Gulf of Mexico fisheries support an estimated $22.6 billion in seafood, commercial fishing and recreational fishing activity. That’s why Gulf residents pay close attention when a proposed bill in Congress threatens the marine resources we rely on. H.R. 1335, the “Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act,” would weaken the management of […]
As one of the younger guys in my fleet, I might have the best vantage point to see where fishery management is headed. I’m 33 years old, and I captain the F/V Janet E out of Half Moon Bay, CA. I fish salmon and Dungeness crab. I’ve owned and operated my boat for 5 years, […]
Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act: Does that title scare anyone else in the conservation community? I wonder how this is making the environmental community shudder. Since I and a large number of sportfishing anglers/guides I represent make our living from the ocean, we have a lot invested in the future […]
Pacific halibut, one of the region’s most iconic fish, is being treated in some fisheries no better than your daily trash. Halibut abundance has declined over the past 15 years, and Alaska halibut fishermen have reduced their catch to conserve stocks for the future. Washington-based trawlers, on the other hand, are still allowed to catch, kill, and discard […]
June –- the time of year to be on the ocean chasing coho and chinook out of coastal ports. Moving out in the early morning, hopefully on flood or slack tide, with the expectation of finding the quarry before mid-day winds point the boat back toward a comfortable harbor. Most of us fishing the ocean […]
Are people really still saying we should manage everything like striped bass? It’s been an odd year thus far. A completely different paradigm than what most of us had become accustomed to. Generally, we start seeing good numbers of stripers in early to mid-April. Yes, it was an unusually cold winter and a cold April […]
Profitable fisheries and sustainable fisheries are not mutually exclusive goals. Indeed, there is a strong business case to be made for healthy, sustainably managed fisheries. Providing a stable supply of seafood, jobs, infrastructure, and tax revenue are among some of the key social and economic benefits of responsibly managed fish populations. But these benefits are […]
It’s springtime as I pen this blog post, late-April to be exact. Rising water temps have many species of fish migrating north and feeding along Florida’s Treasure Coast. That’s where I live and run a charter service, along with freelance writing and working as a consultant for conservation groups. On this calm day, I’m sitting […]
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