Monday, April 14, 2014
FDA ALLOWS IRRADIATION
The agency said the approval, based on a petition from the National Fisheries Institute, follows a food safety assessment that determined that the process poses no adverse health risks and does not destroy nutrients.
– The Oregonian
More:oregonlive.com
Road to nowhere catches interest
At stake are questions of public safety, government waste, congressional earmarks, and the precedent of building the first-ever new road in a congressionally protected wilderness area.
– American Progress, Washington, D.C.
More:americanprogress.org
Beginning Chinook study
As part of the State of Alaska's effort to better track king salmon, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is requiring off-shore anglers to keep the head and tail on any kings they catch.
– KMXT, Kodiak
More:kmxt.org
Alaska volcano erupting
The Shishaldin Volcano on Unimak Island continues to erupt, but the eruption is considered low-level.
– KDLG, Dillingham
More:kdlg.org
New fuel dealer in Dillingham
The Nushagak Cooperative is working with Vitus Marine to help facilitate the company entering the local fuel distribution market in Dillingham.
– KDLG, Dillingham
More:kdlg.org
Union advance in Unalaska
Delta Western fuel workers in Unalaska have voted to unionize.
– More:kucb.org
Klamath water deal
Members of the Klamath Tribes have approved an agreement to share water with cattle ranchers on rivers running through former reservation lands in return for work to improve fish habitat.
– Oregon Public Broadcasting
More:opb.org
Oregon salmon season set
The proposed 2014 ocean salmon seasons announced by the Pacific Fishery Management Council recently include good news for both sport anglers and commercial troll salmon fishermen off the Oregon Coast.
– Daily Astorian
More:dailyastorian.com
Beware fish Board politics
A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.
– Kenai Peninsula Clarion
More:peninsulaclarion.com
Write letter to help gillnets
Here's a note from Robert Sudar, who sent this out to supporters of the Columbia River non-treaty gillnet fleet:
I'm afraid that the last eight-hour opening was all we got. Even though we stayed within our total catch prediction, there was a higher percentage of the limited upriver fish in the catch than the managers expected. So coupled with the fact that part of our share was transferred to the sport fishery this year, we don't have enough fish for another opening at this time. If the run continues to come in as predicted, we should get a few more openings after May 10th, like we did last year, but I realize that doesn't help much when you'd like fresh fish in April.
We are trying to hold on to this fishery but the Fish & Wildlife Commission, apparently with the approval of the Governor, continues to try to eliminate the commercial access to this public resource. I've attached a sample letter that can be sent to elected officials in Washington state.
If every restaurant, every fish market, every grocery store, every citizen who wants local fish and buys Columbia River salmon, sends the kind of letter or email I described, we'll prevail.
The letter:pacificfishing.com/Vendor Letter (scroll to bottom to view how to send via email).
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
PESTICIDE FOUND IN ALASKA FISH
A study led by the National Park Service found "historic-use" contaminants in fish at three Alaska parks famous for their wilderness qualities and reputations of being pristine and protected: Lake Clark National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and Katmai National Park.
– EyeOnTheArctic (Canada)
More:eyeonthearctic.rcinet.ca
Snow crab boom in Russia
Since the first five specimens of snow crab were found in the Barents Sea in 1996, the population has exploded.
– Barents Observer
More:barentsobserver.com
Expanding Cal preserves
The plan announced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would expand the boundaries of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary by 2,771 square miles, from west of Bodega Bay in Sonoma County to a point just north of Point Arena in Mendocino County.
– Frenso Bee
More:fresnobee.com
China economic boom slows
The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday China's economic growth would slow to 7.5 percent this year and 7.3 percent in 2015, avoiding a "hard landing" if the government addresses risks and undertakes reforms.
– China Post
More:chinapost.com.tw
Russians sniff for oil
The aim for the expedition is to study ice and weather conditions in the area to prepare for future oil and gas projects.
– Barents Observer
More:barentsobserver.com
Bitumen spills worry
My name is David Black. I am the majority owner of Black Press, the company that owns this newspaper. I worry about the impact of a bitumen spill on our coast, so for the last two years I have spent a great deal of time studying oil refineries, oil pipelines, and tankers.
