Monthly Archives: March 2018
Remember when we were told “Penguins Don’t Migrate, they’re dying!” ? – never mind
WUWT readers may remember this story from last year, where Chris Turney, leader of the ill fated “ship of fools” Spirit of Mawson expedition that go stuck in Antarctic sea ice said: “Penguins Don’t Migrate, they’re dying!” and of course blamed the dreaded “climate change” as the reason. Of course three days later, Discover Magazine ran an article that suggested Turney was full of Penguin Poop. Well, seems there’s a surplus of Penguins now, in a place nobody thought to look, there’s an extra 1.5 million Penguins. From Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. >click to read< 18:03
State kills Atlantic salmon farming in Washington
Atlantic salmon net-pen farming will be phased out in Washington by 2025 under legislation passed by the state Senate on Friday after a tough floor fight and fancy parliamentary footwork. With at least six lobbyists in a last-minute campaign, Cooke Aquaculture Pacific worked hard until the last vote Friday to keep its Atlantic salmon net-pen industry alive in Washington. But in the end the bill, which was buried under a blizzard of amendments, each one defeated, passed on a vote of 31-16. Lawmakers steamrollered through amendments by opponents,,, >click to read<15:51
Indigenous leaders raise ‘serious questions’ about multimillion-dollar clam licence
A backlash is growing against a multimillion-dollar federal bid to promote reconciliation and economic development among Indigenous groups in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. A group that represents 13 Mi’kmaq First Nations in Nova Scotia issued a statement Friday saying it is joining politicians in Newfoundland and Labrador to demand Ottawa reverse its recent decision to award a lucrative Arctic surf clam fishing licence to a company based in Cape Breton that claims to have Indigenous partners in all five provinces.,,, “What we know to be true is that this is anything but reconciliation. This has pitted province against province, community against community, and First Nation against First Nation.” >click to read<12:36
N.S. fisherman robbed of $1,200 of lobster while visiting son with cancer
A Nova Scotia fisherman who was visiting his son with leukemia in hospital was devastated to return to his boat to find $1,200 worth of lobster had been stolen. Trevor Jollymore made the discovery Monday after spending five days with his son, Sean, who has been battling cancer for more than two years. It was a heartbreaking discovery for Jollymore, whose family has been fishing out of Mahone Bay, N.S., for seven generations. And it’s unlikely the theft would’ve been easy – the trap was loaded with 125 lbs. (or 56 kilograms) of lobster.>click to read< 10:49
DFO shuts down fishery, citing First Nations reconciliation
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has agreed to cancel this year’s commercial roe herring fishery on B.C.’s central coast, citing the federal government’s commitment to reconciliation with First Nations. The Heiltsuk First Nation and DFO officials were unable to come to a “shared understanding” about the health of the local herring stock. Herring biomass — a measure of health and abundance — has “flatlined” on the central coast, said Kelly Brown, director of the Heiltsuk Integrated Resource Management Department. >click to read< 10:10
Senator Markey seems to have a hold on American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act – S1322
Good Morning, Sam Parisi asked that I send this Bill and some backup information to you as we seek passage of this Bill out of the Senate where Senator Markey seems to have a hold on it thus lengthening and complicating the passage of the Bill. Please see the attached Bill S1322…the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act. (AFAC) and below please find some background information. If you can support this bill, we would all appreciate a strong letter of support to Senator Markey ASAP. It would be quite helpful if you would please send us a copy of your letter for our communications with the Senator’s office. >click to read< 09:03
Seeking an elusive, expensive catch: quotas
Dan Edwards was raised in a British Columbia household of eight kids, supported by fishing – as the family had been for generations. “It was never an easy life,” Mr. Edwards says. “My father and grandfather worked hard. But they made a living – fishing.”,,, But what really makes fishing unprofitable for many Pacific fishermen is that about 70 per cent of the landed value (or gross revenue) of their catch can go to pay the owner of the fish. And the owner is not the province, the country, the Queen nor Njoror, the Norse god of the sea. The effective owner of B.C.’s fish is the holder of the individual transferable quota for catching them. >click to read< 22:14
Conservationists want emergency order to save killer whales off B.C. coast
Several conservation groups say the federal government’s failure to issue an emergency order reducing threats to endangered orcas off the B.C. coast ahead of fishing and whale-watching season could mean the species’ extinction. The organizations say Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna had not recommended an emergency order to cabinet by March 1, which could have seen priority feeding refuges established, fishing restricted and speed reductions for commercial vessels put in place for the season. >click to read< 19:35
Newfoundland and Labrador calls on Ottawa to quash surf clam fishing licence
The Newfoundland and Labrador government is demanding Ottawa reverse its decision to award a lucrative Arctic surf clam fishing licence to a Nova Scotia company that says it has Indigenous partners from every Atlantic province and Quebec. Newfoundland Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne says the Five Nations Clam Company does not have any Indigenous partners from Newfoundland and Labrador, despite a federal statement that claims otherwise. >click to read< 15:44
Fishing in winter: Captains talk risk vs. reward
Fishing in winter. It’s a weather game, and it isn’t an easy guess as to when and how conditions will change, and what a crew might suddenly be up against. So say two commercial fishing boat captains working out of Stage Harbor and now on the hunt for monkfish some 100 miles south of Chatham – an area near Atlantis Canyon, considered Southern New England territory. Nick Muto owns the Dawn T, Greg Connors the Constance Sea.These southern trips are 36 hours – a 12-hour ride there, 12 hours of work, and a 12-hour ride home. >click to read< 14:50
NSW DPI is cracking down! Men in hot water after lobster catch
A fisherman and his deckhand are in hot water after being caught with dozens of expensive eastern rock lobsters while at a fast-food restaurant in Newcastle. The two men had been under surveillance for some time before authorities discovered 40 of the valuable crustaceans – most of them cooked – in their refrigerated truck on February 23. The vehicle and lobster were both seized.,, Offences attract up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $88,000, as well as penalties of up to 10 times the market value,,, >click to read<13:53
Has California’s salmon fishery hit bottom?
