Monday, September 29, 2014
STABLE QUOTAS PREDICTED FOR AK CRAB
Bering Sea crab scientists and stakeholder met last week to discuss the outlook for Alaska's biggest crab fisheries that open October 15th. The take away was that the stocks of red king crab, bairdi Tanners and snow crab all showed big increases in mature size classes, based on data from the annual summer surveys.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Laine Welch, writing in Sitnews
More:sitnews.us
Second hydropower project proposed
The proposal for a massive hydroelectric project on the Susitna River is moving forward. The project has generated a lot of opposition in Talkeetna, the closest community to the dam site. Now a private company is proposing a second, smaller hydro project on the Talkeetna River.
– Alaska Public Media
More:alaskapublic.org
State official in Kodiak on mining initiative
Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell met with representatives from around the state in Kodiak this month to discuss ballot proposal four, which would prohibit mining projects if harmful to wild salmon in fisheries reserves.
– KDLG
More:kdlg.org
Kodiak weighs in on bycatch management
Kodiak's governing bodies are gearing up for the upcoming North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting next month. Last night both the City Council and Borough Assembly met separately and discussed a proposed letter to the fishery council that addresses bycatch management for the Gulf of Alaska trawl fleet.
– KMXT
More:kmxt.org
OR nearshore fisheries meetings set
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will discuss the commercial black and blue rockfish and nearshore fisheries at three public meetings in Brookings, Port Orford and Pacific City in late September and early October.
– The Worldlink.com
More:theworldlink.com
Gillnet opener in progress
Commercial fishing for salmon continues for some gillnetters. The State Department of Fish and Game called another opening for Sunday through Thursday for Districts 6 and 8.
– KFSK
More:kfsk.org
CA river helped by rain
The Eel River received a small boost following record rainfall this past week, with higher flows expected to continue due to rains in Mendocino County.
– Times-Standard
More:times-standard.com
Salmon fest includes sampling demo
The somewhat gruesome, but intriguing end of the journey for spring-run salmon was in full view Saturday.
– ChicoER News
More:chicoer.com
Profiting from fish parts
Prices for dried heads, bones and the liver of the fish were said to be approaching the price of fillets taken from cod and there were 'huge opportunities' in other industries for so-called fish by-products.
– World Fishing & Aquaculture
More:worldfishing.net
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
GM SALMON BANNED IN CA
AB 504, authored by Assemblyman Wes Chesbro, D-Arcata, extends the prohibition of spawning or cultivating so-called "transgenic salmonids" in the Pacific Ocean to all waters of the state. The hatchery production and stocking of such fish is also prohibited.
– Press Democrat
More:pressdemocrat.com
USDA completes pink purchase
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently completed a major purchase of canned pink salmon, spending a total of $12.8 million.
– Pacific Fishing Editor Wesley Loy, writing in his blog: Deckboss
More:deckboss.blogspot.com
Pebble suit against EPA deferred
An Alaska District Court judge dismissed a case Friday brought by the Pebble Limited Partnership and State of Alaska against the Environmental Protection Agency for exercising its responsibilities under the Clean Water Act for a public review of a plan to protect some of the world's greatest salmon runs, in Alaska's Bristol Bay.
– Sitnews
More:sitnews.us
Input on SW fishing economy sought
Federal fisheries researchers are getting ready to start a new effort to model the economic impact of the state and federal fisheries in Southwest Alaska. However, they can't do it without your help.
– KDLG
More:kdlg.org
Kuskokwim spawning goals eyed
Biologists who study Kuskokwim River salmon and key people who rely on the fish are immersing themselves in science and policy in advance of the state's planned 2016 adoption of new escapement -- or spawning -- goals for kings in the river.
– Alaska Dispatch News
More:adn.com
CG hovercraft in rescue off B.C. coast
Acting Sub. Lt. Ron MacDougall said a call came in at about 8 p.m. that a 30-foot gillnet fishing vessel was sinking.
– Times Colonist
More:timescolonist.com
Maine cod crashes
Regulators say the amount of cod spawning in the Gulf is estimated at only 3 to 4 percent of its target level.
– SFGate
More:sfgate.com
'Seafood champions' finalists named
Seaweb established the award to honor those in the seafood industry whose past and/or present contributions demonstrate a commitment to innovation that leads to change.
– Fish Information and Services
More:fis.com
There's power in fish bones
Researchers in Japan are using fish bones discarded from processing plants to generate electricity.
– FishUpdate.com
More:fishupdate.com
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
PLAN NAMES POT GROWS AS SALMON THREAT
An extensive coho salmon recovery strategy released Tuesday by the NOAA Fisheries Service names marijuana cultivation in Humboldt County and the surrounding region as a threat to the dwindling species.
– Times-Standard
More:times-standard.com
B.C. salmon killed by algae
Marine Harvest Canada (MHC) is estimating a loss of up to 280,000 fish of an average weight of 4.1 kilograms due to a harmful plankton bloom at Marsh Bay near Port Hardy, BC.
– Fish Information and Services
More:fis.com
It's National Seafood Month
October is National Seafood Month – a distinction proclaimed by Congress more than a quarter century ago to recognize one of our nation's oldest industries.
– Pacific Fishing columnist Laine Welch, reporting for Alaska Fish Radio
More:alaskafishradio.com
13,000-pound bycatch donation
Wednesday, about 15 pallets of frozen halibut will be winging their way north from Kodiak, to be distributed to communities around Kotzebue.
– KMXT
More:kmxt.org
GOP candidate vies for fishermen's support
The Republican, Dan Sullivan, got 45 minutes Friday morning to make his pitch to the United Fishermen of Alaska's board of directors in a dimly lit hotel conference room in Anchorage -- a pitch that at best would draw just a few votes away from his opponent, incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, whom the group had endorsed months earlier.