– Northern View
More:thenorthernview.com
N. Cal mine worries
The majority of public water systems supplying Del Norte County come from the Smith River, the headwaters of which is being considered for a nickel strip-mining operation.
– Crescent City Triplicate
More:triplicate.com
Herbicide in Willipa Bay
After a public process, the shellfish industry can begin using the herbicide Imazamox this spring to control the eelgrass on commercial clam beds in Willapa Bay only.
– KXRO, Aberdeen (Wash.)
More:kxro.wordpress.com
More B.C. herring battles
But while a crisis was averted this year, those involved say the main catalysts behind it – problems with the government's management of fisheries – go unresolved.
– Tyee, B.C.
More:thetyee.ca
Best release points in SF Bay
Three hundred thousand juvenile Chinook with tiny coded chips lodged in their heads were released in Rio Vista and under the Golden Gate Bridge over the past two days in an experiment to determine optimal conditions for hatchery-raised salmon to survive and imprint on their native rivers.
– San Francisco Chronicle
More:sfgate.com
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
EM TESTING SPURRED BY PIRACY
The idea of the promoters of the initiative is to use adaptive technology to work on board vessels in order to monitor fishing activities in waters where the safety is compromised, such as the Indian Ocean. In these waters, the fishermen face constant threats of "pirates."
– Fish Information & Services
More:fis.com
Study details processing injuries
Handling frozen fish caused nearly half of all injuries aboard commercial freezer-trawlers and about a quarter of the injuries on freezer-longliner vessels operating off the coast of Alaska, new research from Oregon State University shows.
– Albany Democrat-Herald
More:democratherald.com
Hatchery to boost Cook Inlet salmon
Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association has taken ownership of the Port Graham Hatchery and aims to produce millions of dollars in pink salmon.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Wesley Loy, writing in his blog: Deckboss
More:deckboss.blogspot.com
CA fish theft arrests
Two commercial fishermen were arrested by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) officers early Sunday morning in Santa Barbara Harbor on felony charges of conspiracy and grand theft.
– KCOY
More:keyt.com
Kake air service expanding
Alaska Seaplanes announced Monday it is adding service between Kake and Sitka, with continuing service to Juneau, and a third round trip daily between Juneau and Kake during the summer season.
– Juneau Empire
More:juneauempire.com
LNG shipments to resume
ConocoPhillips is restarting its liquefied natural gas plant on the Kenai Peninsula and will resume shipments of LNG in May, the company announced Monday.
– Peninsula Clarion
More:peninsulaclarion.com
Fish shortage impacts holiday
A shortage of whitefish in the Great Lakes region resulting partly from the winter deep freeze is coming at an inconvenient time for Jewish families: the Passover holiday, when demand is high because it's a key ingredient in a traditional recipe.
– SFGate
More:sfgate.com
Fishermen lobby against Australia's
marine parks
Local commercial fisherman Graham Harrowfield believes fish stock closures and the introduction of marine parks are pushing commercial fisheries out of business.
– Whyalla News
More:whyallanewsonline.com.au
Saddle Creek's lone fisherman
After probably a year of meetings, focus groups and an extended application period, only one person has actually signed up for a permit to do commercial fishing at Saddle Creek Park.
– Polk Outdoors.com
More:environment.blogs.theledger.com
Thursday, April 17, 2014
CLIMATE CHANGE DRIVING FISH CRAZY
Researchers say the carbon dioxide that's being absorbed into the ocean is causing the scaly creatures to lose their survival instincts. In other words, the fish are losing their minds.
– Washington Times
More:washingtontimes.com
West Coast salmon seasons set
The Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted a set of ocean salmon seasons that provides both recreational and commercial opportunities coastwide. Washington and Oregon fishermen, in particular, will be benefit from higher-than-usual salmon returns in the Columbia River this year.
– PFMC news release
More:pcouncil.org
Herring surveys start
An aerial survey was conducted Monday of Lynn Canal, Tenakee Inlet, and Seymour Canal by state biologists looking for herring.
