Fishing

Hobart, Tasmania - 10/28/2009 - The Pew Environment Group today called on the world’s governing body for conserving Antarctic marine life to geographically spread out krill catches in the Southern Ocean. This would prevent the concentration of the fishery from significantly reducing the amount of krill available for key predators including whales, penguins and seals.

Listen to an audio recording (MP3) of a press call on this topic.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- Today, Tom Strickland, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, announced that the United States supports a proposal submitted by the principality of Monaco to list the Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in Appendix I of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).

CITES Appendix-I listing affords a species stringent protection and prohibits all international commercial trade. The fifteenth regular meeting of the CITES parties is scheduled for March 13-24, 2010 in Doha, Qatar (CoP15). Strickland will lead the United States’ delegation to CoP15, on behalf of the U.S. government.    » read more »

Washington, DC - 10/14/2009 - Joshua Reichert, managing director of the Pew Environment Group, today issued the following statement on the United States’ failure to co-sponsor a proposal for consideration by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) that would protect Atlantic bluefin tuna.

The proposal was made by Monaco to ban the international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna through a listing of the species on Appendix I of the Convention because of the deteriorating status of this species.    » read more »

Proposed Mine Could Destroy World's Largest Salmon Run and Local Fishing Industry

LOS ANGELES (October 13, 2009) –The Natural Resources Defense Council announced today a new BioGem campaign to save Alaska’s Bristol Bay, the world’s most productive salmon fishery, from the development of Pebble Mine, one of the largest gold and copper mines ever proposed.

“There are few human activities as toxic as large-scale mining,” said Joel Reynolds, senior attorney and director of NRDC’s marine mammal protection project. “The Pebble Mine project could lead to widespread water contamination, which would destroy the salmon runs of the Bristol Bay watershed and thereby devastate the native communities and abundant wildlife the salmon have supported for thousands of years.”    » read more »

Vancouver, British Columbia - 10/08/2009 - Major shifts in fisheries distribution due to climate change will affect food security in tropical regions most adversely, according to a study led by the Sea Around Us Project at The University of British Columbia.

In the first major study to examine the effects of climate change on ocean fisheries, a team of researchers from UBC and Princeton University finds that climate change will produce major shifts in productivity of the world’s fisheries, affecting ocean food supply throughout the world. The study is published today in the journal Global Change Biology.    » read more »

October 5, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- Congressman Barney Frank, along with five coastal Members of Congress, urged Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, to take the necessary action to fund the Scallop observer program currently managed through the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Congressman Frank was joined by Congressmen Walter Jones, William Delahunt, Robert Wittman, James Langevin and John Adler in urging Ms. Lubchenco to fund the observer program “until an appropriate set-aside management approach can ensure the proper compensation to scallop vessels and their crew.”    » read more »

September 30, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Judd Gregg and Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter today called on Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to adjust proposed fisheries regulations in New England to reflect the unique needs of New Hampshire's fishing fleet, which has suffered disproportionately under previous regulations. Shaheen, Gregg and Shea-Porter also requested that the agency's budget provide adequate resources to help New Hampshire fishermen transition to the new management system.    » read more »

Aug 31, 2009 -- BATON ROUGE – Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal issued the following Executive Order creating the Louisiana Shrimp Task Force whose mission is addressing factors adversely affecting Louisiana’s shrimping industry, and forming strategies for boosting the economic vitality of the Louisiana shrimp industry.

Executive Order creating the LOUISIANA SHRIMP TASK FORCE:

WHEREAS, the Louisiana shrimp industry has a long, significant cultural importance to the State of Louisiana, and is of great economic impact because of the many jobs the industry provides;

WHEREAS, currently, global markets are experiencing an economic slowdown that, among other things, has led to extremely low prices that have affected all Louisiana shrimpers and the shrimp industry;    » read more »

Federal Fisheries Disaster for Yukon Chinook

August 7, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sean Parnell today sought to secure federal disaster relief for Yukon River residents. Parnell urged the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to declare a fishery disaster due to poor returns of chinook salmon on the Yukon River.

“I trust Secretary Locke will recognize the severity of the situation on the Yukon and declare a fishery disaster,” Governor Parnell said. “I look forward to working with federal agencies and Alaska’s congressional delegation to secure disaster relief assistance for this region.”    » read more »

June 15, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today issued the following statement on the decision of the Federal government to expand the Endangered Species Act in Maine for Atlantic Salmon. The rule includes the Androscoggin, Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers to the existing Endangered Species Act.

“I am deeply disappointed and concerned that the State’s comments to the draft rule were not incorporated in the final decision of the Federal government. This Federal action ignores Maine’s strong track record in species management and our need for a flexible approach which will enable us to use all our tools to work with stakeholders to manage Atlantic salmon.”    » read more »

Casey Introduces Legislation to Protect Fish Habitats, Improve Health of Waterways

June 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), a member of the Congressional Sportsmen Caucus, introduced the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, legislation which will significantly advance ongoing efforts to restore and protect fish habitats, improve the health of America’s waterways and ensure that the United States has robust fish populations far into the future.    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. -- In a Senate Commerce Committee hearing examining the role of oceans in our economic future, U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) today extolled the present and future contributions of oceans to our national economy, from renewable energy to the fishing industry. Currently, the world’s oceans face numerous threats to their productivity and viability, including the looming threat of climate change.    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today announced the introduction of the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, legislation which will significantly advance ongoing efforts to restore and protect fish habitats, improve the health of America's waterways and ensure that the United States has robust fish populations far into the future.

"The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act will go a long way toward ensuring the viability of our fish and their habitats for generations to come," said Senator Lieberman. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this important legislation and reverse the decline of our ailing waterways and fisheries."    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.) yesterday introduced legislation to exempt fishing guides and other operators of uninspected vessels on Lake Texoma from Coast Guard regulation. The legislation will preserve the fishing guide industry and will ensure safety on Lake Texoma.

Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is a co-sponsor of the legislation and Congressman Dan Boren (D-Okla.) of the 2nd district has introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

"After weeks of discussions with the Coast Guard and thoughtful consideration, many in the Oklahoma delegation have decided that this is the course of action that will best protect an industry that is extremely important to the people of southern Oklahoma," Inhofe said.    » read more »

June 09,2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard, held a hearing on “The Blue Economy: The Role of the Oceans in our Nation’s Economic Future.”

The blue economy is comprised of economic activities that emerge from our ocean, Great Lakes, and coastal resources. The oceans and coasts provide many goods and services to the nation; however, they are rarely recognized as a crucial part of the U.S. economy.    » read more »