Tag Archives: US West Coast
Trawl developed for research survey work
NOAA Fisheries’ surveys off the US West Coast have begun deploying a new trawl net specifically designed to catch multiple fish species at different depths. Scientists are looking at integrating two fisheries surveys into one. Such a net is expected to save time and money in the long term and improve data collection for managing West Coast fisheries. NOAA Fisheries’ scientists collaborated with fishing industry experts from Ocean Gold Seafoods and Seattle-based net manufacturer Swan Nets. They designed gear that improves trawling efficiency and flexibility, called the Multi-Function Trawl net. It enables trawling at or near the surface – such as for sardines and anchovies – at night. It also allows for trawling in midwater depths, such as for Pacific hake, during the day. NOAA Fisheries previously dedicated two surveys on separate vessels to assess these species, each using a different style of trawl net configuration at different depths. In late 2023, and continuing this past summer, NOAA Fisheries’ scientists, crew, and fishing industry experts conducted sea trials using the net. They observed the net’s performance and fine-tuned the various deployment configurations. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:08
Will American fish save our chippies? Massive rise in the cost of cod and haddock is forcing firms to look for cheaper alternatives
A huge rise in the cost of cod and haddock, alongside a tariff on Russian white fish, is forcing firms to look for cheaper alternatives, including rockfish, also known as Pacific perch, and hake, which the US west coast has in abundance. They both taste similar to cod. Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, visited Oregon last month as part of a delegation from the UK seafood industry. He said the huge surplus of fish in the US could ‘take the pressure off’ needing to find expensive supplies closer to home. >click to read< 12:01
Dungeness crab die-off underway along US West Coast
An important species of crab found primarily along the West Coast is fighting off a combination of stressors that experts at the North Atlantic and Atmospheric Administration say has fishermen finding piles of dead shellfish, and the impacts are affecting the economy. Dungeness crabs are typically found along water beds, and their harvest can be worth a quarter-billion dollars annually. NOAA Fisheries believes the combination of a lack of oxygen, harmful algal blooms, water temperatures and ocean acidification are playing a role in the animal’s disappearance. >click to read< 16:12
