Coastal Restoration
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Coastal Restoration
Coastal management and restoration of our planet's coastlines with a particular focus on California, Louisiana and the Pacific.  Emphasizing wetland restoration, aspects of agriculture in the coastal plain, fisheries, dealing with coastal hazards, and effective governance.
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'We caught him using his own words' NOAA: Rafael's own fishery complaints opened door to his downfall

In January 2015, angered by cuts to his portion of federal groundfish disaster relief, Rafael publicly railed against the process and said he planned to sell his more than 40 vessels and the approximately 60 federal fishing permits attached to them. 

And with that, according to a NOAA Office of Law Enforcement presentation Tuesday to the New England Fishery Management Council on the criminal case against Rafael, five federal law enforcement agencies saw their opening. 

They began widespread undercover investigations that ultimately led to Rafael's indictment and conviction in November 2017 for fisheries reporting violations, tax evasion and bulk smuggling.
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Behind the Story: Tracking abalone in the lab, by boat and under the sea

Behind the Story: Tracking abalone in the lab, by boat and under the sea | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
My job is to write about the wonders and challenges of our coast and oceans, but I’ll admit: Before this story, I had no idea what an abalone looked like.
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As Right Whale Population Plummets, Focus Turns To Their Falling Birth Rates

As Right Whale Population Plummets, Focus Turns To Their Falling Birth Rates | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
There are likely many interconnected reasons for declining birth rates. But two key factors are nutrition and stress.
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How Governments Fund Harmful High-Seas Fisheries

How Governments Fund Harmful High-Seas Fisheries | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
A recent study demonstrates how billions of dollars in government subsidies funds much of the reckless fishing that takes place in international waters.
PIRatE Lab's insight:
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Sheriff’s deputy who helped Codfather to spend year in prison

Sheriff’s deputy who helped Codfather to spend year in prison | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
You may also like: Parts of four Rafael boats, 34 permits to be seized as judge spares scallop vessels Permit banking threat helped drive Canastra Rafael deal   Scallop auction owners reach $93m agreement for Codfather fleet Council to NOAA: […]
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Eying Antarctic push, Russia announces $1.2bn investment in fishing sector

Eying Antarctic push, Russia announces $1.2bn investment in fishing sector | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
You may also like: Ocean Trawlers parent plans branded fresh products after frozen launch Global Fishery Forum: New Russian fisheries strategy to boost the country’s GDP Russian Fishery aims to develop branded pollock products for China after domestic launch
PIRatE Lab's insight:
This is begging for problems: fishing (and fishing heavily as Russia has historically done) in new regions/stocks will likely lead to yet another over harvesting situation.
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Commercial Fishing Is Destroying Key Nutrients in Coral Reefs

Commercial Fishing Is Destroying Key Nutrients in Coral Reefs | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
In coral reef ecosystems, fish typically constitute a substantial portion of living biomass and thus represent an important reservoir of…
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Closing the Port to Illegal Fishers | Hakai Magazine

Closing the Port to Illegal Fishers | Hakai Magazine | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
A new international agreement should help strip illegal fishers’ access to the market.
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Fisheries Scientist Under Fire For Undisclosed Seafood Industry Funding

Fisheries Scientist Under Fire For Undisclosed Seafood Industry Funding | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
Ray Hilborn has a reputation for challenging studies showing declines in fish populations. But Greenpeace says its public records request has revealed a failure to disclose industry funding on papers.
PIRatE Lab's insight:
Academic freedom or industry-leaning bias?  This seems to be more of a "fishing expedition" on the part of Greenpeace.  See Dr. Hilborn's rebuttal:

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Helping Fishermen Catch What They Want, and Nothing Else

Helping Fishermen Catch What They Want, and Nothing Else | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
It's the holy grail of commercial fishing: catch just the right amount of just the right size of just the right species, without damage to the physical
PIRatE Lab's insight:
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Why reports of the duiker’s demise were greatly exaggerated

Why reports of the duiker’s demise were greatly exaggerated | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
When it comes to hunting animals for bushmeat, how much is too much?
PIRatE Lab's insight:

A perennial threat to over-hyping conservation threats.

Garry Rogers's comment, February 14, 2016 2:11 PM
Bushmeat is not a sustainable food source without controls over population and resource harvest. Focusing on a species that has so far withstood the human onslaught might be irrelevant when the focus should be on the human threats.
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High seas fishing ban could boost global catches, equality

High seas fishing ban could boost global catches, equality | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
Analysis of fisheries data indicates that if increased spillover of fish stocks from protected international waters were to boost coastal catches by 18 per cent, current global catches would be maintained. When the researchers modeled less conservative estimates of stock spillover, catches in coastal waters surpassed current global levels.
PIRatE Lab's insight:

Clearly the high seas are the unregulated underbelly of the planet.  This is an interesting study that gives an estimate of how much productivity is being taken out of the global ocean outside of 200nm limit zones proximate to land.  But (as always) this issue is enforcement.