– Alaska Dispatch News
More:adn.com
Changes proposed for Columbia River gillnet plan
Ideally, local commercial fishermen hoped the governor would have abandoned his plans to phase out gillnets, which are used to catch a large amount of fish at one time.
– Chinook Observer
More:chinookobserver.com
NMFS questions Susitna dam studies
A federal fisheries agency has raised concerns about the accuracy of some studies being conducted for a massive proposed dam in south-central Alaska.
– Peninsula Clarion
More:peninsulaclarion.com
Sitka celebrates Xtratufs
Here in Sitka, we marked the end of the visitor season with the 20th Annual Running of the Boots – Sitka's answer to the "Running of the Bulls" in Spain.
– KCAW
More:kcaw.org
Parents, children saved in B.C. rescue
Desperate father Scott Brown clung to a sinking boat in the darkness while holding fast to a three-year-old child, urgently keeping tabs on the Canadian Coast Guard with a hand-held radio.
– Times Colonist
More:timescolonist.com
Homer Harbor safer with new ramp
Homer saw safety improvements in ongoing efforts to enhance the Homer Harbor with the replacement of Ramp 3 on Thursday.
– Homer Tribune
More:homertribune.com
Thursday, October 2, 2014
AQUACULTURE SALES RISING
Total sales of aquaculture products in 2013 was $1.37 billion, an increase of 26 per cent from 2005, according to the latest figures in the 2013 Census of Aquaculture.
– The Fish Site
More:thefishsite.com
CA high court sides with salmon
The state Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed California regulators to order farmers along the Russian River to reduce cold-weather water sprays that have helped preserve their crops while killing thousands of endangered salmon.
– SFGate
More:sfgate.com
Bristol Bay Forever poised for Nov. vote
The final public hearing on the Bristol Bay Forever Initiative will be held Thursday in Dillingham. The initiative will be in front of Alaska voters next month in the form of Ballot Measure 4.
– KDLG
More:kdlg.org
Challenger challenged in fisheries debate
A sharp, wide-ranging debate on Alaska fisheries Wednesday evening saw organizers and Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Begich put Republican challenger Dan Sullivan on the defensive over his pro-development record, with Sullivan delivering some targeted shots of his own to keep Begich from getting too comfortable.
– Alaska Dispatch News
More:adn.com
Congressman, challenger in heated fisheries debate
In a fiery debut, a young Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Don Young asked voters at a fisheries debate in Kodiak to oust the congressman from his long-held seat, saying Young has lost his clout because of a past ethical violation and is no longer effective.
– Alaska Dispatch News
More:adn.com
Legal basis of Klamath water releases questioned
U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill in Fresno wrote in his ruling Wednesday that the next time the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation wants to release Trinity Reservoir water for Klamath River salmon, it needs to cite a better legal authority.
– Times-Standard
More:times-standard.com
Drilling in CA watershed snubbed
California Department of Fish and Wildlife recommended denial because "the Smith River is one of two watersheds in California described as 'irreplaceable' with respect to salmonid population resiliency and biodiversity."
– Del Norte Triplicate
More:triplicate.com
Tidelands lease approved
City council voted to lease about three acres of tidelands near the Carl E. Moses Boat Harbor to the Ounalashka Corporation Tuesday night, over some concerns about the impacts of future developments.
– KUCB
More:kucb.org
Emergency measures for NE cod
The National Marine Fisheries Service expects to implement emergency measures in November aimed at stemming cod fish decline in the Gulf of Maine.
– SFGate
More:sfgate.com
Friday, October 3, 2014
EARLY CLOSE TO POLLOCK SEASON
This season, the trawl fleet wrapped up a full month early thanks to an abundance of mature pollock.
– KUCB
Morekucb.org
No spill in Cook Inlet rig fire
The platform holds 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel, but none had been spilled, according to the Unified Command that was established to respond to the incident.
– Alaska Public Media
More:alaskapublic.org
2014 one of CA's driest years
California officials are urging residents and businesses to keep conserving water as the state ends another extremely dry "water year" with no guarantee the coming year will be any wetter.
– Press Democrat
More:pressdemocrat.com
Alaska Fisheries Report
Coming up this week, the pollock abundance is up in the Bering Sea, dive fisheries are starting up in Southeast, and the feds are looking for your help in determining the economic value of fisheries in Southwest.
– KMXT
More:kmxt.org
No word on boat sinking's cause
There has been no word on what caused the Monday night sinking of a gillnetter, an incident that touched off the dramatic rescue of a mother, father and their five children.
– Times Colonist
More:timescolonist.com
CG tows fishing boat to safety
The U.S. Coast Guard towed a fishing boat to shore that was under distress off of San Francisco's Ocean Beach on Monday evening.
– The San Francisco Appeal
More:sfappeal.com
Listen to Kodiak fisheries debates
Kodiak hosted a series of Congressional Fisheries Debates at the Gerald C. Wilson Auditorium on October 1.
– KMXT
More:kmxt.org
Feds address NE cod crash
With the federal government now drawing up emergency measures to address a cod disaster in waters from Maine to Rhode Island, the New England Fishery Management Council approved two plans in the hope that one of them would provide a longer term solution to the problem.
– Cape Cod Times
More:capecodonline.com
Plastic debris may affect fish hormones
The testes of this adult male fish exposed to plastic marine debris has rather abnormal germ cell proliferation. We are unsure whether these abnormal germ cells will lead to intersex or reproductive impairment, but the abnormality of these gonads and the similarity to female germ cells is cause for concern.
– Deep Sea News
More:deepseanews.com
