Monthly Archives: February 2020
California water debate heads to court after Trump joins discussion
After years on the sidelines, the Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman says new federal plans to divert water from the delta region in Northern California to farms in the southern part of the state will bring water where it’s needed most. “It is meant to balance all of the factors. More for people, more reliable for some of the best farmland in the world, more reliable for fish as well,” Burman said. But for decades, environmentalists and the fishing industry argued pumping threatens endangered fish species. Video, >click to read< 09:37
Emmanuel admits Boris holds ‘fishing card’ but warns trade deal unlikely by end of this year
Emmanuel Macron has expressed doubt over a Brexit deal between the EU and UK by the end of 2020 because of debates over fishing.has expressed doubt over a Brexit deal between the EU and UK by the end of 2020 because of debates over fishing.has expressed doubt over a Brexit deal between the EU and UK by the end of 2020 because of debates over fishing.,, It is now down to Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to negotiate a new trading relationship with the European Union, having already ruled out extending the implementation period. >click to read< 09:03
Coronavirus: Reverberations from COVID-19 reach Canada’s East Coast and its lobster fishery
Lobster fishermen, like Fralick, are facing a crunch. In the last month, the coronavirus epidemic in China has precipitated a drop in lobster prices. “It dropped from $10.50 all the way down to $6, and now it’s back up to $7,” says Fralick. “That takes all the profit out of it.” Quarantines and lack of restaurant traffic has slowed lobster demand from China. Customer orders have dried up. As a result, fewer cargo planes are making the trip. >click to read< 07:54
Submissions for Charleston Fishermen Memorial due March 31
The deadline to request name engravings for the Charleston Fishermen Memorial at the Charleston Marina for this past year is March 31. To add a name to the memorial, the person must have commercially fished out of Charleston/Coos Bay area for a minimum of three years. Those with years spent in businesses related to the Charleston fishing industry also will be considered for the industry plaque. >click to read< 20:22
Global Lobster Market Report 2020
The recently published market intelligence report on the Global Lobster Market offers an in-depth analysis of segments and sub-segments in the regional and international Lobster market. The research highlights underlying factors such as the impact of restraints, drivers, and macro indicators on the regional and global Lobster market over the short as well as long period of time. Through a detailed presentation of the data, valuable information of forecast, trends, and dollar values of global Lobster market is offered. The Lobster industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth,,, >click to read< 17:07
‘Ship Strikes’ Killing Whales! A voluntary slow-down program for passing ships is frequently ignored
According to NOAA, these “ship strikes” are blamed for at least 88 whale deaths in California. Since 2006, 239 whales were killed in all U.S. waters over the same time period. Of those whales killed, nearly one in three was a member of an endangered species. Scientists, however, believe the true number of deaths is far higher than the official counts. “The majority of reported ship strikes probably represents a tenth or less of the true number occurring,” said Calambokidis. “The majority of whales that die, in fact, sink and disappear and are never documented.” Check the chart that says how many estimated by NOAA! >click to read< 14:16
Former ‘Deadliest Catch’ cast member to speak to East Juniata High School students
Nick “Sunshine” Tokman, who was a four-year cast member on the Discovery Channel TV series “Deadliest Catch,” will speak to East Juniata High School students on March 23. Tokman will discuss the struggles he went through trying to land a commercial fishing job in Alaska, including homelessness, as well as why he left the show and a six-figure job offer–to pursue his calling as a youth speaker. His objective is to build self-worth in students so they focus on who they are and their life goals. >click to read< Visit https://nicktokman.com/12:06
Celebrating the Life and Career of Katherine Johnson
Katherine Johnson passed away Feb. 24, 2020, after living a life filled with trail-blazing achievements. Being handpicked to be one of three black students to integrate West Virginia’s graduate schools is something that many people would consider one of their life’s most notable moments, but it’s just one of the breakthroughs that have marked Katherine Johnson’s long and remarkable life.,, In 1962, as NASA prepared for the orbital mission of John Glenn, Katherine Johnson was called upon to do the work that she would become most known for. >click to read< 09:52
Pebble mine opponents say process is being rushed, groups to hold town hall Tuesday night
Opponents of the proposed Pebble Mine are in Juneau this week to meet with lawmakers and raise opposition to the construction of a mine 100 miles north of Bristol Bay. The project, which has been a source of controversy for years, is currently undergoing an environmental review process by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.,, Commercial Fishermen for Bristol Bay, United Tribes of Bristol Bay and other anti-Pebble Mine groups will hold a town hall event Tuesday night at the NEA-Alaska building at 201 Main St. at 5 p.m >click to read< 08:49
