At face value, a new bill that would free up Massachusetts lobster dealers and others to sell lucrative tails and other lobster parts to in-state restaurants only makes sense, especially since they were already free to sell for out-of-state use.
Indeed, the idea that national restaurant chains such as Red Lobster could not sell Massachusetts-landed lobster tails at their restaurants in the Bay State may seem absurd — especially given that meant they had to import those spiny lobster tails from places such as the Gulf of Mexico, South Africa and even Australia, theoretically cutting off the market to local lobstermen and wholesalers.
But before the state Legislature rushes into a measure that has all the best economic intentions, it's also important to make certain that there are protections aimed at addressing the chief reason for this limitation in the first place. If — or more likely when — lawmakers open the domestic Massachusetts lobster tail market, they must be certain they're not also opening new avenues to poachers who might try to bring the tails of egg-bearing or short lobsters to market as well in a move that could have dire impacts on the overall health of lobster stocks down the road.
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Callifornia crabbing: Here's a fun video shot on the decks of the Majestik while catching Dungeness crab off the coast of northern California.
Over 500 lots of seafood processing equipment formerly owned by Adak Seafood will be sold at auction on Tuesday, June 18, starting at 10 a.m. Hawaiian-Aleutian Daylight Time at the Hilton Garden Inn in Anchorage Alaska.
The equipment is located in a recently updated 250,000 square foot state-of-the-art processing facility in Adak, Alaska. Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Hilco Industrial, which conducts 75 machinery and equipment auctions in a wide range of industries annually, will conduct the auction.
Adak Seafood opened originally as Ada Fisheries in Anchorage in 1986. The facility, updated in 2005, is located on the island of Adak, the southernmost city in Alaska near the western end of the Aleutian Islands. The facility processed cod primarily, as well as halibut, blackcod, crab and pollock, Hilco says.
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.
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