Daily Archives: March 12, 2020
Coronavirus: International turmoil keeps the lobster at home
Commercial fishing is a notoriously condition-dependent occupation. As of early February, however, in addition to the changeable sea and the here-today, gone-tomorrow nature of the work—as well as ongoing tariffs—local lobster fishermen like Brian Aresco of Carpinteria also had to contend with a ban on seafood imports due to the COVID-19 outbreak in their best market, China. Aresco said the price for lobster went from $16 a pound to $8 overnight. After expenses, he would be left with about $100 for 16-hours of work. more>click to read< 18:18
Coronavirus: Perfect storm?
What no one could foresee when the sun rose in Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow) on Jan. 23 and everything seemed so normal was that the planet was already hurtling toward a global economic slowdown with possibly devastating repercussions for a fragile, Alaska economy dependent on oil, tourism, fisheries and the state Permanent Fund – all now suffering the fallout from the consequences of an invisible, contagious and too-often-deadly pathogen. A month before that sunrise, with Utqiagvik still cloaked in darkness, a new coronavirus spawned no one knows exactly where was already spreading in Wuhan, China far to the south and west. more, >click to read< 15:09
A year in the life of a tuna boat helicopter pilot
I had 25 minutes of fuel on board and no place to land except our boat or the sea. As I got closer, I could clearly see the boat heaving in the swell. My eyes were wide as I flew the approach and, with concentration levels dialled up, I stuck it to the pad as trained. My mechanic ran out to strap the machine down. He got the first one on and I rolled the throttle back to ground idle. I could taste the sea spray off the bow. I was flying off tuna boats and loving it! more. >click to read< 13:10
Coronavirus: B.C. commercial fishery amid sectors fearing COVID-19 current market fallout
B.C.’s seafood sector, currently strike by a collapse in exports to Asia for the reason that of COVID-19 all through the new Lunar New Yr, is bracing for the probability of cafe and grocery retail outlet closures alongside the U.S. West Coast due to the fact of the pandemic. The worthwhile halibut fishery is due to open up March 20 in B.C. and that capture is “almost entirely marketed to white tablecloth dining establishments from Vancouver to San Diego down the I-5 corridor,” said Christina Burridge, executive director of the B.C. Seafood Alliance. more, >click to read< 10:03
Crab, oyster exports to China down as coronavirus impacts trade – “My company is about 70% export,” said Ken Wiegardt of Wiegardt Brothers Inc., an oyster producer in Nahcotta that operates under the trade name Jolly Roger. The virus “has certainly taken a big chunk” out of his orders this year, he said. China is not accepting shipments of live food, including shellfish and crab. more, >click to read< 11:21
Rep. Genevieve McDonald seeks re-election to House District 134
Representative Genevieve McDonald, D-Stonington, has announced her re-election campaign as a candidate for the Maine House of Representatives for District 134. “It has been my honor to serve this district and I hope to continue working for the people as their representative in Augusta,” she said in a news release. McDonald is a commercial lobsterman and serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources, according to a press release. more, >click to read< 08:25
Opinion: If EDF wants to do something about improving cod stocks it needs to address the other factors
The fact is if the Environmental Defense Fund wants to improve cod stock it needs a more holistic approach to cod conservation, taking into account all the factors affecting cod. Not approaching the situation in this manner is just plain wrong. There are a number of other factors that the EDF needs to address if they want to bring back cod stocks. The first is the gigantic seal population that has a dramatic impact on fish populations, including cod. EDF needs to confront the marine mammal conservation community if it wants to conserve cod. more, by Fisherman Theodore Ligenza >click to read< 07:51