On This Day: Feb 25th, 2005, Environmental non-profit group endorses ill fated Cape Wind
On this day in 2005, the environmental non-profit Coalition for Buzzards Bay announced “its satisfaction with the current review” for the Cape Wind to build a wind farm in Nantucket Sound, according to a statement released by the coalition. The coalition said its qualified support for the Nantucket Sound wind farm was based on a “thorough review of the Army Corp of Engineers’ Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).” This led coalition members to conclude that the project would bring about “significant environmental benefits” for Buzzards Bay and the region while “any environmental impacts are likely to be minor, temporary, and/or outweighed by the significant environmental benefits of developing such a renewable energy facility.” >click to read< 07:14
Injured fisherman rescued off Cork, airlifted by Irish Coast Guard Rescue 117
A 22-year-old fisherman from the Faroe Islands is being treated at Cork University Hospital after being hit by heavy chains and falling on steelwork on board a trawler off the Cork coast. The incident happened around 400km off Cork in heavy seas. The fisherman was airlifted off the trawler by the crew of the Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117. The Faroe Islands’ Marine Rescue Coordination Centre first alerted the Irish Coast Guard. Video, >click to read< 20:56
Fisherman who died going overboard from F/V Lady Brittany on Jan. 21 has been identified
Paul Sayward, 36, of Wareham, was identified as the fisherman who went into the water on Jan. 21 some 50 miles off the coast of Nantucket just before sunrise. The Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Detachment Supervisor for New Bedford, said a call was received on Jan. 21 at 5 a.m. for a person in the water. The Lady Brittany returned to her port at Sea Watch International in New Bedford following the incident. >click to read< 18:41
Cautious, healthy and critical. Northern shrimp stocks a mixed bag, suggest DFO’s latest numbers
Shrimp in fishing areas 4, 5, and 6 are assessed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans every February. On Monday, the agency said despite some uptick, “We continue to be concerned about the future of these stocks.” For shrimp fishing Area 4, the stock remains in the cautious zone. For shrimp fishing Area 5, the stock is in the healthy zone. For shrimp fishing Area 6, the stock remains in the critical zone, according to DFO’s briefing. DFO said there are several factors that could account for Area 6 retaining critical status, including above-average bottom temperatures, and more predators. >click to read< 15:31
VIDEO: DFO northern shrimp stock assessment for N.L. far from rosy – >click to read<
Could Global Cooling Be Our Bitter-Cold Reality?
Trying to imply that cooling is right around the corner when we’re watching record-breaking warm ocean temperatures to me seems a big stretch. But current facts and the history around the five previous Ice Ages that came and melted before fossil fuels became recognizable words may be worthy of review. The real climate crisis may not be global warming, but global cooling, and it may have already started. These events may not be an anomaly, but a predecessor of things to come: Planting was one month late due to cold spring weather across the Great Plains of North America in both 2018 and 2019. >click to read< 11:15
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries to begin industry funded survey of shrimp trawl fishermen
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will begin contacting shrimp trawl and skimmer trawl vessel operators in the coming weeks for a survey about the types of gear they use. The division wants to know what bycatch reduction devices and turtle excluder devices are currently used in the North Carolina commercial shrimp fishery. The survey also includes questions about overall gear configurations, as well as some socioeconomic information, such as costs and revenues of the shrimping business.The survey is being conducted at the request of the Marine Fisheries Commission and the commercial fishing industry. The survey is funded by the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Fund, which receives money from commercial fishing license sales and supports a grant program that is managed by commercial fishing industry stakeholders. >click to read< 10:22
Stranded lobsters and missing wedding dresses: The coronavirus is a daily reminder of China’s global reach
All along the western Australian coast, a backlog of rock lobsters are stuck waiting in their tanks, as their main market remains all but closed. In New Jersey, a boutique has been unable to fill all its wedding dress orders. A small business owner in London can’t source enough human hair extensions, wigs and weaves for its online sales. The deadly novel coronavirus that has devastated the Chinese economy is having a ripple effect across the globe. The food we eat, the work we do and the clothes we wear — many are daily reminders of the vital role China plays in the global economy. >click to read< 08:27
Coast Guard medevacs fisherman near Port O’Connor, Texas
