In Mixed Catch, NF Senior Editor Linc Bedrosian spotlights a wide range of commercial fishing-related news items from coast to coast.
Friday, 01 June 2012
The devastating earthquake and tsunami that shook Japan in March 2011 may be over, but its metaphorical aftershocks have reached the United States.
That earthquake damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, triggering radiation emissions that contaminated waters off the Japanese coast. Now a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences states that bluefin tuna caught near San Diego in August 2011 contained elevated levels of radioactive cesium-137 and cesium-134.
It's believed the bluefin swam through the contaminated waters before migrating across the Pacific Ocean.
However, the study also says the radiation levels found in the tuna, while higher than normal, fall well below U.S. Food and Drug Administration health risk limits. At this point, it appears a wasabi bomb may pose a greater immediate threat to sushi lovers.
But the presence of radioactive materials in the bluefin plus the arrival of earthquake and tsunami-related marine debris upon the coasts of Washington and California concerns Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.). He's sent the FDA and NOAA letters asking the agencies about their efforts to ensure seafood safety and protect public health.
"The importance of our seafood stocks and the jobs they support require vigilance when monitoring the half-life of radiation present in fish and marine debris," says Markey, a Natural Resources Committee member and senior Energy and Commerce Committee member, in a press statement. "We need to understand the environmental and human health implications of the Fukushima disaster on Pacific seafood, and I look forward to responses from these two agencies."
Callifornia crabbing: Here's a fun video shot on the decks of the Majestik while catching Dungeness crab off the coast of northern California.
Alaska fisherman and commercial fisheries activist Kevin Adams was elected chairman at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors meeting on May 9 in Anchorage.
The governor-appointed board consists of seven members: five seafood processors and two industry representatives actively engaged in commercial fishing. Adams was appointed to fill a harvester seat by Gov. Frank Murkowski in 2004.
With 38 years of fishing experience in Bristol Bay, Adams has long been an active member in the Alaska fishing industry, ASMI says. He has worked for both the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation and the Bering Sea Fisherman's Association, and represents Alaska fishermen on numerous boards.
The Northeast Regional Planning Body, a group of state, tribal and federal representatives from New England who are working to implement the National Ocean Policy and address critical New England ocean issues, is holding a series of public meetings in May and June.
The meetings are being held to discuss draft regional ocean planning goals and associated potential actions. The planning body seeks input on these goals and actions. Additional information on the group's progress can be found here.
The meetings will also provide an opportunity to review draft maps and products from initial efforts to gather information on the natural resources and diverse uses of the ocean, including fishing, transportation, energy and infrastructure, aquaculture, and recreation.
National Fisherman has been the industry standard for over 50 years. Readers from coast to coast depend on it to stay up to date on news, regulations, fish stocks, to research purchasing decisions and to stay informed of the newest vessel and product technology.
