Fishing News 20230717-20230723
Fishing News 20230717-20230723 – Here you can check out some international news that has something to do with fishing. Some items are very actual.
The UK government seizes post-Brexit fishing industry liberties. (Fishing News 20230717-20230723)
July 17, 2023
(source: gov.uk by
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and The Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey MP)
The UK Government has unveiled its latest measures aimed at fostering a thriving and sustainable fishing industry, as well as ensuring a healthy marine environment that can be enjoyed by future generations.
***
Taking advantage of newfound freedoms outside the EU, the UK is implementing a top-tier fisheries management system that relies on the best available scientific knowledge and the expertise of local fishermen. The ultimate goal is to maintain the health and sustainability of fish stocks for many years to come.
***
A key aspect of this new system involves the establishment of Fisheries Management Plans, which serve as comprehensive guidelines for effectively managing various fish stocks. The initial six plans have been released today and cover species like bass, king scallops, crab, and lobster, which are renowned for their excellence worldwide.
***
These management plans have been collaboratively developed over a period of 18 months, with active involvement from both the fishing industry and anglers. By adhering to the commitments outlined in the Fisheries Act of 2020, these plans seek to modernize and strengthen the fishing industry while ensuring the long-term viability of fish stocks.
***
The strategies outlined in these plans encompass both immediate actions that can be taken to protect stocks, such as implementing seasonal closures or conducting further scientific studies, as well as long-term approaches that integrate the latest scientific evidence. The overarching aim is to cultivate the most productive and sustainable fishing sector possible.
New Fiordland fishing restrictions inspire optimism
July 18, 2023
(source: odt.co.nz by ???)
The Fiordland Marine Guardians have expressed optimism that newly implemented recreational fishing regulations will play a crucial role in the restoration of heavily impacted fisheries and their sustained well-being in the long term.
***
Recently, Rachel Brooking, the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, approved a set of new rules that entail various measures. These measures include reducing the daily catch limits for several finfish and shellfish species within the fiords, both for individual species and in total. Additionally, the oyster and scallop fisheries in Fiordland will be closed, and more restrictive fishing zones will be introduced at the entrances of each fiord, marked as Fishing Lines.
***
As part of these regulations, the daily combined finfish limit will be lowered from 30 to 20 fish per person outside the Fishing Lines and further reduced to 10 fish inside the Fishing Lines.
***
The Fiordland Marine Guardians proposed these changes concerning recreational and commercial fishing rules in the Fiordland Marine Area. While they had also suggested reducing the total take of rock lobsters, this particular proposal did not receive approval.
***
Dr. Rebecca McLeod, the chairperson of the Guardians and a marine biologist, expressed her belief that these changes would contribute significantly to the support of sustainable fisheries in Fiordland. She emphasized that the alterations to the rules aimed to rebuild critically affected fisheries and maintain the others, ensuring that future generations could easily access and catch fish in the region.
***
Dr. McLeod further stated that these amendments represent the most significant adjustments to amateur fishing regulations in Fiordland since the establishment of the Guardians in 2005, signifying their importance and impact.
***
The central mission of the Fiordland Marine Guardians is to safeguard fisheries for the benefit of generations to come.
The goal of an underwater AI bot is to detect unlawful fishing. (Fishing News 20230717-20230723)
July 19, 2023
(source: planetradio.co.uk by Ryan Burrows)
In Southampton, scientists have initiated a project for developing a new underwater artificial intelligence bot, known as MARLIN, capable of identifying activities that pose harm to the ocean environment.
***
MARLIN employs underwater sensors to remotely monitor various forms of activity, including those involving animals, humans, and the environment, across all ocean regions.
***
The system is designed to transmit real-time data, enabling the identification of illegal fishing practices and providing protection to marine animals during offshore wind farm construction.
***
To support the development of this technology, the AI system has received funding of over £700,000. The University of Southampton is collaborating with ocean science experts, RS Aqua, on this project.
***
Professor of Statistical Signal Processing, Paul White, who is associated with the University of Southampton, highlighted the significance of leveraging artificial intelligence and sound monitoring in the underwater realm. This combination, along with the swift relay of information to the shore, will equip researchers with tools to safeguard fragile marine ecosystems and detect various illicit activities.
***
Traditionally, large vessels have been deployed for ocean monitoring missions. However, the innovative MARLIN system holds the potential to reduce the duration of ships at sea, thereby potentially cutting down CO2 emissions by up to 75 percent.
Three persons were injured in a charter fishing boat crash near Kyuquot, according to the RCMP.
July 20, 2023
(source: cheknews.ca by THE CANADIAN PRESS/DARRYL DYCK)
An investigation is underway in Port McNeill following a collision involving a charter fishing boat near Kyuquot, which resulted in three individuals sustaining injuries.
***
The incident, which occurred on July 13, involved a vessel registered to a charter fishing resort.
