Daily Archives: March 18, 2017
Leaking sewer pipes caused Shore river pollution, state says
State environmental officials say they’ve located and eliminated a major source of pollution of the Shark River, a popular body of water in Monmouth County where shellfish harvesting was suspended late last year because of health dangers there. Engineers and scientists have traced a major source of river pollution to two leaking municipal sewer lines that spilled sewage into a stormwater discharge pipe at West Sylvania Avenue in Neptune City, said state Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin. The city has since repaired those pipes, Martin added. But that doesn’t mean shellfish harvesting in the river will immediately reopen. continue reading the story here 13:03
Shrimp boat tangles with a bridge in South Florida
A visitor to a Southwest Florida bridge captured video of a shrimp boat attempting to pass under the structure and temporarily getting stuck. Abraham Arrasola was streaming video on Facebook Live when the shrimp boat attempted to pass under the Matanzas Pass Bridge in Fort Myers. The boat makes contact with the bridge and ends up stuck for a few minutes before it is able to continue on its way. Arrasola said he could see pieces of the bridge falling as the boat worked to free itself. The extent of the damage to the bridge and the boat was unclear. Link 12:33
Fishing industry rattled as white spot disease breaks barriers
It was the outbreak they were expecting, but hoping would never come to pass. Concern and uncertainty seem to the prevailing moods amongst the Queensland commercial fishing industry, reeling from this week’s news that white spot disease had broken it’s containment in the Logan River and been detected in Moreton Bay. There’s also considerable frustration amongst members of the Queensland Seafood Industry Association (QSIA), many of whom predicted the outbreak was a matter of ‘when’, not ‘if’. “It definitely hasn’t been a good week for us,” says QSIA’s CEO Eric Perez. “There’s certainly a lot of concern about the impact this will have on the industry here, as well as the knock-on effects this will have on the wider community.” There appears to be no immediate threat to fisheries in the Gympie and Cooloola Cove regions, but tests are ongoing just to determine how far the disease has spread. continue reading the story here 11:16
The elephant on the wharf – ‘Salt-water mafia’ term coined for a reason
I wish to reply to Russell Wangersky’s March 11th column (“FISH-NL goes cap in hand”) by stating for the record that the characterization of the FFAW as the “salt-water mafia” wasn’t my turn of phrase, but that of inshore harvesters. Indeed, the phrase is so common by the water these days that I’m surprised the salt-water mafia hasn’t challenged harvesters for calling them the FFAW. The way Wangersky sees it, by referring to the salt-water mafia as the FFAW (my apologies, can’t keep it straight), I’m actually “saying that the FFAW is an organized criminal enterprise” that’s been “implicated in everything from drug running to prostitution to murder.” That’s not true. The word “mafia” is defined as a “closed group of people in a particular field (or body of water), having controlling influence,” which, to most harvesters’ line of thinking, sums up the FFAW. Read the Ryan Cleary op-ed here 10:27
Estranged daughter sues ‘Deadliest Catch’ star Sig Hansen, alleging she was molested as a child
The estranged daughter of celebrity Alaskan crab boat captain and cable TV star Sig Hansen claims her father sexually abused her as a toddler, while her parents were divorcing nearly three decades ago, according to interviews and court records. As a result of the alleged abuse, Melissa Eckstrom, now a 28-year-old family law attorney in Seattle, contends in a lawsuit that she battled depression, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts and other trauma throughout her childhood. She also claims that she still harbors memories of her father’s abuse of her as a 2-year-old in 1990. “I have memories … of being in a room alone with my father and crying out in pain,” Eckstrom stated in a court declaration. Read the story here. (I ain’t buying it) 10:06
Oregon adopts Columbia River salmon reforms
Oregon’s Fish and Wildlife Commission took another try Friday at adopting Columbia River salmon management reforms, but it’s still unclear if the policies will satisfy Washington’s commission. In January, the Oregon commission adopted revised reforms which were more friendly to gillnet fishermen. Following a backlash from sportsmen, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown sent the Oregon commission a scolding letter that directed the panel adopt a position closer to the details adopted in 2013 and more akin to Washington’s position. Oregon commission member Greg Wolley of Portland said he got a call from Brown on Thursday. The proposal adopted on Friday meets the spirit of her letter and the compromise Brown wanted, Wolley said. Brad Smith, chairman of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, sent a letter to Michael Finley, his Oregon counterpart, on Wednesday indicating that Washington felt the plan it adopted in January already was a compromise from the original 2012 agreement. “I’m really uncomfortable with this,’’ said Oregon commission member Holly Akenson of Enterprise, who added the plan does not do enough for commercial fishermen. Read the story here 09:09
Transport Canada: One year ‘sufficient time’ for fishermen to grasp new Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations
Transport Canada says it is giving fishermen “sufficient time” to prepare for new safety regulations coming into force this summer. The Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations were announced on July 13, 2016, and come into effect July 13, 2017. “This one-year period was to allow owners of fishing vessels sufficient time to familiarize themselves and get up-to-date with the new requirements,” Transport Canada said in an email to CBC P.E.I. The response came after representatives from 15 fishing organizations representing more than 20,000 fish harvesters walked out of a meeting in Halifax on Thursday with Transport Canada. Transport Canada said the objectives of the new regulations are to reduce fatalities, injuries and loss or damage to vessels in the commercial fishing industry. continue reading the story here 08:24
Rhode Island MAGA March!
Saturday, March 25, 11:00 – 14:00, at the Rhode Island State House. This is a NATIONAL event. All states will be marching the same day. We will kick off from Providence City Hall at 11 AM and march to the south side of the State House. Please bring signs.. wear your Trump gear and if you still have Trump yard signs bring them along. Speakers include.. John DePetro, Brandon Bell, Leanne Sennick, Joe Trillo and many more. Please SHARE this post. Click here 08:13
