Monthly Archives: February 2020
As fishing industry becomes more lucrative, there’s increased demand for licences, vessels in Nova Scotia
New data from the Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture Loan Board shows Nova Scotia fishermen are taking out bigger loans to get into the lucrative lobster fishery.,, Brett Nickerson, a 27-year-old lobster fisherman from Cape Sable Island, used money from the loan board to get into the fishery. “I decided if I keep waiting and twiddling my thumbs, then I’m just gonna get older and end up doing it later in life,” he said aboard his boat, Miss Mackenzie, in Port La Tour, Shelburne County. >click to read< 08:00
So! What’s the Big Rush to Offshore Wind?!! Part 1 and Part 2
The U.S. is currently in a mad rush to build offshore wind farms on every square inch of the ocean on the east coast, despite the fact that there is presently little known about the environmental effects of so many structures on the marine ecosystem. The surveying, construction, operation and maintenance of these huge, up to 900 foot tall structures, will create a cacophony of sound never before heard in these ocean waters.,, So, why must we ignore all semblances of concern to the possible effects of thousands of huge off shore wind turbines on the marine environment? By Commercial Fisherman Jim Lovgren. This is a two part series, >click to read< Part 1, >click to read< Part 2 23:04
Guernsey fishermen concerned about access to French waters after Brexit
Commercial fishermen in Guernsey say there is uncertainty over access to French waters after Brexit. When the UK left the EU on Friday, the London Fisheries Convention – which allowed French fishermen to access Bailiwick waters and vice versa – ended. Guernsey States has now introduced new regulation which it says will “ensure continuity of access for the remainder of 2020 for French vessels who previously fished in Bailiwick waters”. >click to read< 19:28
Ilwaco: Coronavirus disrupts Dungeness crab exports to China
The outbreak of a respiratory illness in China is impacting the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the Pacific Northwest. The impact of the ban has been felt locally in the commercial crab fishery, where top dollar is fetched for live crab exported to the Chinese market, particularly during the month-long New Year celebration in January. ,,, Commercial crab fishermen, now about a month into a storm-riddled season, are earning less for their dangerous catch as a result of the coronavirus. photos, >click to read< 16:45
Science Center for Marine Fisheries Releases Evaluation and Summary of Latest Atlantic Menhaden Assessments
Dr. Steve Cadrin, Professor at the School for Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and past President of the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, has completed an evaluation and summary of the latest Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) Atlantic menhaden stock assessments. >click to read< 15:58
For offshore wind, expect more delays, review won’t be done until December
The Vineyard Wind project was put on hold indefinitely in August 2019 when the federal government decided to supplement its environmental impact review with a study of the cumulative impact of the many wind farms being proposed along the eastern seaboard. The impact of wind farms on fishermen is a focus of that supplemental review. >click to read< 14:19
Ropeless Fishing! Marina firm develops tech that could help whale entanglement
The Ropeless Fisher System, or pop-up system, contains a netting device holding buoys that are attached to the crab pot. When the fishermen on the surface are ready to check the traps, they use a simple app that triggers a device that sends out sonar waves that activates a release mechanism and the buoys pop up to the surface carrying the connecting rope. Marco Flagg, the CEO of Desert Star, said his technology is already being deployed in crab and lobster fisheries along the eastern U.S. coast, Nova Scotia and New South Wales, Australia. >click to read< >click to read archived ropeless fishing articles< 11:16
Will Brexit really bring victory for small scale fishermen or big business?
During the pre-referendum canvassing, Britain’s fishermen were held up by Leave advocates as an example of a ‘homegrown’ industry decimated by what they saw as ‘draconian’ EU regulations. Compliance with the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, (that dictates that member states can’t control their own waters, nor set their own fishing quotas), was, they believed, the reason why. >click to read< 10:13
Small craft harbours throughout eastern Newfoundland assess damage in the wake of January blizzard
The hurricane-force winds caused for exceptionally rough seas along the coast of the island. In its wake the storm and resulting storm surge caused thousands in damages to coastal communities, vessels, municipal docks, wharfs and even roads — and the total is still being added up.,, >click to read< 08:59
The Seagan Movement: Are Scallops Actually Vegan?
