Daily Archives: August 27, 2018
Fraser River sockeye finally catch a break with cooling water temps
Sockeye salmon entering the Fraser River this week will be aided by cooling water temperatures, which should decrease mortality and help them reach their spawning grounds up river in better condition. Commercial fishers are optimistic that the sockeye run will live up to early season predictions as late-season fish start to enter the river. Sockeye migrating into the river this summer are the grandchildren of the record-breaking 2010 run that exceeded 28 million fish. “The fishing we’ve had up to this point has been pretty darn good,” said Chauvel. “You have to make your money in these peak years. The years in between are subsistence, so it’s these sockeye years that put you over the top.” >click to read<22:02
Fish Commissioner Calls For Sharp Increase In Chinook Production For Orcas
Fifty million more Chinook would be released for southern resident killer whales under a plan being pitched by a member of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission and which would also provide “shirttail benefits” for salmon anglers. Don McIsaac wants to release 30 million kings in four areas of Puget Sound, and another 20 million from hatcheries in the Columbia River system to help feed the starving pods. Their plight has gripped the region this summer and this past March led Governor Jay Inslee to sign an executive order directing state agencies such as WDFW to do all they can to help save the species. >click to read<20:18
RCMP dog Axel apprehends man responsible for theft of fishing vessel
An RCMP dog caught a suspect accused of stealing a fishing vessel in Lark Harbour on the province’s west coast. Thursday around 8:40 p.m., RCMP in Corner Brook were called out to the scene and found the ropes that were attached to the vessel had been cut. It was unknown if anyone was on board the vessel. A motor vehicle that had been reported stolen to the RNC in Corner Brook earlier that day was found in the area. RCMP police dog services and officers from Corner Brook and Deer Lake Detachment attended the scene with Department of Fisheries. A 31-year-old man was apprehended by police dog Axel, and taken into custody and treated for his injuries. >click to read<16:15
Fewer Pollock, cod found in southern Bering Sea survey
Formal results of this year’s NOAA trawl survey of the southern Bering Sea won’t be announced until mid-September, but preliminary data shows a decided warming trend and the presence of fewer Alaska Pollock and Pacific cod than anticipated. “It appears that conditions are such now that we are moving into a warming phase and there is not clear evidence that we will move back into a cold phase,” said Lyle Britt, a research fisheries biologist with NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle who participated in this year’s survey. >click to read<15:41
Russia to auction half of crab fishing quotas
Russia will e-auction 50% of the crab fishing quotas for 2018-2019 to create conditions for the entry of new players into the sector, Vedomosti daily said on August 24 citing an official government decree. The world famous Kamchatka red crab is Russia’s “other caviar” and fetches high prices in export as well as being highly valued by the Russians themselves as a favourite delicacy. Russian fishing business has been attracting investors’ attention as fishing is one of the fastest growing Russian agricultural segments and several heavyweight Russian tycoons have been investing into the industry. >click to read<15:03
An evening on an Outer Banks shrimp boat with Dana Beasley
For those familiar with how shrimp are harvested, the boats we are most likely to see, especially just off the beach and in deeper sound waters are the larger trawlers,,, But many North Carolina commercial shrimp boats are more modest, and they’re joined by a handful of recreational shrimpers who are allowed to harvest a small amount for personal use only. Most, but not all small-boat commercial shrimpers also work other species of shellfish and finfish. Dana Beasley is no exception. Beasley is 100 percent local, born and raised in Colington. The waterman knows his trade, and generations of his family have worked the waters around Colington and beyond to supply fresh fish to local markets and restaurants. Video, >click to read<10:35
When a ship owner’s dreams die – Recycling Washington’s ghost ships could turn trash into treasure
This is an example of where owning an old boat ends with reality, a case of folks with “great dreams and aspirations, and no money,” says Troy Wood, the man in charge of dealing with derelict vessels in Washington. The unenviable job falls to the Department of Natural Resources, which manages 2.4 million acres of state-owned aquatic lands. There’s an old saying that a boat is simply a hole in the water into which you dump your cash. They can be cheap to buy, but are expensive to maintain, insure, berth, repair and operate. They age, they weather, they often sink. When they do, they create another kind of money hole: a maritime cleanup project often leaves taxpayers with the bill for removal. >click to read<09:36
‘Greedy Poachers’ Face Stiffer Penalties Under New Law Drafted by San Diego Assemblywoman
A bill authored by a San Diego lawmaker that cracks down on illegal poaching in marine protected areas by commercial fishing operators has been signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher‘s bill (AB-2369) takes effect Jan. 1. and was signed by the governor Friday. “These greedy poachers have done an enormous amount of damage, showing that the current penalties are nominal to their bottom line and they don’t seem to work. I’m pretty sure this new law’s threat of a hefty fine will get their attention.” >click to read<08:56
