Daily Archives: November 5, 2020
“There’s something awful fishy going on here”: What about Clearwater and the offshore lobster fishery?
Media attention is trained on St. Mary’s Bay in southwest Nova Scotia, where the Sipekne’katik First Nation led by Chief Michael Sack has been exercising Treaty rights to a “moderate livelihood” fishery since September 17. But what is happening in the offshore lobster fishery is going largely unnoticed. That is absolutely understandable, given the very ugly scenes that erupted,,, But what is happening in the offshore could also have wide-reaching impacts on the Atlantic lobster fishery and independent inshore fishers, and is also worth keeping an eye on.,, Just nine days before Sipekne’katik fishers took to the waters, Membertou First Nation and Clearwater Seafoods announced that they had “reached an agreement for the sale of two of Clearwater’s eight offshore lobster licences” to Membertou. >click to read< 19:52
Advocates say B.C. needs a fisheries minister
Each year, about 196,000 tonnes of seafood, everything from salmon to scallops, is harvested off the B.C. coast. But unlike its East Coast counterparts, the province doesn’t have a fisheries minister. In the past several decades, the province has seen tumbling salmon populations, an increasingly inequitable distribution of the fisheries’ economic benefits and a drop in local processing capacity. All have eaten away at coastal communities, and the province’s ability to feed itself from the sea, a situation that advocates say calls for a minister dedicated to the portfolio. >click to read< 18:38
CDFW: Commercial crab season will be delayed due to the presence of whales
The commercial Dungeness crab season in the central management area, which was scheduled to open Sunday, Nov. 15, will be delayed due to the presence of whales within fishing grounds and the potential for entanglement.,, “While no one wants to delay the season, CDFW and the Working Group feel a delay is necessary to reduce the risk of entanglement,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “The fleet has gone to great lengths to be more nimble in order to protect whales and turtles, and the results are promising. This year for the first time in a long time it looks like we don’t have to worry about domoic acid, which is good news.” >click to read< 15:05
Lobster dispute is the culmination of government inaction
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “There remains no more important relationship to me and to Canada than the one with Indigenous peoples.”,,, Imagine the thrilling new drama, Lobster Trap, inspired by real events and probably starring Colm Feore as the determined but nice RCMP inspector, uncovering plots at the Digby Legion and facing down Lefty, the powerful Nova Scotia lobster mobster whose left hand is twice as big as his right. There is the wise and wily Mi’kmaq chief. There is Margaret, the love interest, who manages the day shift at Tim Hortons while rocking her hairnet. The intrigue builds to a dangerous but delicious lobster boil. By Monte Solberg, >click to read< 12:33
Fishing workshop upskills in Mauke
Forty-one keen fishermen including five women took part in a fishing workshop on the island of Mauke last week. Mauke’s fisheries officer Tai George was happy to see the women participate in the course. “It’s good more people are showing an interest; the mamas also learnt to repair and make fishing nets,” he said. The Cook Islands Fishing Association in partnership with the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) conducted the workshop over three days. Practical sessions included engine/outboard motor maintenance, trailer repairs, fishing techniques,,, >click to read< 11:51
Michael G. Dearborn, Navy Veteran, Self-employed commercial lobster fisherman
Michael G. Dearborn, 76, of Gloucester, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, October 9, 2020. He continued to own and operate a lobster fishing business in Massachusetts for over 50 years. At the height of his career during the late 70s and early 80s, Michael was known as an innovator, pioneer, and industry leader. In addition to his experience on the water, Michael was an avid legislator, conservationist, and industry advocate. He served as a member of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, the Atlantic Lobstermen’s Co-Operative, and the MA Lobster Committee Management Team. Above all, Michael’s proudest accomplishment was that of being a father to his three children – Peter, Christopher, and Courtney – whom he loved dearly and spoke of in the highest regard. >click to read< 09:24
Yes, the fleet will be blessed on Friday
They did not summon a queen and they did not call for a king, because the contagion had wafted across the land. The Florida Seafood Festival, which would usually be flooding the county with visitors this upcoming weekend, instead had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the board of directors has made sure that one important aspect of the festival, the blessing of the fleet, will not be abandoned, and leading it will be an honorary King Retsyo. “Everybody needs a blessing at some point,” said board member Tress Dameron. >click to read< 08:12
