LAWOK LEPAS: 2012

Showing posts with label 2012. Show all posts

Friday, March 16, 2012

Common Fisheries Policy and in particular the discard ban proposed by the European Commission.

3/16/2012 lawoklepas No comments

Common Fisheries Policy and in particular the discard ban proposed by the European Commission.

this blog interest about: fish culture, fishing sport, fish production, fish market, fishing vessel, fishing boat, tips fishing,fish behavior, fishing news, info and journal fishing tour, fishing game, sea environtmen, fish news

Next Monday, March 19 2012, fisheries ministers from the 27 EU Member States will gather in Brussels to discuss the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and in particular the discard ban proposed by the European Commission.

Because discarding unwanted catches poses both ethical and environmental problems, Oceana strongly supports a ban that includes the obligation to land all catches accompanied by technical measures to reduce and eliminate unwanted catches, as the best way to stop this waste of resources.

Despite years of policies aimed at improving the selectivity of fishing techniques in Europe, discards still represent 13% of European catches, amounting to 1, 3 million tonnes thrown overboard dead or dying each year, says Oceana.

Yet, the discard ban currently proposed by the Commission would only apply to a limited number of commercially exploited species (around 5%). Oceana urges Member States to support a general ban on discards for all commercial species, implemented within a specific and gradual timeframe so as to allow the fishing fleet to adapt.

"This wasteful and shameful practice hampers the health of fish stocks, threatens the balance of ecosystems and jeopardizes the future of European fisheries," stated Ricardo Aguilar, scientific director at Oceana Europe. "An obligation to land all catches would create a strong enough incentive to change practices and favor more selective fishing techniques."

However, technical measures designed to improve selectivity, and a proper plan on what to do with the additional catch must accompany any such landing obligation and the Commission’s current recommendations on how to commercialize unwanted fish are unacceptable. Oceana recommends that the proceeds from the sale of unwanted catches be reverted to a fund managed by the fisheries authorities of Member States, to be used to provide indirect incentives to the fishing sector not to discard, such covering the costs of scientific advice to improve the quality of stock assessments, supporting research and development for more selective gears, as well as contributing to the costs of control and enforcement activities.

“Improperly commercializing unwanted catches, turning edible fish into fish meal and fish oil for non-food uses, or opening a market for undersized illegal fish can raise as many ethical problems as discarding,” added Javier Lopez, marine scientist of Oceana. “Unwanted catches cannot simply be landed in ports without accompanying measures to improve selectivity – which is the main priority in addressing the root of the problem.”

The European Commission proposal to reform the Common Fisheries Policy is currently being discussed by Member States and by the European Parliament and the adoption of the final text is foreseen for 2013.... READ MORE

New Zealand 8 presumed dead When Fishing boat sinking

3/16/2012 lawoklepas No comments

New Zealand 8 presumed dead When Fishing boat sinking

New Zealand (WTW) — A 7-year-old boy and a captain who was recently praised as a hero are among eight people believed dead after a fishing boat sank in rough weather off the coast of southern New Zealand.

The sole known survivor from Thursday's accident near Stewart Island was found clinging to a barrel in the ocean after enduring 18 hours in dark and cold conditions. He was taken to a local hospital suffering from severe hypothermia.

Rescue crews have recovered three bodies and hold out little hope of finding more survivors from the vessel Easy Rider due to poor sea conditions and a long delay before authorities were alerted to the accident.

The survivor, Dallas Reedy, 44, told police he was on the deck just after midnight when the boat was hit by a rogue wave, causing it to capsize almost immediately. He managed to cling to the overturned boat's hull for about two hours before it sank, according to Invercargill Police Inspector Lane Todd.

The 40-foot boat was taking a family group to a remote island so they could hunt for mutton birds, which are considered a delicacy by some locals. There were three crew and six passengers on board, including the 7-year-old, Odin Karetai.

The captain of the boat, 47-year-old Rewai Karetai, was lauded two months ago when he helped rescue three people from another capsized fishing boat. Two people died in the earlier accident.

Police said the captain and the boy are related but are not father and son.

The Easy Rider sank at the southern end of New Zealand in Foveaux Strait, which is notorious for its treacherous conditions. According to New Zealand meteorological agency MetService, there were very rough seas in the area at the time of the accident as well as winds of about 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour and heavy rain.

