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  The International Boston Seafood Show

  March 14: “How Investing in Our Fisheries Pays Off” – Lee Crockett of the Pew Environment Group explains how the Fisheries Investment and Regulatory Relief Act (FIRRA) of 2012 would provide financial support to fishermen and improve management of our oceans.

• March 15: “Some Thoughts from the Boston Seafood Show” - CLF Program Assistant Samantha Caravello writes about the Boston Seafood Show, U.S. reliance on seafood imports, and how important it is to try to support local fishermen instead.
• March 16: “Fish Talk in the News – Friday, March 16″ – This week’s roundup of interesting fish stories: a stop-motion video of where your sushi is coming from; fish is high on the list of disease-causing imported foods; a federal district court judge rules to protect river herring; and groundfish populations may have been overestimated in the 2008 stock assessments.

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  This week, TalkingFish.org interviews Mark Usewicz, chef and Co-Owner of Mermaid’s Garden, a Brooklyn-based sustainable seafood consultancy (Photo credit: Mark Usewicz).

  “Mark Usewicz helps chefs bring sustainable and adventurous seafood to your plate” – Brooklyn-based sustainable seafood consultant Mark Usewicz talks with TalkingFish.org about how he helps chefs make the right decisions about what seafood to serve their customers. Plus, he shares a great shell bean and clam stew recipe.

• “Ready to hear about herring?” – A rundown of the main concerns with the industrial Atlantic herring trawl fleet and the solutions available in the upcoming amendment to the herring fishery management plan, as well as a schedule of public hearings where you can voice your opinions on the new plan.
• “Fish Talk in the News – Friday, March 9” – Some interesting news we’ve been reading this week: Senator Kerry introduces a bill to fund fishery research, the government and CLF support Amendment 16 in the Court of Appeals, author Paul Greenberg shares his current fish choices, and a roundup of this weekend’s ocean and fish-related events.

River herring. Photo credit: Chris Bowser, NY State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Alewife and blueback herring, collectively known as “river herring,” are a linchpin of the Atlantic ecosystem and key prey species for countless marine and freshwater animals. But today, where millions of these fish once swam, they now number in the thousands, or even mere hundreds. In August, because of the perilous status of this important species, the Natural Resources Defense Council filed a petition with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to have alewife and blueback herring listed as a “threatened species” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This would mean that without substantial intervention, river herring are likely to become endangered and eventually extinct throughout all or significant portions of their ranges.

In response to the petition, NMFS agreed that a “threatened” listing may be warranted, and it will now take the next twelve months to conduct a scientific review that will determine the next course of action. If river herring are listed under the ESA, they will be better protected against bycatch in ocean fisheries, which studies estimate kills roughly 12 million fish annually, and they will also be better protected against water pollution, dams and other harms.

In order to ensure that NMFS undertakes a comprehensive and fully-independent scientific review and does not cut corners or cave to outside pressures, we need you to reach out to NMFS and ask that its review of the status of river herring be based on the best available science.

Click here to send your comments to NMFS and help protect river herring!

This was a big week for TalkingFish.org! We launched a re-designed website as well as a new Special Features section, making it easier than ever for you to get the information you’re looking for about the scientific, financial and social aspects at work in New England’s fisheries. Here’s a weekly recap of this week on TalkingFish.org:

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  Alex Hay outside Mac's Seafood - read an exclusive interview with him at www.TalkingFish.org

  November 1: “Fishermen to Council: Sectors are working; don’t make any drastic changes” – A recap of the New England Fishery Management Council’s workshop to discuss lessons learned from the first year of sector management. The main message fishermen shared at the event? Sectors are working, and we need to stay the course with this system. Fishermen also stressed the importance of stability to their business operations.

• November 2: “Know where your fish comes from” – The first piece in TalkingFish.org’s new “Ask an Expert” series – this week: an interview with Alex Hay of Mac’s Seafood in Wellfleet. Alex talks about his company’s commitment to local and sustainable seafood and provides a great recipe for pan-seared hake with wild mushrooms.
• November 3: “Overfishing 101: A Small Fish With Big Problems” – This is the latest piece in Lee Crockett of the Pew Environment Group’s “Overfishing 101″ series, and it deals with Atlantic menhaden, a small fish that is “a pillar of the East Coast marine food web.” Sadly, Atlantic menhaden populations have declined to record lows. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will consider options to protect menhaden when it meets next week in Boston.
• November 4: “Fish Talk in the News – November 4, 2011″ – A weekly update of recent news stories that might interest TalkingFish.org readers. This week: reactions to the Boston Globe’s seafood fraud investigation, more opinions on the groundfish sector system, and NOAA will consider listing river herring under the Endangered Species Act.
• November 4: “Peter Shelley: Call to oust chief of NOAA is bad for a fishing industry in flux” – CLF’s Peter Shelley’s Letter to the Editor of the Boston Globe in response to Senator Scott Brown’s call for NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco to resign.

Catch up with the latest news from TalkingFish.org, a blog brought to you by CLF and other organizations and individuals who want to see a sustainable fishing industry in New England and abundant fish populations for generations to come. TalkingFish.org aims to increase people’s understanding of the scientific, financial and social aspects at work in New England’s fisheries. Here’s what went on this week:

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  Read about river herring this week on TalkingFish.org! (Photo credit: Mike Laptew)

  September 26: “Care about river herring? Then pay attention this week!” – This week was a big week for river herring at the New England Fishery Management Council meeting. TalkingFish.org tells you what was on the agenda and how you can make your voice heard to support options help save river herring. Next week we’ll have some recaps of the Council meeting, so be sure to check back!

• September 30: “Fish Talk in the News – Friday, September 30″ – A weekly update of recent news stories that might interest TalkingFish.org readers. This week: NOAA released the first National Bycatch Report, the trend in seafood traceability continues, and Environmental Defense Fund wrote an opinion piece about making improvements to ensure that the sector management system works effectively for as many groundfishermen as possible.

Catch up with the latest news from TalkingFish.org, a blog brought to you by CLF and other organizations and individuals who want to see a sustainable fishing industry in New England and abundant fish populations for generations to come. TalkingFish.org aims to increase people’s understanding of the scientific, financial and social aspects at work in New England’s fisheries. Here’s what went on this week:

• September 7: “What happens to river herring in 2012?” – Populations of river herring are in serious decline across the Atlantic coast; some states have seen their populations drop by 99 percent or more.  Next year, the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission (ASMFC), the body that manages river herring fishing within state waters, is requiring states to declare a moratorium on fishing for river herring. Talking Fish discusses the importance of this action and what it means for fishing in state waters.
• September 8: “Fish Talk in the News – Thursday, September 8″ – A weekly update of recent news stories that might interest TalkingFish.org readers.

Catch up with the latest news on Talking Fish, a blog brought to you by CLF and other organizations and individuals who want to see a sustainable fishing industry in New England and abundant fish populations for generations to come. Talking Fish aims to increase people’s understanding of the scientific, financial and social aspects at work in New England’s fisheries. Here’s what went on this week:

• August 23: “Breaking a System That Isn’t Broken?” – Ken Stump, Policy Director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network, writes about how those who demonize the New England fishery management system and call for it to be dismantled have ignored the significant progress the system has made towards ending overfishing and rebuilding fish stocks in the region.
• August 24: “Fishermen and Conservationists Forced to Federal Courts for River Herring Help” – Earthjustice attorney Roger Fleming updates readers on three federal lawsuits currently underway to force government officials to sustainably manage river herring.
• August 25: “Fish Talk in the News – Thursday, August 25″ – A weekly update of recent news stories that might interest Talking Fish readers.