Fishing

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 »

Washington, DC - 06/01/2009 - The Pew Environment Group today commended the Mid-Atlantic Council on its initial step toward implementing new federal requirements designed to end overfishing and rebuild depleted fish populations through the application of annual catch limits and accountability measures.

The 2006 reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that fishery management councils develop plans that include new annual catch limits and accountability measures by 2011. By basing these regulations on best available science, the new law aims to eliminate the overfishing and depletion of natural fish populations that have suffered in the past from short-sighted political and economic decisions.    » read more »

President rescinds budget cuts to Pacific Coastal Recovery Fund

June 1, 2009 -- Washington, DC. – Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have successfully convinced the Obama Administration to restore $50 million in funding to restore Northwest salmon. The President and his staff responded to requests from Crapo, Risch and others in the Pacific Northwest to an original Fiscal Year 2010 budget proposal that would have zeroed out the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Program.    » read more »

$2,423,986 in grants for four Virginia projects

June 01, 2009 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today joined Congressman Bobby Scott, Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant and representatives from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Environmental Protection Agency to announce federal grants awarded to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The grants, totaling $2,423,986, will fund four projects in the Commonwealth that focus on innovative techniques and technologies to address nonpoint source pollution and environmental education related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.    » read more »

Oslo, Norway - 05/25/2009 - Members of the Pure Salmon Campaign coalition, a diverse group of stakeholders from key farmed salmon production and consumption nations including Canada, Chile, Scotland, Ireland and the United States, urge Marine Harvest to eliminate its destructive environmental impacts by separating farmed fish from wild fish populations and finding new sources for fish feed.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representatives Dan Boren, and Tom Cole, together with Senator Jim Inhofe and Senator Tom Coburn, continued discussions today with the United States Coast Guard officials to settle recent licensing issues for fishing guides at Lake Texoma.

Lake Texoma, considered "navigable waters" by current federal statute because of its location between two states, is under the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard. For the past fifteen years, the Coast Guard has not been enforcing licensing requirements for operators of uninspected passenger vessels like many fishing guides on Lake Texoma.    » read more »

Obama Administration agrees to amend their Fiscal Year 2010 Budget proposal after Murray, Cantwell, Dicks and West Coast Congressional members call to restore program and funding

May 21, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Congressman Norm Dicks (D-WA 6th) announced that the Obama Administration has agreed to amend their Fiscal Year 2010 Budget to reinstate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) and restore $50 million in funding for the program.    » read more »

Largest Number of Stocks Rebuilt Since 2001

May 19, 2009 -- NOAA’s Fisheries Service reported to Congress today that four stocks — Atlantic bluefish, Gulf of Mexico king mackerel and two stocks of monkfish in the Atlantic — have been rebuilt to allow for continued sustainable fishing. This is the largest number of stocks to be declared rebuilt in a single year since the fisheries service declared the first stock successfully rebuilt in 2001.    » read more »

Federal funds are major infusion for Commonwealth's program to boost Chesapeake Bay crab population, aid commercial fishermen

May 19, 2009 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced today the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has approved $7.5 million of federal funds for the state's ongoing program to boost the Chesapeake Bay's blue crab population and aid struggling commercial fishermen.

With the first part of Virginia's multi-faceted, three-year blue crab disaster relief plan already underway, the new infusion of federal fishery disaster funds will help ensure the continued success of the statewide effort to reduce harvest pressure on the blue crab, and to continue an innovative marine debris clean-up program using out-of-work crab dredgers.    » read more »