The Coast Guard medevaced a mariner from a fishing vessel approximately two miles offshore Matagorda Bay near Port O’Connor, Texas, Sunday morning. The Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office received a request from a fishing vessel, F/V Lady Nora, for a medevac of a 52-year-old male crewmember experiencing symptoms of a heart attack. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders were notified and consulted with the duty flight surgeon who recommended the medevac. Photos, >click to read< 19:38
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for February 21, 2020
Legislative updates, Bill updates, Calendar, >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 14:50
Alaska fishermen lose millions amid US-Russia sanctions war
Fishermen in Alaska are losing up to $60 million annually after access to one of their key markets was cut in 2014, when Russia imposed a food embargo in retaliation to US sanctions. Russia bought an average $40 million worth of seafood products from Alaska’s producers between 2010-2013, according to data from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.,, This is because no one stopped Russian exporters from shipping their products to the US despite Moscow’s embargo on American goods. Moreover, most seafood imports are not subjected to any duties, >click to read< 10:17
WTF?!!! A mile wide toxic waste site sits on the ocean floor near Stellwagen Bank
About 19 miles east of Boston Harbor, beside a national marine sanctuary that’s home to one of the world’s richest fishing grounds, lies one of the nation’s largest offshore dumping sites of radioactive waste.,,, David Wiley, the sanctuary’s research coordinator, led a seminal study of the area in the early 1990s. His report, which found that the federal government kept few records of what was dumped there, estimated that there could be as many as 80,000 barrels of toxic waste, most from hospitals, universities, and companies throughout the region. At least 4,000 of them were thought to contain radioactive waste, from the same sources >click to read< 09:11
Fishermen protest chemical spraying in Lake Okeechobee
“As far as people go, it’s polluting the water. As far as animals go, it’s killing off the wildlife,” said Jim Watt, a former animal dealer. Fishermen and other lake locals say FWC chemical spraying is killing plants, animals, and their way of life. “They’re getting doused with this poison and they’re losing habitat and all the baitfish are sick, your birds, your catfish, all your other fish are eating this sick bait, living in this habitat with chemicals on it,” said Fisherman Eric Cassels. The FWC says all of the chemicals being sprayed are deemed safe, but people who spend all their time on the water disagree. photos, video, >click to read< 08:19
The Blue Wave and Blue Mist sank more than 50 years ago. Grand Bank never forgets
The vicious storms of February — with gale-force winds and mountainous waves — are a constant reminder to Grand Bank of the price its people have paid to earn a living from the sea.,, Many of us still have painful memories of the loss of the schooner Mabel Dorothy in 1955, along with her six-man crew. This tragedy was followed less than four years later when the steel side trawler Blue Wave capsized and sank, carrying her 16-man crew with her. Just seven years after that in 1966, a similarly designed ship from the local fishing fleet, the Blue Mist, met the same fate, taking the lives of the 13 men onboard. >click to read< 06:54
A February fishing adventure
Can you imagine spending 15 hours out on Lake Michigan on a day like today? Me neither. But many commercial fishermen here did just that in the mid-20th century, if they could maneuver through the ice floes. Tucked away in the archives of the Kenosha History Center is a letter written by Kenoshan LeRoy Nohling, dated Feb. 14, 1931. LeRoy, 24, related his experience of that week: “Nathan, my cousin, called up about midnight the night before to suggest that as long as neither of us were working, we might as well take a trip on one of the fishing boats here in the harbor. At six in the morning, we were down at the pier looking ‘em over.,, Off to the fishing grounds! >click to read< 19:32
1937 lake tragedy kills Kenoshans on the Marold II – This is the second part of a two-part series. Sunday’s first installment of this month’s Old Kenosha focused on the commercial fishing trade here in 1931 as told by a young man who joined the crew of the Marold II for a day. >click to read<
American Marine launch’s Texas Parks and Wildlife aluminum catamaran patrol boat for State and Federal waters
The 80’ x 27’ (OAL) Captain Murchison features twin CAT C18 ACERT D Engines, with Hamilton Jet HM 521 waterjets and is built to USCG Subchapter T standards. It is also the first vessel in North America to feature Hamilton Jet’s innovative Advanced Vessel Control (AVX) system. The new AVX features include both a station keeping and a JETanchor positioning system. Additional vessel features include a DJI Mavic Drone integrated to the helm displays, as well as a FLIR M400 XR High resolution Thermal Imaging video with tracking to assist with patrol duties in the Gulf of Mexico. The state-of-the-art hydrofoil assisted vessel, from Teknicraft Design, will combine innovative design features critical to modern maritime law enforcement. Video, >click to read< 14:48
If the info comes from some enviro group, its good! Info from the lobster fishermen? Not good!