***
According to a statement released by the RCMP, local residents promptly responded to the scene and transported the three injured individuals to a medical facility. The people on board at the time of the crash included resort personnel and one of their friends.
***
Cpl. Spencer Mylymok expressed gratitude to the local residents for their swift and effective response to the situation. He credited their efforts for ensuring a safe outcome, as the incident had the potential to be a tragic event.
***
The investigation will be supported by the RCMP West Coast Marine Services, and it is anticipated that Transport Canada and WorkSafeBC will also participate in the process.
A taste of Sicily: the bustling seafood market (Fishing News 20230717-20230723)
July 21, 2023
(source: courthousenews.com by CAIN BURDEAU)
At the picturesque town of Isola delle Femmine, located on the outskirts of Sicily’s capital, Palermo, the sun gracefully rises over Capo Gallo, a steep headland to the west. Its rays transform the swelling Tyrrhenian Sea into a breathtaking mirror of golden orange light.
***
During this early hour, as the town begins to wake up with sleepy café staff, bakers, and diligent street cleaners making their rounds, the local fishermen, known as “i piscaturi” in the Sicilian dialect, are already hard at work. Before the sun fully emerges, they are busy launching their boats into the sea and gathering their catches from nets spread across the reefs offshore.
***
As the first bright orange rays of the sun sweep over the sea, the piscaturi return to the harbor, their boats laden with a diverse array of edible treasures harvested from the island’s salty waters.
***
With the sun now higher in the sky, they present their day’s bounties on vendor slabs and tables, arranged under the shelter of a dockside market. In a lively scene, filled with camaraderie, laughter, and banter, they go about their work, showcasing the fruits of their labor for all to see.
Eye-to-eye contact with a great white shark was ‘simply unbelievable,’ according to a Grand Manan man.
July 22, 2023
(source: cbc.ca by Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon)
Andrew Jones, a teacher from Grand Manan, N.B., enjoys sharing fishing tales, even if he playfully admits that not all of them are entirely true. However, he can now back up one of his stories with video evidence, showing a remarkable encounter with a great white shark.
***
Recalling the experience, Jones described how he and two friends were on his boat, School’s Out, in the Bay of Fundy, off the northern part of New Brunswick’s island, between Whale Cove and Wolf Islands. During a break for lunch, with the engine turned off, they noticed a distinctive dorsal fin cutting through the clear, blue water.
***
The shark they spotted was quite sizable, circling their boat multiple times. Instead of opting for photographs, Jones decided to capture the encounter on video, as the shark gracefully swam around the bow of the boat, making eye contact with him.
***
Mesmerized by the sight, Jones estimated the shark to be around 10 to 12 feet long, comparing its size to that of his 27-foot boat. As with most fishing stories, the size of the fish tends to grow with each retelling.
***
In the 19-second video, the shark opens its mouth just as it passes under the dive platform on the boat, eliciting excited exclamations from Jones behind the camera. Afterward, the shark rolled and tail-slapped the side of the boat before disappearing into the depths, which Jones estimated to be approximately 260 feet deep.
***
Reflecting on the encounter, Jones believes the shark was likely curious about their presence, just as they were curious about it. However, one of his friends wasn’t as optimistic, humorously suggesting that the shark might have been either hungry or looking for companionship, but either way, he wasn’t keen on having it join them in the boat.
Our underwater neighbors’ secrets are being revealed by the Sarasota Bay dolphin study team.
July 23, 2023
(source: eu.heraldtribune.com by Catherine Hicks )
Sarasota Bay is a popular destination that draws various types of visitors, including weekend boaters, fishing enthusiasts, and sightseers. However, beyond its appeal to humans, the bay serves as a significant multigenerational sanctuary for bottlenose dolphins. These dolphins, many of whom display humanlike behaviors, are the subject of scientific investigation by the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP), the longest-running study of a dolphin population in the United States.
***
Unlike mere fleeting attractions seen from afar, the dolphins of Sarasota Bay have formed a close relationship with the researchers, and vice versa, spanning several decades. Through this bond, they are mutually gaining insights into each other’s behaviors and characteristics. Dr. Randall Wells, who initiated the project in 1989 and now acts as the senior scientist and project manager, emphasizes that these dolphins are not anonymous entities but individuals with long-standing ties to the region. Their social structure is intricate, and they possess a complex communication system. Like humans, they share the same air, swim in the same waters, and rely on the same fish for sustenance.
***
One of the well-known dolphins in the bay is Maddie, scientifically referred to as F213. This 16-year-old female stands out due to her distinctively rigid and torn dorsal fin. She belongs to a recognized female lineage in Sarasota Bay and is regularly spotted during photo surveys conducted by the research team aboard boats in the bay. Typically, bottlenose dolphins have a lifespan of 30 to 50 years.
***
The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program operates from the Mote Marine Laboratory and is overseen by the Chicago Zoological Society. Based on their studies, researchers estimate that Sarasota Bay is home to approximately 170 year-round dolphin residents.