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06/02/2004: "Scuba News for June"
It's about time comes to mind when I read this - Peggy
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Competition to Find Fishing Gear That Reduces Wildlife Deaths
A coalition of fishermen, scientists, and conservationists has announced a competition to seek "innovative fishing gear that reduces bycatch" – the accidental deaths of marine mammals, birds, sea turtles and non-target fish species. The International Smart Gear Competition is open to anyone and will award a $25,000 Grand Prize to the design "judged to be the most practical, cost-effective method for reducing bycatch of any species." The winner will also be provided with assistance in bringing the design to market.
Participants in the International Smart Gear Competition are asked to develop fishing gears or methods that increase selectivity for target fish species and reduce bycatch of non-target species in ways that
still allow fishermen to fish profitably. There are three categories for entries:
1. gear that reduces sea turtle bycatch,
2. gear that reduces cetacean bycatch, and
3. gear that reduces bycatch of any other non-target species.
The winning entry will receive funding to take the design from the drawing-board stage to prototype development, testing, and initial manufacture.
The winner of the International Smart Gear Competition will be decided by judges from World Wildlife Fund, the National Fisheries Institute, the American Fisheries Society, the Fisheries Conservation Foundation, the Marine Wildlife Bycatch Consortium (comprised of the New England Aquarium, Duke University, the University of New Hampshire and the Maine Lobstermen's Association), the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For Further Information: www.smartgear.org.
U.S. Considering Plan to Protect Whales
By JOHN HEILPRIN
.c The Associated Press
05/25/04 15:59 EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) -- In an effort to protect North Atlantic right whales, one of the world's most endangered large whales, the Bush administration is considering speed and routing restrictions for East Coast shipping.
The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration plans to release details by month's end of the first step in the process of issuing the new rules.
Only about 300 right whales exist in U.S. and Canadian waters of the western North Atlantic, the species depleted largely by centuries of commercial whaling. Now, accidental collisions with ships or entanglements with nets threaten recovery. Adult right whales, which can live about 70 years, range from 45 to 60 feet long and weigh 30 to 80 tons.
Aleria Jensen, a fishery biologist with NOAA's Office of Protected Resources, said Tuesday that ship strikes have been responsible for an average of one to two right whale deaths per year over the last decade.
``At this point, the North Atlantic right whale population status is so critical that even the loss of a single individual may impact the species' ability to recover,'' she said.
Jensen's office in Silver Spring, Md., which is responsible for protecting endangered marine species, intends to set uniform speed limits after receiving 60 days of public comment and holding meetings on the East Coast.
Right whales, apparently named for a belief that they were the ``right whale'' to hunt, were much hunted in the past for their oil. The International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling in 1986.
NOAA says there have been at least 292 ship strikes on large whales from 1975 to 2002, including 38 involving North Atlantic right whales. That's partly because the whales are slow, love shallow water and spend time on the water's surface, often in shipping lanes.
An environmental group, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, says ship strikes are on the rise because of increasing coastal ship traffic, smaller crew size, bigger vessels, faster speeds and deafening underwater noise that obscures approaching propellers.
Options for protecting the last right whales, NOAA officials say, include rerouting vessels around the highest-risk areas, restricting ship speeds to not-yet-determined levels in those areas or changing their routes to minimize the time spent in whale areas.
Affected vessels would be 65 feet or longer or weighing more than 300 gross tons, but the limits would be imposed only in areas where the whales were present.
After outlining the options, NOAA plans to complete a six-month environmental assessment of potential impacts and then propose the new regulations by early 2005.
``The goal is to reduce the overlap of ships and whales, but we have limited management options,'' Jensen said. ``We're trying to balance this between maximum protection for the whales and minimal impact on the industry.''
Hubert Wiesenmaier, executive director of American Import Shippers Association Inc. in New Rochelle, N.Y., said the new rules would make nobody in the industry really happy, but officials will adopt a
wait-and-see attitude.
``The impact on transit time is always important for cargo owners,'' he said. Still, ``Nobody would say, `Go full steam ahead, hit the whales,' because it costs us money.''
Bruce Russell, a retired Coast Guard officer in Chevy Chase, Md., recommended in an August 2001 report that ships reduce their usual speeds of 14-25 mph to a range of 10-15 mph in whale areas. He said it is estimated the new rules could cost the billion-dollar shipping industry $10 million to $20 million a year.
On the Net:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot(underscore)res
Center for Coastal Studies whale rescue:
http://www.coastalstudies.org/rescue/index.htm
For all those divers that spear Striped Bass -
These fishery meetings are important.
Make sure your voice is heard at these meetings!
Make sure that spearfishing is in the rules for allowable fishing!
Make sure people in fisheries know you catch fish.
If people don't speak up at meetings (and not just me), there is always a chance that divers will be overlooked when they write the rules. I got an advanced look at some of the proposals tonight - will stick them below.
This is for NJ State Waters only - since fishing for Striped Bass is still closed in Federal Waters (but for how much longer??) Peggy
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DEP Press Release -
PUBLIC MEETINGS ON STRIPED BASS REGULATIONS
JUNE 1, 3 AND 7
(04/58) TRENTON - The Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Division of Fish and Wildlife will hold three public meetings on this year's proposed regulations for striped bass recreationally caught in
state waters. The meetings are scheduled for June 1 in Bergen County, June 3 in Ocean County and June 7 in Cape May County.