 

Here is the full article:

http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/srep08481

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Google Launches Global Fishing Watch Tool at World Parks Congress

Google Launches Global Fishing Watch Tool at World Parks Congress | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it

The Global Fishing Watch tool, currently in Prototype stage, was launched today at the 6th IUCN World Parks Congress event in Sydney, a conference bringing together over 5,000 delegates from over 170 countries to discuss the future of protected areas, our planet’s environment and sustainability.

 

During their presentation, Google along with project technology partners SkyTruth and Oceana discussed how the tool will be made available to the public, enabling users to monitor when and where commercial fishing is happening around the world. This allows global citizens to use the tool from the comfort of their own home to see if their fishieries are being managed effectively, whilst inversely allowing fishermen to be able to prove they are obeying international and environmental laws and guidelines.

PIRatE Lab's insight:

This is a fantastic tool, but recall this is only a beta and only for ships with actively transmitting transponders.

 

See: Globalfishingwatch.org

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Column: Inside the great tuna price-fixing scam

Column: Inside the great tuna price-fixing scam | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
Secret meetings, whispered threats -- the price-fixing case against tuna companies sounds like a mafia story.
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Idaho Fish and Game official draws heat for posing with animals he killed during Africa hunting trip

Idaho Fish and Game Commissioner Blake Fischer is being criticized for posting pictures of himself on a game hunt in Africa. The pictures depict him posing with a giraffe and a family of baboons he killed.
PIRatE Lab's insight:
Another example of the windows tweeters and posters give to their inner/non-public lives via social media.
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California's salmon industry fears it will be wiped out by Trump

Already devastated by drought, California's salmon industry fears being wiped out by Trump's environmental rollbacks.
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Researchers map massive global footprint of industrial fishing

Researchers map massive global footprint of industrial fishing | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
Their findings estimate that fishing activities occurred on nearly three-quarters of the ocean’s surface in 2016 alone
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China has been killing turtles, coral and giant clams in the South China Sea, tribunal finds

China has been killing turtles, coral and giant clams in the South China Sea, tribunal finds | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
The Hague court's finding that China caused 'devastating' harm to marine ecosystems could shift the political dynamics, some analysts say.
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Countries to discuss plunging bluefin tuna stocks in Pacific Ocean

Countries to discuss plunging bluefin tuna stocks in Pacific Ocean | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
You may also like: DNA tests confirm southern bluefin tuna on menu in mainland China Japanese seafood distributor Kyokuyo to sell its farmed bluefin US refuses to list Pacific bluefin as endangered
PIRatE Lab's insight:
An international meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPFC) commission is expected to discuss fishing regulations on Pacific bluefin tuna, a species that has plunged to less than 10% of its original population as a result of overfishing. The meeting, which is expected to cover the long-term resource recovery goals set to be achieved by 2034, will be held for Aug. 28 in South Korea. 
During the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) meeting that took place in Mexico City last month, no measures were agreed to tackle the decrease in Pacific bluefin tuna, sources that attended the meeting told Undercurrent News.
Guillermo Moran, director of industry association Tunacons, had told Undercurrent that the IATTC meeting last month did not discuss bluefin tuna stocks, because "since it is a shared population", it was decided to discuss new conservation measures jointly with the Western Pacific commission at the upcoming meeting. Japan’s fisheries agency said the long-term resource recovery goals for the species set to be achieved by 2034 can be achieved if it continues with its present regulations, which aim to reduce fishing of juvenile bluefin tuna by half, Japan News reported. It claims it will be possible to achieve the long-term target of stocks of 130,000 metric tons by continuing its current regulations. It might also propose penalties against fishermen that do not respect the rules. This year Mexico and Japan exceeded the internationally-agreed limits. Japan, which has 80% of the entire fishing quota of 4,007t, exceeded it by almost 10%, attracting international criticism. At a Japanese event in Tokyo to discuss management of bluefin tuna on Aug. 8, local fishermen requested the resource management to be loosened. However, the US and other countries are against any loosening of regulations before the provisional target is met in 2024. "Japan is determined to protect fishermen, and is losing international trust as a result. In the current circumstances, there’s just no way Japan can propose things like early deregulation," said Toshio Katsukawa, an associate professor at Tokyo university of marine science and technology. Contact the reporter matilde.mereghetti@undercurrentnews.com
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Watch Full Episodes Online of PBS NewsHour on PBS | In the increasingly damaged sea, one animal is thriving

Watch Full Episodes Online of PBS NewsHour on PBS | In the increasingly damaged sea, one animal is thriving | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it

Climate change, overfishing and pollution would naturally seem harmful for marine life. But one group of animals appears to be thriving: jellyfish. The blob-like creatures reproduce rapidly in higher temperatures and can prosper in waters tainted by human activity, such as the Gulf of Mexico’s oxygen-depleted “dead-zone.” Plus, declining fish populations mean reduced competition for food.
PIRatE Lab's insight:
We are clearly working very hard to make our world ocean one on filamentous algae, slimes of microbial films, and jellyfish swarms.  Awesome!
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After years of decline, cod and a community rebound in Newfoundland - The Boston Globe

After years of decline, cod and a community rebound in Newfoundland - The Boston Globe | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
In Newfoundland, where most of the young men who would have followed their fathers into the fishery have either left the island or entered other professions, there’s something new in the salty air of many of the old, neglected fishing towns: hope.
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Poke sweeps the Bay Area, but how’s the seafood sourced?