When it comes to bivalves, the line between plant and animal is unclear. The rules of veganism, at first glance, seem pretty clear. Vegans don’t consume any food derived from animals.,, Now, to complicate matters further, there’s an entire movement dedicated to seagan eating, which argues that seafood truly belongs in a vegan diet.,, “Eating products from well-managed fisheries benefits the environment in many ways,” explains Togue Brawn of Maine-based scallop supplier Downeast Dayboat. >click to read< 07:41
Alaska: Commercial fishing is a good investment
“This is probably not well-known,” said Sam Rabung, director of the commercial fisheries division for the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game… Rabung pointed out that the commercial fishing industry is the largest private sector employer in Alaska, putting almost 60,000 people to work annually. “It contributes about $172 million directly in taxes, fees and self-assessments to state, local and federal governments, and contributes an annual average of about $5.6 billion in economic output to the Alaska economy,” >click to read< 20:32
2019 was highest value year on record for Dungeness crab in Southeast Alaska
5.3 million pounds of Dungeness crab were harvested, which is the third highest harvest on record. Yet, the price averaged $3.07 a pound making it the highest valued season ever recorded for Southeast. The previous record for the most valuable year was in 2002. Seven million pounds were harvested but the price was only $1.25 per pound back then. >click to read< 18:54
Potential regulations loom for Texas’ southern flounder fishery
The recommendations were made in response to TPWD data that shows southern flounder populations have experienced a dismal decline over the last several decades. The proposals aim to protect spawning females during their annual migration to the Gulf of Mexico, much to the dismay of anglers whose passion and livelihood coincide with the fall flounder run. >click to read< 17:49
Coronavirus devastates Australian export businesses as economic costs of emergency filter through
Sonia Einersen from Cairns-based business Torres Straits Seafood in Far North Queensland said live imports into China had been cut, so she had nowhere to sell her product. “The coronavirus has really affected the whole fishing industry, we do lobster and live coral trout, it’s affected both of those as well as pretty much every other fishing industry in Australia,” she said. “Boats are tied up, they can’t go out, >click to read< 15:25
Summer founder, sea bass and scup are on the docket for upcoming public hearings focused on allocation percentages
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) have scheduled a series of scoping hearings to gather public input on the range of issues and information to be considered in the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment. Hearings will be held February 13 – March 3. Written comments will be accepted through March 17, 2020. All comments provided at public hearings or in writing will be presented to the Council and Commission. Lots of info, >click to read< 14:03
A New Generation! The Army Corps of Engineers have designed a hydroelectric turbine that’s safer for fish, increase energy efficiency by 4%
They’ve recently installed a new design that’s improving energy efficiency and improving fish survival along the Snake River, with plans to upgrade more turbines over the next several years. The Army Corps installed the first of two designs at Ice Harbor Dam, just outside the Tri-Cities in southeastern Washington. A second blade design should be finished in 2021. “It really is a new generation of turbine design for our hydropower system,” said the Corps’ Martin Ahmann.,, This new turbine has been shown to increase juvenile fish survival rate to more than 98%. >click to read< 10:50
Numbers on the Rise! Lobster might become one of the most important fisheries in Newfoundland
Warmer waters are getting part of the credit for an uptick in lobsters off the coast of Newfoundland and some companies are betting big on the crustacean’s future.,, In the last five years, lobster landing volumes have seen almost an 80 per cent increase, up to about 4,400 metric tonnes from roughly 2,100. While an impressive increase, those volumes are still small in comparison to the rest of the Atlantic provinces. For example, in 2017, the total volume of lobster harvested in Newfoundland represented just three per cent of what was harvested in the Atlantic provinces. >click to read< 08:40
EU demands access to UK waters. Give Brussels fishing rights for 25 years? Codswallop!
