Monthly Archives: March 2021
Pile driving for constructing offshore wind turbine supports alters feeding behaviors of longfin squid
With the offshore wind industry expanding in the United States and elsewhere, a new study raises questions about how the noise from impact pile driving to install turbine supports can affect feeding behaviors of longfin squid, a commercially and ecologically important cephalopod.,, The study addressed short-term impacts to squid feeding behavior and noted that future research should look at longer exposures to noise and field work with 
free-swimming squid. In particular, the study found that rates of anti-predator behaviors were similar when subjected to recordings of piledriving whether the squid was hunting at the start of the noise, suggesting that the noise diverted squid attention from a feeding task toward predator defense. >click to read< 14:13
‘Irreversible losses’: Wildlife expert fears for North Sea habitat – The North Sea off Suffolk could be facing “irreversible wildlife losses” because of the impact on its environment of the growing number of windfarms. >click to read<
ComFish Alaska: State’s largest fisheries forum finalizes schedule
ComFish Alaska, the state’s longest-running fisheries forum and trade show, has finalized interactive forum events for the 2021 virtual gathering March 30-31, on topics ranging from federal and state legislation to electronic monitoring and crab research. The forums open at 10 a.m. on March 30 with a federal update from Alaska’s congressional delegation, followed by an Alaska legislative update presented by Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak. Rep. Jared Huffman, R-Calif., chair of the House Water, Oceans and Wildlife Subcommittee, leads off the second day of forums, with a discussion on his efforts to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the principal law governing marine fisheries in the United States. >click to read< 12:49
How moviemakers drove Depoe Bay ‘Cuckoo’ in 1975
It’s been 46 years since director Milos Foreman turned Depoe Bay into a Hollywood set to film the Oscar-sweeping 1975 movie “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” thrusting the quaint fishing village and its residents into everlasting cinematic glory.,, “I was just sitting on my boat, the Jimco II, one day when this fellow came up and wanted to know if it was for hire,” “Jack Herford, a great old salt, and his son Ted, got all the glory when they drove the Hyak and that boatload of rubber-room escapees to sea, but I got most of the money,”,, >click to read< 11:36
Barataria Bay project seen to create 27 square miles of land, displace brown shrimp and oysters
“The fishing industry doesn’t see the payoff here. It’s going to kill us more than it’s going to help anything,” said Cooper, president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association. He said he feels as though the sparsely populated fishing communities of lower Plaquemines Parish, where the diversion is to be built, have been written off.,, Louisiana’s proposal for Mid-Barataria calls for spending part of a $303 million chunk of mitigation money to help fishers adapt to the disruption in their lives and their bank accounts. But industry representatives doubt that the government’s analyses sufficiently assess the economic cost of such a drastic change to an industry that not only supplies seafood,,, >click to read< 10:12
Ocean Industrialization: Can offshore wind farms coexist with fish farms?
South Korea will launch a pilot project to combine an offshore wind farm with aquaculture, as it pushes to tap the unlimited potential of water, which surrounds the country on three sides, as a future source of energy. The project, set to kick off in the second half of this year, involves a 60-megawatt wind turbine foundation installed in waters off Buan, North Jeolla Province, integrated with artificial reefs and aquaculture systems. The trial-run will last until Dec. 31, 2022. >click to read< 09:05
Maine lobstermen protest Monhegan-area wind project
More than 80 lobster boats lined up between Monhegan Island and Boothbay Harbor on Sunday to protest a seabed survey for a planned offshore wind turbine near Monhegan. “The boat hasn’t been staying in the survey route, and there’s been some issues with gear loss,” Dustin Delano, a lobsterman from Friendship who helped organize the protest, said this weekend. Delano estimated that more than 80 boats joined him around 9 a.m. Sunday south of Monhegan Island, where a 12-megawatt test turbine billed as the first commercial-scale project in the nation would demonstrate the 
viability of offshore wind as a renewable power source. The fishermen formed a single-file line that Delano said stretched roughly 2 miles, and then traced the route back to land. >click to read< 07:05
Dozens of lobster boats gather off Monhegan to protest floating wind turbine – Gov. Janet Mills is proposing to build more of the floating wind turbines farther offshore in the Gulf of Maine. video, >click to read<
Union calls for rejecting a possible South Coast cod fishery shutdown
In a media release, the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) called on federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan to reject the mandate of a possible closure after a Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) assessment in 2020 indicated that the biomass index increased in 3Ps and predicts further growth in 2021 for the cod stock. The FFAW also cited the DFO study as finding fishing mortality has been at “very low levels” due to reduced quotas for 3Ps.,, The FFAW also takes aim at the the seal population along the south coast of the province, saying it has grown to record levels and seals are known to consume large amounts of cod, as well as spread parasites among the fish. The FFAW said the seals in the area are part of a continued migration from Nova Scotia and Maine. The union said there have been no efforts by the federal government to limit seal predation on the cod stocks. >click to read< 18:27
Association of Seafood Producers Calls for Closure of Commercial Capelin Fishery “Misguided”
ASP says the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ latest stock assessment for capelin along the northeast coast of Newfoundland and Labrador may be at low levels, but the biomass is near the long term average. The association argues that a fishery took place in 2010 when the stock was at lower levels and the stock rebounded from then. Executive Director Derek Butler says that alone supports a fishery. Butler says capelin are harvested in the last few weeks before they spawn, which is the point in the life cycle when they die. >click to read< 12:41
1,500 Wind Turbines. 2,700 Square Miles. Atlantic Offshore Wind Farms Will Be Big.
