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Date: Tue, 3 Jun 1997 09:12:04 -0400
From: Kate Wing <[log in to unmask]>
Fisheries and Marine Mammals: Most Recent Developments -- 5/30/97
New info and changes since 5/23/97 are bracketed {...}. New info
and changes since 5/29/97 are in CAPITAL LETTERS.
Marine Fisheries
Van Camp Seafood Sale. A June 25, 1997, hearing on the proposed
sale of Van Camp Seafood Co., Inc. to Tri-Union Seafoods LLC for
approx. $90 million has been set by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court,
San Diego, CA. The Van Camp sale motion states that Tri-Union
will pay $8.5 million if, within 3 years of sale closing,
Tri-Union merges with more than 50% of the securities or assets
of Bumble Bee Seafoods Inc. [Dow Jones News]
{CITES Oversight Hearing. On June 3, 1997, the House Resources
Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans has
tentatively scheduled an oversight hearing on the biennial
meeting of Parties to CITES (Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Zimbabwe later in
June.} [personal communication]
{New England Code of Conduct. On May 28, 1997, the New England
Fishery Management Council adopted a voluntary, non-binding Code
of Conduct, urging commercial fishermen to protect the fishery
resource, ensure high-quality products, advance scientific
knowledge, keep abreast of technological innovations, and develop
mutual respect and trust.} [Assoc Press]
{HORSESHOE CRAB HARVEST BAN. ON MAY 28, 1997, NJ GOVERNOR
CHRISTIE WHITMAN AUTHORIZED THE NJ DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION TO IMPOSE AN IMMEDIATE BAN ON HORSESHOE CRAB HARVEST.
GOV. WHITMAN WAS EXPECTED TO SIGN AN EMERGENCY ORDER PROHIBITING
THE HARVEST OF HORSESHOE CRABS FOR 2 MONTHS TO PROTECT MIGRATING
SHOREBIRDS.} [ASSOC PRESS]
{LOBSTER POACHING. ON MAY 28, 1997, THE MAINE MARINE PATROL
CONFISCATED 25 UNMARKED, LARGE, OFFSHORE LOBSTER TRAPS NEAR MOUNT
DESERT ROCK, ALLEGEDLY SET IN ME WATERS ILLEGALLY BY OUT-OF-STATE
VESSELS. MORE THAN 100 ADDITIONAL ILLEGAL TRAPS WERE TO HAVE
BEEN CONFISCATED ON MAY 29.} [ASSOC PRESS]
{PG&E Lawsuit Settlement. On May 27, 1997, Pacific Gas &
Electric Co. officials reached a $14 million settlement with the
CA Attorney General concerning alleged incomplete and misleading
PG&E data involving fish larvae mortality by their Diablo Canyon
plant's water cooling system, near San Luis Obispo, CA. Of the
settlement, $3.7 million will be used for environmental
protection and enhancement in the Morro Bay area, and $2.5
million will fund San Jose State Univ.'s mussel watch program.}
[Assoc Press]
AK Tax Loan Program Terminating. On May 25, 1997, AK's state
loan program to assist commercial fishermen in paying off debts
to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service will terminate, having not
been extended by the State Legislature. Under this 3-year
program, about 220 fishermen obtained loans for IRS debts.
[Assoc Press]
{AK Herring Fishery Vessel Seizures. In late May 1997, AK
fisheries enforcement officials seized 4 out-of-state commercial
herring vessels and charged their operators with illegally
fishing in a Norton Sound herring fishery. The Norton Sound
fishery is "super-exclusive" with vessels fishing there being
ineligible to fish in other AK herring fisheries. The 4 seized
vessels are alleged to have participated in the Norton Sound
fishery as well as other AK herring fisheries this spring. AK
officials will seek forfeiture of the 4 fishing vessels in
addition to possible jail sentences and fines for the vessel
operators.} [Assoc Press]
Panelists Named for NAS ITQ Study. On May 22, 1997, NOAA
announced the names of appointees to two 15-member panels (east
coast and west coast) to provide guidance to NMFS on public input
for the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study on individual
fishing quotas (ITQs). The panels will assist NMFS in evaluating
the NAS study and in preparing an NMFS response to that study.
