Daily Archives: January 11, 2025

Lobstermen relieved after officials scrap proposed change to harvest

Maine lobstermen are breathing a sigh of relief after a contentious proposal to increase the minimum lobster size was withdrawn Thursday night in Augusta. The decision came after a heated public meeting hosted by the Maine Department of Marine Resources, during which lobstermen voiced concerns about the rule’s potential impact on their livelihoods. Some lobstermen argued change from the current minimum size of 3.25 inches would reduce their catch by 20 percent, targeting the smaller lobsters that are the most marketable and crucial to their business. Lobstermen also argued that increasing the minimum size wouldn’t conserve the lobster population. Many stated that lobsters thrown back into the ocean would likely fall prey to other predators rather than grow to legal size. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:45

Legislative task force offers possible actions to rescue troubled Alaska seafood industry

Alaska lawmakers from fishing-dependent communities say they have ideas for ways to rescue the state’s beleaguered seafood industry, with a series of bills likely to follow. Members of a legislative task force created last spring now have draft recommendations that range from the international level, where they say marketing of Alaska fish can be much more robust, to the hyper-local level, where projects like shared community cold-storage facilities can cut costs. The draft was reviewed at a two-day hearing in Anchorage Thursday and Friday of the Joint Legislative Task Force Evaluating Alaska’s Seafood Industry. It will be refined in the coming days, members said. The bill that created the task force, Senate Concurrent Resolution 10, sets a deadline for a report to the full Legislature of Jan. 21, which is the scheduled first day of the session. However, a final task force report may take a little longer and be submitted as late as Feb. 1, said Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, the group’s chair. Photos, links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:44

Are microplastics ending up in Atlantic lobster? This researcher hopes to find out

An assistant professor in Nova Scotia has been awarded a five-year grant to study the double impact of microplastics and climate change on aquatic organisms. Jordan Park will conduct the research at Université Sainte-Anne using lobster larvae and zooplankton. Park hopes to trace whether microplastics end up in lobster found in Atlantic waters. The grant for his research is through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic, many smaller than the diameter of a strand of hair. But they don’t start out that small, said Park — plastic wares like food packages end up in the ocean and get broken down over time. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:48

Fishermen embrace new streamlined life jackets in first-ever giveaway event

Nonprofit Charleston Fishing Families hosted the first-ever life jacket giveaway on Friday for the commercial fishing fleet in Charleston. Local fishermen tried on the new Kent life jackets and were thankful, as previous life jackets were bulky and, in their words, dangerous. Steely Saye, captain of The Last Dance, says he’s been a fisherman for 15 years and that he’s excited for the change. Board President for the Charleston Fishing Families Mellissa Clemens said they have outfitted 113 fishermen with life jackets and said that historically many fishermen do not to wear life jackets due to safety concerns. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:01