All articles tagged with #fishing industry
Scientists from the University of Hawaii studied cookiecutter shark bite patterns using data from fisheries and environmental metrics, revealing that bites are most common at night and near the new Moon, providing insights to help avoid bites and better understand these elusive sharks.
Cypriot fishermen are battling invasive lionfish, which threaten local fish stocks and livelihoods, but are turning them into a delicacy to combat the problem, supported by EU campaigns promoting their consumption as a sustainable solution amidst climate change-driven warming of the Mediterranean.
Octopuses have significantly increased along the English coast, particularly in Devon and Cornwall, leading to a boom in catches that has benefited local fishermen financially, as the cephalopods are now a lucrative addition to their catches.
The offshore wind industry in New Bedford is providing new job opportunities for local workers like Sonia Brito, shifting the economic focus from traditional fishing to renewable energy, though its future faces uncertainty due to political changes under Trump.
California fishermen are urging action after federal officials canceled ocean salmon fishing for the second year in a row due to low salmon forecasts and environmental impacts. The closure, affecting tens of thousands of jobs, is attributed to unsustainable water diversions and rising river temperatures caused by state and federal water policies. The decline in salmon populations is also linked to multi-year drought, climate disruptions, and a rollback of federal protections for waterways. Governor Newsom's administration is requesting a federal fishery disaster declaration, while fishermen and seafood businesses are calling for increased water flows in salmon river to prevent future closures and ensure a sustainable future for salmon.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council has announced the closure of California's commercial salmon season for the second consecutive year due to a scarcity of Chinook salmon, stemming from the state's last drought. The closure impacts hundreds of commercial fishers and tribes, prompting concerns about the species' decline attributed to water management decisions, warming oceans, and other environmental factors. Efforts to restore salmon populations include tearing down dams, restoring river flows, and improving migration pathways, but critics argue that the pace of these initiatives is too slow and that water diversions could further threaten the salmon population.
A recent study detailed a rare event of a lone male killer whale, known as Starboard, attacking and eviscerating a juvenile white shark off the coast of South Africa. This behavior challenges the conventional cooperative hunting behaviors of killer whales in the region and raises concerns about the larger ecosystem implications of shark-hunting killer whales. The loss of white sharks in South Africa's waters due to orca predation could disrupt the fishing industry and impact tourism, as well as raise concerns about the coastal marine ecology balance.
The small menhaden fish has become a focal point of a contentious debate in the Chesapeake Bay, with environmentalists and sportfishing groups advocating for a complete ban on the commercial fishery due to concerns of overfishing and its impact on the local ecosystem. On the other hand, Omega Protein, the last company harvesting menhaden in the bay, argues that there is no evidence supporting these concerns and that a ban would threaten local jobs. The debate has intensified in recent years, with clashes between the commercial fishing industry and recreational fishermen, and a proposed study on the status of menhaden in the bay has been delayed.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases involving fishing companies challenging regulations that require them to pay for human monitors on their boats to ensure compliance with fishing regulations. The cases could potentially overturn a longstanding 1984 precedent that gives regulatory agencies deference in ambiguous situations. The fishing companies argue that the monitoring costs could drive them out of business and that the agencies lack the authority to impose these expenses. The Supreme Court is expected to issue rulings in late June or early July.
Research shows that bottom trawling, a common fishing method, not only devastates seafloor ecosystems but also releases a significant amount of carbon into the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming. The practice disrupts the natural carbon sequestration process in the ocean, leading to increased CO2 emissions and ocean acidification. The study highlights the urgent need for countries to reevaluate the environmental impact of bottom trawling and consider stricter regulations to mitigate its effects on biodiversity and the climate.
The Supreme Court is set to hear cases involving Atlantic herring fishermen challenging a 40-year-old decision that supports regulatory power, potentially impacting government regulations on environment, workplace standards, consumer protections, and public health. Conservative groups seek to limit federal agencies' power, arguing that the decision gives too much authority to government experts. The court's conservative majority has shown skepticism towards federal agencies' powers, raising questions about the future of the decision. The fishermen argue against a 2020 regulation requiring them to pay for monitors, while environmental and health advocacy groups urge the court to maintain the decision. The outcome could have significant implications for regulatory authority and the balance of power between federal agencies and the judiciary.
New England fishermen are taking their fight against a costly at-sea monitoring mandate to the Supreme Court, arguing that it violates the Constitution and the Magnuson-Stevens Act. They claim that the requirement, which charges them $700 a day per boat, is burdensome and unnecessary, as existing systems already monitor compliance. The outcome of the case could have significant implications for the administrative state and the fishing industry's livelihoods, with potential environmental repercussions if U.S. fishermen are put out of business and the country relies more on imported seafood.
The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth-largest inland body of water, has drastically shrunk due to environmental degradation, leaving former fishermen in disbelief. The sea, once teeming with life, is now a dry wasteland, highlighting the devastating consequences of water scarcity and the decline of the fishing industry in the region.
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a second challenge to a foundational precedent on the power of executive agencies, in a case almost identical to one it agreed to hear earlier this year. The court's decision to grant review in the new case was likely due to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's recusal from the earlier case. Both cases involve a federal law allowing the National Marine Fisheries Service to require fishing vessels to carry federal monitors, with the service interpreting the law to order the fishing industry to pay the monitors' salaries. The court's ruling could potentially overturn the Chevron precedent, which requires courts to defer to agencies' reasonable interpretations of ambiguous statutes, and has been criticized by businesses subject to various regulations.
Italians are dealing with an invasion of blue crabs, an invasive species that is wreaking havoc on Italy's marine ecosystem and fishing industry. The crabs are devouring stocks of eels, clams, and mussels, causing significant damage to shellfish production. To combat the problem, farm lobby group Coldiretti and fishing associations have been promoting the consumption of blue crabs as a culinary solution. However, the growing population of blue crabs poses a threat to Italy's prized clam harvests and other fish farms. The Italian government has allocated funds to fight the invasion, but the crabs continue to multiply due to favorable conditions.