Daily Archives: October 4, 2017
Seafood sold in U.S. grocery stores is being processed by North Korean labor
The case for knowing where your food comes from grows ever stronger: A new Associated Press investigation reveals America’s hunger for seafood is unwittingly helping fund the North Korean dictatorship. According to the report, North Korea is outsourcing workers to plants in China that process seafood, including wild-caught salmon, snow crab, and squid, that’s sold in U.S. grocery stores such as Walmart and Aldi — meaning American grocery shoppers “may inadvertently have subsidized the North Korean government as it builds its nuclear weapons program.” click here to read the story 22:31
David Goethel – We have lost the case, but I have no intention of giving up the battle.
I wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to all the private citizens and members of fishing families who have called and emailed me about the recent Supreme Court decision. We have lost the case, but I have no intention of giving up the battle. Many of you have offered suggestions of how to proceed, and I will weigh them all carefully and take further action. In the meantime, I urge all of you, especially those not related to the fisheries, to pick up the phone and call either the Regional Office switchboard (978) 281-9250, or the switchboard at Silver Springs headquarters (301) 427-8000 and voice your displeasure with the current situation. I would also urge you all to contact your Federal Senators in your respective states and voice your frustration. Some members of Congress have tried to fix the problem but because it is regional, they are getting resistance from Senators outside New England. Since many of you come from all regions of the country your calls or emails would be particularly helpful. I wish to again, publicly thank Cause of Action. They have put tremendous time, money and expertise into this case. They are just as frustrated as all of you that no one would rule on the merits of our case. Finally, I want to remind everyone who reads this that citizens hold government accountable in a democracy. Sitting on the sidelines makes everyone assume you do not care. So please, pick up the phone or write that email, and let government know you are dissatisfied with this current outcome. Thank you, David Goethel 17:30
Gone fishin’: Court denies NH case – click here to read the op-ed
After collapse, researchers find a comeback for capelin in Barents Sea
Marine researchers found significant stocks of capelin during their comprehensive Barents Sea Ecosystem Expedition this year. That could open the way for renewed commercial fishing on the stocks. According to expedition leader Georg Skaret, prospects for the capelin is better than in many years. Data presented by Skaret during a presentation on Wednesday show that big stocks of capelin were discovered in the northern parts of the Barents Sea, in the waters east of the Svalbard archipelago. click here to read the story 15:18
2017 Commercial Salmon Harvest Summary
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has compiled preliminary harvest and value figures for the 2017 Alaska commercial salmon fishery (PDF 130 kB). Although there are still fish being caught, the majority of 2017 salmon fisheries have ended. The 2017 commercial salmon fishery all species harvest was 224.6 million wild salmon with an estimated preliminary exvessel value of $678.8, a 66.7% increase from 2016’s value of $407.3 million. Of this total, sockeye salmon again came in as the most valuable species, accounting for 48% of the value at $326.1 million and 23% of the harvest at 52.4 million fish. click here to read the press release 14:56
Seward: Vigor at SMIC: “Here for the Long Haul”
Vigor, a marine services operation located at Seward’s Marine Industrial Center (SMIC), is “here to stay,” according to Adam Beck. Beck is in charge of Alaska Operations for Vigor, and is based out of Portland, Oregon. He plans to spend a few days in Seward in early October to visit their 11 acre shipyard located in the industrial area on the east side of Resurrection Bay. Vigor is one of a handful of marine service operations who hold leases with the City of Seward. According to Beck, they have recently made changes to their business plan. These changes will allow third party contractors to complete work using their yard. click here to read the story 14:10
Questionable Management of Commercial Fisheries – US Senate candidate R.I. State Rep Bobby Nardolillo
Point Judith: State Representative Bobby Nardolillo, a GOP Candidate for the US Senate in 2018, made a formal statement today on the plight of the Ocean State’s commercial Fishing industry. In it he concentrated on recent efforts to restrict the federal quotas of Atlantic Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus). The long statement was summed up by Nardolillo this way: “Menhaden is an important species in the commercial catch. Political overseers such as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission have used demonstrably faulty science to needlessly restrict this catch in our waters. Relief from this untenable restriction is needed not only by commercial trawlers but also by ordinary Rhode Islanders who ultimately consume the protein this catch. click here to read the press release 13:04
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: TYPE: 42′ OEM Lobster Boat, 750HP John Deere 13.5 Liter Diesel
Specifications, information and 15 photos click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 12:28
Congressman Blasts Fishery Council For ‘Improper Lobbying’ – asks for an investigation
The Honolulu-based Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council was harshly criticized on Capitol Hill last week over allegations of anti-environmental lobbying and secretiveness. U.S. Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, a Democrat who represents the Northern Marianas Islands, blasted the council known as Wespac during a hearing before the Water, Power and Oceans Subcommittee. Sablan asked for an investigation of the 16-member council’s activities, which he said include “improper lobbying,” organizing efforts to undermine environmental protections and unspecified financial conflicts of interest. click here to read the story 11:09
More Atlantic salmon coming to Puget Sound despite objections
The company that spilled thousands of invasive salmon into Puget Sound is sending 1 million more into local pens despite objections from state officials. “We are very concerned about Cooke Aquaculture’s plan to transfer up to 1 million Atlantic salmon smolts to a in Clam Bay across from Bainbridge Island. This is disappointing and frustrating, coming on the heels of the August collapse of Cooke’s net pen near Cypress Island that held 305,000 fish,” Washington Governor Jay Inslee said. click here to read the story 10:15
State gives OK to new salmon farm permit – The state found, however, that Fish and Wildlife didn’t have the authority to deny a permit to transfer fish into an existing pen, according to the joint release from Inslee and Franz. click here to read the story 10:42
Thousands of Sharks, Other Sea Life Mysteriously Die in San Francisco Bay, State Says No Funding Available to Determine Cause
As many as 2,000 leopard sharks have mysteriously died in the San Francisco Bay over the past few months. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says determining the cause is not a priority for the state since the sharks are not threatened or endangered, however, scientists say additional research and resources are crucial since the threat is now believed to be preying on other marine life. “This pathogen can tackle a variety of different species … we’ve had a much more diverse group of fish that have been found dead in the San Francisco Bay.” At least 500 bat rays, hundreds of striped bass, 50 smooth-hound sharks and about 100 halibut died in the bay between February and July, according to Okihiro’s estimates. Video, click here to read the story 09:24
First half of Maine’s lobstering season ‘painfully slow’ for fishermen
A cold spring, high bait prices and a stormy summer are adding up to a slow lobstering season in Maine. Every fisherman and every lobstering port along Maine’s 3,500-mile coastline is different. But as of Oct. 1, the midpoint in the industry’s peak season, most Maine lobstermen and the dealers who buy from them agree the catch is down. They disagree on whether the industry will be able to land enough lobster to recover and keep up with the last few years of record harvests. click here to read the story 07:46
