Monthly Archives: July 2019
P.E.I. fishermen feel unjustified blame in right whale deaths, says PEIFA
Island fishermen feel they’re being blamed in some cases of right whales becoming entangled in fishing gear and dying this year, according to the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association. Several of the eight dead right whales found this year have been entangled in fishing gear. “This year a number of the deaths that were necropsied already show to be due to vessel strikes rather than the entanglement,” >click to read< 19:45
Wilkinson Celebrates new Fisheries Act Measures for Preserving the Independence of the Inshore Fleet
Ensuring that the benefits of the fishery remain in local communities,,, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced that measures that will ensure that key policies relating to owner-operator and fleet-separation policies are being enshrined in regulation under the new Fisheries Act. The owner-operator policy requires fish harvesters to fish their licences personally so that those who actively fish, receive the benefits from their licences. The fleet-separation policy maintains a separation between the fishing and fish processing sectors. Maintaining the independence of small-boat owner-operators and implementing a fair licensing regime will help protect middle-class jobs and ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishery. >click to read< 16:46
Oregon wants to untangle whales from crab fishery
The number of whales entangled so far this year off Oregon, Washington state and California appears to be down compared to prior years, according to preliminary reports. But Oregon wants to avoid a lawsuit like the one brought against California by the Center for Biological Diversity. That lawsuit, over impacts to whales from commercial fishing activities, settled in March. For now, fishery managers will eliminate a two-week postseason cleanup period in the commercial Dungeness fishery,,, >click to read< 15:57
Irish immigrants launched a booming mossing industry in Scituate, Massachusetts
After discovering ‘Irish moss’ in coastal waters, Irish immigrants launched a booming mossing industry in Scituate, Massachusetts.,,, Irish moss, formally known as Chondrus crispus, grows on the surface of undersea rock formations. Harvesting is traditionally done by hand, using a 12-foot rake to pry off the broccoli-like tops of the moss, being sure not to rip out the stems or “holdfasts,” which would prevent the plant from growing back. >click to read< 15:14
Hundreds Of Maine Lobstermen Protest Federal Regulations At Stonington Unity Rally
Hundreds of lobstermen and their allies turned out for a unity rally in Stonington Sunday. They were protesting a federal proposal to cut by half the rope they use to haul their traps – a measure to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale from potentially deadly entanglements. Winter Harbor lobsterman Philip Torrey says the industry has adapted to numerous federally mandated gear changes over the years, and he says the latest proposal could force him to connect more traps to each of his lines, adding cost and danger to his work. >click to read< 11:49
Lobstermen and women rally against industry regulations, right whale deaths – Photo’s and a report, >click to read< 12:20
As It Was in 1928: Coastal Newspaper Editor Opposes Killing Sea Lions
On July 24, 1928, the editor of Port Orford News, George Sorenson, called for the end to wanton hunting of sea lions. The misguided carnage had been ongoing for a quarter century, and in 1928 hunters received a $10 bounty for each sea lion scalp. Sorenson urged determination of whether the sea lions should be killed to protect salmon fishing or protected as natural tourist attractions on the Oregon Coast. The media crusade to end the carnage persisted, support grew, and the state responded by reducing the bounty to 50 cents. By 1930, the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries had determined that the sea lions did not hurt commercial salmon populations. Audio, >click to read<10:00
The Legacy of the Blob
In 2013, a mass of unusually warm water appeared in the Gulf of Alaska. Over the next three years, the Blob, as it became known, spread more than 3,200 kilometers, reaching down to Mexico. This freak marine heatwave, combined with a strong El Niño, drastically affected the Pacific Ocean ecosystem killing thousands of animals and changing the distribution of species along the coast. It’s been three years since the Blob dissipated, and researchers are taking stock of its long-term impacts on fish and other wildlife. >click to read< 08:41
Dead right whale doesn’t appear to have been entangled in fishing gear
There is no evidence a North Atlantic right whale found dead last Thursday was entangled in fishing gear, according to initial findings. More results of a necropsy taking place today in Grand-Étang, Que., will be released Monday, and a full report is expected in a month. A team of about 20 scientists, veterinarians and volunteers spent Sunday looking into the whale’s cause of death,,, >click to read< 21:56
Coast Guard aircrew, good Samaritan boat crew medevac injured vessel captain northeast of Biorka Island, Alaska
A Coast Guard aircrew and a good Samaritan boat crew medevaced a vessel captain after he was injured aboard a fish processing vessel northeast of Biorka Island, Saturday. The MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka transported the captain from shore near the vessel to the air station, where they transferred him to Sitka Fire Department emergency medical services for further care. At 10.18 a.m. Coast Guard Sector Juneau watchstanders received a report from a vessel in the area that the captain of the fish processing vessel Northwind potentially severed several fingers… Video, >click to read< 21:17
Coast Guard medevacs man from fishing vessel north of Montauk Point, N.Y.