[NOAA press release]
Striped Bass. On May 22, 1997, the House Resources Subcommittee
on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans has tentatively
scheduled a markup on H.R. 1658, reauthorization and amendment
of the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act. [personal
communication]
Alaska Seafood Center. On May 20, 1997, the AK Industrial
Development and Export Authority approved $10 million in initial
financial assistance for Taiwanese development of a $120 million,
184,000 sq. foot AK Seafood Center in Anchorage, to produce 100
million pounds of prepared seafood product annually from raw
pollock, cod, salmon, halibut, and flatfish. [Reuters]
Whiting Harvest Agreement. On May 20, 1997, the U.S. Dept. of
Justice announced its approval for the Whiting Conservation
Cooperative (Alaska Ocean Seafood, American Seafoods, Glacier
Fish Co., and Tyson Seafood Group) to divide among themselves the
34% of the annual Pacific whiting harvest allocated to the
catcher-processor fleet as a group rather than compete in
harvesting this quota. [Assoc Press]
Quota Hopping. On May 20, 1997, British and EU officials began
discussions on how to address concerns for controlling "quota
hopping" wherein Spanish, Dutch, and other foreign fishermen have
legally obtained British commercial fishing licenses and thus
gained shares of British fish quotas. [Reuters]
Shark Cartilage Ineffective as Cancer Treatment. On May 19,
1997, results of a study presented at the annual meeting of the
American Society of Clinical Oncology in Denver, CO, concluded
that shark cartilage was inactive in patients with advanced
stages of breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer. [Midwestern
Regional Medical Center press release]
Chilean Trawler Denial. On May 19, 1997, a Chilean court revoked
the license of the $65 million, 311-foot, Norwegian supertrawler,
American Monarch, that had sought access to hoki and blue whiting
stocks in waters off Chile. The vessel remains idle in Seattle,
WA. [Dow Jones News, Assoc Press]
Carbon Monoxide in Tuna? On May 19, 1997, Japanese Health and
Welfare Ministry officials announced that they had begun an
inquiry into the alleged injection of carbon monoxide into frozen
imported raw tuna to redden its flesh, thus potentially deceiving
consumers as to its freshness. [Dow Jones News]
Canadian Atlantic Groundfish. On May 19, 1997, Canada opened the
season for a limited cod fishery off Newfoundland. This is the
first commercial cod fishery in 4 years in this region. About
5,500 fishermen will harvest a 16,000 ton quota. [Assoc Press]
LA Oil Pipeline Spill. On May 16, 1997, an oil pipeline ruptured
near Lake Barre southwest of New Orleans, LA, spilling between
10,500 gallons and 16,800 gallons of medium-weight oil. LA
authorities will decide whether or not to permit shrimp trawling
in the area, depend upon how spill cleanup progresses. On May
19, 1997, Texaco officials increased the estimate of oil spilled
to as much as 210,000 gallons. Although no areas have been
closed to shrimp trawling, shrimpers were advised to avoid the
area near the spill. On May 19, 1997, LA health officials closed
the area to oyster harvesting. Consumers have been warned by LA
health officials not to eat seafood with a noticeable petroleum
odor or flavor. [Dow Jones News, Reuters, Assoc Press]
Developing El Nino. On May 15, 1997, NOAA announced that early
indications had been detected of, and models appeared to confirm,
a developing el nino condition in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
[NOAA press release]
NC Commercial Fishery Moratorium. On May 15, 1997, the NC House
Judiciary Committee approved the package of fishery reform
measures, including a cap on the number of commercial fishing
licenses, increased commercial fishing license fees, a reduction
in membership of the Marine Fisheries Commission from 17 to 9,
strengthened fishery law enforcement, restrictions on the type of
net that could be fished, and a mechanism for involving various
environmental commissions in drafting plans to improve fish
habitat. The proposal does not include license fees for
saltwater sport anglers. {On May 27, 1997, the package of
fishery reform measures was approved by the NC House's Finance
Committee.} [Assoc Press]
{Sexual Harassment Lawsuit. In mid-May 1997, a King County (WA)
Superior Court civil jury awarded a female crew member $300,000
in a sexual harassment lawsuit. The crew member had sought
damages for alleged sexual harassment during a 6-week voyage in
1992 as a fish processor aboard a factory trawler. The jury
concluded the company had been negligent in allowing an
environment of harassment and abuse aboard the trawler.} [Assoc
Press]
Russian Fishery Enforcement. In mid-May 1997, Russian Interior
Minister Anatoly Kulikov announced his intention to create a
regional coordination center for fisheries enforcement in the
Russian Far East, uniting efforts of law enforcement bodies,
border guards, fishery protection services, regular army units,
and various information and intelligence services. [Interfax]
NOAA Environmental Valuation Workshop. On May 14-15, 1997, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has
scheduled a free workshop on environmental valuation for coastal
