Tag Archives: National Marine Sanctuary

Fishermen fear Hudson Canyon sanctuary will mean more restrictions

The canyon is a prolific fishing ground that starts about 90 miles offshore from Manasquan Inlet and is in the crosshairs of a public debate over the sanctuary designation, which would give NOAA more leverage managing the resources of the largest submarine canyon off the Atlantic Coast. Commercial vessels fish for tunas, squid and lobster, while the state’s recreational fishing fleet of for-hire vessels continually run anglers out to the canyon to catch fresh tuna and tilefish. “We’re probably the greatest and strictest fishery management country in the world. Why do we need this extra layer on top of everything we have now?” said Jason Bahr, a seafood wholesaler and vice president of Blue Water Fisherman’s Association, a trade group of commercial longline fishermen who fish for pelagic species such as tuna and swordfish in the Hudson Canyon. >click to read< 07:50

Massive Central Coast marine sanctuary gets closer to federal protection. What’s next?

The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is one step closer to becoming a reality,,, The massive proposed marine sanctuary has been in NOAA’s nomination phase since 2015. It now officially moves to the designation phase. Central Coast Congressman Salud Carbajal D-Santa Barbara, “I am thrilled the Biden administration has taken this step,,, Not all are strong proponents of the proposed marine sanctuary. In a letter to NOAA in June 2020, the Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries,, “For fishermen having a NMS manage areas they fish will mean that they will always have to watch their backs, wondering what NMS management will do,” the letter said. >click to read< 17:14

MAFMC Votes15-4 AGAINST Hudson Canyon Sanctuary bid

In their official nomination, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and their Coney Island Aquarium staff outlined their specific reasons for nominating the offshore Hudson Canyon as a National Marine Sanctuary. (We listened to the presentation online. It was pathetic, actually),,,  While claiming to have “community-based support for the nomination expressed by a broad range of interests,” the WCS marine sanctuary plan had actual fishermen and fishing industry leaders incensed. In a letter of opposition on behalf of coastal fishermen, Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) executive director Jim Donofrio noted that regardless of the WCS’s intention, recreational fishermen would not have any legal protection under the federal sanctuary law. Thank you Jim. click here to read the story 12:54

Baltimore Canyon “urban sanctuary” off OC worries fishermen

Capt. Monty Hawkins of Morning Star Fishing in Ocean City said the protection of one small patch of ocean does nothing to protect the ocean environment as a whole. “We have to do a whole lot better than what we are doing,” Hawkins said. “But taking the Baltimore Canyon and protecting the area directly around it is incredibly distressing, these are areas filled with recreational fishermen and commercial fishermen.” While the designation is said to not impact recreational fishing, the unique designation has worried local politicians and fishermen alike, who believe that the sanctuary status could impact the local economy; whether by curbing recreational and tournament fishing or impacting commercial vessels. In Maryland, offshore commercial fishing brings in around $78.2 million annually, or roughly 35 percent of the average annual catch for the Mid-Atlantic Coastline, according to the National Aquarium’s proposal to the NOAA. Read the story here 16:22

Bering Sea village wants to surround itself with a marine sanctuary

st georgeResidents of the smaller of two villages in the Pribilof Islands are asking the federal government to encircle their island with the first national marine sanctuary in Alaska. It’s an effort to protect the fur seals once slaughtered on the Pribilofs and other animal populations they say are plunging dangerously, perhaps because of climate change. The request from the city of St. George is only the second in the state since the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries began accepting sanctuary nominations from the public in 2014. The request, received Oct. 1, may not lead to a sanctuary designation, a process involving years of analysis and significant public engagement, said William Douros, West Coast regional director for the agency, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Read the story here 08:21

Morro Bay opts not to host second Marine Sanctuary forum

The proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary would stretch 140 miles along the coast from Cambria to Santa Barbara. The proposal has been nominated, meaning it’s in the queue for consideration, but no formal designation process has begun yet. The proposal’s concept is to protect a diverse ecosystem from oil drilling, seismic surveys and other potential impacts, while encouraging scientific research. Coastal wildlife includes dolphins, whales, white sea bass, sardines, mackerel, kelp and elephant seals. Fishing industry leaders, however, are concerned that a sanctuary would lead to more fishing restrictions and believe existing governmental protections — such as trawl closure areas, rockfish conservation areas and marine-protected areas — are sufficient. They also believe that adding a new federal regulating agency would reduce local influence over offshore policy. Read the rest here 06:47

PEER Aleutian Sanctuary Ocean Grab Stalls Out

thCAWQFEFIOn Friday, the NOAA announced that the Aleutians won’t advance in the process to become a national marine sanctuary — mostly due to a lack of local support. Adak, King Cove, Akutan, and the Aleutians East Borough all came out against the nomination. Environmentalists (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility) and research groups had been seeking permanent limits on oil and gas leasing and commercial fishing in federal waters around the Chain. Read the rest here 22:50

Aleutian Islands Nominated as National Marine Sanctuary

The waters around the Aleutian Islands support a dizzying range of wildlife — and major industries right along with it. Right now, the government’s job is to help find a balance. But as KUCB’s Lauren Rosenthal reports, there’s a new campaign to permanently tip the scales toward conservation in the Aleutian Chain. Read the rest here NOMINATION OF ALEUTIAN ISLANDS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY … Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility … nominated for National Marine Sanctuary pfd here …17:19

American Samoa: NOAA/ Marine Sanctuary money really does some good! diabetic patient successfully treated

A diabetic patient who could have had his leg amputated has been successfully treated through the use of the hyperbaric chamber at the LBJ Hospital. He’s the first diabetic patient successfully treated using the hyperbaric chamber or Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy that was donated by NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuary for the hospital. continued