The MetService says the water temperature was about 13 degrees Celsius (55 Fahrenheit).

It took some 14 hours before authorities knew the boat was missing. The boat was supposed to meet with a helicopter Thursday afternoon, and when it didn't show up, the helicopter pilot raised the alarm.

Police say that neither the survivor nor the three victims they've found were wearing life jackets. If the boat had an emergency locater beacon, police say, it wasn't activated when the boat capsized.

Rescuers recovered the first victim Thursday evening and found two more bodies Friday afternoon, after a civilian ship assisted by the New Zealand navy located the wreck on the ocean floor, about 40 meters (130 feet) below the surface and 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the northwestern tip of Stewart Island.

Rescue crews are considering attempting a deep-sea dive onto the wreck Saturday, after equipment and specialized dive squads arrive.

... READ MORE

Ocean City partyboat visits site where world-record tog caught in 1998

1/21/2012 lawoklepas No comments

Ocean City partyboat visits site where world-record tog caught in 1998

Searching around for some mid-winter fishing news Friday got interesting.

The North Star partyboat that operates from Ocean City Fishing Center went offshore on a 12-hour trip Friday that commemorates the world record tautog.

A little background: On Jan. 20, 1998, Hammonton's Anthony Monica caught what is the still-standing Inter-national Game Fishing Association world-rec-ord tog (aka blackfish) of 25 pounds while fishing off Ocean City on board the North Star.

When North Star captain Tim Barrus got back to the dock Friday evening, he said they had quite a few limits of tog and some mixed catches of tog and codfish. They had 10 or more tog that topped the 10-pound mark and cod that went 7-10 pounds.

He said a southerly swell made it a rough morning but the ocean calmed and conditions were "nice." Barrus said he moved around in 90 to 130 feet of water in the same area they caught the world record.

Mary Barrus reported earlier Friday that previous tautog catches have been "really good" with lots of limits. She said the tog average a very decent 7 pounds with some going between 10 and 14 pounds. The heaviest fish caught Thursday was 12 pounds, she said.

The North Star runs eight hours Monday-Saturday starting at 8 a.m. and 12 hours Sundays at 5 a.m. The fare is $65 inshore and $85 offshore.

Paul Thompson is running Porgy IV from South Jersey Marina in Cape May. He has a trip scheduled for Sunday and another that was developing with phone calls from eager customers for today. Like many others, Thompson is amazed at the mild winter and continued decent fishing conditions.

"We caught them last weekend," Thompson said Friday. "The fish are still around."

That's what Mike O'Neill said Friday. He had an ocean duck-hunting trip Friday on the Stray Cat open/partyboat. The last time he went fishing was last weekend, when one of the customers on board picked a 13-pound tog.

O'Neill sounded a little disappointed at the size of that fish, indicating they often catch bigger fish. The heaviest tog caught on the Stray Cat this year weighed 16 pounds.

O'Neill said one of the problems with fishing for tog this time of year is keeping green crab, which is the most popular bait for them.

He said, however, that tog will bite on just about any sea critter with a shell.

In fact, he relayed a neat story about one angler who takes shrimp to use for bait when he goes fishing for tog. O'Neill said this angler buys cooked shrimp from a store and brings along some cocktail sauce. He said the tog gobble the shrimp and then the angler enjoys eating what's left over on the journey back to the dock.

O'Neill has an offshore codfish run scheduled for Sunday, and has some room on the boat. He expects to leave the dock at Seaview Harbor Marina in Great Egg Inlet at 4 a.m. Call 609-391-9630.

Incidentally, tog regulations in place at the end of last year carry over to the beginning of this year. One of the changes planned for this year is an increase in the size minimum from 14 to 15 inches. But any changes in the regulations won't go into effect until signed into law, according to state Department of Environ-mental Protection spokesman Lawrence Hajna. So right now and likely to the end of February, it is still a four-fish daily possession limit at 14 inches.

A tip about a run of mackerel inshore off North Jersey did not develop, but a report about continued decent striped bass fishing along the beaches did.

Bob Matthews at Fisher-man's Den in Belmar Marina said Friday that surfcasters, actually mostly anglers fishing from jetties, are still getting striped bass. He added that up until a week ago they had some keepers, but lately they are mostly shorts less than 28 inches.

"It's crazy," Matthews said. "This time of the year, it's a bonus. Last year, we were shut out (mainly because of the snowy weather)."