A third straight year of low king salmon runs is expected to deliver another blow to one of the North Coast’s most iconic and lucrative fisheries, wildlife managers indicated Thursday, as both regulators and fishermen faced the prospect of a federally -mandated plan to reverse the trend and rebuild key stocks. The grim news comes amid a dramatic, years-long decline in the state’s commercial salmon landings, which are down 97 percent last year from their most recent peak, in 2013, when they hit 12.7 million pounds. The full picture for commercial and sport seasons won’t be clear for several more weeks,,, >click to read< 13:01
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for March 2, 2018
>Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >Click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 12:35
Seafood processor will pay $300,000 fine for oversized fish waste piles at two Alaska plants
Trident Seafoods has agreed to pay a $300,000 penalty and remove an underwater pile of seafood waste near Sand Point in a settlement with the federal government involving Clean Water Act violations at two Alaska plants. The infractions also involve the Seattle-based company’s seafood processing plant at Wrangell in Southeast Alaska, the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday. At both facilities, Trident exceeded the one-acre limit on seafood processing waste piles it can discard into the water under its permits, the agency said. >click to read< 11:40
Department of Fish and Wildlife employee in Southwest Washington allegedly stole $80,000 worth of fuel
A Southwest Washington employee of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife has been fired after the agency alleged that he stole more than $80,000 in fuel. The Cowlitz County Prosecutor is reviewing the case for charging here. Bob Woodard, 47, had worked for the department for approximately 25 years and was an IT specialist in the Southwest Washington region. Public affairs director Bruce Botka said an internal investigation found Woodard had used multiple fuel cards given to different employees to make fraudulent purchases starting in 2010. Woodard was fired in early December. >click to read< 10:22
Maine lobster catch dips to lowest level in 6 years in ’17
The state that dominates the U.S. lobster haul saw the catch fall to its lowest level since 2011 last year, yet the industry is still strong and the crustaceans remain easily available to consumers, regulators said Friday. Maine fishermen caught a little more than 110.8 million pounds (50.3 million kilograms) of lobster last year, following a stretch of five consecutive years in which the state topped 120 million pounds (54 million kilograms) annually, the state Department of Marine Resources announced. Fishermen in Maine, who typically catch about 80 percent of America’s lobster, also made slightly less money. >click to read< 09:57
Charges dropped against Sipekne’katik fisherman who had his boat burned
A Mi’kmaq fisherman whose boat was stolen and burned in October had three fisheries regulation charges against him dismissed last week. Alex McDonald, a member of the Sipekne’katik band, had been charged with fishing for lobster out of season, catching shellfish in breach of regulations and a lobster tag violation. McDonald, 56, was to appear in Digby provincial court on Feb. 23 but the federal Crown asked to have the charges dismissed. >click to read<21:22
Fishing boat gets stuck in Danish ice, collides with bridge
A fishing boat on Wednesday got stuck in the frozen waters of the Limfjord in northern Denmark. The Defence Command Center (Forsvarets Operationscenter) was informed of the stricken boat near the Aggersund Bridge, around 40km west of Aalborg, at around 9am on Wednesday. Immobilised by the ice, the boat was reported to be in danger of colliding with the bridge – and this eventuality occurred later on Wednesday. No serious damage to the boat, besides a broken mast, was caused by the collision. No injuries are reported. >click to read< 20:43
Stedman sponsors resolution to control sea otter growth
A Senate resolution seeking an increase in the number of sea otters hunted in Southeast Alaska is making its way through the legislative process. Sitka Republican Sen. Bert Stedman said the Senate Joint Resolution 13 is a way for the state to ask the federal government to do something about Southeast’s increasing otter population. “I think this is a good starting point for the conversation,” he said. “We live a different lifestyle up here, and we want to preserve it and keep it in balance. And having the sea otters virtually run unchecked,,, >click to read<19:30
Coast Guard warns mariners, prepares for storm, New Jeresey and North, Hurricane Force Wind Warning for Coastal NE