American offshore wind farms, (built of foreign components) of which there are 17 in the works for the Atlantic Ocean, are no longer far off on the horizon. Dire predictions of climate change and how to most quickly pivot to clean energy have fueled the embrace of offshore wind. And while most stakeholders seem on board with the nearly Eiffel Tower-sized turbines, the fishing industry remains a holdout. Meanwhile, the cumulative effect of so many turbines spread across the Mid-Atlantic Bight remains unknown. The bight stretches from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to the Gulf of Maine. video, notable quotes, >click to read< 10:50
Fisherman Nate Iszac caught a ‘Real-Life Sea Monster’ in Alaska, and they’ve become social media sensations!
A fisherman‘s unusual catch has been dubbed a ‘real-life sea monster’ by social media users after photos showed the beastly fish’s huge, gaping mouth and razor-sharp teeth. Fisherman Nate Iszac, 39, caught the bizarre fish in Alaskan waters earlier this month,,, Iszac, from Oregon in the US, poses in several images with the fish,,, He said: “When we saw it there was a nervous excitement in the air. After being found on 9 March in the Bering Sea off Akutan Island, Alaska, the animal has been identified as a wolf eel. Iszac confirmed he always puts his creatures from the deep back into the water, and that the wolf eel swam away unharmed. photos, >click to read< 08:36
Private search for F/V Nicola Faith and three crew members is underway today
Led by ocean recovery expert David Mearns, the search began at 6am this morning (March 20). Money for the search was raised through a Go Fund Me page set up by the families of the three fishermen, Ross Ballantine, Alan Minard, and skipper Carl McGrath, 34 who went missing on January 27. 
The sister of one of the missing crew members, Ross Ballantine, thanked people for their support this morning. Lucy Ballantine said: “Well the day has arrived, Three bodies were discovered in the Wirral and Blackpool last weekend. Police say the families of the three fishermen have been “kept informed,” however, since then no formal identification has been made >click to read< 15:30
It’s Time for Politics to Take Fishing Seriously: the Neglect of Fisheries in (International) Politics
For a few years now, I’ve worked in seafood restaurants to pay for tuition. Sometimes I was amazed by the kinds of stories I’d hear about the fishing industry.,, I have to confess that I’d never really given a whole lot of thought to the fishing industry as a whole and to some extent, working as a lobster fisherman, I was even looked down upon by some people I’d known growing up. I began to care more once I actually had a job which dealt with the retail end of fishing, given that I was cooking and preparing lobster on a daily basis. After moving to St. John’s I learned from former high school friends who ended up working on boats sent around the North Atlantic. By Jacob Laybolt >click to read< 13:47
What Is the Marine Mammal Protection Act?
The Marine Mammal Protection Act, or MMPA, is the U.S. federal law restricting human actions that affect marine mammals. The MMPA was signed into law in 1974 by President Richard Nixon, making it one of many environmental policies established by the Nixon administration. One of the most significant actions taken under the MMPA was the establishment of an “optimum sustainable yield” (OSY). Instead of the traditional single-species approach to marine mammal management, OSY focuses on the role of marine mammals in the health of an ecosystem. The ecosystem-based approach remains widely implemented across the fishery industry today. >click to read< 11:03
Selling Direct to the Public: What looked like disaster for Haworth Fish Co. has turned into new business
After a week at sea, Nick Haworth returned to port with 30,000 pounds of big eye tuna and opah aboard Kaylee H,,, Having been hundreds of miles offshore, the crew had not heard the news: On March 17, 2020, fearing a surge of coronavirus cases, the county health department shut down all indoor dining, instantly destroying the restaurant industry’s appetite for the fresh investment sitting on ice below deck in the fishing boat’s hold. “We had nowhere to sell our catch,,, photos, >click to read<,09:17
Biden appoints former NOAA’s “Carbon Queen” Jane Lubchenco to key climate change role!