Not a lot of surfcasters are out there trying anywhere along the Jersey coast, so the information coming in is limited. Matthews said good reports are coming from Deal and Long Branch.

And the surfcasters are having more success now plugging with lures such as Bombers rather than Ava jigs and teasers, which had been successful in late fall and into winter.

Matthews said at least two of the partyboats out of Belmar Marina are targeting mackerel, but they are sailing a "good ways" off to get them.

Matthews also reported that captains of the offshore boats say they see bird action and stripers "very close" to the beach on their way out. Miss Belmar and Golden Eagle are two of the bigger boats jogging offshore.

The striped bass season is open in the state from zero (surf) to three miles but closed until March in back bays and inlets as delineated by the colregs demarcation lines on NOAA charts.

Ocean Explorer and Mohawk, two other partyboats out of Belmar Marina, are concentrating more inshore for tautog.

Some anglers might remember mackerel. There used to be a strong inshore run in the spring that kind of sparked the excitement for the start of the local fishing season.

That really has not happened for some time.

A couple of reminders:

Recreational anglers age 16 and older must register to fish in New Jersey, and it can only be done on the Internet. Go to www.saltwaterregistry.nj.gov

The Atlantic City Boat Show is at Atlantic City Convention Center Feb. 1-5.... READ MORE

Upcoming fishing events 2012

1/21/2012 lawoklepas No comments

Upcoming fishing events 2012

Despite the fact that there are those who continue to cast a line during the winter months, by now, most have hung up their rods for the season. This does have an ill effect on the true angler’s disposition and many go into deep depression during these dark and dreary days. There are, however, some events that can return a smile to the face of even the most depressed.

For starters the Fly Fishing Film Tour is retuning to the Leura Eastman Performing Arts Center in Fryeburg, Saturday, Feb. 4. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. There will be a silent auction and beverages and appetizers will be available for purchase. Tickets are available in advance on line through FryeburgAcademy.org. Advance tickets are just $12 or at the door for $15. All of the proceeds go to the Tin Mountain Conservation Center’s “Trout Research Project.”

Last year The Film Tour was the fishing social event of the year. Anglers from Maine and New Hampshire filed the auditorium to near capacity. For a sneak preview you can click on flyfilmtour.com where you will find a number of trailers for the film.

The Tin Mountain Trout Research Project has been an ongoing project for the last three years. Our local Trout Unlimited Chapter, Saco Valley Anglers, has been involved from the start, helping to provide volunteers and funding via a National Trout Unlimited “Embrace a Stream Grant.” Two of the local sponsors for the event are S.S. Flies and the North Country Angler. This is a real fun evening and well worth attending.

Another upcoming event is the New Hampshire Fly Fishing Show held at the Pelham Fish and Game Club in Pelham. This year’s show is scheduled for March 3 and 4. This is a small show, but always draws a good crowd. Needless to say The North Country Angler will have a booth. There are always a number of vendors selling fly tying materials as well as various guides and outfitters in attendance. In addition there are always some great presentations offered by some of New Hampshire’s best fishing guides. In all modesty, we will be presenting a slide show on fishing the White Mountains.

Tying flies is perhaps one of the best ways I know to beat the winter doldrums. The Saturday morning fly tying get-togethers that we have at the shop have been helping to keep anglers sane for over nine years. This year we have assembled one of the most eclectic groups of tiers that we have seen in years. Our tiers come from all walks of life and each one of them brings their own individual prospectus to the table. Among our group there are lawyers, engineers, doctors, a military research expert, teachers, high school students and one fly shop guy. You would be wrong think that this is a group limited to just men as we do have the occasional lady tier. The fly tying is all the best part of the morning, but there have been some very interesting conversations as well.

This year, sadly, there has been one empty seat at our table. Unfortunately our dear friend Earl Stetson has been absent do to an unfortunate illness. Earl, and Linda too, we all miss you and our thoughts and prayers are with you. To date not one of us has tied a Bomber, it is time you were back.

See you on the river.... READ MORE

Fly Fishing Gets Cold 2012

1/21/2012 lawoklepas No comments

Fly Fishing Gets Cold 2012

KENNEBUNK -- Dan Dykstra couldn't wait to wade into the cold water of the Mousam River. So he asked fellow fisherman Kevin McKay to pull over for a taste of the brown trout fishery after they drove down from Bangor earlier this month. And didn't the Old Town fisherman get into a mess of brown trout?

