Daily Archives: May 15, 2017
Federal agents raid home of southern Indiana fisherman
The stillness in the air off Zoo Road in English on Monday sounded like a stark contrast to the chaos David Cox described at his nearby home. “They was hollering, ‘David! David!'” Cox recalled. “And there was as many as you could possibly put on my stairway with assault rifles and down here on the ground pointing them at me.”Last Wednesday, a raid from the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife brought roughly 50 agents to his front door. They came after an illegal fish. “I said, ‘You serve all your warrants like this for an illegal fish?'” Cox said. Cox is a commercial fisherman who owns Midwest Caviar and combs the Ohio River for paddlefish. He says he recently found out an informant or undercover agent was on his boat last season in Troy, Indiana, when a fish came into question. Video, click here to read the story 19:27
Mississippi Shrimpers optimistic for upcoming season in state waters
With the shrimp season in Mississippi approaching, more shrimp boats are docking in the Biloxi harbor, awaiting the green light to drop their nets in the sound. The Commission on Marine Resources meets next week to discuss recommendations for the 2017 shrimp season in Mississippi waters. Mirel Nelson on the Lady Vera says he’s hoping that past season are not an indicator of what can be expected this year. “To me it looked like it was going down through the years with all the red tide and stuff, but, who knows,” said Nelson. Nelson has been busy for the past few months improving his boat for this upcoming season. Meanwhile, others in the harbor have taken advantage of open shrimp waters in Louisiana. Video, click here to read the story 12:51
FISH-NL claims victory with DFO measures to help inshore harvesters
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) is pleased with recent measures announced by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to help mitigate the impact of declining quotas and strengthen enterprise viability. “This is most certainly a victory for inshore harvesters,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL. “DFO is to be thanked for listening to the concerns of harvesters when their own union, the FFAW, has tuned them out.” For harvesters in fishing zone 3Ps off Newfoundland’s south coast, DFO announced late last week that its combining policy will be amended to permit 3 to 1 enterprise combining for all fleets. In addition, combined enterprises in the 3Ps under 40-foot fleet will be permitted to buddy up. Click here to read the press release 12:28
Lobster season delayed in Cape Breton by weather
Fishermen from Bay St. Lawrence to Gabarus have caught a couple extra days to prepare for lobster fishing season. Herb Nash of Glace Bay, a fisherman and president of the 4Vn Management Board Association, said opening day for Area 27 was May 15 but was postponed until Wednesday at 5 a.m. He said it the decision came from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the harbour representatives due to high winds in the forecast. “They will be adding the two days to the end,” he said. “The fishermen don’t mind the cancellation because of the forecast — they can’t set traps in that weather anyway.” Click here to read the story 11:39
“Hero of the Seas” – Robin Alden wins more accolades
Robin Alden, Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries’ executive director, has been recognized as a “Hero of the Seas,” as a winner of the international Peter Benchley Ocean Awards. Alden was recognized for her career working at the grassroots, engaging fishermen’s knowledge and participation to build sustainable, healthy coastal fisheries and fishing communities. The awards ceremony took place at a gala on Thursday, May 11, at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. “It is just unbelievable to have international recognition for Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries’ basic approach: that the knowledge fishermen have about the ecology they work in every day is important to a healthy fisheries and our communities,” Alden said in a statement last Friday. Click here to read the story 10:16
Crab fishing organization says State of California commission unfairly changed policy on crabbing season
A crabbing association is suing the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and California Fish and Game Commission, alleging violation of federal law. Tri-State Crab Producers Association filed a complaint on April 5 in the San Francisco County Superior Court against the defendants alleging that they attempted to alter and delay the beginning of the crabbing season. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that it suffered damages due to the changes in the departments’ policies regarding crabbing season. Click here to read the story 09:40
New restrictions seek to save Long Island Sound lobsters
A multistate fisheries commission is poised to slap more restrictions on Long Island Sound lobster fishing in another effort to stabilize the numbers of crustaceans. An arm of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission last week agreed to change the rules in hopes of slowing the continuing decline of lobster in southern New England. The numbers have been falling due to warmer water caused by climate change. “The goal is to preserve what there is,” said Mark Alexander, assistant fisheries manager for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and a voting member on the fisheries commission. “It’s a disgrace,” said Roger Frate, a veteran Darien lobsterman, referring to the commission’s proposed restrictions. Mike Kalaman, a Norwalk lobsterman, said fishermen prefer no additional restrictions. Still, he said the proposed 5 percent egg production goal is better than some of the commission’s more stringent proposals. Click here to read the story 08:14
