Daily Archives: March 22, 2024
Sonoma County’s fishing community facing uncertain future with potential salmon season closure
In 2024, California’s ocean salmon fishing industry stands at a critical juncture. The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), cognizant of the challenges salmon populations face due to years of drought and environmental pressures, has laid out three potential paths for the salmon fishing season off California’s coast. Dick Ogg, president of the Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Marketing Association, explains. “They need to come up with three options, each impacting us differently. Some options might leave a little room for commercial activity, but it’s all quite uncertain,” underscoring the dire straits faced by those who rely on the sea for their livelihood. The potential for another season of deep cuts or complete shutdowns looms large, posing not just an economic challenge but a threat to a way of life cherished by many generations. “This cuts to the heart of Bodega Bay,” Ogg said. “We’re a real working fishing community.” more, >>click to read<< 18:17
“We got ‘er done” – Fish harvesters reach deal with N.L. government to allow catch to be sold to outside buyers
John Efford Jr. fought back tears as he announced the news to hundreds of fish harvesters standing before him — they’d struck a deal with the Newfoundland and Labrador government to end days of protests. According to Efford — the de facto protest leader — and members of the fisheries union, the provincial government has agreed to let fish harvesters sell their catch to buyers from outside the province, regardless of species. They also said they have commitments on moving caps on processing to promote competition within the industry. “We got ‘er done,” Efford told reporters afterward. “Free enterprise for every species.” more, >>click o read<< 13:22
Alitak District setnetters scrambling after OBI dismantles area’s salmon market months before summer season starts
OBI Seafoods announced earlier this month [March 8] that it would not be buying salmon from the setnet fleet in Kodiak’s Alitak District. The decision does not affect the area’s seine fleet. Less than three months before the commercial season opens, dozens of fishers are reeling from the surprise announcement. On a Friday evening earlier this month [March 8], leadership from OBI Seafoods called individual fishers in the Alitak District letting them know the company would not be buying salmon this summer, effectively dismantling the market for that area of the island. Kevin Fisher is the President of the Alitak District Setnet Association which represents almost 70 permit holders, some of whom live in the Lower48 and come up to Kodiak Island to fish in the summer. Others live at their fish camps on the southern end of the island or in Kodiak year round. He said as of March 20, only about half of the area’s permit holders have committed to fishing this season. more, >>click to read<< 12::23
Fewer shrimpers are hitting the water in North Carolina
You remember what Forrest Gump says after he becomes a shrimp boat captain: “Shrimping tough! “Well, that’s certainly true in North Carolina, where shrimp is the second-most commercially harvested seafood. The total dockside value of shrimp in the state in 2022, what seafood dealers pay before it gets sold wholesale, was about $10 million. That’s down from about $30 million in the 1980s and 1990s. The slip in value has led to a decline in the number of licensed shrimpers hitting the water, to the lowest on record in 2022. Reporter Johanna Still looked into what’s behind it all. more, >>listen or read<< 10:55
2024 Scottish Skipper Expo: Aberdeen industry showcase set to break its own records
The 2024 Scottish Skipper Expo in Aberdeen is looking to be the biggest yet, and the decision to make this an event taking place every second year has ensured that companies don’t want to miss out on what is expected to become a unique showcase for the UK fishing sector. ‘We are delighted with the response to this year’s event, with companies from around the world eager to secure their stand space to ensure that they are part of the bi-annual event,’ said Mara Media’s Commercial Fishing Manager Sharon Boyle. more, >>click to read<< 09:20
N.L. protest cause rooted in price-setting systems for fishers and processors
The protest that erupted Wednesday outside the legislature in Newfoundland and Labrador has its roots in a complex, years-long struggle between independent fish harvesters and processors over the price-setting system, industry observers say. Sean Cadigan, a professor of history at Memorial University, said in an interview Thursday that one underlying factor in the tensions is the plunge in prices for snow crab, the province’s most valuable seafood export. From highs of over seven dollars per pound during the pandemic, the price fell to about two dollars per pound last year, creating hardships for harvesters at a time harvesters’ expenses are rising. He said that has combined with long-standing suspicions that harvesters have toward the small group of companies that dominate fish processing in the province. more, >>click to read<< 07:40
Russians destroyed their trawler “Captain Lobanov” during exercises in the Baltic Sea
Three crew members were killed and four injured when a Russian missile hit the fishing trawler Kapitan Lobanov during a Baltic Fleet exercise on March 19. The missile that hit the trawler was fired during a Baltic Fleet exercise. Before the incident, the crew members of the Captain Lobanov were about to go to bed when a missile fell on the captain’s cabin. Local authorities say that a fire broke out on board the trawler, and the cause of the incident is still unknown. In addition, the authorities report only one death. Russian media reports that during the March 19 exercise, a Boykoi corvette fired its onboard artillery. more, >>click to read<< 06:43