The White House has appointed Jane Lubchenco, a well-known marine scientist at Oregon State University and former head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to a high-level position coordinating climate and environmental issues within its Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The announcement scheduled for Friday marks another step in the Biden administration’s all-of-government approach to tackling climate change. >click to read< 08:37 from 2008, Environmental Defense Fund Honored that Board Vice Chair Reportedly Picked as NOAA Administrator – >click to read<
Consumers are buying direct! Cornish fishermen see boom in domestic demand post-Brexit
Fishermen and fishmongers in Cornwall are picking up home trade following Brexit with lobsters, spider crabs and pollock all seeing a huge uplift in sales. The fishing renaissance has been prompted by individual households buying directly from Cornish suppliers particularly during the coronavirus lockdown. Craig Tonkin, owner of Fresh Cornish Fish in Newlyn, said he’s seen a huge change in the customer base of his family-run business since Britain left the European Union. >click to read< 07:14
Maine Fishermen oppose offshore wind as alternative energy option – Support LD 101
“There’s so many different reasons to oppose it,” said Jack Merrill, a resident of Mount Desert and a member of the Cranberry Isles Fishermen’s Co-op,,, In an effort to meet Maine’s requirement of 80 percent of the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and the goal of 100 percent by 2050, there is a project being proposed to research offshore wind energy by installing up to 12 floating wind turbines in a 16-square-mile area, 20-40 miles off the coast. “By removing thousands of acres of bottom from fishing access, these turbines threaten the economic health of Maine’s second largest industry,,, >click to read< 13:48
Morro Bay: Fishing Industry Opposes New Floating Wind Farm Project Area – Tom Hafer, president of the 90-member Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization, criticized the proposal, saying it amounted to a “bait and switch.” >click to read<
Inshore fishing crews think new registry requirements could be about EI claims
A small section of the Canada’s new Fisheries Act, adopted last December, was barely noticed when the legislation was first unveiled. After all, the main purpose of the act was to close the loopholes on controlling agreements, and much of the legal wording was directed to that. However, the requirement for crew lists has created lots of chatter in the fishing community on social media. There’s been some speculation by some that crew lists could be used by other departments, like Employment and Social Development,,, >click to read< 11:39
Bering Sea Island’s Fuel Shortage Forces Crabbers South To Refuel – “I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything like this,,,
The Coronavirus pandemic has already disrupted Alaska’s winter Bering Sea fishing seasons, closing plants and adding quarantine related complications for crews. St. Paul, one of the Pribilof Islands, announced the gas ration late last month after bad weather canceled the arrival of a fuel barge, and fishermen say it’s forcing them into days-long detours for refueling. “I seem to remember we had some rations, years back, but it was nothing like this,” Oystein Lone, the captain of a 98-foot crab boat, He and his five-person crew on the F/V Pacific Sounder just started fishing for bairdi, also known as tanner crab, on the eastern side of the Pribilof Islands in the middle of the Bering Sea. >click to read<10:03
California Commercial Dungeness Crab Update
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) just completed the most recent marine life entanglement risk assessment under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP). Recent survey data indicate most Humpback and Blue whales remain outside of the California fishing grounds, however a few Humpback whales have begun to return to Monterey Bay and the Gulf of the Farallones. As a result, the Director of CDFW has issued a statewide Fleet Advisory for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery for all Fishing Zones (Oregon state line to Mexico). >click to read< 08:22
Busy evening as Dutch fly-shooter makes first landing in Newlyn.