and marine resource managers, planners, and decision makers, to
be held in Orlando, FL. The workshop will focus on modern
economic methods and tools to address problems of valuing
environmental amenities, such as wetlands, beaches, and
recreational activities. [NOAA announcement]
Menhaden Restrictions. On May 14, 1997, the NY State Assembly
and Senate approved legislation to restrict menhaden harvesting
in Long Island Sound, due to increasing conflicts with sport
fishing. The measure postpones the annual opening of menhaden
season from May to July 4, and prohibits menhaden fishing on
weekends and holidays. [Assoc Press]
U.S.-Russia Maritime Boundary. In mid-May 1997, U.S. and
Russian negotiators decided to postpone further talks until late
summer or early fall on resolving continuing questions that are
stalling Russian ratification of a 1990 Treaty between the United
States and the former Soviet Union establishing a maritime
boundary in the Arctic Ocean and Bering and Chukchi Seas. [Assoc
Press]
Fine for Untreated Sewage. On May 12, 1997, AK Superior Court
Judge Fred Torrisi fined a Seattle-based seafood processing
company for discharging untreated sewage into Bristol Bay, AK,
waters, and using unsanitary water to process fish. [Assoc
Press]
EU Fishing Fleet Restructuring. On May 12, 1997, new British
Agriculture Minister Jack Cunningham announced that, while
Britain will continue work to eliminate "quota hoppers," it will
not veto a June 1997 review of the EU treaty by an
inter-governmental conference in Amsterdam. [Reuters]
Rotten Shrimp Fine. On May 12, 1997, U.S. District Judge Susan
C. Bucklew fined a St. Petersburg, FL, company $1 million and
sentenced two of its executives to prison sentences for treating
imported rotting shrimp with chemicals and distributing it to
U.S. markets. [Assoc Press, Reuters]
Seafood Inspection. On May 12, 1997, officials of the Clinton
Administration proposed that more seafood inspectors be hired, as
part of a broad plan to increase surveillance of imported foods
and improve U.S. food safety. [Reuters]
Oil Terminal Blockade. On May 12, 1997, fourteen fishing vessels
began a blockade of the Sullom Voe loading port for Brent crude
oil in the UK's Shetland Islands in protest of a dispute with the
International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund over suspension of
compensation payments for the 1993 Braer tanker spill.
Compensation payments ceased in October 1995 when the
compensation limit for a single claim was reached. Late on May
12, the Shetland Islands Council issued a special directive
ordering the protesters to leave the harbor or be charged with a
criminal offense. On May 13, 1997, the 14 protesting fishing
vessels dispersed after being informed that they would be charged
by police and could be liable for demurrage costs. [Dow Jones
News, Reuters]
EU Troops Clash with Puerto Rican Fishermen. On May 11, 1997,
about 35 Puerto Rican fishermen from the island of Vieques were
reported to have clashed with troops aboard 6 naval vessels from
Belgium and the Netherlands anchored in a popular fishing area
which the fishermen claimed was reserved for civilian activities.
The U.S. Navy owns portions of Vieques and allows other nations
to conduct exercises there. [Dow Jones News]
Toothfish Overfishing. On May 8, 1997, New Zealand officials
announced that they would query Chinese officials on a report by
the conservation group TRAFFIC that China was preparing a
200-vessel fleet to harvest toothfish in the Southern Ocean.
Toothfish overfishing was scheduled to be discussed at an
Antarctic Treaty consultative meeting in Christchurch, NZ, in
late May 1997. In mid-May 1997, joint action to halt toothfish
overfishing was announced by France, South Africa, Norway,
Australia, and New Zealand at the conclusion of informal talks in
Christchurch, NZ. {ON MAY 30, 1997, THE PARTIES AT THE ANTARCTIC
TREATY CONSULTATIVE MEETING IN CHRISTCHURCH, NZ, CALLED UPON
CHINA TO SIGN THE 1980 CONVENTION ON THE CONSERVATION OF
ANTARCTIC MARINE LIVING RESOURCES. RECENT INFORMATION INDICATES
THAT AS MUCH AS 100,000 METRIC TONS OF TOOTHFISH MAY BE IN
STORAGE AND THE PRICE FOR THIS PRODUCT HAS COLLAPSED.} [Reuters,
Assoc Press, Dow Jones News]
Subsistence Halibut Fishery. On May 8, 1997, a resolution
calling on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to reject
a proposal to create a subsistence fishery for halibut in state
and federal waters off AK was approved by the AK Senate. [Assoc
Press]
ME Herring. In early May 1997, ME Governor Angus King announced
that 6,000 metric tons of herring could be caught by ME fishermen
in the Gulf of Maine and delivered to offshore foreign
"internal-waters" processors, beginning in July 1997. [Assoc
Press]
Abalone Harvesting Ban. On May 6, 1997, the CA Fish and Game
Commission approved a four-month moratorium on sport and
commercial harvesting of red abalone from San Francisco to the
Mexican border. Biologists report the population has declined
75% in the last two decades. Red abalone retail for as much as
$85 per pound in southern CA. On May 15, 1997, the CA State
Senate voted 25-6 to approve a bill imposing an indefinite
moratorium on harvesting red abalone south of San Francisco.
[Assoc Press]
....
End of Part 1/3
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