Looking Beneath the Surface
In the fishery, we are always concerned about what is going
on underneath the surface of the ocean.
Looking at the surface can provide helpful information but
what is below the surface is what really matters.
Beneath that surface is the part of the ocean ecosystem the
fishery depends on. The different fish resources we harvest, the food for those
fish and predators who compete with us to catch them are all down there
somewhere. So is the fishing gear we use to catch them and even the ...
‘High probability’ Atlantic Cod Could be Extinct in Southern Gulf by Mid-Century
It appears the days for the Atlantic cod stock in the
southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (SGSL) could be numbered, with the species being
eaten into extinction by grey seals.
“Based on current grey seal abundance and Atlantic cod
productivity, our projections indicate that there is a high probability that
Atlantic cod will be locally extinct in the SGSL by mid-century, even in the
absence of fishing,” concludes the study, Continued decline of a collapsed
population of Atlantic cod due to ...
More Bad News for Northern Cod Recovery Prospects
Those anticipating a return of a viable commercial Northern
cod fishery in the waters off eastern Newfoundland may to have to wait a few
more years yet.
At a recent technical briefing, the Department of Fisheries
and Oceans (DFO) reported that the 2J3KL cod stock, also known as Northern cod,
has continued to decline from 2017 to 2018 and remains in the critical zone.
The spawning stock biomass (SSB) has declined from 441,000 tonnes in 2017 to
315,000 tonnes in 2018. The low spawning stock ...
FISH-NL Prepares for Second Membership Drive
Last fall, the Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of
Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) stated it was not going away anytime soon
and it appears to be sticking to those words.
The fledgling labour organization made the declaration
following the Oct. 1 decision by the NL Labour Relations Board decision to
finally dismiss FISH-NL’s certification application.
At the time, FISH-NL President Ryan Cleary told the CBC
that the dismissal was not a blow but “an opportunity.” He added ...
Pop’s Pride – Part III
On September 6, 2016, the 22-foot fishing boat Pop’s
Pride left port in St. John’s Newfoundland between 6:30 a.m. and 7 a.m.
with four fishermen onboard. Three of the men were from a single family. The
fourth was a family friend. All were from Shea Heights, a tight-knit community
within the city limits of St. John’s. As the men hauled their nets that
morning, winds increased to approximately 30-32 knots (56-60 kilometres per
hour) along with seas of two metres (six feet). It appears the ...
Ropeless Gear Not a Viable Option for Now
Above: Coldwater Lobster Association members involved with the ropeless gear at-sea trials talk about their findings during a seminar presentation at the Eastern Canada Fisheries Exposition in Yarmouth on Jan. 25. Kathy Johnson photo
The results of recent ropeless gear trials do not show much
promise as a viable option for lobster fishing area (LFA) 34 in the event of a
North Atlantic right whale closure, not without a lot of tweaking.
The trials were conducted last fall by the ...
Ropeless Consortium Expands Information Exchange
Interest in ropeless fishing gear continues to grow.
Presentations on ropeless gear retrieval and marking
systems, experimental gear testing, experimental fisheries, regulatory and
policy change, market interests and investment opportunities were on the agenda
when the international Ropeless Consortium met for its annual meeting at the
New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, MA on November 6.
Comprised of scientists, conservationists, researchers,
fishermen and “like-minded people ...
Organizations Assist in Making Vessel Safety Compliance Easier
Above: Participants listen to the presenters at the Safety at Sea: a Wave of Change seminar at the Eastern Canadian Fisheries Exposition in Yarmouth on Jan. 25. Kathy Johnson photo
Between the Fisheries Safety Association of Nova Scotia and Transport Canada, efforts are being made easier for mariners to ensure they are complying with the new federal regulations that came into effect in July 2017.
While that was the main message at the Safety at Sea: A
Wave of Change seminar at the ...
Night and Day Difference Between Lobster Fishing in P.E.I. and S.W. Nova Scotia
In Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island, Jesse Bell is
captain of his own 43-foot wooden lobster fishing boat, How Boat That.
However, for a few months for the past four winters, he has
found himself back aft on lobster boats in southwestern Nova Scotia, working in
a fishery that is as different as “night and day” as the one back home in
P.E.I.
Like many Maritimers, Bell grew up in a fishing family,
spending a day here and there out fishing with his father. By the time he was
14 or ...
Eastern Canadian Fisheries Expo Wraps Up Record-Breaking Event in Yarmouth
One of Canada’s longest-running, most successful commercial fishing shows wrapped up at the Yarmouth Mariners Centre on January 26.
The Eastern Canadian Fisheries Exposition, presented in partnership with the Navigator Magazine, welcomed 4,813 commercial fishing professionals over the course of two days.
“The first day of the show was like nothing we’ve ever seen in this venue,” said Show Manager, Shawn Murphy.
“It was a door-busting crowd — we even had to ...