Around 7pm and the fly-shooter Annalijdia enters Newlyn, the first since the Dew-Genen-Ny stopped fishing back in the early 90s… Lots of photos, lots of vessels, some videos, and what beautiful fish! >click to read< 07:10
Capelin stocks aren’t climbing, could the fishery really face a moratorium in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The capelin stock in Newfoundland and Labrador has not had any sustained growth for 30 years, and the chances of a quick rebound are poor. Fran Mowbray, capelin biologist with Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), wouldn’t go as far as to say the stock could become extinct. “I don’t think we have enough evidence to say that. We are definitely concerned about the status of the stock right now. But worldwide, when forage species reach very low levels … it will take them an extremely long time to rebound.” >click to read< 19:15
Dimed Out! Call Leads to the Bust of Commercial Prawn Harvester fishing in a closed area
Hai A. Trinh was found guilty in Powell River Provincial Court for fishing in a closed area of Desolation Sound, retaining undersize prawns, and other violations of the Fisheries Act. The Honourable Justice Leven Wingham ordered the commercial prawn harvester to pay a fine of $30,000 and forfeit the value of his catch, which sold for $12,630. On June 18, 2019, fishery officers received information from the public about a commercial prawn fishing vessel operating in a closed area. >click to read< 17:18
Historic Ancich netshed nearly ready for commercial fishboat use
The City of Gig Harbor is within weeks of making the historic Ancich net shed and pier available for use by commercial fishermen,,, Fisherman Peter Ancich built the net shed in the 1920s. It was acquired by the city as part of Ancich Park in 2012. It is one of only 17 netsheds remaining in Gig Harbor, most of them in private hands. Seven remain working net sheds. Fishing vessel owners, especially those with smaller boats without home sheds, have been lobbying the city for several years to reopen the Ancich pier and shed for shared used among commercial boats. >click to read< 16:41
New Scallop Beds Discovered! Scallop Boom On Way For Victoria.
The Andrews Labor Government is delivering a boost to Gippsland’s scallop industry, lifting the allowable commercial catch for the ocean scallop fishery by more than seven times after new scallop beds were discovered off the east coast. A survey conducted near the Tarwhine oil and gas fields off Gippsland confirmed a return of harvestable scallop beds in the area, and subsequent consultation with industry bodies and licence holders has resulted in a substantial increase to the total allowable commercial catch (TACC), from 135 to 979 tonnes. >click to read< 13:55
Maine DMR to talk with lobstermen about floating offshore wind baloney
The Maine Dept. of Marine Resources will be holding meetings to engage with Zone Councils D, E and F who have fishermen who fish in the area being reviewed for the potential of a floating offshore wind Research Array in federal waters. The DMR will explain its role in the process, provide an overview of the project and then focus discussion on the information available about fishing activity in the area, identify gaps in that data, and summarize feedback received through conversations with industry members.“We hope to solicit feedback from the lobster industry about our understanding of fishing activity and use in the area of interest,” >click to read< 10:50
In praise of a Newfoundland and Labrador fisheries advocate
I write regarding a letter from Gus Etchegary of the Fishery Community Alliance published in your paper on Feb. 22, 2021 (“A fish-damned tale”). I can only hope and pray that if I reach the age of Gus Etchegary I will have the same passion and drive that this man has always shown. I have known him for many years and have always admired his love for the province and the industry that he knows so much about. When we, as a people, chose to join Canada in 1949, I believe we made the right decision. However, I describe myself as a proud Canadian but always as a Newfoundlander and Labradorian first. By R. David Moores>click to read< 09:39
Meeting produces no solution for fishermen’s Brexit related fishing issues
Environment Minister John Young said following the discussions that he and his fellow ministers would continue to work with the industry, with another meeting due to take place before Easter.,, ‘The meeting welcomed the open and constructive discussions between ministers, officials and the local fisheries industry, and while a comprehensive solution was not reached, ‘It was a complete waste of time and a tick-box exercise to allow them to say they are engaging with industry. There was mention of financial support in three phases but it was read out “this is phase one, two, three. OK – let’s move on” and that was it,’ >click to read< 08:30
Obituary: Reno Red Leaf
Reno Red Leaf, 31, our beloved son, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin and friend, was called home, to his eternal resting place on March 10, 2021, while living in Seattle Washington, just 1 week shy of his 32nd birthday. He entered this world on March 17, 1989, St. Patrick’s Day, in Ponca City, OK, born to Tony Red Leaf and Lynne Kitchell and he had 2 older brothers at the time of his birth, Toby and Roman. Reno will be truly missed by all who loved him and by those who have met him. Recently Reno was living in Seattle Washington working as a commercial fisherman out of Sitka, Alaska and Dutch Harbor during his untimely death. >click to read< 22:06
Right whales: Public comments range from ‘save the whales’ to ‘save the fishermen’
Samuel Sautaux posted his comment from Lentigny, Switzerland, located north of the Alps. His comment is among about 171,208 received from individuals who live near and far from the right whales’ cruising grounds and posted an opinion on the latest federal effort to protect the species on the public comment page overseen by NOAA. These comments are now being processed,,, Some of the comments are quite succinct, as was Sautaux’s. Others are more elaborate – including one from an author who signs as a 69-year-old, sixth generation lobsterman from Maine who says the proposal amounts to a “death sentence” on the industry. >click to read< 07:16
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