A Coast Guard boatcrew medically evacuated a 50-year old man from a fishing boat near Montauk Point, New York, Sunday afternoon. At approximately 4:10 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound command center received notification stating a crewmember aboard fishing boat Blackhawk was experiencing chest pains and in and out of consciousness. >click to read< 20:39
We’ve surrounded the Earth with surveillance satellites, but who is that good for?
It is no longer just advanced militaries and rich corporations who can keep tabs on what people are up to half a world away. Watchdogs such as Global Forest Watch, Global Fishing Watch, and SkyTruth are combing through satellite photos and radar scans to alert authorities to illegal clear-cutting, rogue fishing, mountaintop removals, and other environmental misbehavior. Researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology have exploited Amazon cloud servers to assemble millions of amateur birdwatcher reports into exquisite animated maps that plot the changing abundance of 122 bird species throughout North America. Ranchers are stapling health-monitoring microchips to their livestock. Beekeepers are sticking wireless sensors into their hives. Farmers are planting high-tech electronics into the soil along with their crops. >click to read< 16:17
America’s got scallops: Catch is up, consumers shelling out
America’s harvest of scallops is increasing to near-record levels at a time when the shellfish are in high demand and the value of the fishery has surged in recent years. Sea scallops, harvested mostly by boats from the cold Atlantic Ocean, are the target of one of the most valuable fisheries in America. New data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the harvest topped 58.2 million pounds last year, the highest total since 2011 and the fifth-highest in history according to federal statistics going back to 1945. >click to read< 15:30
Hibernia remains shut down as support vessels clean up oil spill
In a statement Saturday night, Hibernia Management and Development Co. (HMDC) said four vessels have been collecting oil. A mixture of 12,000 litres of oil and water spilled into the ocean on Wednesday. The company said five third-party wildlife observers were also in the field. It noted that a report had been made about an oiled bird. >click to read< 13:56
Maine political leaders join lobster haulers to rally against new rules
Gov. Janet Mills and almost all of Maine’s congressional delegation will participate in a rally Sunday protesting new federal regulations aimed at protecting the endangered North Atlantic right whale, but also could cause large-scale disruption in this state’s lobster industry. Maine lobstermen support protecting the whales, whose numbers have dwindled to fewer than 420 during the past decade, but say that the new regulations,,, >click to read< 12:56
Gloucester – Marciano Challenge Fish Filleting Premiere
The first Marciano Challenge Fish Filleting event was held at the Gloucester House last night in front of a good sized crowd interested in the finer aspects of fish cutting. Haddock donated by the fishermen was filleted, timed and judged for quality by Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken and event creator Tina Greel. A bunch of great photo’s! >click to read< 09:40
Trapped spawning salmon to be flown over Fraser River rock slide in B.C.
