Our Blog: From the Waterfront

New Public Comment Opportunity on the Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary

Posted by Sep 6, 2023 Featured, Public Lands, Sustainable Seafood Leave a Comment
New Public Comment Opportunity on the Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary

On August 25, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced a 60-day comment period (ends October 25) on the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary draft management plan and environmental impact statement (EIS), which will determine the final boundaries, permitted activities, and general regulations of the marine sanctuary. NOAA is hosting in-person and virtual informational […]

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Legislation Focuses on the Chesapeake Bay

Posted by Aug 30, 2023 Commercial Fishing, Featured, Policy, Public Lands, Recreational Fishing, Summer Flounder Leave a Comment
Legislation Focuses on the Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is an iconic marine ecosystem that inspires stories, songs, and lifelong memories. I’ve fished, hunted, and raced sailboats in and around the bay. And while now I live in the headwaters of the bay watershed, I continue to be closely connected to it. This summer, members of Congress in the Chesapeake Bay […]

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Buffeting Winds in Bristol Bay: 2023

Posted by Aug 24, 2023 Bristol Bay/Pebble Mine, Featured, Policy, Salmon, Sustainable Seafood, Working Waterfronts Leave a Comment
Buffeting Winds in Bristol Bay: 2023

This article was originally published on August 10, 2023 on One Fish Foundation’s blog and is reprinted here with permission. Imagine being a commercial fish harvester in Bristol Bay in 2023. I have spoken with several over the past few years, and just recently spoke with them again to get a sense of how they […]

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NMFS Finds Errors in Recreational Fishing Data

Posted by Aug 15, 2023 ASMFC, Data, Featured, MAFMC, Recreational Fishing, Sustainable Seafood 1 Comment
NMFS Finds Errors in Recreational Fishing Data

It’s impossible to count every fish caught by recreational fishermen, yet accurate recreational catch and landings data are an essential part of the fisheries management process. Thus, saltwater fisheries managers are constantly seeking better estimates of anglers catch, landings, and effort. Currently, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) employs the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) […]

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Senator Murkowski’s ‘Improving ARCTIC’ Act

Posted by Aug 11, 2023 Commercial Fishing, Featured, Policy, Sustainable Seafood, Working Waterfronts Leave a Comment
Senator Murkowski’s ‘Improving ARCTIC’ Act

Senator Lisa Murkowski’s (R-AK) legislation, the Improving Agriculture, Research, Cultivation, Timber, and Indigenous Commodities (ARCTIC) Act, is a comprehensive piece of legislation containing provisions that are important to small commercial fishermen, working waterfronts, and indigenous fishing communities. The legislation seeks to improve federal agricultural programs so more groups can benefit from them. “We applaud Senator […]

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Don Young Veterans Advancing Conservation Act

Posted by Aug 2, 2023 Featured, Policy, Public Lands Leave a Comment
Don Young Veterans Advancing Conservation Act

New legislation taps a uniquely trained and highly motivated workforce eager to contribute to conservation. The Don Young Veterans Advancing Conservation Act, S. 1918, introduced by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), co-chairs of the Senate Oceans caucus, creates a grant program to hire, retrain, and redeploy veterans to work on coastal, […]

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Watch: Jean Flemma Talks about Climate Change and Our Oceans

Posted by Jul 26, 2023 Climate Change, Featured, Policy, Sustainable Seafood, Waterside Chat Leave a Comment
Watch: Jean Flemma Talks about Climate Change and Our Oceans

Jean Flemma, co-founder of the Urban Ocean Lab and director of the Ocean Defense Initiative, joined the Network for an online Waterside Chat on July 19, 2023. Jean is a long-time policy hand and, as host Tom Sadler described her, “important and very wise counsel on ocean policy”. Their conversation covered a range of issues […]

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Striped Bass Addendum II Will Promote Rebuilding

Posted by Jul 25, 2023 ASMFC, Commercial Fishing, Featured, Recreational Fishing, Striped Bass, Sustainable Seafood 1 Comment
Striped Bass Addendum II Will Promote Rebuilding

Top photo by John McMurray At its May 2023 meeting, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC’s) Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (Management Board) learned that recreational striped bass landings had nearly doubled in 2022 and that, unless fishing mortality was reduced, there was little chance that the striped bass stock would be rebuilt by […]

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