Daily Archives: November 20, 2017
WDFW delays commercial crab fishery on Washington coast due to low meat content
State shellfish managers have delayed the opening of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery on Washington’s coast due to inadequate meat in crab shells. Recent testing indicates crabs along the coast do not have sufficient meat in their shells to meet industry standards for harvest. The fishery will be delayed until at least Dec. 16 to allow more time for crabs to fill with more meat. Contrary to an erroneous news report, WDFW did not delay the commercial crab fishery due to a harmful algae bloom click here to read the story 17:53
Maine: Scallop license lottery moves forward
More scalloping or more scallopers? That’s the question the Department of Marine Resources is facing with a proposed rule that would establish a lottery system for new scallop fishing licenses. Under a plan announced last week, DMR would issue annually two new scallop dragging licenses for every three surrendered. The department would also issue one new diving license for each one not renewed. click here to read the story 16:31
Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Disapproval of Northeast Fishery Sector IX Operational Plan
Through an Interim Final Rule filed this morning, NOAA Fisheries withdraws approval of the 2017 and 2018 Northeast Fishery Sector IX operations plan. The Regional Administrator determined that the sector and its participants have not complied with the requirements of their approved operations plan, and that the continuation of the Sector IX operations plan will undermine achievement of the conservation and management objectives of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. This action follows the guilty plea and sentencing of Mr. Carlos Rafael, a major participant in Sector IX, who admitted to falsely reporting catch information. click here to read the press release 12:24
New England Council Supports Regional Administrator’s Action to Enforce GroundfishSector IX Operations Plan – click here to read press release 16:06
Greater Atlantic Region – Our New Community Resilience Website!
We have been working with our Northeast Fisheries Science Center and other partners to address issues of community resilience and to develop ways to support our regional fishing communities. Part of this effort is our new website (click here) that contains information on how we define community resilience, our near and long-term goals, recent workshop proceedings and next steps, as well as links to our partners, data portals, and other resources. Learn how we are supporting our communities as they face regulatory, environmental, and economic challenges from a changing climate, ocean acidification, and other impacts. If you have questions, email NMFS, GAR, Community [email protected]. 11:11
AquaBounty’s Stotish responds to Sobeys decision against selling GE salmon
Since the first genetically engineered salmon was sold in Canada this summer, retailers and environmental groups have stepped up their opposition to the product. After four years of review, the Canadian government declared GE salmon safe for consumption and allowed it to be sold in 2016. However, resistance has been growing,,, Retailers have responded, with Sobeys, which operates 15,000 stores across Canada, recently becoming the latest grocery chain in North America to declare that it will not be selling AquaBounty’s AquAdvantage salmon, after Loblaws and Metro declared they would not sell GE salmon earlier this year. click here to read the story 10:40
Perpetrators Who Caused the Death of 69 People Were Convicted in the Wreck of a Trawler in the Sea of Okhotsk
Figures of the criminal case on the death of 69 people as a result of the crash of the Far East trawler in 2015 in the Sea of Okhotsk were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment, the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office told Interfax on Monday. “The court came to the conclusion that the accident and its consequences are caused by the change in the vessel’s ownership of the ship’s structures, its overload, and the presence of a minimal amount of fuel on board. Moreover, the ship lacked a sufficient number of hydrothermotics and life jackets,,, click here to read the story 10:10
Sleepy deckhand fined after vessel ran aground on auto-pilot
A 19-year-old deckhand who fell asleep at the wheel of a spanner crab vessel that ran aground on auto-pilot at Mooloolaba has been fined $2,500. The skipper and a female passenger were below deck when the boat was beached in the dark in July. No one was hurt but the Matahari was a write-off. Insurance did not cover replacement costs. The stricken vessel became a tourist attraction and was dragged one kilometre up the busy beach before being cut into pieces. photo’s, click here to read the story 09:29
Endangered orcas compete with seals, sea lions for salmon
Harbor seals, sea lions and some fish-eating killer whales have been rebounding along the Northeast Pacific Ocean in recent decades. But that boom has come with a trade-off: They’re devouring more of the salmon prized by a unique but fragile population of endangered orcas. Competition with other marine mammals for the same food may be a bigger problem than fishing, at least in recent years, for southern resident killer whales that spend time in Washington state’s Puget Sound, a new study suggests. click here to read the story 07:43
