Daily Archives: December 31, 2017
How We Know Megalodon Doesn’t Still Exist?
Megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon) is the largest shark, at a magnificent maximum of 18 meters (59 feet), to ever have dwelled in the oceans. We know primarily about Megalodon’s existence through fossilized teeth. A recent Twitter exchange, made me realize that both some people think Megalodon still exists and a really good write up on how we know Megalodon actually does not exist is not on the interwebs. So in a numbered list, here we go. By Dr. M click here to read the story 19:49
Japan to enforce penalties for bluefin catch quota violations starting next month
The Fisheries Agency will start enforcing penal regulations on Pacific bluefin tuna caught by Japanese fishermen in January, in line with stricter international controls aimed at overfishing. The agency hopes that comprehensive resources management will allow fishermen to continue catching the prized fish amid concerns that global tuna stocks are being depleted, officials said. The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission allocates catch quotas to its members, including Japan and the United States. click here to read the story 16:15
Sharks freeze to death in sub-zero temperatures in the US East Coast
Cities along the East Coast of the United States are experiencing record-breaking snowfall and extreme drops in temperature; it’s been so cold that sharks have been washing up on shore frozen to death. Atlantic White Shark Conservancy has reported that a number of thresher sharks which washed up dead on Cape Cod are likely to have died from ‘cold shock’ due to the ice cold temperatures in the water. click here to read the story 14:22
DMR extends search for shrimp boat for 2018 Northern Shrimp Cooperative Winter Sampling program
The Department of Marine Resources extended the deadline and sweetened the deal in the hope of attracting applications to participate in its 2018 Northern Shrimp Cooperative Winter Sampling program. DMR was offering up to $2,500 in pay for a shrimp trawler to collect shrimp samples off the Midcoast, starting about Jan. 29. The purpose of the program is solely to collect scientific samples for DMR. No shrimp may be kept or sold. Last week, DMR announced that it was upping the ante to $3,450 in an effort to attract some interest and extended the deadline to Wednesday, Jan. 3. click here to read the story 11:55
Key West Couple Charged For Selling Shrimp Without License
A Key West couple is facing charges for selling shrimp without a license. Iliecer Noa, 41, and his wife Carolina Aviles, 37, allegedly posted photos of five-pound bags of shrimp for $40, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Seth Hopp saw the Facebook posts and checked with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to see if the couple had the proper licenses to sell saltwater products. It was determined that neither Aviles nor Noa had a commercial fishing license. click here to read the story 11:00 
Alaska fishermen bewildered, alarmed at loss of king salmon
There’s an unsolved fish mystery playing out right now along a rugged, 300-mile stretch of Southeast Alaska coastline: What’s killing off the thousands of king salmon that, at an increasing rate, swim out to sea and don’t return to spawn? “There’s a big ocean out there,” said Tad Fujioka, a commercial fisherman in Sitka. “And it’s kind of a black box.” Alaska fishermen and scientists don’t know what, exactly, is causing king salmon returns to plummet across Southeast. But they’re trying to adapt to the consequences: closures for certain fisheries and new limits on catches,,, click here to read the story 10:20
Florida fisherman finds Maryland blue crab
A blue crab was tagged by the Smithsonian in Maryland, and then traveled several years to Florida, where a fisherman recently found it. click here to watch the video. Tagged blue crab caught locally raises eyebrows – When Tom Cochran started crabbing in the Crystal River, he didn’t think he’d make the news. But on Wednesday, Cochran caught a crab he considered noteworthy: one with a tag on it that read “Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.” click here to read the story 09:19
