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Monday, January 5, 2009 Allrakuqegcikici! Opinion: Northwest salmon over-harvestedI am compelled to heighten awareness of the recent decision by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission and needed reforms to the fisheries-management system, which currently places exploitation over conservation. Despite investing approximately $1 billion annually in salmon-recovery efforts to restore habitat, improve hatcheries and make hydroelectric operations more fish-friendly, many wild and endangered populations in our region remain on the brink of extinction. I am deeply concerned about our commissioner's unwillingness to embrace science-based reforms to end the nonselective overharvest of our salmon and steelhead, which has been a significant contributor to this crisis. – Dale Ballard of Molalla, a member of the Coastal Conservation Association and the president of the Capitol Chapter of the Oregon Hunters Association, writing in the Salem Statesman-Jounal Read more: www.statesmanjournal.com
Coho reintroduced in California streamThe nets that volunteers held in a remote river valley near Bodega Bay were full of the squiggling bluish fish that biologists hope will be the seed population of a new race of coho salmon. The scaly, flapping critters were carried in nets from a truck 25 yards to the banks of Salmon Creek, a western Sonoma County tributary that winds through a stunning rural valley. The 305 hatchery-raised coho were the first of their kind seen in any significant numbers in the degraded watershed since the mid-1970s, but their release last month was more than just a reintroduction. – San Francisco Chronicle
Bush administration ready to open coast for drillingThe federal government is taking steps that may open California's fabled coast to oil drilling in as few as three years, an action that could place dozens of platforms off the Sonoma, Mendocino and Humboldt coasts, and raises the specter of spills, air pollution and increased ship traffic into San Francisco Bay. – San Francisco Chronicle
Wind farmers not giving upDespite a deepening recession that's creating more gloom than the winter weather, some local folks see light on the horizon -- light generated by ocean motion. Properly harnessed, ocean waves could become what George Boehlert, director of Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center, calls a “potentially significant source of clean energy.”
Tuesday, January 6, 2009 Crystal Ball Dept.: Predictions for 2009Pacific Fishing columnist Wesley Loy writes about commercial fishing in the Anchorage Daily News. He also fancies himself as somewhat of a clairvoyant. In his Highliner blog, Wesley has predicted the top 10 stories for 2009. Here’s but one: Gov. Sarah Palin will announce foreign processing ships are welcome to sail into Bristol Bay this summer to buy excess salmon the established processors can’t handle. The only question is, will any foreign packers show up? And how well did Wesley do in predicting the top issues for 2008? Pretty good, with the exception of this: “Bob Thorstenson Jr., who occasionally swears off The Highliner, will break down and keep posting. And his blogger buddies will gladly take the bait.” As far as we can tell, Bobby T. honored his self-imposed vow of silence. You can see Wesley’s predictions for 2008 and 2009 at: community.adn.com
Chignik fishermen found safeTwo men from Chignik are safe after abandoning their fishing boat and being rescued by the Coast Guard from a remote Alaska island in the North Pacific Ocean Sunday. Rescued were vessel master Jim Brewer, and crewman Jay Kingsley, who both abandoned the 42-foot fishing vessel American Way after losing engine power – Kodiak Daily Mirror
Race for Dungeness crab begins early in morningThe moon hangs over the harbor at 4 a.m. in Crescent City, Calif., and a soft foghorn sounds in the distance as boats head out to sea to catch delectable Dungeness crabs. This isn't just a quaint early-morning tradition. It's a race to catch all the crabs before other crabbers get to them first. Dungeness crabs are not only a winter treat; they are also the most valuable catch on the West Coast. More than 400 boats ply the waves in the early winter and lay their crab pots off the coast of California, Oregon and Washington. – NPR, Morning Edition
Bush to declare vast Pacific area as marine monumentWASHINGTON – President George W. Bush was expected to create three new marine monuments in the Pacific Ocean to protect the deepest place on Earth, some of the last pristine corals and sanctuaries for vanishing marine species. The three monuments -- in the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific, the Rose Atoll off American Samoa and remote islands in the central Pacific -- cover 195,280 square miles, the largest protected area of ocean. – Miami Herald
Tuna brings $370 a pound in TokyoTOKYO -- Two sushi bar owners paid more than $100,000 for a Japanese bluefin tuna at a Tokyo fish auction on Monday, several times the average price and the highest in years. Mr. Yoshida said the purchase -- about $370 a pound -- went to a Hong Kong sushi bar owner and his Japanese competitor.– Wall Street Journal
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 Bad weather, lower prices bedevil Kodiak fleetThere may be fewer fish in the sea, but the challenges Kodiak fishermen face are only increasing. Letter to the editor: Support California fishermenI just came across the Dec. 29 article about threats to Pacific fishermen.
Crewman pulled overboard by crab lineThe Coast Guard responded to a report of a 40-year-old male who tangled his feet in a crab pot line and fell from the 90-foot fishing vessel Seabrooke approximately 22 miles northwest of Cold Bay, Alaska, at 9:50 a.m. Tuesday. Report: U.S. fishing a $185 billion industryU.S. commercial and recreational fishing generated more than $185 billion in sales and supported more than two million jobs in 2006, according to a new economic report released by NOAA’s Fisheries Service.
Infection hits Scotland salmon farm siteInfectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) was discovered at one salmon farm site, which has been empty of fish since 21 December, in the Burra area. The Scottish government said it had immediately set up a National Disease Control Centre and was taking action to control the spread of the disease. – BBC
Thursday, January 8, 2009 Alaska crabber declared deadThe U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Wednesday for a crab fisherman who fell overboard from his vessel Tuesday about 22 miles northwest of Cold Bay, Alaska.
Alaska fuel site bomb threat ‘non-credible”Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have determined Wednesday’s threat against the Petro Marine fuel facility in Ketchikan, Alaska, to be non-credible.
Arctic weather imperils boats in Alaskan harbor Cold winter conditions leave moored boats in Kodiak’s harbors in dangerous conditions to sink even when they’re not out at sea, Harbormaster Marty Owen said.
Small California Dungeness catch hurting fishermenAn unusually weak Dungeness crab harvest is compounding the financial woes of West Coast fishermen who already were struggling with depressed consumer demand and the unprecedented collapse of the Pacific Chinook salmon fishery.
Alaska model praised as state celebrates 50thOver the weekend, Alaska celebrated its 50th anniversary of statehood and sustainable fisheries management. Before statehood in 1959, Alaska's fishing industry was the territory's first major industry.
Friday, January 9, 2009 Alaska not the top fishing stateThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released new data on job creation and sales generation by the commercial and recreational fishing industries.
California marine protected area plan moves aheadThe process to create a new and improved network of Marine Protected Areas along California's south coast is going to speed up in 2009, and it starts next week.
Enviros praise Bush’s ocean sanctuary decreeEnvironmentalists praised the announcement by the White House protecting remote island ecosystems in areas from the Northern Marianas to American Samoa. Charleston Marina gets new floatsThe Charleston Marina is all about water, so it probably wasn’t surprising to maintenance crews replacing part of F Dock that they worked in the rain this week. |