EU negotiator Michel Barnier underscored the difficulties of the trade negotiations with Britain ahead for the rest of the year when he highlighted the small but emblematic fisheries industry, which was a key issue in the protracted Brexit process in the United Kingdom too. Barnier told France Inter radio that “there will be no trade deal with the British if there is no reciprocal access deal for our fishermen.” >click to read< Give Brussels fishing rights for 25 years? Codswallop! Britain to reject EU demands for deal that would allow foreign trawlers access to our waters until 2045 – >click to read< 07:37
Nova Scotia: Lobster industry fears prolonged effects of coronavirus outbreak as exports halted, prices drop
A month ago, China appeared to be a land of endless opportunity for Nova Scotia’s $1-billion lobster industry, with fishers collecting record returns for their catches and exports to the Asian country growing to historic levels. Then, as travel restrictions and lockdowns in some cities were imposed in China in an effort to contain the virus, known as 2019-nCoV, lobster orders dried up almost overnight. The shore price, or price paid to lobster fishers for their catch, fell from a record high of $10.50 a pound to $8 a pound on Nova Scotia’s south shore last week, and is expected to keep falling. >click to read< 05:49
Fishing boat under repair after hitting rocks in Otago Harbour
A fishing vessel struck rocks in Otago Harbour and had to be grounded on a sandbank to stop it sinking. Otago Regional Council harbourmaster Steve Rushbrook said Carolina M hit the ground near Wellers Rock about 3am on Saturday and started taking on water. “With the help of a local fishing vessel, the Mary Ann, the Carolina M made it to a point of safety — a known shallow sandbank in the area. >click to read< 16:23
Dungeness Crabs Redux
Well, after my last post, The Solution To Dissolution, I thought I was done with the Dungeness crab question. And I was happy to be done with those chilly crustaceans. Writing that post brought back memories of how cold the fishery is. I remember leaving out from Eureka harbor at the north end of California and crossing the bar at the mouth of Humboldt Bay well before dawn.,, In that post, I discussed the manifold problems with the incorrect media claim that “The Pacific Ocean is becoming so acidic it is starting to dissolve the shells of a key species of crab, according to a new US study.” Willis Eschenbach >click to read< 13:59
Protestors Protest against fishermen over calls for grey seal cull off Kerry
Animal welfare campaigners have staged a protest in An Daingean (Dingle) to protest against calls by fishermen for a cull of grey seals. The protesters say a cull on the grey seal colony around Na Blascaodaí (The Blasket Islands) would be “unnecessary and barbaric.” The inshore fishermen claim an “out of control” seal population is putting livelihoods at risk and are calling for a “seal management plan” to be put in place immediately. >click to read< 10:27
Humpy run into Price William Sound forecast is above average
Forecasts for the 2020 fishing season show a robust run of pink and chum salmon into Price William Sound, along with a healthy run of kings and below average return of wild and hatchery salmon to the Copper River. The area forecast released by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Tuesday, Jan. 28, also put wild sockeye returns to Coghill Lake at slightly below average. >click to read< 09:20
Coast Guard urges caution to mariners ahead of heavy weather expected to impact the Central and Southern California Coast
Sunday’s weather conditions for the inner waters in the vicinity of metro Los Angeles include wind speeds reaching 40 knots and sea states as high as 14 feet. Conditions are expected to worsen moving north from Los Angeles. For offshore conditions, the National Weather Service is reporting potential gusts approaching 50 knots with seas nearing 20 feet. Beaches throughout the area are expected to feature exceptionally high surf, large breaking waves and dangerous rip currents.>click to read< 07:48
‘Lobsters overboard’ as China bans live seafood trade over coronavirus fears
Australia’s seafood industry has been thrown into crisis by the ban, with local fishermen considering a plan to return thousands of lobsters to the open waters. The export industry has ground to a halt in Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania as China usually imports about 90 to 95 per cent of locally-grown lobsters. >click to read< 16:47
Seal attack on Nova Scotia island leaves a hunter left defenseless by fishery officers, with 26 stitches
Alexis Boudreault, 29, and nine other hunters were on Pictou Island Tuesday when the attack occurred. Only four of them were carrying hakapiks — clubs tipped with sharp hooks — after federal fisheries officers confiscated the tools from the others earlier in the day because their hooks were judged to be too long. Boudreault, therefore, was defenseless when the 225-kilogram male seal charged. >click to read< 14:21
Dennis Gaudet was fishing at 12; he’s still loves the industry nearly 57 years later
“I remember being down at North Cape, fishing out of a shanty shack and our boats were on the beach. We had to take a dory out to go fishing.” That’s back when a big boat was around 35 feet in length. He also remembers when a limit of 600 lobster traps was imposed in 1967. His father, Nelson, had just purchased a brand new 45-foot Hutt boat and was planning on setting 900 traps.,, The trap limit was subsequently reduced to 500, then 400 and later to 300. >click to read< 11:59
F/V Pappy’s Pride: Grand Bay man dies in Galveston shrimp boat crash
One of the three crew members who died after their shrimp boat F/V Pappy’s Pride capsized off the coast of Galveston has ties to lower Alabama. Family members of Raymond “Taco” Herrera say he grew up in Bayou La Batre and later moved to Grand Bay. He started shrimping out of Galveston eight years ago. Video, >click to read< 09:48
Brexit at last: Britain leaves the EU as champagne corks fly, Post-Brexit talks gear up for fish fight
The United Kingdom finally cast off from the European Union on Friday for an uncertain future, with Brexiteers claiming victory and popping champagne corks for an “independence day” they said marked a new era for the country.,, On the white cliffs of Dover, the message: “The UK has left the EU” was projected between a British and an EU flag. >click to read< 07:51
Post-Brexit talks gear up for fish fight between EU, UK – When it comes to U.K.-European Union relations, there’s nothing like slapping a fish around. After all, both sides have been contesting who rules their waves practically since the United Kingdom became a member in 1973. >click to read<