Tens of thousands of spawning salmon stuck behind a rock slide on the Fraser River in a remote part of British Columbia will be flown over the barrier by helicopter. The solution was made public Saturday by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the B.C. government after weeks of speculation over how to help the trapped fish. >click to read< 08:08
Inside Montauk’s commercial fishing industry
Montauk is not only the biggest commercial fishing hub in New York, it’s one of the largest in the Northeast.,,, Unlike Gurneys’ or the iconic Shagwong Tavern, Montauk’s commercial fishing boats don’t attract investors eager to keep their businesses afloat, and their property (boats, gear and permits) is not easily transferable from one person to another.,,, John Nolan, his wife, Laurie, and their son John Nolan III are owner-operators of the F/V Seacapture,,, >click to read< 07:35
Ropeless Fishing: ‘We’ve got to do our part’ to prevent right whale deaths, Yes! Slow ships down
As a Halifax-based company seeks input from the fishing community for a prototype of ropeless fishing gear, a New Brunswick fisherman has another idea about how to decrease the dangers to North Atlantic right whales. “People should slow down and be more careful,” says lobster fisherman Jean-Guy Gallant.,,, While Gallant fishes the Northumberland Strait – which is not in the same area several of the endangered whales have been found dead – he says he has concerns about going ropeless. “What happens if the mechanism doesn’t work?” he asks. “The trap will stay on the bottom so we won’t be able to fish it.” >click to read<
You wanna be a lobsterman? The day started out so wonderfully aboard the mighty F/V Degelyse. But then it all turned south.
This is why you stay in school. LMAO! Video, >click to watch<
Nordic Aquafarms Set to Ask County for ‘Financial Incentives’ Before Committing to Indoor Fish Farm Project
In the five-plus months since Norwegian aquaculture firm Nordic Aquafarms announced plans to build a large-scale, land-based fish farming facility on the Samoa peninsula, we’ve heard a lot about the potential benefits to the local community, including dozens of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues and local investments. But wouldn’t you know it? There’s a catch! >click to read< 12:02
Rep. McDonald: Federal rules would hurt lobstering, but do little for whales
A policy that involves both United States and Canada and focuses on the right whale’s migration patterns would do more to prevent entanglements.,,, Lobster is to Maine what apple pie is to Grandma’s kitchen. On the coast, it is the cornerstone of our cultural identity.,,, The Maine lobster industry is modestly valued at $1.5 billion and supports tens of thousands of Maine jobs, many of which are in rural and island communities with few other economic prospects. The fishery also provides an opportunity for young people to stay in Maine. While my siblings and classmates left the islands to attend college and pursue careers out of state, I was able to stay, raise a family and contribute to my community in a meaningful way — because I am a lobsterman. >click to read< 10:56
Commercially Caught Wild American Shrimp From Gulf of Mexico Remain Safe to Eat
For the commercial wild-caught shrimp industry in the Gulf of Mexico, it’s business as usual. In spite of reports coming out of the Gulf of Mexico about a freshwater influx due to flooding in the Midwest, along with some resulting, close-to-shore algae blooms, commercial shrimp processors are reporting that this year, though volumes are lower, shrimp quality and size are good as ever. “The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) is continuing to test water and fish samples to ensure seafood safety in Mississippi waters,” >click to read< 09:54
North Carolina – Seismic firm moves to override state decision to deny offshore testing permit
A company recently denied state permits to conduct seismic surveys for oil and natural gas off the North Carolina coast is appealing to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to override the decision. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management found in June that WesternGeco’s proposal to conduct geological and geophysical surveys in the Atlantic was incomplete, inconsistent with the state’s enforceable coastal management policies and would harm fish and other marine life and put at risk coastal habitats and the coastal marine economy. >click to read< 09:14
14-year-old reels in massive 600-pound tuna off Marshfield
A 14-year-old fisherman from Marshfield made the catch of a lifetime Thursday, reeling in a 600-pound tuna. Anthony Tavares and his father, Marshfield Police Chief Phillip Tavares, were out on a commercial fishing boat when he snagged the 151-inch Atlantic Bluefin Tuna weighing in at 686 pounds. Tavares said he has been fishing for as long as he can remember but has never caught anything this big before.,,, Tavares said fishing has taught him important life lessons about perseverance and believing in oneself. “If you keep believing, it will happen,” he said. “Dreams can come true.” >click to read< 08:05
