Daily Archives: May 18, 2018
If Renewables Are So Great for the Environment, Why Do They Keep Destroying It?
If solar and wind farms are needed to protect the natural environment, why do they so often destroy it? Consider that: New offshore wind turbines in Germany could “lead to the extinction of individual species” including the rare, intelligent, and highly-threatened harbor porpoise, according to Friends of the Earth-Germany (BUND). Migratory bat populations, including the hoary bat, could go extinct, say, scientists, if the expansion of wind energy in North America continues. A single California solar farm, Ivanpah, required the killing of hundreds of desert tortoises, the state’s threatened reptile, and annually kills six thousand birds by lighting them on fire. Wind turbines on California’s Altamont Pass killed an estimated 4,700 bird kills annually including Golden Eagles. “Some lose their wings,” says the Audubon Society, “others are decapitated, and still others are cut in half.” Come on, you might be thinking — aren’t these impacts trivial compared to other threats? After all, house cats kill between one and four billion birds per year in the U.S. >click to read<18:49
Ethics commissioner to investigate LeBlanc for lucrative Arctic surf clams deal
Federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion has launched an investigation of Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc’s decision to award a lucrative licence for the Arctic surf clam fishery to a group that has ties to his wife’s family and the federal Liberal party — a reversal of a decision the commissioner made earlier this month to pass on such a probe, CBC News has learned. Conservative B.C. MP Todd Doherty, the fisheries critic, alleges the government’s effort to expand ownership in the fishery — by clawing back part of an existing quota held by Clearwater Foods and handing it to a group with Indigenous representation — violates the Conflict of Interest Act because it enriches the brother of a sitting Liberal MP, a former Liberal MP, and a cousin of LeBlanc’s wife. Doherty asked Dion to initiate this examination. >click to read<18:00
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for May 18, 2018
>Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >Click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here<14:13
It’s here! First batch of Copper River Salmon arrives in Seattle
It’s that time of year again when Copper River salmon arrives in Seattle! More than 16,000 pounds of the tasty fish arrived at Sea-Tac Airport early Friday morning, with the first fish triumphantly raised above the flight captain’s hands upon arrival. Three more Alaska Airlines flights were inbound from Cordova, Alaska Friday, delivering an additional 48,000 pounds of salmon to the market, where it will then be delivered to restaurants and grocery stores across the country. >click to read<13:19
Fishermen block Placentia lift bridge after waiting overnight to unload crab
A skipper who waited overnight to offload crab because the Placentia lift bridge was down blocked vehicular traffic in protest Thursday morning. Brian Barry and his two crew members stopped dozens of vehicles from crossing the $50-million Sir Ambrose Shea Lift Bridge at around 10 a.m. Barry left in his boat to go crab fishing at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday and returned with a load of crab at 9 p.m., but wasn’t allowed back into port, he said. He said he was told officials wouldn’t lift the bridge in fear that it would stick and not go back down. >click to read<12:31
Zinke tells greens he’ll make ‘grand pivot’ to conservation
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke yesterday huddled with more than two dozen conservation group leaders, including some of his staunchest critics, in his latest bid to generate both ideas and support for his ambitious departmental reorganization plans. He got an earful, and may have gained some goodwill. During a get-together at Interior headquarters that lasted nearly two hours, the conservationists and sportsmen started talking reorganization and branched out from there. >click to read<10:35
New York Bight – Interactive map shows where maritime industries, offshore wind could overlap
A new interactive map showing potential offshore wind energy areas in the New York Bight is now online to help mariners assess the potential impacts on their livelihoods, as federal officials gather information and comments this month. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Council (MARCO), an ocean planning partnership of state governments, posted the mapping tool Thursday. The base map shows the New York Bight “call area” where the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is considering the possibility of offering future wind energy leases. (its bigger than Long Island) >click to read<
Coast guard, DFO on scene after lobster boat ramming off Ecum Secum
Its hull repaired from the damage sustained when it was rammed by a rival fishing crew, the Joint Account floated at one of Ecum Secum’s wharves on Thursday. According to its owner, Tanya Chambers, each captain she has tried to hire over the past two days to fish her licence has backed out. “I’ve had three people say they were willing to take my vessel and be its sub-operator,” said Chambers. “They have all got numerous threatening phone calls that if they take my vessel or talk to Austin (Tanya’s husband) or Terrence (Tanya’s son), they will be killed.”>click to read<09:04