– KFSK
More:kfsk.org
Fishing couple cleared
Word out of Seward is Jim and Rhonda Hubbard, a prominent local commercial fishing couple, have been cleared at trial of all charges brought against them last year.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Wesley Loy, writing in his blog: Deckboss
More:deckboss.blogspot.com
Fishing couple cleared
Word out of Seward is Jim and Rhonda Hubbard, a prominent local commercial fishing couple, have been cleared at trial of all charges brought against them last year.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Wesley Loy, writing in his blog: Deckboss
More:deckboss.blogspot.com
Fishers catching well in OR
Commercial salmon anglers are making some good catches with most of the recent reports coming from that area of the Oregon Coast between Charlston and Bandon.
– The Umpqua Post
More:theworldlink.com
Homer invests in book spread
The City of Homer's $31,000 bill will reportedly garner the cosmic hamlet an eight-page color spread with photos, and the only spot featuring an Alaska municipality.
– Homer Tribune
More:homertribune.com
Inventing a better fish stick
The frozen-fish industry has faced a problem of making the easy dinner staple more appealing, especially to children at home and in school.
– Wall Street Journal
More:online.wsj.com
Court ruling: feds violated ESA
An appeals court said Wednesday that federal officials should have consulted wildlife agencies about potential harm to a tiny, threatened fish before issuing contracts for water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
– CBS Sacamento
More:sacramento.cbslocal.com
WA dam modified for salmon
Modifications on the cracked Wanapum Dam will allow migrating salmon to pass through the structure starting this week on their journey to spawning grounds, the Grant County Public Utility District said Tuesday.
– The Columbian
More:columbian.com
Salmon Haiku sought
Does salmon inspire you? If so, The Salmon Project would like you to take a moment to tell them why in an original haiku.
– Alaska Dispatch
More:alaskadispatch.com
Friday, April 18, 2014
FISH VENDOR ACCUSED OF GRAND THEFT
The proprietor of Sea Fever Seafood, one of the most popular booths at the Sunday Hollywood Farmers' Market for years, was arrested Sunday by game wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in Santa Barbara Harbor following a two-month-long investigation.
– KCET
More:kcet.org
Alaska fisheries boards finalized
The Alaska Legislature today confirmed all of Gov. Sean Parnell's appointees.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Wesley Loy, writing in his blog: Deckboss
More:deckboss.blogspot.com
Kodiak's complex herring season
Unlike more well-known fisheries such as Sitka Sound and Togiak Bay, the Kodiak area has several dozen bays, each with their own guideline harvest level and gear type restrictions.
– KMXT
More:kmxt.org
Alaska Fisheries Report
Coming up this week, it's ComFish time in Kodiak, we have reaction to the possibility of no king salmon fishing at all this summer in the Y-K Delta, and another fishermen's bar goes smoke free, all that and more coming up on the Alaska Fisheries Report.
– KMXT
More:kmxt.org
No takers for herring fishery
Fishermen and processors are gearing up for the Togiak sac-roe herring fishery, which is largest herring fishery in Alaska. However, they apparently are not planning on taking part in a much smaller fishery to the west.
– KDLG
More:kdlg.org
MSA's senate version unveiled
The newest version of the Magnuson-Stevens Act out for discussion adds subsistence users and Tribal governments to the fisheries management law and has the potential to create new Community Development Quota in the Arctic, but it has not yet been made widely available to the public for review.
– Kenai Peninsula Online
More:peninsulaclarion.com
Alaska forecasts and recaps
Along with salmon forecasts, the annual report released last week by the state's commercial fisheries division also provides recaps of the 2013 season for every Alaska region.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Laine Welch, writing in the Alaska Journal of Commerce
More:alaskajournal.com
Press conference on BP's mess
Commercial fishermen and several advocacy groups gathered at a dock on Biloxi Back Bay to discuss the lingering impacts from the Deepwater Horizon.
– WLOX
More:wlox.com
Gillnet boat sinks after fire
The Coast Guard vessel attempted to dewater the vessel, as it was riding low in the water, but the vessel sank in the Youngs River in approximately 8 feet of water.
– The Daily Astorian
More:dailyastorian.com
Lobbying for forage fish
Anglers and conservation groups have reiterated their support for protecting unmanaged forage species in the ocean and urged the Pacific Fishery Management Council to stay on task toward adopting safeguards.
– The Columbian
More:columbian.com