The DEP, in cooperation with the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council, developed several recreational-fishery options that would allow New Jersey to maintain compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Interstate Fisheries Management Plan for Striped Bass. The options will be discussed so the state's recreational striped-bass fishermen and the public can help determine which option best balances anglers' needs and preferences with conservation of the fishery.
Meeting times and locations are:
June 1, 7-10 p.m.
Hackensack Meadowlands Environmental Commission Auditorium
2 Dekorte Park Plaza
Lyndhurst, Bergen County
June 3, 7:30-10 p.m.
Brick Township Municipal Building
401 Chambers Bridge Road
Brick Township, Ocean County
June 7, 7-10 p.m.
Avalon Borough Council Chambers
3100 Dune Drive
Avalon, Cape May County
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Draft Striped Bass Fishery Options (as of 5/25/04)
1. 2 fish @ 28" or over; no Bonus program
2. 2 fish @ 28" or over; with Bonus fish @ 28" or over
3. 2 fish @ 28" or over; with a Bonus fish @ 24" to less than 28" (this would be caught in a hurry and the bonus fish part shut down they said)
4. 1 fish @ 24" to less than 28" Plus 1 @ 34+"; with a Bonus Fish @ 28" or more
5. 1 fish @ 26" to less than 30" Plus 1 @ 33+"; with Bonus Fish @ 30" or more
The Bonus fish would require registering like now -- but maybe a fee for the card - ???
Important that divers that catch fish attend these meetings.
New Book -
ALLIANCE FOR A LIVING OCEAN EVENT LISTINGS
From: "Alliance for a Living Ocean"
+ + + + + +
1. WHAT:
INHERIT THE EARTH FIELD TRIP TO THE M.A.T.E.S MARINE WET LAB AND BOAT RIDE
WHEN: July 13, 2004
WHERE:
Departs from the
John J. Guld Ball Field
West 5th Street & Barnegat Avenue
Ship Bottom, NJ
Join Alliance for a Living Ocean on Tuesday, July 13 as we tour the facilities of Ocean County Vo-Tech's Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science, which hosts a wet lab with live marine specimens. This trip includes a guided environmental boat tour of the Toms River. The trip departs from the John J. Guld Ball Field on West 5th Street in Ship Bottom at 9:00 am and returns at 1:30pm. Tickets are $16/adult and $8/child and can be purchased from the ALO Environmental Center at 2007 Long Beach Boulevard in North Beach Haven or by calling ALO at (609) 492-0222.
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2. WHAT:
INHERIT THE EARTH FIELD TRIP TO JENKINSON'S AQUARIUM
WHEN: August 10, 2004
WHERE:
Departs from the
John J. Guld Ball Field
West 5th Street & Barnegat Avenue
Ship Bottom, NJ
Join Alliance for a Living Ocean on Tuesday, August 12 as we take a behind the scenes tour of Jenkinson's Aquarium. Come see exhibits such as Atlantic sharks, Pacific sharks, coral reefs, penguins, alligators and seals. You will have the opportunity to get up close to animals from around the globe. Another attraction, the touch tank, will allow you to touch live animals ranging from a sea star to a juvenile shark! The trip departs from the John J. Guld Ball Field on West 5th Street in Ship Bottom at 9:00 am and returns at 1:30pm. Tickets are $16/adult and $8/child and can be purchased from the ALO Environmental Center at 2007 Long Beach Boulevard in North Beach Haven or by calling ALO at
(609) 492-0222.
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3. WHAT:
BARNEGAT BAY SEINING DAY
WHEN: August 17, 2004
WHERE:
Barnegat Light Bay Beach
25th Street and the bay
Barnegat Light, NJ
Join Alliance for a Living Ocean for a fun-filled day of seining at the edge of Barnegat Bay at the Bay Beach in Barnegat Light from 10 am to noon. This program is a fun, hands-on opportunity for children and adults, over age 5, to examine and learn about the creatures living in Barnegat Bay and its surrounding wetlands. Tickets are $7 per adult and participating child and advance reservations are suggested. For more information or directions call ALO at (609) 492-0222.
* * *
Contact:
Jason Koralja, (609) 492-0222, jasonlivingoceanalo@comcast.net
Alliance for a Living Ocean is a grass roots non-profit (501-c-3) organization based in North Beach Haven, NJ with members throughout the New Jersey / New York / Pennsylvania tri-state area. ALO promotes clean coastal waters through educational programs, legislation, and outreach. The Alliance can be reached at (609) 492-0222, or visit the ALO Environmental Center at 2007 Long Beach Boulevard, North Beach Haven, NJ.
Shipwrecks of Rhode Island and Connecticut book
by Gary Gentile
This 6x9 softcover book has 240 pages and covers over 60 of the areas most popular shipwrecks. The text is loaded with historical photographs, information and even has a loran and GPS list of shipwreck locations. Wrecks include the Black Point, L-8, Larchmont, Onondaga, Rhode Island, Bass, Lightburne, U-853, Spikefish, Poling Bros, Annapolis, Heroine and many more.
Shipwrecks of Rhode Island and Connecticut #GRIC Retail $20.00
Dan Berg sent in this information - you can reach him at:
To Order: Contact Aqua Explorers Inc, 2745 Cheshire Dr, Baldwin NY 11510
Phone/Fax 516 868-2658
E-mail Wreckvalle@aol.com
He has a special offer!