We have written a bunch about herring here in the Lateral Line blog over the years. Do a search on the side bar for “herring” a bunch of blog posts should come up. Some groups recently banded together to try and get something done to stop the harvest of these fish before they are all gone.

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The Marine Fish Conservation Network joined with the National Coalition for Marine Conservation, Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association, the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association, and 100 other fishing, conservation, science and faith-based organizations in asking U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke to take urgent action to protect river herring.

The groups sent a letter supporting the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) request that the Secretary take Emergency Action to effectively monitor and minimize river herring bycatch in ocean fisheries. The Commerce Secretary is also urged to support cooperative efforts between the Atlantic states and the federal New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils to better manage river herring and other fish that travel between state and federally-managed waters.

“The number of groups signing this letter sends a powerful message to the Secretary of Commerce and federal fishery managers in New England and the Mid-Atlantic that we want to see a serious effort made to restore river herring,” said Brooks Mountcastle, Mid-Atlantic Representative for the Marine Fish Conservation Network. “River herring play an important role in the ecosystem as prey for predator fish, marine mammals, and Continue Reading »

A friend emailed me the below information on a few film called End of the Line. I checked out the preview, some pretty powerful stuff. I think the tag line says it all, “Imagine a world with out fish”. It is worth checking out. There are screenings around the US, I am going to try and catch the one in Washington, DC in August.
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The End of the Line, the first major feature documentary film revealing the impact of overfishing on our oceans, had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Documentary Competition. Sundance took place in Park City, Utah, January 15-25, 2009.

In the film we see firsthand the effects of our global love affair with fish as food.

It examines the imminent extinction of bluefin tuna, brought on by increasing western demand for sushi; the impact on marine life resulting in huge overpopulation of jellyfish; and the profound implications of a future world with no fish that would bring certain mass starvation.

Filmed over two years, The End of the Line follows the investigative reporter Charles Clover as he confronts politicians and celebrity restaurateurs, who exhibit little regard for the damage they are doing to the oceans.

One of his allies is the former tuna farmer turned whistleblower Roberto Mielgo on the trail of those destroying the world’s magnificent bluefin tuna population.

Filmed across the world, from the Straits of Gibraltar to the coasts of Senegal and Alaska to the Tokyo fish market, featuring top scientists, indigenous fishermen and fisheries enforcement officials, The End of the Line is a wake-up call to the world.
The end of seafood by 2048
Scientists predict that if we continue fishing as we are now, we will see the end of most seafood by Continue Reading »

It was reported in the Baltimore Sun this past Sunday so it’s now official, I and eleven other members have been appointed by the Governor of Maryland to the Sport Fish Advisory Commission. Only a few older members return to the list with a host of new ones. I was sworn in this week and will start work when the meetings resume in September. Many members of the Maryland fishing community know me from the TidalFish.com website that I also run which is why you see that listed after my name.

Candus Thomson reported in her outdoor column in the Baltimore Sun on Sunday:

Take your seats, gentsHere are your new representatives on the Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission. Please hold your applause until all names are announced: Dave Sikorski, Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland; Bill Windley, Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association; Ed O’Brien, Maryland Charterboat Association; James Wommack, recreational angler; Roger Trageser, Maryland Bass Federation; Val Lynch, Ocean City Marlin Club; Brandon White, Tidalfish.com; Bill Goldsborough, Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Larry Coburn, guide and tackle shop representative; Neil Jacobs, Trout Unlimited; Herb Smith, McDaniel College; and Jim Gracie, Maryland Aquatic Resource Coalition.

And these are the members of the Tidal Fisheries Advisory Commission: John Van Alstein, waterman and potter; Larry Simns, Maryland Watermen’s Association; Richard Young; Andrea Jacquette, seafood retailer; Jack Brooks, crab processor; Mike Benjamin, JR Gross, Russell Dukes, Greg Price, all watermen; Steve Gordon, coastal bays aquaculture; and Brian Keehn, Maryland Charterboat Association. The SFAC will select one of its members as a representative to TFAC.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)  announced that anglers broke two state records in last weekend’s Ocean City Shark Tournament. The first was a 642-pound thresher shark caught by Brent Applegit of Golden, Colo., and Jim Hughes of Ocean City, Md. caught the second, an 876-pound mako shark.

Applegit’s catch on Friday night broke the previous record of 613 pounds set by Don Lorden in 2003. It was his first shark catch. He and his brother were spending the Father’s Day weekend with their dad, an Ocean Pines resident. On Saturday, Hughes landed his mako shark, and shattered the old record of 766 pounds set by Frank Gaither in 1984. The shark was so large that Hughes needed a larger boat Continue Reading »

Peto Dalle Norgare is a friend from Argentina who just happens to be one of the best fly fishing and light tackle golden dorado fishing guides in Northern Argentina. As I was sitting working in the office yesterday thinking about fishing Peto sent me an email with this monster golden dorado that he had just landed for one of his clients. He said the Lateral Line hat brought them luck, nice going man! He said that they caught three of them in the area about this size. When I asked him what area that was, he replied it was the same area that my friend Tom caught a 24+pounder on a top water fly when we were down fishing with Peto earlier this year. The Rio Parana is a spectacular golden dorado fishery, if you have not been there, you should put it on the list of places to go. If you would like to get in touch with Peto to arrange some fishing you can reach him at: petodn@hotmail.com

Great dorado Peto! Thanks for the picture and keep wearing that Lateral Line hat, it is definitely lucky.

Click on the picture for a larger version

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting applications for proposals for the 2010 funding cycle from the N.C. Marine Resources Fund.

The fund, which receives proceeds from the sale of Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses, provides grants for projects that help manage, protect, restore, develop, cultivate and enhance the state’s marine resources. This is the first request for proposals issued for the fund.

Only universities, North Carolina local government entities, the state Division of Marine Fisheries and Wildlife Resources Commission are eligible to apply. Others must partner with an eligible entity.

Proposals will be evaluated based on Continue Reading »

Virginia Marine Resources Fishing Tournament 2009 Leading Entries as of June 3, 2009.
Click on the image for a larger view of the leaders

A friend and I needed our fix of a real Chesapeake crab cake so we flew down to Tangier Island for lunch yesterday. It’s a great little island with some fantastic scenery. I took my camera along and took some shots that I thought you might enjoy from the ground and air. You can click on each image for a larger version of the image. Enjoy!

Welcome to Tangier Island

Home of the future Tangier Island airport terminal

A sign of the times

Tangier Seafood Restaurant

Cabbing is the main stay of industry on the island

Shot from where we ate overlooking Tangier harbor entrance

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