PCFFA – Page 4 – Fishermens News

Second Wind Energy Area Designated Off California Coast

On Friday, Nov. 12, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced the designation of the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area (MB WEA) offshore California’s central coast. This WEA, the second WEA designated off the California coast in the past four months, encompasses 376 square miles. On July 29, BOEM expanded the size of the original Morro Bay Call area from 311 square miles to a proposed 399 square miles, adding an east and a west extension. The MB WEA excluded the east extension proposed in July. According to BOEM, the MB WEA is capable of generating 2.924 gigawatts (GW) of wind power. In short, there are now two WEAs off the California coast. The other, located off the city of Eureka (between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon), is called the Humboldt WEA. It appears to be a fore...

Ropeless Gear – Into the Unknown

In 2015 and 2016, unfavorable conditions in the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California resulted in a spike in interactions between fishing operations and whales. In a memo released in March of this year, NOAA reported 61 entanglements in 2015 and 70 in 2016. That same memo noted the commercial Dungeness crab accounted for a significant number of entanglements which could be confirmed to a specific trap fishery—73 between 1982 and 2017. Litigation was initiated against the director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) alleging “[he] has caused and is causing the illegal ‘take’ of threatened and endangered humpback whales, endangered blue whales, and endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtles” in violation of Section 9 of the Endangered...

Sailing into the Unknown — Rough Seas Aheads

America’s commercial fishing families provide an invaluable service to all Americans. Often putting our lives at risk, we do so without unrealistic expectations. For the most part, we love what we do and prefer the dynamic and ever-changing ocean upon which we ply our trades. We are conservationists; we are aware of changes underway in our environment (often long before scientists and managers notice them) and constantly adapting to them; we are passionate and committed to providing the world’s citizen’s with a highly regulated, sustainable source of protein; we are essential workers; we are community members; we are engaged in the management of our marine resources; we are your next door neighbors; we are story-tellers, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters. We are you....

Engaging in the Process

As fishermen, we fish. We have devoted our lives, and in some cases given up those lives, to feed our communities, our state, and our nation. Our workspace is limited to the size of the vessel we find ourselves on. Our workplace is the ocean and all the beauty, vastness, and temperaments it brings. Our workday almost certainly ensures that no one day is like any day that preceded it. We may pull pots, troll lines, set nets, or make sets all day; but what we see and what we encounter along the way differs each day. At this time, there are numerous actions both known and unknown; and planned or proposed, which could have profound impacts on each of those, and on our ability to contribute to the nation’s food security. Workspace This advice is neither new, nor should it be controversia...

Why Healthy Fish Habitats Are Crucial to Our Fisheries

Part 2 of 2: This year, due to yet another year of forecasted low ocean salmon abundances, California commercial salmon harvesters have roughly 85 less days on the water (184 vs. 286 days) compared to 2020, and less in 2020 than in most previous years. This steady reduction in opportunity is intended to ensure that escapement goals for Sacramento River Chinook runs are met. The California portion of the Klamath Management Zone (CA/OR border to Fort Bragg) is also closed completely to commercial harvesters for the second year in a row, due to low fall Chinook returns forecasted for the Klamath River. All across the board, fishing opportunities have been steadily declining – but not as a result of fishing pressures or the need to prevent overfishing. Rather, fishery declines – particular...

Why Healthy Fish Habitats Are Crucial to Our Fisheries

Part 1 of 2: This year, due to yet another year of forecasted low ocean salmon abundances, California commercial salmon harvesters have roughly 85 less days on the water (184 vs. 286 days) compared to 2020, and less in 2020 than in most previous years. This steady reduction in opportunity is intended to ensure that escapement goals for Sacramento River Chinook runs are met. The California portion of the Klamath Management Zone (CA/OR border to Fort Bragg) is also closed completely to commercial harvesters for the second year in a row, due to low fall Chinook returns forecasted for the Klamath River. Across the board, fishing opportunities have been steadily declining – but not as a result of fishing pressures or the need to prevent overfishing. Rather, fishery declines – particularly for ...

Getting Reacquainted

We are more than grateful to be part of the relaunch of Fishermen’s News. While our voice is one of many, we believe we present a unique perspective and appreciate the opportunity to share our thoughts, concerns and opinions with you. We look forward to diving deeper into specific issues in future articles; but today we briefly cover a diverse set of topics. Primarily because we had trouble deciding which of the following was most important. COVID-19 First and foremost, we offer our sincere condolences to those of us who have lost friends, family members or other loved ones. COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, profound impacts of the America and the U.S. commercial fishing industry. From lost markets to cancelled surveys which inform stock assessments, the true impacts of COVID-19 w...