Daily Archives: July 1, 2017
U.K. to End Half Century of Fishing Rights in Brexit Slap to EU
Prime Minister Theresa May will pull Britain out of the 1964 London convention that allows European fishing vessels to access waters as close as six to twelve nautical miles from the U.K. coastline. Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union was already going to stop fishing by European boats within 12 to 200 nautical miles (22 to 370 kilometers) of British shores, but this move goes even further in terminating historic rights enjoyed by France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands that predate the U.K.’s own entry into the EU. “For the first time in more than fifty years we will be able to decide who can access our waters,”,,, click here to read the story 19:34
Single-day catch of 1 million sockeye buoys Nushagak fishermen in Bristol Bay
A million salmon caught in a day isn’t unheard of in the wildly productive Bristol Bay commercial fishery, but for one district it proved to be a record. Whether the early bonanza is a harbinger of a strong season, though, remains to be seen. Commercial fishermen in Bristol Bay’s Nushagak district caught a little over 1 million prized sockeye salmon Monday, the largest single-day catch in the Nushagak fishery. Typically, Bristol Bay catches peak around July 4. While million-plus days have happened in other Bristol Bay fisheries, they’re rarely seen in the Nushagak, a smaller fishery than the Naknek-Kvichak district to the east. The bay, considered the premier red salmon fishery in the country, is divided into five management districts based on the nine major river systems in the region. click here to read the story 17:17
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for June 30, 2017
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here 12:32
Fisherman Charged in Wife’s Lake Killing Despite No Body
A commercial fisherman’s story about his wife disappearing into the depths of Lake Erie on a boating trip isn’t adding up, and Pennsylvania authorities believe they know why. They say he’s the one who put her there. Christopher Leclair, 48, is jailed on a charge of criminal homicide in the presumed death of his wife of nearly 26 years, Karen, whose body has not been found. Erie County District Attorney Jack Daneri, “If you don’t have a body, you’re going to have to have a strong circumstantial case,” he said. The prosecutor and Kline believe they do, including other statements from Christopher Leclair that also don’t jibe, according to police affidavits filed with search warrants and criminal complaints. click here to read the story 11:50
Clam War – Claims Over Shellfish Fuel a Battle in the Bay
The bounteous shellfish here in this hamlet on the North Shore of Long Island are so iconic, they were extolled by Cole Porter in his song “Let’s Do It,’’ with its line about oysters down in Oyster Bay doing it. While the lyric connotes cozy relations between the famously fertile shellfish of this bivalve capital, feelings among shellfishermen themselves are decidedly less friendly. Locals describe them as the clam wars, with two sides waging a public battle for decades over rights and practices in Oyster Bay Harbor, which remains the most productive shellfishing habitat in New York State. The dispute pits the baymen who hand-rake for clams against the Frank M. Flower & Sons shellfish company, which uses dredge boats to mechanically harvest the clams and oysters it farms on a swath of 1,800 acres leased from the Town of Oyster Bay. click here to read the story 10:51
Naknek-Kvichak fishermen eagerly await the 16 million sockeye run to show
With just 100,000 sockeye counted as harvest, and 65,000 counted as escapement, skippers and crew play the waiting game in Bristol Bay’s largest fishing district. The Naknek-Kvichak district had a couple openers earlier this week with not a lot of promise. While fish are coming in at record breaking numbers in the Nushigak, skippers in the Naknek-Kvichak are playing the game of ‘hurry up and wait.’ Boats are anchored and lined up at the Naknek Silver Bay Seafoods dock Thursday afternoon. Skippers and crew are working on last minute repairs…some are playing cards, reading books, napping. The overall sentiment is disappointment from the last two openers. Audio report, click here listen/read 09:43
Seismic blasting, oil & gas drilling in Atlantic? Now’s the time to comment
The public is now being asked to comment on the president’s proposal to open up the Atlantic and all other federal offshore planning areas for potential oil and gas drilling. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the 45-day public comment period on a new Five-Year National Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program on the Outer Continental Shelf will begin Monday. The comment period will close Aug. 17. To comment on the proposed Five-Year National Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program: click here to read the story, scroll down page for instructions. 08:43
UPDATE 2 AND FINAL: F/V Miss Destinee – Coast Guard suspends search for 2 missing in Marmot Bay, Alaska
The Coast Guard suspended the search late Friday night for a man and woman reported missing from the fishing vessel Miss Destinee that capsized in Marmot Bay, Thursday morning.,,, “We and our fellow military partners and the good Samaritans have heavy hearts after an extensive and difficult search in Marmot Bay,” said Capt. Sean Mackenzie, commander of Coast Guard Sector Anchorage. “We conducted this search and rescue mission as if two of our own shipmates became missing. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the man and woman still missing.” A federal on-scene coordinator representative from Sector Anchorage is en route to Kodiak to oversee commercial salvage operations. The vessel Sea Strike is scheduled to arrive later tonight with divers aboard to commence salvage operations to recover the Miss Destinee. The Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur and crew remain on scene. click here to read the press release 08:11
