Daily Archives: November 18, 2017
Record Chinook Salmon, Steelhead Returns Reported on Mokelumne River
For many years after Camanche Dam was built, the Mokelumne River, a major tributary of the San Joaquin River and the Delta, hosted small runs of Chinook salmon. The historic runs of steelhead after the construction of the dam averaged only 100 fish and no steelhead returned to spawn many years. But both steelhead and salmon runs have rebounded in recent years, due to a number of factors. In welcome good news for Central Valley salmon populations, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) report record fall spawning returns of Chinook salmon and steelhead to the Mokelumne River, a tributary of the San Joaquin River.,, The hatchery has received 13,799 adult salmon to date—compared to 4,129 at this point last year—and is expected to break the record return of 18,000 in 2011. click here to read the story 20:33
Crew walk off cockroach-infested trawler in West Cork
Indonesian crew members of the UK-registered ship detained in West Cork last week walked off the vessel last night and sought to be put up by Irish officials to enable them to plan for a journey home, writes Stephen Rogers.Earlier, Britain’s Marine and Coastguard Agency (MCA) confirmed that its inspector had examined the trawler Christian M, which had been detained by Irish authorities for a number of issues including a significant cockroach infestation and crewing issues. click here to read the story 14:09
Bi-Partisan effort to keep open permanently Newport, Charleston Coast Guard air bases
“We remain extremely concerned about Coast Guard air facilities in the high-use ports of Newport, Oregon and Charleston, South Carolina,” the four lawmakers wrote Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation; the committee’s ranking member Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.); Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), chair of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure; and the House committee’s ranking member, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.). click here to read the letter 13:09
Houma man cited on shrimping violations
A Houma man was cited last week for alleged shrimping violations on Nov. 9 in Pointe-Aux-Chenes. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries cited Dwayne T. Hotard, 44, who is accused of illegally taking commercial fish, taking commercial fish without a vessel license, blocking the passage of fish, possessing over the limit of shrimp on a Wildlife Management Area and being in a Wildlife Management Area after hours. Around 5:15 p.m. Nov. 9, agents received a complaint about a net that was stretched across a flood control structure,, click here to read the story 11:42
Experts: Idaho hatchery built to save salmon is killing them
A relatively new $13.5 million hatchery intended to save Snake River sockeye salmon from extinction is instead killing thousands of fish before they ever get to the ocean, and fisheries biologists in Idaho think they know why. The Department of Fish and Game in information released this week says water chemistry at the Springfield Hatchery in eastern Idaho is so different from that in the central region that the young fish can’t adjust when released into the wild. Idaho Rivers United, an environmental group, blasted the report as more reason for removing four dams on the lower Snake River that impede salmon click here to read the story 10:53
Iceland is selling whole, raw lobsters – already shelled – for £15.
At this price, the lobsters, weighing about 140g, are considerably more expensive than the ones already in their shell that the likes of Aldi sell at Christmas for £6, or the pair of lobster tails that Asda sells for £12. But Iceland is confident that it will be a hit with British shoppers, many of whom see lobster as a key part of a Christmas buffet or meal. Sales of lobster jumped 32 per cent last year, helped by a price war which saw Lidl sell lobster for just £2.99 for a limited time in December. click here to read the story 09:35
Holy mackerel! Civilisation begins with fishing
Fishing, writes Fagan, ‘has created the modern world’. It is a startling claim, particularly given the wont of prehistorians to focus on hunting, gathering and then agriculture. Shellfish collectors, wrote one eminent prehistorian, ‘are normally associated with a low level of culture’. The people of Pinnacle Point on the South African coast who lived 165,000 years ago, collected molluscs to eat. More importantly, they used mollusc shells as adornment. This, says Fagan, ‘is the earliest known sign of the changes that result in today’s cognitive skills’. It is when humans began to be human. click here to read the story 09:10
OSHA releases fact sheet on shipboard pedestal crane safety
A new fact sheet from OSHA is intended to help protect workers from hazards associated with shipboard pedestal cranes. Common on commercial fishing vessels, pedestal cranes move and load materials and catches. When a pedestal crane’s components, or their operation, fail, injuries and fatalities can occur. Failure can result from inadequate maintenance, unapproved modifications, improper use, lack of training, and improper inspections, the sheet states. Proper training, regular inspections and working within manufacturers’ guidelines can reduce the risks. The fact sheet covers inspection, operation and training requirements, as well as OSHA certification requirements, click here to read the story 08:03 read the fact sheet here
