Daily Archives: March 31, 2021
Groundbreaking co-management decision by B.C. First Nations, DFO protect crab for Indigenous food, social and ceremonial purposes
After 14 years of collecting data and aligning Indigenous knowledge and fisheries science, the federal department, DFO, and the Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Heiltsuk, Nuxalk and Wuikinuxv nations decided to close the commercial and recreational fisheries in those areas indefinitely. The decision was the first made as part of a collaborative governance framework that will guide future management decisions for several species in the region over the coming years. “There’s a lot riding on this type of decision-making,” >click to read< 18:11
Misguided AB 534 ‘Pop-Up Crab Gear’ Will Hurt Whales, Fishing Families, Coastal Communities
Data Show Whale Populations Soaring, Virtually No Interactions with Crab Gear! Recently, Assembly Member Bonta of the California Legislature introduced a bill, AB 534 that if passed, would require faulty and failure prone ropeless fishing gear, as determined by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), to be used when taking any species of fish for commercial or recreational purposes when using a trap. AB 534 promotes an unproven and unviable fishing method that presents significant operational and safety risks to West Coast fisheries and that will result in more harm to marine life. The bill is an end-run around existing state and federal regulatory >click to read< 13:32
Bill 534 could eliminate whale entanglements, hurt (destroy) the crab fishery – 03/4/2021, Authored by Rob Bonta-D California, in collaboration with Social Compassion in Legislation and the Center for Biological Diversity, Assembly Bill 534 argues that crabbers use antiquated trapping gear >click to read<
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 44’11x 20′ Fiberglass Lobster boat
To review specifications, information, and 15 photos, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here<11:48
‘You can’t touch the union boat’- Part III: ‘Where did all the f—ing money go?’
Former offshore trawlermen demand investigation into what happened to millions of dollars generated from offshore crab quota meant to support them, and how it was sold without their knowledge for fraction of value to Conne River First Nation The controversial offshore snow crab quota fished by “the union boat” for almost 20 years, generating revenues estimated at between $30 and $60 million, was quietly sold late last year to the 
Miawpukek First Nation at Conne River for $1 million.,, The news raises the question why the offshore crab quota that reached as high as 500 tonnes (1.1 million pounds) sold for millions of dollars less than market value? The going rate today for a small supplementary crab licence (65,000 pounds) is more than $2 million.,, Bateman worries that nothing will come from his whistleblowing. “If a Fishery Officer feels as strongly as I do to come forward publicly and nothing is done, then maybe there’s no hope.” >click to read< 10:48
Just what we didn’t need now – Liz Warren
So the senator who has ignored the New Bedford fishing industry since being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2013 suddenly cares about seafood workers. What a joke. Elizabeth Warren cares about Elizabeth Warren. Period. Warren will exploit any opportunity that makes her look good. Gee, I wonder if our environmental queen will show up in an electric car? After all, New Bedford has become Green Acres under the Mitchell Administration. Warren was silent when Barack Obama declared fishing grounds off the New England coast a memorial, preventing local fishermen from earning a living there,,, >click to read< 10:05
John Gillett: Fishery mismanaged while people go hungry
Canada is doing the world a big injustice by mismanaging our Newfoundland and Labrador fisheries. If our fisheries were managed right, we could supply a million tonnes of fish protein to the world and still have enough for our own country. Canada refusing to address the predation of millions of tonnes of fish a year by 10 million seals is criminal to me. Canada, under the UN food security program, has an obligation to share food with the world, not let it be wasted by not controlling the seals that are destroying what fish harvesters harvest and causing an ecological marine disaster. >click to read< 09:10