The next day at dawn alongside other eager fly fishermen, Dykstra willingly waded back into the ice-cold water to hook more than a dozen trout, including one 18 inches long.

You'd think this was the April or May hatch season.

Welcome to Maine's annual Freeze Up, the gathering of fly fishermen who kick off the year together doing what they love best.

Every January for nine years, these guys have gathered in the dead of winter -- some from as far as New York and Connecticut -- for a veritable fly-and-casting convention beside one of Maine's year-round fisheries.

The fishing is the crazy piece, but really secondary to the gathering on shore, where talk is about egg sandwiches, salmon, conservation and cigars. It evolved out of one guide's desire to say thank you.

In 2004, fishing website administrator Kevin McKay and a couple friends wanted to celebrate the new year fishing. That first year, a half dozen showed at the banks of the Presumpscot River. The next year, 10 showed, and pretty soon the count was over 20 for the annual event.

McKay continued the tradition to thank the fishing community for turning his fishing forum (www.Maineflyfish.com) into a buzz word.

"So many people have come to the website and made it better," McKay said.

This year's Freeze Up had as many as 70 show throughout the day. But even two years ago in a blizzard, 35 came to fish.

"This is the most. Right now there are more than 20 guys fishing on the river," said McKay as he looked up and down the Mousam's winding bends.

McKay and Jim Bernstein from Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop in Cape Neddick offer a free breakfast spread, drawings for prizes and a casting contest for a new rod.

No professionals are allowed in the casting competition, and past winners can't compete.

"The best casters blow it. The pressure is too much. I make everyone enter. I go around and tell them. Then I tell the kids the tricks," McKay said.

This year the competition was won by Sam Kenney, 12, of Dixmont, which made for a perfect Freeze Up ending.

Kenney came to learn from the older fishermen.

"He started fly fishing at seven and a half," said Ellen Gronlie, who watched her son cast from a park bench. "There are so many kind people here. They're so helpful. They share their knowledge. Now Sam actually teaches us, me and my husband."

Other youngsters showed up to learn through osmosis.

Seth Greene, 20, of Kennebunk and Cooper Nunan, 15, of Arundel, caught their first fish on a fly rod after McKay showed them where to cast. Greene plans to keep fishing some of the year-round rivers, even when the weather turns cold.

"We're from Maine," he shrugged.

Erik Wisniewski, 15, of Salisbury, Mass., drove up with his father to learn from the guides who lined the river.

"I wanted to meet up with great people. To hear their stories. These guys know a lot, and there is a willingness to share," said Wisniewski.

Alan Lindberg came from Gray to do just that. Lindberg is not a guide, but he is one of the Freeze Up founders, a 53-year fly fisherman known for giving his flies away to novices.

Having scanned the busy river, Lindberg was happy to leave early for a grandchild's birthday. The Freeze Up tradition, he said, will continue.

"I'm not in the first photo, because I took it," said Lindberg. "That first year it was so cold out I told my wife to drive by (the Presumpscot River) and see if they were there. And she said, 'Yeah, there's a guy with a red pickup with a grill in the back.'

"But this here is the best yet. Look at all the fishermen -- as far as the eye can see."... READ MORE

Abel Fishing Reels and Accessories 2012

10/11/2011 lawoklepas No comments

Abel Fishing Reels and Accessories 2012

Abel fishing reels and their growing range of accessories are among the most lustful items of fishing tackle available. Whether you're a fly fisher or not, there's no denying the quality and beauty that oozes out of every item they make.

Take 2012, for example. Abel have released two new reels, one for Spey, one Switch, both in a new (for them), old-school, classical design. There's a new reel finish by Montana artist Derek DeYoung, plus two of the most adorable fishing accessories I think I have ever seen - the Abelight flashlight/torch and the Abel Nippers, both available in a multitude of jaw-dropping finishes.

The Abel Switch & Abel Spey reels are two sizes in a new, ground-up reel for 2012. Designed around a classic, European look these reels have both elegance and the super slick feel of a reel made in the USA. The Spey was created to meet the demands of Steelhead and Salmon anglers using long rod spey techniques. They have both the capacity and the established pawl-click drag to chase these big fish. As ever, the anodising finish is second to none.

