Monday, November 3, 2014

CONGRESS TAKES AIM AT FISHING PIRACY

For decades, no fishery has been pinched harder than Bering Sea king crab, which last year alone went up against 100 million pounds of pirated crab from Russia. Now, an international Port State Measures Agreement would cut into cut into the illegal market deliveries.

– Alaska Fish Radio

More:alaskafishradio.com

Positive signs for CA crab season

While the rush isn't as large as the commercial crab opener, slated for Nov. 15, commercial fishermen use the sports opener as a gauge of how the overall season might look.

– Santa Cruz Sentinel

More:santacruzsentinel.com

OR port at risk of closure

The damage done by last Saturday's storm that hammered the Port of Port Orford could have far-reaching implications. Waves slammed into the cement dock at the Port of Port Orford last Saturday as local fishermen raced to keep a disaster from turning into a financial catastrophe.

– The Worldlink

More:theworldlink.com

Boat capsizing survivor describes ordeal

Phillip Sanchez said sheer determination got him through this ordeal, but the loss of his fishing buddies on Bodega Bay is almost too much to bear. Four of his friends were killed when their fishing boat capsized early Saturday morning.

– ABC 7

More:abc7news.com

EPA sued, Pebble Partnership claims bias

In October, the Pebble Limited Partnership filed its third lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency, this time seeking documents Pebble alleges were not turned over through prior Freedom of Information Act requests. 

– KDLG

More:kdlg.org

Opinion: Ballot measure guards fisheries

Voting "Yes" on Ballot Measure 4 will do nothing more than require large-scale mines to meet the same standard that has applied to oil and gas exploration for 40 years - avoiding irreparable harm to vital Bristol Bay fisheries.

– Peninsula Clarion

More:peninsulaclarion.com

CA restoration project involves community

Last week, volunteers planted more than 100 native trees and shrubs at the estuary in an effort to restore riparian habitat on the flood plane.

– Times Standard

More:times-standard.com

Report: More sharks impacted by sport fishing than commercial

In 2013, more large (non-dogfish) sharks were landed by U.S. recreational shark anglers (~4.5 million pounds) than by U.S. commercial shark fishermen (~3 million pounds). This was not the case in 2012.

– Southern Fried Science

More:southernfriedscience.com

West Coast warming draws 'bizarre menagerie'

Rare changes in wind patterns this fall have caused the Pacific Ocean off California and the West Coast to warm to historic levels, drawing in a bizarre menagerie of warm-water species. 

– Marinij.com

More:marinij.com

 

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

CHUM SHORTAGE IMPACTS PRICES

The chum salmon fishery is well underway but very low inventories is causing price volatility

– The Fish Site

More:thefishsite.com

Alaska fishing seasons update

Alaska's halibut fishery ends on Friday and it looks like most of the 16 million pound catch will be pulled aboard. It's a toss up to see which will be the top halibut port – Homer's lead is only about 150-thousand pounds more than Kodiak.

– Alaska Fish Radio

More:alaskafishradio.com

Halloween waterspout in Sitka

The National Weather Service issued a special marine warning this afternoon (10-31-14), after a local pilot reported a waterspout off Middle Island, near Sitka. 

– KCAW

More:kcaw.org

Hydro power project re-emerges

The Homer Electric Association (HEA) will update residents on the current state of its Grant Lake hydroelectric project in a public meeting on Thursday at the Moose Pass Community Hall. 

– Peninsula Clarion

More:peninsulaclarion.com

Four drown after boat capsizes

The four people killed when their fishing boat capsized Saturday in cold, choppy seas near Bodega Bay were part of an experienced crew that had long trolled the waters off the Sonoma coast.

– SFGate

More:sfgate.com

CA hatchery essential to salmon

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Feather River Fish Hatchery is the destination of tens of thousands of homeward-migrating chinook every fall.

– KQED

More:ww2.kqed.org

Sensors define dam impacts

In hopes of engineering more fish-friendly dams, scientists have created small aquatic sensors that record how fish would get spun, stunned, and barometrically burst in the hydroelectric gauntlet.

– Wired

More:wired.com

Opinion: Why seiners pick Parnell

Gov. Parnell's time in office has seen record Southeast region king salmon harvests by the troll and sport fleets, as well as record Southeast coho harvests by the troll, gillnet, and sport fleets. This was accomplished in conjunction with record escapement levels.

– Alaska Dispatch News

More:adn.com

 

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

'SUPER TYPHOON' TO HIT ALEUTIANS

By the end of the week, the storm will be absorbed by the jet stream in the Pacific and form Super Typhoon Nuri.
 
– KDLG

More:kdlg.org

Bristol Bay ballot measure approved

Alaska voters have decided to restrict mining operations in the Bristol Bay region.

– Peninsula Clarion

More:hosted2.ap.org

Alaska fishing jobs increase

A new report in the November edition of state Labor Department publication Alaska Economic Trends says monthly employment in Alaska's seafood harvesting sector in 2013 grew by 2.4 percent, a level not seen since 2000.

– The Cordova Times

More:thecordovatimes.com

New fisheries supervisor for AK region

There's a new man at the helm of fisheries management for Alaska's Westward region. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game recently named long time fisheries biologist Nick Sagalkin Regional Supervisor.