We’re out fishing for news as always, and we never know what we’ll find. Saw this letter to the editor: Whales, and realized this letter is a by-product of the enviro group anti-fishing campaign.,,, From the letter, In the editorial you say, “According to the Maine Lobstermen’s Association analysis of data …” Seriously? We are going to rely on their analysis to risk the extinction of a highly evolved mammal? The editorial further reads, “Only 8 percent (of right whale deaths) resulted from entanglement in trap or pot fishing gear,,, >click to read< 11:34
New Bedford Remains Top Money Port in the United States
Scallops continue to be king in the Port of New Bedford. The U.S. Commerce Department on Friday released its 2018 report on commercial fishing. For the 19th consecutive year, the Port of New Bedford was the most lucrative port in the nation, with its total catch of seafood valued at $431 million. Dutch Harbor, Alaska landed the most fish for the 22nd consecutive year, more than 763 million pounds. >click to read< 10:10
Fisheries of the U.S. Report for 2018 Shows Strong Year for Fishermen – According to the Fisheries of the United States report, which is compiled by NOAA using data and analysis not immediately available at the same end of a fishing year, U.S. highest value species groups in 2018 included lobster ($684 million), crabs ($645 million), salmon ($598 million), scallops ($541 million), and shrimp ($496 million). >click to read<
This Is Where 75% Of Wild-Caught Seafood Grows (It’s Not The Ocean)
The special places where freshwater rivers mix with the salty ocean are known as estuaries. Even if you have never heard of an estuary, you probably know of a couple; Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay, Washington’s Puget Sound, Florida’s Tampa Bay, and California’s San Francisco Bay are all estuaries. Estuaries are also are teeming with life-supporting nutrients. River water carries land-based nutrients into the estuary, and salt-water animals take advantage. The special features of estuaries make them an essential component of the seafood industry accounting for up to 75% of commercially-caught seafood. >click to read< 08:42
‘I say his name every day’: Captain’s mother of F/V Miss Ally, seven years later
A mother who lost her son to the North Atlantic seven years ago when the Miss Ally capsized wants the vessel’s crew to always be remembered. “To me, it’s like it happened yesterday,” says Della Sears, whose son was the captain. The last time Sears saw her son, Katlin Nickerson, and his friends, was on Feb. 12, 2013, when she drove them to the wharf on Cape Sable Island, N.S. Tragedy struck five days later, on Feb. 17, when a storm capsized the boat. The bodies of the five fishermen were never found. >click to read< 07:14
F/V New Age: How Coast Guard saved a Montauk fishing crew
Mike Havens was asleep in the galley of Montauk fishing trawler, New Age, around 20 miles south of Fire Island Inlet when a mate woke him with a line that is every fisherman’s nightmare. “Mike, the boat is sinking,” he was told. It was shortly before 3:45 a.m. on Feb. 12, and the three-man crew had fished for fluke most of the previous day, packing more than 1,500 pounds of fish in the hold until 10 p.m., and were steaming to New Jersey to unload their catch. Now, the sky was black, the wind was up around 30 knots and swells were level with the stern, a sign of trouble. Deck lights lit the scene phosphorescent white. photos, >click to read< 19:37
US Fish & Wildlife Service will be soliciting public input regarding management of cormorants
The fishing public may finally get some relief from the Federal government, in regards to the double crested cormorant. Cormorants are migrating fish eating sea birds that have been around the Great lakes area en mass since the early 1970s. Cormorants are dark in color, have a wide wing span, a long bill (beak) and reportedly eat about 500 grams of fish per day individually. They colonize in areas and fan out daily about 20 miles from the colony core and eat. In concentrated numbers, their feces, called guano, is so acidic it will kill all plantlife.,, The deadline for commentary is March 9. >click to read< 07:43
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