Daily Archives: June 13, 2024
DFO enforcement official says many arrested in elver fishery will face charges
A top federal fisheries enforcement official says it’s likely many of those arrested this spring for illegally fishing for baby eels along Nova Scotia and New Brunswick rivers will be charged as part of enforcement efforts to try to rein in an out-of-control fishery. Tim Kerr, the Maritime director of conservation and protection for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said he believes deterrence is working, and the department intends to bring in new measures in an attempt to make sure next year’s season runs more smoothly. “We do expect a large number of charges and subsequent court appearances and decisions to be made against individuals who have been caught harvesting elver unauthorized this year,” he said in an interview Thursday. Stanley King, an elver fisherman, said this week the commercial sector has long been in favour of a traceability system, and is frustrated DFO would not introduce one early enough to potentially avoid this year’s shutdown. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:31
‘We need it desperately’: Great Lakes Commercial Fishermen look for help as industry shrinks
Commercial fishing on the Great Lakes began 150 years ago, and fishermen once numbered in the thousands. Now, only a handful of businesses are still at it, and many are aging out and looking for help. Jamie LeClair represents the fifth generation involved in her family-run commercial fishing business. Titus Seilheimer, a fisheries specialist for the Wisconsin Sea Grant, said the industry needs to start training the next generation of commercial fishermen. “There are concerns. A lot of folks I work with are getting older, and the fleet is getting grayer,” said Seilheimer. “That’s an issue here in the Great Lakes, but really any fishery.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:57
Terrebonne Parish shrimper says three-year bridge closure driving away business
Somewhere down Shrimpers Row lies the “Shrimp Kingdom.” Once a booming business, it now struggles to make ends meet. Tracey Trahan says it’s not just because of the incredibly low prices of shrimp, but instead, a broken bridge that’s driving away thousands of customers. “It’s impacting us tremendously with our sales of our business and getting a large trucking 18-wheelers in here,” said Trahan. “Some of our vendors have even backed out from picking up here because of the highway on Shrimpers Row. It’s too narrow and our truck drivers are complaining about it being dangerous.” Trahan says he’s been asking the parish to make repairs. “I was personally told that they’re waiting on funding from FEMA,” said Trahan. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<<10:14
Fishery co-op plans on hold after province freezes processing licences
June 13th, 2024 – The Fisheries Protective Co-operative has put organizing efforts on hold following a decision by the provincial government to institute a freeze on the issuance of new fish processing licences. “We hit a wall that we didn’t see coming,” says organizer Ryan Cleary. “The plan is to move forward when the freeze is eventually lifted,” added Merv Wiseman, another key co-op organizer. The FPC was preparing an application to process groundfish at a seal-processing facility in Fleur de Lys on the Baie Verte Peninsula when an official with provincial Fisheries revealed this week that a licence freeze is in effect. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:12
RWE to start seabed surveys at floating wind site offshore California
Site investigation survey work will soon start at RWE’s floating wind project site off the coast of Northern California, where the Germany-based offshore wind developer plans to build its first commercial-scale floating offshore wind farm, Canopy. RWE will be performing initial site investigation surveys during 2024 and 2025, with the first activities beginning in June 2024. The work will involve mapping the seafloor so the best locations for the wind turbines, anchors and electric cables can be assessed. The surveys will also provide data that will help better understand biodiversity, habitats, and other environmental factors to ensure responsible planning and design that minimizes the impact on ocean ecosystems, according to the developer. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:11
Georgia food shrimp harvest season opens June 18
Georgia’s 2024 commercial and recreational food shrimp season will open in state waters at 8 a.m. Tuesday, June 18, 2024. The opening applies to Georgia’s territorial waters from shore to three nautical miles offshore. Data from CRD’s Ecological Monitoring Trawl Survey, which monitors shrimp populations year-round, showed the fishery in May was producing higher numbers of shrimp over the 5-year average, although their sizes were negligibly smaller than shrimp from the same period. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:59
Lobster fishers want to see a crack down on poaching in southwestern Nova Scotia
The issue was raised during a meeting in Yarmouth among industry members and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). They’re worried more moderate livelihood fishing will dominate St. Mary’s Bay. First Nations fishers maintain their Treaty rights to fish. DFO has not authorized that fishery, but they do allow some Food, Social and Ceremonial licenses. Colin Sproul with the Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance says catches were low in the bay during the fall season. “Everybody in southwestern Nova Scotia knows why that is. I think it’s incumbent on the government to act now, before lobster fishing in St. Mary’s Bay is a thing of the past,” said Sproul. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 05:53
