Daily Archives: October 6, 2017
Port of Seattle plans $35 million Fishermen’s Terminal makeover to stem losses
The Port of Seattle has a $35 million plan to redevelop the iconic but unprofitable Fishermen’s Terminal in Ballard. Port officials hope the mix of new and renovated buildings will boost terminal revenue, allowing the public agency to fulfill its 100-year commitment to the fishing industry while remaining accountable to King County taxpayers. The plan calls for demolitions, new buildings and a reduction in public parking to reduce the $4.3 million in annual operating losses at the terminal, which is home to the Alaska fishing fleet. View 9 photos, click here to read the article 19:47
Senator Warren: New Bedford should keep Rafael’s fishing permits
And another voice enters the fray. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has weighed in on the debate over the ultimate fate of Carlos Rafael’s seized commercial fishing permits, saying in a letter to NOAA Fisheries the permits should remain in New Bedford. “It has been reported that (Rafael’s) fishing permits may be cancelled or seized by the federal government and I am urging you to do everything possible to ensure that those permits stay in the port of New Bedford,” Warren wrote to Chris Oliver, NOAA Fisheries’ assistant administrator for fisheries. “Not doing so has the potential to devastate the local economy and effectively punish numerous innocent workers and businesses in New Bedford for Mr. Rafael’s crimes.” click here to read the story 18:57
EDF to partner with Philippine bureau of fisheries to implement fishing reforms
In a dramatic step forward for Asia-Pacific and global ocean conservation, the Philippines has begun implementing sustainable fishing reforms with Environmental Defense Fund serving as a partner to provide critical support on science and policy. The commitment was highlighted at the Our Ocean Conference in Malta, where the Philippines announced it would establish these reforms for its major commercial fisheries by 2022. click here to read the press release 16:58
Fishing industry group says it’s looking for ways to prevent Atlantic right whale entanglements
The fishing industry says it’s looking for a solution to help prevent North Atlantic right whales from enduring painful, and sometimes deadly, entanglements with fishing gear. The Maritime Fishermen’s Union says a longer snow crab fishing season and an unprecedented number of right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence created a “perfect storm” this year for a massive die-off.,,, “Our association is being proactive with this issue and there are some consultations that will be going forward with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as soon as early November,” click here to read the story 15:24
Overfishing Operation Nets Three Eel Traffickers
Three men pleaded guilty Thursday to trafficking juvenile American eels — a species at risk of overfishing as harvesters try to meet demand in the East Asian markets.,, “Operation Broken Glass” has resulted in 18 guilty pleas in Maine, Virginia and South Carolina. The defendants are responsible collectively for the illegally trafficking of more than $4.5 million worth of elvers. William Sheldon, Timothy Lewis, and Charles Good joined the list on Thursday, pleading guilty before a federal judge in Portland, Maine, to violations of the Lacey Act. click here to read the story 14:53
Cooke acquires Omega Protein for nearly USD 500 million
Cooke Aquaculture’s parent company has acquired Texas-based fish oil and fishmeal producer Omega Protein for nearly USD 500 million (EUR 428 million). The agreement has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of each of Omega Protein and Cooke, according to a press release. Cooke Inc., based in New Brunswick, Canada, and Houston-headquartered Omega Protein agreed to a purchase price of USD 22.00 (EUR 18.81) per share for the publicly traded company.,, The transaction, which is expected to close near the end of 2017 or early in 2018, according to Cooke, is subject to the approval of Omega Protein stockholders, certain regulatory approvals, and other customary closing conditions. click here to read the story 14:30
31st annual N.C. Seafood Festival – It’s all about seafood
Rides are up, tents pitched and flags hung high. Now it’s time to cook up some seafood. With preparation work done, the waterfront will soon be alive with the smells of freshly cooked, locally caught seafood, and the sounds of laughter and amusement during the 31st annual N.C. Seafood Festival. The festival starts today and rolls to Sunday. It focuses on the importance of local seafood caught off the coast of North Carolina. To celebrate the fishing industry, the festival boasts a weekend full of activities with free music, sporting events, games, rides, the Blessing of the Fleet ceremony and more. click here to read the story 13:04
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for October 6, 2017
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here for older updates listed as NCFA click here11:33
A fisherman’s tale…
As a young man in his late 20s Peter Bullock made a living sailing luxury yachts around the Mediterranean for the super-rich. But when he was offered the opportunity to skipper a boat fishing for pilchards in Cornwall, he leapt at the chance. “Except we don’t call them pilchards now,” he points out. “They’re Cornish sardines.” Twelve years later, the catch he brings back to shore each morning is being sold not in cans, but on the fresh fish counters of upmarket supermarkets like M&S and Waitrose. click here to read the story 11:11
Conservationists plan to sue over right whale deaths
Animal conservation groups say they intend to sue the U.S. government unless North Atlantic right whales are better protected, following the deaths of 15 along U.S. and Canadian coasts. “We are literally facing the extinction of right whales due to human causes,” said Regina Asmutis-Silvia of Whale and Dolphin Conservation North America. In August, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, declared the deaths of North Atlantic right whales since June 7 an “unusual mortality event,” which triggered a focused and expert investigation into the causes. But the conservation groups want more. click here to read the story 10:01
Prince of Wales claims Somalian pirates have been ‘fantastic’ for marine life because fishermen are too scared to go to sea
Prince Charles’ latest remarks have sparked outrage after he claimed pirates have been ‘fantastic’ for marine life because fisherman were too scared to do their job. The 68-year-old royal said there had been a ‘fantastic explosion’ of bigger fish off the coast of Somalia due to the lack of activity in the sea. Speaking to Sky News, Prince Charles said: ‘As a result, there hasn’t been any fishing there for the last ten or 15 years. And from that there has been a fantastic explosion of bigger and bigger fish.’ His comments came after delivering a keynote speech at the Our Ocean Conference in Malta, which came on the same day that he released a rehabilitated turtle back into the wild. click here to read the story 08:38
Ocean conference raises over $7 billion to marine protection – click here to read the story
Tropical Storm Nate: Path brings a hurricane to northern Gulf Coast earlier
Tropical Storm Nate got a little stronger and picked up speed on Friday morning on a path that could bring it to the northern Gulf Coast as a Category 1 hurricane in less than 48 hours. The center of the storm moved back over water early Friday after spending most of Thursday over Central America. Nate will move near or over Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula tonight and then enter the Gulf of Mexico late tonight or early Saturday. Nate is forecast to then race across the Gulf and could be nearing the coast of Louisiana by early Sunday morning. click here to read the story 08:25
