Daily Archives: October 14, 2019
Fight of Seacoast fishermen depicted in ‘Last Man Fishing’ documentary
A year-round jig fisherman, catching with rods and reels up to 60 miles offshore, Tim Rider is now a documentary film star.,, He’s described by film producers as a “renegade,” whose “dream of supporting his family as a fisherman is met with numerous challenges.” The filmmakers say Last Man Fishing calls “to question the ethics of the seafood industry and its impact on small scale fishing across the United States.,, The documentary, by filmmaker/director JD Schuyler, goes deep into the politics of fishing, in Rider’s case, his opposition to so-called catch shares mandate. Photo’s >click to read< 22:26
Coast Guard experiencing VHF-FM radio outages throughout Southeast Alaska, reminds public of secondary means of emergency communication
Coast Guard Sector Juneau personnel are experiencing multiple VHF-FM radio outages throughout Southeast Alaska and may not be able to hear or respond to distress calls on channel 16. Currently, waterways affected by Coast Guard VHF-FM radio site outages include the Gulf of Alaska between Yakutat and Sitka, Cross Sound, Peril Strait, Hoonah Sound, Southern Chatham Strait, Sumner Strait, the waters surrounding Zarembo Island and the west side of Prince of Wales Island. >click to read< 20:38
Fishermen warn of ‘mayhem’ on seas in event of no-deal Brexit, concerns of conflict between trawlers from different countries
Fisherman Michael Cavanagh has no doubts about the potential for violence on the high seas in the event of a no-deal Brexit at the end of the month. The Greencastle-based skipper says that just after the initial March 29th deadline passed, an Irish crew fishing for crab off Scotland got a nasty shock, even though there had been an extension. “They went to haul their pots, but 400 of them had already been hauled and the eye (which crabs crawl through) had been cut out of all the pots. And it wasn’t Boris Johnson who did it.” >click to read< 16:14
The failed ban
The coming year marks the 30th anniversary of the state of Alaska’s attempt to control world salmon markets by banning fish farming in the 49th state. It would seem an appropriate time to review what has happened since then: Farmed salmon production, a meager 271,000 tonnes per year at the time of the 1990 ban, has grown to more than 2.2 million tonnes per year – a more than eight-fold increase. Bristol Bay sockeye salmon that spent the late 1980s trading near an average, annual price of $2 per pound ($4.24 per pound in 2019 dollars, according to the federal inflation calculator) is now worth $1.35 per pound or about 32 percent of its pre-ban value , according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game figures. >click to read< 13:00
How a P.E.I. couple went from being on EI to providing 50 jobs at their clam factory
What started out four years ago with just a handful of workers selling frozen clam meat from a small building in a backyard in Ellerslie, P.E.I., has now grown into a commercial operation with more than 50 employees during peak season. Carla and David Annand have both worked for years in the seasonal fishing industry — David fished lobster and mackerel, while Carla worked in quality control at a seafood plant. >click to read< 11:08
Why aren’t they there? Cod still overfished, feds say
The federal government last week released data showing that cod stocks in the area remain overfished. “Overfishing is occurring”, says NOAA, “Abundance is very low, says Mass DMF Director David Pierce, “It just doesn’t make sense right now that the cod hasn’t rebuilt,” Fisherman Ed Barrett added. Angela Sanfilippo, president of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association, called cod a “bycatch,” citing an abundance of haddock over the past 18 months, and said fishing fleets operate under strict regulation. >click to read<
Opinion: Fishermen, like farmers, deserve support
While I agree with the Editorial Board’s view that small family farms are not getting appropriate consideration and are finding it difficult to do business (Our View, Oct. 4), I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the duplicity of some of the points that were made, such as “… as Maine farmers know, smaller farming operations are generally good stewards of the land just as a matter of course.” This confidence and understanding are rarely extended to fishermen, even Maine fishermen. by Monique Coombs, >click to read< 08:46
