Tag Archives: red crab

Alaska task force’s final report calls for new rules and more research to address seafood bycatch

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who created the task force a year ago, released the group’s final report late Thursday. “I look forward to working with task force members and stakeholders to do everything we can to get more fish to return to Alaska’s waters,” Dunleavy said in a statement. The collapse of salmon runs vital to western Alaska — and public complaints that too many salmon were being intercepted at sea before returning to spawning grounds — triggered the creation of the Alaska Bycatch Task Force. However, its work extended to bycatch of various crab species and halibut. To some degree, bycatch is unavoidable, the task force said. >click to read< 09:10

Near Deepwater Horizon Spill Site, Sea Creatures Looking For Mates Find Death Instead

It’s been almost a decade since an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig caused nearly five million barrels of oil to leak into the Gulf of Mexico. It was a catastrophe for Gulf ecosystems and, even now, wildlife still tend to avoid the site. But there are a couple of notable exceptions,,, some deep-sea shrimp and red crab looking for potential mates are turning up at the site, only to find sickness and death, due to oil spill contamination. >click to read< 20:08

Love Blue Crabs? Meet the Red Crab

If blue crab is this region’s Beyoncé, Atlantic deep-sea red crab is the backup singer you’ve never heard of. Found about 2,000 feet below sea level, these crustaceans are harder to harvest than their Chesapeake cousins. Plus, only one East Coast company is licensed to catch them. “I’ve been in business for 22 years, trying to put red crab on the map,” Atlantic Red Crab Company founder Jon Williams says. “It’s very well received when there’s no blue crab around, but as soon as blue crab becomes available, we take a second seat.” >click to read<21:18

Letter: Atlantic Marine Monument Area Vital To Fishermen – Jon Williams, Westport Island, Maine

Atlantic red crabI was disappointed with The Courant’s Aug. 18 editorial “Atlantic Marine Preserve Would Be Victory For Environment” endorsing a plan for President Obama to designate a marine national monument off the New England coast. Contrary to what the editorial stated, a monument would profoundly impact commercial fishermen. The editorial cited the Natural Resources Defense Council’s claim that the “vast majority of red crab landings” along the Eastern Seaboard are outside the proposed protection area. But take it from a crab fisherman: That area is vital to our livelihoods. Read the letter here 17:01