The Abel Switch is the Spey's baby brother - but only in terms of size and capacity. All the other features and design qualities are there; just in a tighter package, fit for switch-casters.

A single limited edition finish by Derek DeYoung this year - but what a cracker! The 2012 Brown Trout Flank is likely to be coveted by collector and angler alike. Brown Trout Flank is available on any size or model Abel Reel at an additional charge of $200.For 2012, Abel have supplemented their Angler's Flashlight range with a smaller, more compact light - the Abelight E1B. Powered by the same reliable, dual-output LED emitter, these pint sized torches sure pack a punch with 110 lumen output on the brightest setting and 5 lumens for more general light requirements. The E1B Compact weighs in at 2.8oz, is 4 inches long and is available in blue III, olive and red solid colours ($225) or in brown trout fish graphic ($275).

And for me, the best is last. Introducing the new Abel Nipper. Innovative anglers nippers, guaranteed to last and cut forever. Precision machined from aircraft grade aluminium with a replaceable line nipper made from superior grade stainless steel – similar to Abel’s award-winning pliers. Designed, manufactured and assembled in the USA and available in ALL of Abel's beautiful finishes, this has to be the new King of Nippers.

Abel Nippers are available at a reasonable (we think) $50 for solid colours and $100 for fish graphics. There is also a premium lanyard available as an extra, including machined aluminium hardware. Definitely on our Christmas list!

For more information on new Abel fishing products... READ MORE

Addressing Angler's Questions

9/22/2011 lawoklepas No comments

Addressing Angler's Questions
fish culture,fishing sport.fish production,fish market,fishing vessel,fishing boat, tips fishing,fish behavior,fishing news,info and journal fishing tour,fishing game.sea environtmen.fish news

Sea Angling 2012 is the biggest-ever survey of the sport in England, and began collecting data in August 2011. It will be collecting data through several work streams involving Cefas, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and individual Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs).

An initial press release announcing the project, issued by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra, the sponsoring department), raised concerns among some sea anglers about how the evidence gathered will be interpreted and used.

Some sea anglers have questioned the rationale behind this new scientific and economic survey, so a Questions and Answers document has been added to the project website (www.seaangling2012.org.uk) to address those queries.

The project aims to find out how many people go sea angling, how many fish they catch and how many are returned to the sea alive, and how important the sport is to the country’s economy.

The freely available Q&A ensures that sea anglers, boat owners and other stakeholders will be able to make an informed decision about contributing to the project, based on a clear and balanced understanding of the project and its intended outcomes.

Project progress reports and outputs will also be available on the project website.

Project Manager, Mike Armstrong, said: “We have received valuable advice from the project Steering Group – which includes a cross-section of the angling community – on how best to engage with and collect information from sea anglers around the coast.”

“Taking part in the surveys is voluntary,” he continued, “but we hope that most anglers will participate as they will see the benefits of building the evidence base that will allow their sport to be fairly represented in the development of marine policy.”

Mike Armstrong continues: “We hope that the Q&A will begin to correct the misinformation that seems to be circulating on some angling websites and blogs.

“Sea Angling 2012 is a scientific project designed to obtain an accurate picture of sea angling activities in England, and includes the economic and social benefits of sea angling. We want to ensure that the data we collect enables sea anglers to be fairly represented in the development of potential policy options in future.”

Sea Angling 2012 projects

9/22/2011 lawoklepas No comments

Sea Angling 2012 projects
fish culture,fishing sport.fish production,fish market,fishing vessel,fishing boat, tips fishing,fish behavior,fishing news,info and journal fishing tour,fishing game.sea environtmen.fish news

Sea Angling 2012 is a new government-sponsored project to provide data on recreational sea angling that can help improve the scientific understanding of fish stocks off our coast, as well as ensuring that the needs of sea angling can be represented as effectively as possible in future marine policy development.

The data collected will enable national and local policy makers to make informed decisions on fisheries management, and provide the sea angling community with information to help them develop their own views and policies. This will benefit anglers and businesses while helping to conserve and improve fish stocks by ensuring management decisions are based on the best possible scientific data.

The project will look at how to provide the most cost-effective information on:

the number of people who go sea angling during the year

how often they fish from the shore or from boats in different parts of England

numbers and sizes of fish caught or released to the sea

the social and economic importance of sea angling in England.

The project will be carried out by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and individual inshore fisheries and conservation authorities (IFCAs) (PDF 184 KB).