September. A typical harvest for an Area 1A Trimester goes from June 1 through Sept. 30. According to New Hampshire Fish & Game, almost 99 percent of Maine Area 1A herring is fished by Maine licensed vessels. The lack of bait is a problem for lobstering in all coastal New England states, but is hitting Maine hardest as it is the largest lobster fishing state in the country. Read the rest here 09:15
Three recreational fishermen arrested for fin clipping violations in Rhode Island
Three men have been charged under new laws crafted to prevent the illegal sale and harvest of Atlantic striped bass in local waters, the state Department of Environmental Management announced on Friday. Authorities said Chad W. Braga, 31, of Swansea, MA, Brandon DeFaria, 34, of Rehoboth, MA and Michael A. Saviano, 35, of Warren, RI, were arrested for fin clipping violations and found to be in possession of bass that had not been clipped.The regulations require recreational fishers to clip the right pectoral fin of striped bass 34 inches or larger when caught. Fish dealers cannot trade in fish without the fin. The idea is to prevent fish caught recreationally being sold in the commercial market to bypass catch limits and fishery restrictions. Read the rest here 08:39