Poke sweeps the Bay Area, but how’s the seafood sourced? | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
The places that purvey them are painted in bright colors, like fro-yo shops, and offer a customizable assembly-line ordering experience, like Chipotle. In the Bay Area, typical options include brown rice, white rice and kale salad — or, if you’re at the shiny new Pokeatery in San Mateo, crunchy kelp noodles. [...] you choose two, three or more types of protein — ahi, yellowtail, salmon, shrimp, imitation crab, spicy tuna and octopus are the most common, though you can occasionally find scallops, tofu and chicken. The fish is mixed in a sauce, traditionally a salty-sweet shoyu, but shops offer everything from spicy mayo to citrusy ponzu. Most have edamame, mango, avocado, roasted garlic, green onions, jalapeño and masago; some have radish sprouts, like the new I’a Poke on Church Street, or crunchy bits like lotus chips and macadamia nuts, as promised at the soon-to-open Pokeworks in Mountain View. I try to be careful with my seafood sourcing, avoiding sushi places that sell bluefin and other raw fish unless I know the provenance. Poki Time at least lists the fish’s country of origin, but there’s little information about the fishing methods — and other shops, like Colma’s Poke Bowl, could only tell me that their fish was “fresh.” When it comes to sourcing, specificity is key, says Crystal Sanders of Fish Revolution, a Bay Area company that works to educate business owners and customers on responsible seafood choices. In particular, it’s important to know the specific fish species, because some are more endangered than others — if tuna, is it ahi, bluefin or the more sustainable albacore? Some fish, like ahi or octopus, may not be terrible to eat in themselves, but the methods used to catch them, especially outside the U.S., can dredge up other fish, sea birds, sharks and sea turtles. The Whole Beast started offering poke at its expanded seafood counter at the Hall in November, and sustainable fish pop-up Hook Fish Co. is searching for a brick-and-mortar space where it will sell its poke along with seafood and other products.
PIRatE Lab's insight:
This past weekend we were in Los Angeles and passed several Poke restaurants that proudly proclaimed "nothin' but poke" and "all we got is poke."  This is crazy.  At a time when thunnids are at historic lows, for this trend to be popping up now is simply crazy.
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National Bycatch Strategy :: Office of Sustainable Fisheries

National Bycatch Strategy :: Office of Sustainable Fisheries | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it

NOAA Fisheries is committed to minimizing bycatch in U.S. fisheries. While we've made great progress, there is more to do. We have developed a draft National Bycatch Reduction Strategy, and we want your input.

 

Efforts to address bycatch fall into six broad program areas.

 

1) Monitor and Estimate: We monitor and estimate the rates of bycatch and bycatch mortality in fisheries to understand the level of impact and the nature of the interaction.

2) Research and Development: We conduct and support research to improve estimates of bycatch rates, better understand the impacts of bycatch on species interactions and community dynamics, modify fishing gear, and develop mitigation tools to minimize bycatch and its impacts.

3) Implement and Manage: We work with partners to develop and implement domestic management measures and promote the adoption and implementation of international measures to address bycatch and its impacts.

4) Evaluate and Improve: We evaluate the effectiveness of science and management programs to determine whether programs achieve stated goals and identify needed improvements.

5) Enforce: We enforce fishery management measures and work with state, federal, and international partners to ensure compliance with all applicable laws.

6) Communicate: We communicate within the Agency and to stakeholders to maximize the impact of bycatch reduction efforts

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'FishLove' is Back With More Celebs Posing Nude to Support Marine Species - Ecorazzi

'FishLove' is Back With More Celebs Posing Nude to Support Marine Species - Ecorazzi | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
Celebs like, Helena Bonham Carter, have shed their clothes in support of the Blue Marine Foundation's campaign, Fishlove.

Via Gaye Rosier
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'Industrialized' Ocean a Looming Threat to Marine Life

'Industrialized' Ocean a Looming Threat to Marine Life | Coastal Restoration | Scoop.it
A new report reviews the past, present, and future of ocean animals.
PIRatE Lab's insight:

Nothing new here, but a nice packaging and articulation of what many of us worry about.

 

It is still interesting to note that most of the public still see pollution as the biggest threat (by far) compared to other stressors.

 

The original paper is here:

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6219/1255641.abstract

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