Tag Archives: US Congress
Mass DMF’s On-Demand Fishing Gear Economic Modeling Report Released
The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has completed the second phase of a two-year project, funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to develop the first-of-its-kind evaluation of the operational costs of on-demand fishing gear technology by Massachusetts lobster fishermen. On-demand fishing gear, commonly known as ropeless fishing gear, replaces traditional vertical buoy lines, which can result in entanglements with marine mammals including North Atlantic right whales, with new gear retrieval and marking methods. Most on-demand fishing gear systems consist of submerged buoyancy devices that are activated using time-release mechanisms or acoustic signals transmitted from the surface. Click the links inside for the report. >click to read< 15:47
The Shark Fin Ban That Should Be Banned – Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act of 2016
In the five seconds it takes to read this sentence, an estimated 16 sharks around the world have been killed. If you read on to the end of the article, that number will have risen to about 770. Every year, fishers haul up to 73 million sharks onto boats across the world’s oceans and trim their fins. In many cases, the rest of the body is thrown overboard to swim without propulsion. And without propulsion, no life-giving water flows over the sharks’ gills. They drown. This is shark finning, a cruel practice that feeds the demand for the Chinese delicacy of shark fin or fish wing soup. From boat to bowl, it is tasteless. To curb the death toll, the US Congress plans to introduce the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act of 2016. If passed, to sell or possess shark fins would be a punishable offense. It’s the ultimate protection from being made into soup. Strange, then, that people who dedicate their lives to protecting sharks are vehemently opposed to the bill. In a letter to Senator Bill Nelson, Rob Hueter, director of the Center for Shark Research at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, outlines his objections. At best, it’s unnecessary, he says. At worst, it harms rather than helps shark populations. Read the story here 09:46
The predator-prey model presented at Congressmen Teirney and DeFazio’s MSA Listening Session in Gloucester by Dr. Carmine Gorga
Carmine Gorga* July 1, 2014 Thank you, Congressman Tierney Thank you Congressman DeFazio For coming to Gloucester. There is much that the US Congress can do to help a fishing community like Gloucester. Today I would like to focus our attention on issues of science. Specifically, the existence of the predator-prey model of relationships among fish stocks—and its absence from the deliberations of NOAA and NMFS. Read the presentation here 12:01
Governor Lolo Moliga calls for united front on 100% Buy America Act
Governor Lolo said the lobbying efforts waged by Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea are very aggressive and powerful hence there is a great danger that the amendments would be approved by Congress. He said the attempts by these two canneries to water down the provision of the Buy America Act threatened the operating security of the local canneries and the economic survival of the territory. Read [email protected] 12:32
US agency promises to drop references to MSC; Walmart, Sodexo voice support for ASMI – By John Sackton, Seafood News
The US federal agency GSA (General Services Administration) announced it is dropping guidelines for federal purchases of seafood that could have excluded Alaska salmon and other sustainable seafood from national parks and military bases. The GSA and other government procurement agencies also promised to use NOAA’s guidance in their sustainability requirements, and to avoid the use of third party certifications. By John Sackton, Seafood News more@undercurrent 08:36
Someone asked Tina Jackson About the “Bailout” – “As head of AAFC would you like to make some sort of official statement?” She Answered.
“That money will never get approved by the house in my opinion. Harry Reid made the pledge to John Kerry to attach it to the Agricultural bill and it won’t get voted on until after the election. I believe the Ag Bill still has ethanol subsidies in it and the Repubs wan’t them removed, ethanol causes higher carbon emissions than gas/diesel and it adds 46 cents,,,,,,,,”
To read the rest, Click Leave A Comment