– Alaska Fish Radio

More:alaskafishradio.com

U.S. fish consumption rises

Experts say the bump in salmon may be a reflection of record runs of Alaska salmon in 2013 that contributed to canned and frozen supplies.

– The Fish Site

More:thefishsite.com

Norway exports set monthly record

Norwegian seafood exports totalled NOK 7.6 billion (USD 1.1 billion) in October, an increase of NOK 393 million (USD 57.5 million), or 5 per cent, compared with October 2013. This is a monthly all time high for Norwegian seafood.
 
– Fish Information and Services

More:fis.com

Adrift vessel highlighted U.S., Canadian teamwork

With Alaskan waters bordering Canada in both the north and south, it's no surprise that the U.S. and Canadian coast guards work hand-in-hand, training together annually to respond to maritime emergencies.

– Sitnews

More:sitnews.us

Alaska to rework habitat management

A good deal of important conversation is happening about Alaska's fish and game habitats, with changes to plans and management of certain areas.

– Homer Tribune

More:homertribune.com

 

Thursday, November 6, 2014

SAFETY EMPHASIZED AFTER DROWNINGS

Four people drowned during a recreational crab outing off the coast of Bodega Bay this weekend, serving as a tragic reminder of the importance of boater safety for this winter's sport and commercial dungeness crab seasons.

– Del Norte Triplicate

More:triplicate.com

Wage hike affects AK seafood industry

Ballot measure three proposes a big change to state's minimum wage structure – increasing it by two dollars over the next two years, to $9.75 an hour. 

– KUCB

More:kucb.org

WA landings, value grew in 2013

An update on U.S. fisheries released by NOAA last week shows small Southwest Washington ports racking up an impressive amount of economic activity: $77 million in Pacific County in 2013, more than double 2012's total of $38 million.

– Chinook Observer

More:chinookobserver.com

Incumbent senator counting on rural Alaska

A day after Republican Dan Sullivan sprung to the lead in Alaska's U.S. Senate race, his opponent, incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Begich, refused to concede, citing tens of thousands of outstanding votes – particularly those in rural parts of the state.

– Alaska Dispatch News

More:adn.com

Supreme Court troubled by fisherman's prosecution

The conviction of commercial fisherman John Yates for destroying evidence seemed to trouble Scalia and several of his colleagues Wednesday as they questioned why the government brought charges under a law meant to tackle corporate fraud in the wake of the Enron accounting scandal.

– Herald-Tribune

More:heraldtribune.com

Report details CA estuary's degradation

"The historical Delta is gone," says a new report. That is the groundbreaking conclusion of "A Delta Transformed," a study by the San Francisco Estuary Institute.

– Recordnet.com

More:recordnet.com

Shuttered OR eatery revived

The Tide Point, which closed about two years ago, was a popular meeting place for locals, said Clark, including loggers, fishers and other local groups such as the Angora Hiking Club looking for a place to meet. The movers behind Young's Bay Restaurant hope to rekindle that aura.

– Daily Astorian

More:dailyastorian.com

Maine shrimp season shutdown

Federal regulators shut down the commercial fishing season for northern shrimp in the Gulf of Maine for a second straight year on Wednesday, citing concerns about the declining population and warmer ocean temperatures.

– SFGate

More:sfgate.com

 

Friday, November 7, 2014

SALMON RANKS HIGH IN U.S. CONSUMPTION

Shrimp remained America's favorite seafood last year – but Alaska is credited for pushing salmon to the second spot due to the huge production of pink salmon.

– Pacific Fishing columnist Laine Welch, reporting for Alaska Fish Radio

More:alaskafishradio.com

Storm approaches Aleutians

The Aleutian and Pribilof Islands are no stranger to strong winds and rough seas. And that's exactly what they can expect Friday night, when a high-powered storm hits the Bering Sea.
 
– Pacific Fishing columnist Lauren Rosenthal, reporting for Alaska Public Media

More:alaskapublic.org

B.C. mine disaster could draw punishment

The owner of the Canadian mine that suffered a disastrous dam breach in August might face sanctions as serious as criminal penalties, British Columbia government officials said on Wednesday.

– Alaska Dispatch News

More:adn.com

Alaska Fisheries Report

Coming up this week, what Tuesday's election means for Alaska's seafood plants, there'll soon be a nice new place to park your boat when visiting Sitka, and how to make co-management work? All that and more, coming up on the Alaska Fisheries Report.
 
– KMXT

More:kmxt.org

Drowning victim sought fishing life

A fourth person who died Saturday after a wave capsized a fishing boat, tossing all on board into the ocean off Bodega Head, was identified Thursday as a newcomer to Bodega Bay who had been fulfilling a long-held goal of becoming a fisherman.

– The Press Democrat

More:pressdemocrat.com

Higher pay could reduce processing jobs

Some seafood processing plants of Alaska are considering scaling back their workforce given the proposals to change to state's minimum wage structure.

– Fish Information and Services

More:fis.com

CA study pushes for dam management

The motivation for the study began with the researchers' concern for the rapid decline in fish populations.

– The California Aggie

More:theaggie.org

Pacific Bluefin ban sought

With the species at four per cent of its historic population size, conservation efforts will now turn to a global push for a suspension of commercial bluefin fishing in the eastern Pacific to prevent the species' further downward slide.

– The Fish Site

More:thefishsite.com

 


The Life | Resources