Daily Archives: March 8, 2018
Keys fishermen talk about traps to stop the lionfish invasion
Lionfish are the scourge of the Florida Keys seas. Since the early 2000s, they’ve been invading local waters, devouring everything in sight.,,, It’s legal to net them, even spear them where it’s allowed.,, But the simplest, most effective method for removing lionfish is to catch them in existing lobster and stone crab traps.,, The Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association is tackling the lionfish invasion from another angle — an exempted fishing permit issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for a pilot project. >click to read< 18:53
B.C. government looks into moving open-net fish farms onto land
British Columbia’s minister in charge of aquaculture tenures for the province is hinting at a major change in the provincial government’s approach to Atlantic salmon farming in Pacific waters. After the Washington State Senate passed a bill last Friday to phase out Atlantic salmon open-net fish farming in state waters by 2025, British Columbia’s First Nations hailed the move, raising hope the provincial government would do the same. >click to read<16:49
How the Coast Guard promotes safety during crabbing season
Since the start of the season in January, Coast Guard Station Coos Bay has seen a relatively safe season. “We’ve had about 6 calls for assistance,” said Commanding Officer Kary Moss, “and those calls for assistance have all been for mechanical failures of some sort.” While mechanical failures are inevitable, to promote safety the Coast Guard requires commercial fishing vessels to complete dockside safety exams. >click to read< 15:48
Gloucester again at center of drilling fight, along with everyone from every coast.
In the late-1970s, an unlikely alliance between environmentalists and commercial fishermen in this storied seaport helped block plans to open up Georges Bank to oil exploration — an effort that ultimately led to a federal moratorium on offshore drilling. Georges Bank, a shallow and turbulent fish spawning ground southeast of Cape Ann and 100 miles east of Cape Cod, has been fished for more than 350 years.,,, In Gloucester, those who fought similar efforts a generation ago are confident the city can again win a David vs. Goliath battle with energy companies. >click to read< The non-stop articles about the opposition to drilling is overwhelming. No one wants it. Wind farms are the real threat. 14:05
An Agenda Driven Study: Marine charities net more than iconic fishery
Massachusetts boasts one of the most iconic fisheries in the U.S., but new research suggests that protecting marine coastlines has surpassed commercial fishing as an economic driver. The study is the first to calculate the economic value of coastal preservation in Massachusetts. The research finds these efforts contributed $179 million to the state’s economy in 2014, more than finfish landings ($105 million) and whale-watching ($111 million). “Marine conservation has become a major economic force in Massachusetts,,, (It is an industry of destruction.) >click to read< 12:27
Lobstermen Select IMTRA For Equipment
IMTRA announced today it has provided Offshore series LED deck lights, Exalto and Roca windshield wipers, Side-Power thrusters and Zipwake Dynamic Trim Control Systems to lobster vessels throughout New England. The newly-launched lobster boat Sailor’s Way from Stonington, Maine is the latest fishing vessel to be equipped with IMTRA gear. “The light package the IMTRA team recommended for me works so well,” said Nathan Jones, owner, Sailor’s Way. “The coastal waters of Maine are riddled with lobster pots, buoys and traffic which makes it a challenge to maneuver.I need bright lights to help me navigate and the Offshore series LED deck lights fit my needs perfectly.” >click to read<10:23
Fisheries management at ‘rock bottom’, N.L. group says
The Fishery Community Alliance is claiming fish that is landed and exported from a number of ports in Newfoundland and Labrador with cold storage facilities is not being properly traced by the province or Ottawa. In a news release Wednesday, March 7, the alliance called the lack of oversight further evidence of negligence in managing the resource on the part of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the provincial Department of Fisheries and Land Resources. The alliance says its members found out about the issue after they became aware of increasing shipments of unprocessed fish leaving the province for final processing. >click to read< 09:21
Why Deadliest Catch’s Johnathan Hillstrand didn’t actually retire
At the end of Deadliest Catch season 13, Time Bandit captain Johnathan Hillstrand retired after 37 years of crab fishing. His boat isn’t one of those that will be featured on season 14—a remarkable change since the boat and its crew have been filmed for the show since its second season. But Johnathan Hillstrand has been actively crab fishing this season, captaining the Time Bandit for the opilio crab season. So what’s the reason for the discrepancy? Did the show make up his retirement as a storyline? Or did he come out of retirement? >click to read<08:49
