Tag Archives: West Coast sardine fishery
California Wetfish Producers Association: Sardine Fishery Collapse Latest Fake News
This Sunday, April 8, the Pacific Fishery Management Council is meeting in Portland to debate the fate of the West Coast sardine fishery, after the 2018 sardine stock assessment estimated the biomass has declined by 97 percent since 2006. According to the California Wetfish Producers Association, the only problem with that finding is it belies reality. “Fishermen are seeing more sardines, not less, especially in nearshore waters. And they’ve been seeing this population spike for several years now,” said Diane Pleschner-Steele, executive director of the California Wetfish Producers Association (CWPA). “This stock assessment was an update that was not allowed to include any new methods and was based primarily on a single acoustic survey,,, >click to read<21:15
West Coast sardine fishery shutdown continues for 2nd year
West coast sardine fishermen for a second straight season will have to keep their boats moored or find something else to catch. The Pacific Fishery Management Council on Sunday closed the sardine fishery off Oregon, California and Washington following the second straight year of sardine population estimates that fall below the minimum abundance required to allow fishing. There are fewer than 65,000 metric tons adult sardines in the ocean this year, federal scientists estimated. West coast fishery rules require sardine fishing to cease once the adult stock drops below 150,000 metric tons. Read the article here 11:58
Pacific Fishery Management Council votes to halt this seasons West Coast sardine fishery as soon as possible
Meeting outside Santa Rosa, California, the Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to halt the current season as early as possible, affecting about 100 fishing boats. The season normally would end June 30. Earlier this week, the council shut down the next sardine season, which was set to begin July 1. The council did not take Wednesday’s decision lightly and understood the pain the closure would impose on the fishing industry, said council member Michele Culver, representing the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Read the rest here 22:15