The Coast Guard is advising mariners and swimmers along the New York and New Jersey coasts to use caution as a powerful storm approaches Thursday night through Saturday. Mariners are warned to take the following precautions to protect their vessels and their crews: “With the potential for severe weather, our overall concern is ensuring the safety of the people and mariners who live and work on the water,” said Capt. Jason Tama >click to read< 17:27
HURRICANE FORCE WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING
National Weather Service – 417 PM EST Thu Mar 1 2018 .Synopsis for Massachusetts and Rhode Island coastal waters… A powerful and long duration coastal storm gets underway tonight into Sat, and perhaps lingers into Sun. >click to read<17:35
The Coffee Break Challenge! – Make the Margaretsville Wharf Great Again, American urges his U.S. friends
A Texas man who owns a summer home in Nova Scotia has launched an appeal in his home state for donations to repair a damaged wharf ,,, “A couple of years ago, we bought a place right on the outskirts of Margaretsville. I’ve fallen in love with the town and its assets, including that beautiful wharf,” Charles Gillis told CBC’s Information Morning in Halifax on Thursday. The $190,000 cost of repairing it is too much for the tiny community of about 200, Gillis said. He’s urged his colleagues at the Dalllas law firm where he works to skip one of the coffees they buy every day and put that amount toward the price of rebuilding the wharf. >click to read< 16:17
Virginia: Heavily lobbied menhaden bill finally emerges
After weeks of intensive, behind-closed-doors lobbying, the Chesapeake Bay’s oily, inedible menhaden fish finally landed on the General Assembly’s plate. After more than 90 minutes of debate, the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee decided by an 11-10 vote that the best answer was: sort of. Earlier in the session, it let die a measure that would enact the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s purse seine quota cut, to 51,000 metric tons, into state law. On Wednesday, it approved a measure, introduced by special permission a month after the usual deadline, that would strike the current quota of 87,216 tons from state law and empower the head of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to set a new purse seine quota of not less than 51,000 tons once the state had made its case to the commission that the quota cut was too steep. >click to read< 15:14
NOAA Sector ban suffocating shoreside industry in New Bedford
The hits keep coming from NOAA’s groundfishing ban with financial losses spreading to business that support New Bedford’s fishing fleet. “No one ever really paid attention to our shoreside business,” manager of Reidar’s Trawl Gear and Marine Supply Tor Bendiksen said. We’re the last of the group. We all remember when there was companies like ours up and down this entire coast. The only reason that we’ve all survived in New Bedford is because we had not only groundfish but we have the scallop industry to support us., The collateral damage of the ban extends beyond fishermen. >click to read< 10:47
On This Day – March 1, 1977: 200-mile fishing zone takes effect
On this day in 1977, a 200-mile territorial fishing zone took effect, with the waters off Cape Cod being one of the two areas where the Coast Guard focused its enforcement efforts. Coast Guard vessels also patrolled the rich fishing grounds near Kodiak, Alaska, to protect American fishermen from foreign competition. “Poachers illegally fishing U.S. waters or taking the wrong kind of fish can be seized,” United Press International reported. Foreign vessels were required to obtain permits to fish within 200 miles of the US coastline,,, >click to read<09:22
UPDATED!: Lobster plant on Deer Island catches fire overnight
Police in St. George are at the scene of a fire that broke out overnight on Deer Island that badly damaged a lobster plant. This is the second time a fire has broken out at the Paturel International facility over the past six months. In September, a fire destroyed a lobster tank house on the site. The tank house was a major part of lobster fishing on Deer Island. More to come… >link< 08:00
Early-morning blaze destroys lobster processing plant in New Brunswick – Fire has destroyed a major lobster processing plant on Deer Island in southern New Brunswick. >click to read< 12:45
The Room Erupted! Tensions flare at suggestion snow crab fishery close for whales
Fishermen erupted in anger Wednesday when federal officials proposed banning snow crab fishing in a large zone off the coast of New Brunswick for the entire time endangered whales are there.
The proposal came at a meeting that industry and government officials hold every year to discuss the coming snow crab season in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. This year’s season is of particular importance after a deadly 2017 for the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Gear used in snow crab fishing is believed to have played a role in some of the whale deaths, with necropsies on three whales revealing signs of entanglement in fishing rope. >click to read< 00:27
