Daily Archives: October 21, 2017
DFO’s Inaugural Citizen Science Cod Project – creates cod assessment data, community involvement
Notwithstanding a car that perpetually reeked of fish, Madelyn Swackhamer is singing the praises of her summer job. The 17-year-old from Bareneed, Conception Bay North, was one of 40 high school students hired by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) for its inaugural Citizen Science Cod Project.,, The pilot project involved having pairs of students located at 20 landing wharves in communities on the Northeast Avalon, Conception Bay, Trinity Bay, Bonavista Bay and Notre Dame Bay throughout the course of the province’s summer and fall recreational food fisheries. The students were charged with recording data on how many fish are being caught, the length of each fish, and the arrival and departure of participating vessels. click here to read the story 22:06
Why ‘normal’ salmon don’t get as many parasites
New research reveals the inherent ability of salmon to avoid infection through their first line of defense—behavior. In the rapidly growing fish-farming industry, parasite outbreaks cause production inefficiencies, poor welfare for billions of fish, and negative consequences for wild populations when diseases spread. “Parasite outbreaks in wild fish have been induced by farmed fish in major farming systems, such as sea lice infestations on wild salmon in Europe and North America,” says Tim Dempster, associate professor in the School of BioSciences at the University of Melbourne. click here to read the story 15:25
NEFMC commitee votes to protect corals in Gulf of Maine
Federal regulars have decided to protect two areas in the Gulf of Maine that are home to slow-growing corals. The protected areas encompass almost 40 square miles and are called Outer Schoodic Ridge and Mt. Desert Rock. The areas would still be open to lobster fishing but not to bottom trawling. A committee of the New England Fishery Management Council voted on the protections on Thursday. click here to read the story 14:43
F/V Pacific Paradise: Responders unsuccessful in removing grounded fishing vessel off Honolulu
Responders were unsuccessful in removing the grounded 79-foot fishing vessel Pacific Paradise off Waikiki, Friday. Marine salvage company Cates International crews utilized a tug with 8” plasma towline and chain from both the bow and stern of the fishing vessel in the attempt to break it free from the coral reef. “Salvage teams attempted various removal procedures on both on the bow and stern and although the vessel had movement during the process, it remains aground,” said Capt. Michael Long, commander, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu and captain of the port. “Our Coast Guard teams will reassess with all our partners this weekend to prepare future removal plans. click here to read the story 14:00
Fishery Reform Post Brexit -New technology may allow regulation by effort rather than quotas
Among the few certainties of Brexit, one is that we will need a new, bespoke, British fisheries policy. The prime minister has confirmed that we will be leaving the Common Fisheries Policy. The fishing industry, though a small part of the economy, is highly symbolic, having been cheaply betrayed on entry into the European Union, when we donated to our EU partners the chance to fish a vast sea area. On leaving, Britain will control not only its 12-mile territorial waters, but also its 200-mile exclusive economic zone. This is a golden opportunity to learn from the management of fisheries around the world and design a system of exploiting our fish that is sustainable, conservationist and profitable. ITQ? or Days at Sea? click here to read the story 12:18
Red Lobster Criticized For Decimating Biscuit Populations Along Cheddar Bay
CHEDDAR BAY, ME—Warning that local stocks had been depleted to dangerous levels, environmentalists criticized Red Lobster on Wednesday for its part in decimating biscuit populations along Cheddar Bay. “It’s no coincidence that the biscuit population has dropped an alarming 84 percent since Red Lobster was founded in 1968,” said Roger Gross, researcher at the Marine & Environmental Research Institute, adding that the rate at which Red Lobster has been harvesting biscuits from the bay was unsustainable, click here to read the rest 11:44
Fears UK fishing industry losing out on £230 million and 2,700 jobs
The number of people employed in the UK fishing industry is officially falling and so too is the quantity of fish being landed in the UK. While prices are up, there is still concern amongst many in the industry about how much value the UK derives from its own fleet and fish quota. Figures exclusively leaked to ITV News show publicly for the first time precisely how little benefit the UK gains from some of its own fishing fleet. Many “British” boats are foreign owned and, as the statistics show, some of these never land a single fish in the UK. Video, click here to read the story 11:25
This Wing Will Fly! Wing Trawling System Wins Ocean Exchange Neptune Award
The Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Orcelle (R) and the Ocean Exchange Neptune Awards of $100,000 Each Were Given to Atlas Energy Systems and Wing Trawling System for Innovative Solutions That Support Zero Emissions and Sustainable Oceans. The winner of the Ocean Exchange Neptune Award in the amount of $100,000 USD is Wing Trawling System or WTS (USA-AL). This system can be adapted to existing commercial shrimp boats to reduce unwanted finfish by-catch by 60%+, while allowing a 20% increase in shrimp capture, and has shown 35% reduction in fuel consumption. The WTS looks like an airplane wing that flies just over the sea floor and holds the net open, eliminating the heavy sea floor contact of the trawl doors. The system was created and field-tested with six design generations by WTS founder, who has 49 years experience as a shrimper and many years experience as a mechanical designer. click here to read the story visit wingtrawlingsystem.com
Seized lobster destined for Chinese buyers
The lobsters seized in a Monday raid at Halifax Stanfield international airport were purchased by a Chinese company for export to Asia. Pierre Boissonault, a manager for Guang Da International, said Friday that 5,400 pounds of his company’s lobster was seized at the airport on Monday by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada before it could be shipped to China. He also confirmed that the company’s facility in Belliveaus Cove was raided as part of an investigation by Fisheries and Oceans into illegally purchased lobster. click here to read the story 09:10
Two bodies recovered from sunken F/V Dianne, debris hampering police diver search
Police divers could only spend 13 minutes underwater at a time on Saturday and the last dive was conducted about 4.30pm. The police vessel Conroy was expected to bring the bodies back to Gladstone for formal identification on Saturday night, before heading back out to guard the scene until the morning. “We’re still clearing debris from the wheelhouse and just starting to get below,” Inspector Somerville said. click here to read the story 08:40
