Daily Archives: March 15, 2018
The Whale Pass Case: Southeast Alaska fishermen illegally caught $35,000 worth of sea cucumbers, troopers say
The lure of lucrative echinoderms may have proved too strong for three Southeast fishermen. The trio, all from Naukati Bay on Prince of Wales Island, face criminal charges after pilfering nearly four tons of sea cucumbers from a Whale Pass scientific preserve that’s been off limits to fishing for decades, Alaska Wildlife Troopers say.,, The Whale Pass case started in December after other divers noticed the three men bringing in large loads of sea cucumbers,,, “They’re like, how in the world is this guy catching more than us? We don’t even see him out here. Something isn’t right,” >click to read< 20:06
Northern ice becoming more dangerous, says sealer stuck 23 days in frozen expanse
The memory of 23 long, cold and uncertain days trapped in the Atlantic ice is never far from the recollection of fisherman and sealer Dave Patey. The 59-year-old St. Anthony Bight resident has hunted seals since he was a boy. Growing up on Newfoundland’s Northern Peninsula, he spent many spring days of his youth getting out of school and jumping aboard a boat with his father and uncle to take part in the hunt. >click to read< with links to a five part series. 17:26
Lawsuit Challenges Trump Administration’s Failure to Protect Pacific Humpback Whales Threatened by Fishing Gear, Ship Strikes, Oil Spills
The Center for Biological Diversity, Turtle Island Restoration Network and Wishtoyo Foundation today sued the Trump administration for failing to protect humpback whale habitat in the Pacific Ocean, where the animals face threats from fisheries, ship strikes and oil spills. Today’s lawsuit, filed in federal district court in San Francisco, aims to force the National Marine Fisheries Service to follow the Endangered Species Act’s requirement to designate critical habitat within one year of listing a species as threatened or endangered and not authorize actions that,,, >click to read< 16:12
NEPA: Taming The Environmental Beast That Was Meant To Be A Watchdog
What was first proposed by Congress as a modest law to assess the environmental impact of highway construction and other publicly owned projects, has grown into a bureaucratic monster, the likes of which no one ever imagined. Nearly a half-century ago, before major federal environmental laws existed, Congress wanted to ensure that all federal agencies consider the environmental impact of their actions. This well intended action led to passage of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). However Congress didn’t envision how a seemingly modest watchdog law would become the regulatory monster that it is today. >click to read< 14:49
Woman raped by Fish & Wildlife official: ‘I used to be so happy’
When Thurston County Superior Court Judge James Dixon sentenced ex-Department of Fish and Wildlife official Greg Schirato to the maximum sentence for breaking into a colleague’s home and raping her in her sleep, the woman he attacked burst into sobs, a smile breaking through. “I believe Mr. Schirato is a predator,” Dixon said, handing down a sentence of about 10 years to life in prison. “I believe this community needs to be protected from Mr. Schirato. I believe our community has a right to be heard, I believe (the victim) has a right to be heard.” >click to read<14:30
Halibut fishery poised to open as NMFS works on 2018 catch limits
Alaska’s halibut fishery is set to open this month, but the final quota was still not completely set as of March 14, even as fishermen began to receive permits in the mail. Indications, however, are that the quota will decrease this year compared to last. Under regulations published by the National Marine Fisheries Service this month, the fishery will open March 24 and run through Nov. 7. But the total catch limits remain unknown. That’s because this year, for just the second time in the commission’s history that dates to its creation by a 1923 treaty, the International Pacific Halibut Commission could not come to an agreement about the 2018 catch limits at its annual meeting. >click to read<12:36
The phytoplankton decline, is there anything to it?
We have been told that the phytoplankton population is declining rapidly around the world and, of course, the cause is climate change. Phytoplankton is the base of the ocean food chain and it accounts for about half of global primary productivity or organic matter creation (Boyce, Lewis and Worm 2010). Phytoplankton is the major consumer of carbon dioxide, the dreaded demon trace gas, and the major producer of oxygen. So, first question, is the estimated decline in phytoplankton accurate, significant or unusual? Second question, if the decline is real, are the measurements long term enough to show it is not a natural occurrence? What is the natural variability and how do we know man-made climate change is to blame? Let’s investigate this. >click to read< 12:10
Coast Guard rescues 3, searching for missing boater 70 miles south west of Fort Myers Beach
The Coast Guard is searching for a 63-year-old man in the Gulf of Mexico after a fishing boat sank 70 miles south west of Fort Myers Beach. Searching for Dennis Grim, 63. Rescued were James Beeman, Anthony Bertolino, Darren Whalen. At 3:59 a.m. Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders received a distress call via VHF-FM marine band radio channel 16 from Beeman, the captain aboard the 37-foot commercial fishing boat, J.U.M.A., out of Seminole. Beeman reported the boat was taking on water and he needed emergency assistance. >click to read< 10:17
US fisheries’ leader Oliver asserts ‘business-minded’ stance
The US’ top regulatory authority on fishing used his first appearance ever at a Seafood Expo North America (SENA) conference on Sunday to describe how he was reshaping the mission at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create more of a pro-business environment. Commercial fishermen largely applauded the Donald Trump administration’s selection of Chris Oliver to serve as NOAA’s assistant administrator of fisheries in June 2017. >click to read< 09:41
Fairhaven fire crew rescues fisherman, extinguishes fire
Fire Department rescuers saved a lobster fisherman from downed power lines at Union Wharf during Tuesday’s powerful nor’easter and later extinguished the resulting fire. At 7:38 p.m., the firefighters received a report of power lines down with a lobster fisherman trapped on his boat at Union Wharf, according to Deputy Fire Chief Todd Corriea. An utility pole cracked in half at the end of Union Wharf, likely from the combination of strong winds and heavy wet snow, Correia said. >click to read< 09:24