Canada: Two more right whales found dead off east coast, bringing total to eight this year
One of the dead whales was first observed Thursday by an aerial surveillance flight drifting west of the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said in a news release. It was located Friday by a vessel in the area, and a necropsy is scheduled to take place Sunday. Also Friday, the body of a second dead right whale was sighted off Glace Bay, N.S., according to the fisheries department. “Neither of these whales have yet been individually identified,” the department said in a news release, adding that the government “takes this issue very seriously.”,,, No right whales died in Canadian waters last year, but 12 were found dead in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2017>click to read< 20:18
SUNDAY! Lobstermen to rally in Stonington, Collins, Pingree, and Golden to speak
Maine’s top-grossing commercial fishing port will be the site of a rally this Sunday, July 21, as fishermen from across the state come together to bring attention to an issue that could affect the livelihood of lobstermen: pending National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regulations to reduce the number of vertical trap lines used by lobstermen in the Gulf of Maine. The rally will also be used to educate the public about the impact those regulations could have on Maine’s fishing fleet, said Captain Julie Eaton, a lobsterman who turned an idea into an event. “We have a voice and we need to use it now,” said Eaton. “There is big power when we come together and this is a chance for our politicians to hear our voice.” >click to read< 18:18
Canada joins global pact to stop illegal fishing trade, plans more inspections
Foreign vessels arriving in Canadian ports can expect more monitoring by officials hunting for contraband fish now that Canada is part of an international agreement to combat illegal fishing. As of Saturday, Canada will be part of the Port State Measures Agreement, which seeks to put a dent in the US$23-billion global industry in illegal fishing. Liberal MP Sean Casey, the parliamentary secretary for the minister of fisheries, says Canada signed on to the agreement when it was developed almost a decade ago but it took five years for the previous Conservative government to pass legislation to implement it,,, >click to read< 15:41 After long delay, Canada joins global pact to stop illegal fishing trade – >click to read<
To the Gloucester Fish Commission, I propose that you request Markey and Warren vote in favor of this new bill
MSA Reauthorization: To the Gloucester Fish Commission, I am asking you to vote in favor of H.R. 3697, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, co-sponsored by Congressman Don Young, and Congressman Jeff Van Drew.,,, I propose to you that you request that Senator Ed Markey, and Senator Liz Warren vote in favor of this new bill, and that they recognize the importance that the agency they fund, use other credible science from other sources, such as SMAST, and fisherman funded science. The agency holds all the cards, and by law does not have to consider any other science at all, let alone the what really could be the best available that is excluded by NOAA, by default. This is unacceptable moving forward. By Sam Parisi >click to read< 14:35
Policymakers unite around lobstermen, By Reps. Billy Bob Faulkingham and Will Tuell
Unless you have had your head stuck in a bait pocket the past few months, you know by now that Maine’s lobster fishing industry is facing two major crises – a shortage of available and affordable bait, as well as a set of new rules and regulations designed to protect rare right whales while at the same time devastating the very fishermen who have fueled our local and state economy for generations.,,, That is why it is so refreshing to see folks across the political spectrum — arch foes on many things — united with fishermen (who themselves have been splintered over the years) to put our fishing industry first. >click to read<11:10
Fishing boat captain’s report challenges Nathan Carman’s account of his sinking boat, mother’s disappearance, escape by raft
A fishing boat captain’s report could cast doubt on Nathan Carman’s account of where his boat, the Chicken Pox, sank in waters off Block Island, his mother was lost, and he clambered into a fluorescent orange inflatable raft and began eight days of drifting before his rescue in September 2016. Alex Aucoin, captain of the 82-foot Prudence, an offshore lobster vessel, said in court papers filed Wednesday his crew was fishing in a spot on the same day and within a few miles of where Carman reported going down and did not see any sign of a sinking boat, a raft or anyone in distress. >click to read< 09:04
