Daily Archives: August 7, 2019
“LML 144” – Sailboat secures past to present with Homer to Bristol Bay trip
Standing tall among the thousands of visitors at last weekend’s Salmonfest was a 29-foot long wooden vessel with a 9-foot beam, a 25-foot mast, and a plaque identifying it as “LML 144.”,,, Accompanying it were Tim Troll of Dillingham and Dave Seaman and Kate Mitchell, both of Homer, organizers of “Sailing Back to the Bay.” The vessel is set to take off and then follow a route that has linked Homer and Bristol Bay for decades. It will sail west, across Cook Inlet to Williamsport, be portaged 26 miles to Iliamna Lake, sail the length of the lake with stops at villages along the way, navigate the Kvichak River, and then proceed on Bristol Bay to the community of Naknek, arriving an estimated two weeks later, in time for Naknek’s “Fishtival.” Total distance of the journey: more than 200 miles. Photo’s >click to read< 22:02
Transported in ship ballast, Invasive crab poses threat to coastal ecosystem
Alaska normally welcomes European tourists. One traveler who’s been officially banned, however, is the European green crab, an invasive species with the potential to overrun coastal ecosystems. The green crab has already colonized Washington and parts of British Columbia, and conservationists want to delay its arrival in Alaska for as long as possible. The green crab lacks predators outside its original habitat,,, >click to read< 20:35
New England/Mid Atlantic: Public Scoping Meetings for Modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan
We will be conducting eight scoping meetings this month in anticipation of preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. We are requesting comments on management options particularly including information about operational challenges, time, and costs required to modify gear by changing configurations such as traps per trawl to reduce endline numbers, installing new line or sleeves and by expanding gear marking requirements. Thursday, August 8, 2019 – Narragansett, RI, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday, August 12, 2019 – Machias, ME, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. >click to read< 19:37
LePage talks to White House about controversy over lobstermen restrictions
Former Gov. Paul LePage continues to be involved with the debate over proposed new regulations on Maine lobstermen, designed to protect right whales. Several weeks ago, Gov. LePage sent a letter to President Donald Trump, opposing those new restrictions and saying they are an “overreach” by the government because Maine fishermen aren’t harming the whales. Now the former governor’s political organization says LePage had a phone conversation on the issue today with what it calls “senior White House officials.” >click to read< 18:27
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission supports requesting $24.5 million operating budget in 2020
It was the first meeting for two new members, Molly Linville and James R. Anderson, who joined five other commission members to approve the department’s request to seek $24.5 million in increased operating funds, plus $26 million in capital funds, during the 2020 state legislative supplemental session.,,, The commission also approved a request of $6.5 million in new, ongoing funding to address emergent needs: Better monitoring of salmon in Puget Sound, the Nisqually River, and Skagit River to provide fishing opportunities; Removing sea lions feeding on Columbia River salmon; Meeting existing Columbia River commitments for commercial fishing and salmon recovery objectives, >click to read< 16:27
FISH & MEN: A film on the High Cost of Cheap Fish
We hope the fishing families and pioneers featured in this film will inspire a movement,,, For centuries, cod fed the world and helped build a nation. Nowhere was that more so than in Gloucester, Massachusetts – America’s oldest fishing port. But, today all that has changed… From California to Maine, small fishing communities struggle to survive. The iconic American fisherman is in a perfect storm of foreign competition, erratic regulations and rising costs. Trailer, photo’s, of some of the best people on the planet. Please support this effort. >click to read< 14:51
Family hoping for return of lost shrimper after Coast Guard stops search near Port Aransas
The family of a Florida shrimper lost at sea is hoping for his discovery despite the discontinuing of a Coast Guard search for him. “I know it’s a long shot, but we still have some type of hope that somebody picked him up out of the water,” said the man’s niece, Denise Beale,,, Rick Beale, a 62-year-old Fort Myers, Fla., shrimper, went missing off the coast of Port Aransas on Sunday morning, she said. As a shrimper of 42 years, the man routinely sailed out of Florida on long trips along the Gulf Coast. >click to read< 14:14
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 2000 Novi Lobster boat, 44’x11”x 20′ 6”, 3412 Cat
Specifications, information and 30 photos >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 12:44
North Carolina: Petition seeks to introduce new rules to commercial fishing industry
A petition by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) could have a major impact on the commercial fishing industry. The petition seeks to:
Limit shrimpers workweek from five days (Monday-Friday) to three (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). To designate areas as shrimp trawl management areas. Reduce the size of nets allowed and restrict gear in these newly designated areas. The federation says the reason for the petition is to reduce the amount of by-catch. By-catch is the anything in the net that’s not your intended species. It’s common for shrimpers to catch juvenile fish in their nets while shrimping. >click to read< 12:07
Offshore Wind Farms Worry Fishermen from Point Judith to New Bedford
from the article, Before construction can begin, Vineyard Wind must first determine what the cost will be to Massachusetts’s commercial fishermen through federally mandated fisheries studies. How that cost is determined, and who gets to determine it, and what exactly should be studied, has proven no small source of contention between the wind industry and commercial fishing. Kendall has taken a pragmatic approach to the divide between fishing and wind energy. He sees wind farms as an inevitable outgrowth of Massachusetts’s push for renewable energy, now required by state law to demonstrate a 2% annual growth. If he can advocate for the fishing industry in the interim, he hopes he can help cut fishermen a square deal. >click to read< 09:18
How Much Do Deckhands on ‘Deadliest Catch’ Actually Make?
If you’re a fan of Deadliest Catch, then you already know that the Discovery show follows a cast of captains and their crew members as they embark on the dangerous career of Alaskan crab fishing, (and West Coast Dungy fishing). But you’ve also likely wondered why anyone would put themselves in this much potential harm. The answer is easy: Money. According to former stars and captains Gary and Kenny Ripka, the heads of the vessels can make quite a bit during one season. >click to read< 08:39
You Asked, We Answered: How Will Vineyard Wind’s Compensation Plan To Fishermen Actually Work?
The development for the country’s first large scale offshore wind farm is currently at a standstill. Federal officials have delayed approval of the Vineyard Wind project because of continuing concerns about the impacts it could have on New England commercial fishermen from safety issues to lost fishing grounds. This week, one of our listeners wanted to know more about Vineyard Wind’s compensation plans that are setup to address these issues. South Coast Reporter Nadine Sebai has been extensively covering offshore wind in the region and is here to talk with us. >click to read< 08:06
