Bycatch in this fishery is not ugly - in fact information for the fishery indicates it is one of the cleanest in the region.
Information from the fishery??? If it's so clean, why have you guys been fighting like hell for years to keep the observers off the boats? Or that nifty little trick you boys like - when there's an observer on one boat, you guys just pair trawl and then the other boat hauls back every time? Oh wait, it's for safety sake that you can just dump your cod end without taking it aboard when its loaded to the gills with haddock. That's right - it's bycatch if it hits the deck, but if you just dump a few metric tons of dead groundfish, its not "by-catch"
And the crowning glory - when there's 6 miles of DEAD FLOATING STRIPERS in the Great South Channel when you boys are busy destroying the fall tuna fishery - that's not discard, b/c you didn't out them on your boat.
And as for the plant closing, while I feel for the men that lost their jobs, - stop exporting the herring on that big freaking freighter that loads at norpel in NB and keep some product for the domestic cannery market. Its not the regs that closed you down - you got a better price overseas and F'd your workers.
Information from the fishery??? If it's so clean, why have you guys been fighting like hell for years to keep the observers off the boats? Or that nifty little trick you boys like - when there's an observer on one boat, you guys just pair trawl and then the other boat hauls back every time? Oh wait, it's for safety sake that you can just dump your cod end without taking it aboard when its loaded to the gills with haddock. That's right - it's bycatch if it hits the deck, but if you just dump a few metric tons of dead groundfish, its not "by-catch"
And the crowning glory - when there's 6 miles of DEAD FLOATING STRIPERS in the Great South Channel when you boys are busy destroying the fall tuna fishery - that's not discard, b/c you didn't out them on your boat.
And as for the plant closing, while I feel for the men that lost their jobs, - stop exporting the herring on that big freaking freighter that loads at norpel in NB and keep some product for the domestic cannery market. Its not the regs that closed you down - you got a better price overseas and F'd your workers.
You all are missing the point, the plant closing is not related to midwater trawling. Bumble Bee clearly stated that they will close because the reduced quota in the inshore GOM is not sufficient for them to be viable. While the State of Maine numbers appear to be correct, the federal area quotas are the ones to look at.
These fish have been supplied to the plant during the summer/fall season by purse seiners. The quota was drastically cut even though the science says the stock is stable, because of campaigns by the Pew, etc people.
The Norpel plant has nothing to do with this, nor does their fish caught in the winter and shipped oversees. It has to do with available quota in the GOM.
As for all the accusations about midwater trawling, there is no factual information to support the allegations. The fishery has bycatch, but when compared to others in the region it is a clean fishery. There is no factual information to support the striper bycatch in the Channel. In fact, the MA DMF investigated through VMS and found there where no herring boats in the area, but lets not let the facts get in the way.
All the sensational rhetoric "greedy, etc" does not overcome the facts.
The bottom line here is the plant has closed, 140 people have lost there jobs, and these campaigns attacking the fishery have devasted the Maine herring fishery. And as I said before, Patrick, you and your like, should look in the mirror. While the entire outcome can't be laid at anyones feet, you have had a hand in it.
I come from a Maine fishing family, I am not a lawyer, lobbiest or plant manager and don't have a press agent. I also don't plan on spending time arguing here with people who rely on internet forums for their information. Try reading something factual for a change at nefmc.org
You all are missing the point, the plant closing is not related to midwater trawling. Bumble Bee clearly stated that they will close because the reduced quota in the inshore GOM is not sufficient for them to be viable. While the State of Maine numbers appear to be correct, the federal area quotas are the ones to look at.
No, *you're* missing the point and then spinning your position as it's proven wrong and scientifically inaccurate.
If the Maine numbers appear correct, and the federal area quotas are the ones to look at, then why does your post and all the sob stories harp on Maine "decreasing the quota in half"?
Quote:
As for all the accusations about midwater trawling, there is no factual information to support the allegations. The fishery has bycatch, but when compared to others in the region it is a clean fishery. There is no factual information to support the striper bycatch in the Channel. In fact, the MA DMF investigated through VMS and found there where no herring boats in the area, but lets not let the facts get in the way.
Must've been an unreported oil spill or other disaster that caused miles of belly up stripers. Exactly what other fishery are you referring to that midwater trawling is "a clean fishery" relative to?
I come from a Maine fishing family, I am not a lawyer, lobbiest or plant manager and don't have a press agent. I also don't plan on spending time arguing here with people who rely on internet forums for their information. Try reading something factual for a change at nefmc.org
Sure you aren't a lobbyist for the midwaters....
The Midwater boats completely and absolutely screwed up the traditional maine seiner and weir fishery and those guys hate you too.
Now way in hell anyone associated with the traditional seiners is going to defend your pair-trawlers.
Nice Try. You put those men out of their jobs, quit trying to spin it.
Hybrid Mode
