“You can’t help in Massachusetts but to come from a tradition of the ocean. Our state was founded on it.” Secretary of State John Kerry said this at the third annual Our Ocean conference this September, speaking at a reception celebrating Global Fishing Watch. A new publicly accessible and free platform, Global Fishing Watch tracks…
Nov 21
2016
2016
Nov 18
2016
2016
This Week on TalkingFish.org – November 13-18
November 16: Local News Outlets Highlights Cape Fishermen’s Frustration with Herring Midwater Trawlers – The New England Fishery Management Council will resume its discussion on localized depletion of Atlantic herring at its meeting tomorrow. If you’re new to the issue of localized depletion, or need a refresher before tomorrow’s discussion (11/17), local Cape Cod news outlets, as…
Nov 16
2016
2016
Presumpscot River Will Flow a Little More Freely Thanks to Historic Settlement
River herring and shad play a critical role in the health of Maine’s coastal fisheries, serving as food for cod, salmon, and striped bass and as a bait fish for lobstermen. Their populations have dipped dangerously low over the last century, however, as dams built to power riverside industries blocked access to traditional spawning grounds.…
Nov 16
2016
2016
Historic Settlement Agreement Reached to Remove Saccarappa Dams
Sean Mahoney, Maine Director for Conservation Law Foundation, commented, “The Presumpscot River was once home to hundreds of thousands of migratory fish before it was dammed, stem to stern, and treated as though it were a public sewer. Restoring the productivity of the fish populations in the Presumpscot is vital, not just for those who fish along the river, but also for the health of our fishing industry in Casco Bay and the Gulf of Maine. Migratory fish like alewives and bluebacks are critical bait for the lobster fishery and key to the entire food system.”
Nov 14
2016
2016
This Week on TalkingFish.org – November 7-11
November 7: Are We Headed Toward the Era of Two-Headed Sharks? – The 2016 presidential election will likely go down in history books as one of the most polarizing of our time. For the last year and a half, we’ve been watching two talking heads bare their teeth at one another, taking the occasional bite, as each…
Nov 4
2016
2016
This Week on TalkingFish.org – October 31-November 4
November 1: Fish Talk in the News, Tuesday November 1 – In this edition of Fish Talk in the News, NOAA Fisheries finalizes river herring and shad catch caps; fishery managers decide to meet with industry members on southern New England lobster plan; scientists say the shutdown of Maine’s shrimp fishery should continue; a Maine kelp…
Oct 27
2016
2016
This Week on TalkingFish.org – October 24-28
October 25: Fish Talk in the News – Tuesday, October 25 – In this edition of Fish Talk in the News, NOAA Fisheries announces a new NEFSC Director; the New York Times highlights successful dam removals in Maine; tropical fish arrive in Cape Cod waters; Gorton’s Seafood taps into consumer demand to meet new market challenges;…
Oct 21
2016
2016
This Week on TalkingFish.org – October 17-21
October 18: Fish Talk in the News – Tuesday, October 18 – In this edition of Fish Talk in the News, the European Union decides that it won’t ban imports of American lobster; there were no oysters at this year’s OysterFest; shellfish harvested from RI waters test negative for toxins; York Harbor officials and fishermen stand up…
Oct 14
2016
2016
This Week on TalkingFish.org – October 10-14
October 14: Fish Talk in the News – Friday, October 14 – In this edition of Fish Talk in the News, new National Standard guidelines prioritize short-term profit over long-term sustainability; MA fishermen test weaker ropes so whales can break through them; barndoor skates are declared rebuilt in New England; New England states announce shellfish closures; and…
Oct 14
2016
2016
Federal Agency Weakens Protections for Vulnerable Fish Populations
“Before 2006, the New England Fishery Management Council took advantage of legal loopholes that produced disaster for our region’s fish and fishermen, decimating species like Atlantic cod and yellowtail flounder and creating long-term barriers to success for those who make a living in our waters,” said CLF senior counsel Peter Shelley. “It took a concerted effort from CLF and hundreds of community partners to right the ship and provide opportunities for important fish species to repopulate, but today’s decision unravels a decade of progress. By allowing room for more subjectivity and more flexibility within its regulations, NOAA Fisheries has weakened management tools that have been used successfully to restore over thirty fisheries once in severe decline.”