Canadian fisheries continue to decimate herring fisheries

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Al Bergstein

The Canadian government retreat on all things environmental continues. While the quotas continue to get higher, the amount of fish in the water shrinks. Outcome is likely a total collapse of the herring fishery, sooner than later. They allowed it in Newfoundland, and now here.

Judith Lavoie reports. Quota rises as herring count falls http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/quota-rises-as-herring-count-falls-1.88502

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Oregon Ballot Measure seeking to ban gillnetting – Salem News

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Al Bergstein

This apparently is not targeting the tribal seine netters. The petition is to move to a seine net method instead of gill nets.

(PORTLAND, OR) – Two powerful nonprofit organizations today announced their support for a proposed ballot measure to stop commercial gillnet fishing on the lower Columbia River.

The Humane Society of the United States and Oregon Wild endorsed the measure sponsored by the Stop Gillnetting Now coalition, which is headed for the November ballot.

“Gillnets are indiscriminate, catching and killing endangered wild salmon, as well as other marine life, such as seals, beavers, and seabirds,” said Scott Beckstead, Oregon state director for The Humane Society of the United States. “Animal welfare groups in Europe and Australia are fighting the deadly impacts of gillnets and we wholeheartedly support this local measure to enhance salmon recovery and to protect other creatures from harm.

Read the whole story here:
http://salem-news.com/articles/june072012/gillnetting-coalition.php

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Fishing & Shrimping have huge turnout -PDN

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Al Bergstein

LEE HORTON’S OUTDOORS COLUMN: Mixed early results for spot shrimp. – Here’s a good rundown of the fishing this week from the folks at the PDN…

“It was a good opener,” state shellfish biologist Mark O’Toole said.
“The weather was decent — especially compared to last year — participation was up in several areas, and the catch rates were relatively good overall.”

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120511/news/305119990/lee-horton-8217-s-outdoors-column-mixed-early-results-for-spot

As we say, part of the reason we protect the environment is to continue a sustainable harvest now and into the future for our kids.

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Winter Herring Quota in Canada could be ‘catastrophic’

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Al Bergstein

Winter herring quota could be ‘catastrophic’

This year’s Strait of Georgia herring fishery opened on November 7 with a quota of 6,000 tons, a massive increase on last year’s 283 tons. Raincoast Conservation Foundation is asking for a moratorium on the herring fishery until stocks have recovered, especially in light of the recent announcement of the proposed National Marine Conservation Area.

http://islandtides.com/

Read Island Tides online | Page 1, also single article ‘Reprint’ in Fisheries archive (Back Issues & Reprints)

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178 lb halibut caught in Straits last week – Seattle Times

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Al Bergstein

I assume that this is a record catch for the Straits, not heard of one this big in the past, but I seem to remember that halibut traditionally got much larger than this. A case of ‘changing baseline’ that we are excited to catch a fish smaller than we used to? Or am I mistaken? Any older fishermen that can clarify the size of this catch in historical terms?

5/26 Seattle Times
Monster halibut caught in the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca
Posted by Mark Yuasa

Geoff Meredith of Puyallup had family visiting from Virginia, and managed to show them what a true “Barn Door” halibut looks like by landing a 178 pound halibut last Friday off Green Point in 85 feet of water.

More at
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2015154817_monster_halibut_caught_in_the.html

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What’s good for Orca is good for fishermen – Billy Frank

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Al Bergstein

A great opinion piece by Billy Frank Jr. the chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. He makes some excellent points. Read the whole piece, it’s pretty short.

Tribes and orcas have a lot in common. Together, we have always depended on the salmon for food.

The last 100 years have been hard on the tribes, the orcas and the salmon. Habitat loss and damage has pushed some salmon populations to the edge of extinction, threatening the orcas, tribal cultures and our treaty rights.

But instead of looking at the main causes for a weak local population of orcas, the federal government is asking us yet again to reconsider how we fish. We just spent several years working with our salmon co-managers to develop a five-year plan to manage our Puget Sound chinook fisheries in light of the recovery needs for fish listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Now, a half-step away from final approval, the federal government is asking us to go back to the drawing board and quickly produce a new two-year harvest plan that addresses how our fisheries might affect orca populations.

The rest of the story is at
http://nwifc.org/2011/04/whats-good-for-orca-is-good-for-fishermen/

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