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Capt Lou's Nautical News 2/21/10
Posted on: Mon 22-Feb-2010
| | A) Larry Ellison's Team BMW Oracle won back the America's Cup for the United States by defeating two-time defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland in a two race sweep in Valencia, Spain. The America's Cup, the oldest trophy in international sports, will now go on display at the San Francisco's Golden Gate Yacht Club.
B) Fishermen from around the country are planning to protest in front of the U.S. Capitol on February 24th. These are both recreational and commercial fishermen who claim new changes to the federal fisheries laws will put them out of business. Fishermen claim that the numbers set for the fish stocks to recover are impossible to attain and are based on flawed science. Organizers of the "United We Fish" rally expect up to 3,000 people to participate in the protest. The rally comes as the courts hear claims about unfair and unequal treatment by law enforcement officials in the northeast and just a few months before a new catch share and sector management system starts May 1st for these same fishermen.
C) In a related story, U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe from Maine and U.S. Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank sent a letter to NOAA head Dr. Jane Lubchenco, requesting an independent review of the science that supports the current 10 year timeline for rebuilding fish stocks. They claimed the "10 year timeline" was arbitrarily chosen and not based on science. Congressman Frank also called the rebuilding period "rigid" and "excessively punitive." The legislators want an independent study done by the National Academy of Science to validate or invalidate the 10 year mandate.
D) A Canadian tall ship, the Concordia, a sailing ship that operated as a floating classroom for a Nova Scotia school, sank 300 miles off the coast of Brazil. All 64 persons on board the ship got into lifeboats and drifted for 48 hours before being saved by the Brazilian navy. There were 48 students, 8 teachers and 8 crew on board and no injuries were reported. The ship's EPIRB, the emergency transmitter sent a distress signal as soon as it got wet. The captain said the ship had sailed around Cape Horn and some of the roughest seas in the world. For some reason, Mother Nature claimed her.
E) The owner and captain of the biofuel boat that was sunk by a Japanese whaling ship, secretly boarded the whaling ship and confronted its captain, demanding 3 million dollars in damages for payment for his vessel. The Japanese crew quickly overpowered the intruder and locked him in a private room. Under Japanese law, intruding on a Japanese vessel without a legitimate reason can bring a prison term of up to three years or a fine of $1,100. Meanwhile, the Sea Shepherders want the Japanese captain charged with attempted murder. Although the International Whaling Commission's has a ban on commercial whaling, Japan has six whaling ships in Antarctic waters killing whales under the allowed exception of scientific research. The whale meat not used for research is sold for consumption in Japan, which critics say is the real reason for the whale hunts.
F) A wrongful-death lawsuit has been filed against the Coast Guard after an 8-year-old boy was killed in a boat collision. The accident happened in San Diego Bay during the city's annual Christmas Bay Parade of Lights. It is alleged that a 36-foot Coast Guard boat left the parade area at a high rate of speed to help a boater aground when it crashed into the rear of a spectator's boat. The lawsuit further alleges that Coast Guard officials knew the crew aboard their boat was not properly trained or supervised. So far, no monetary damages have been demanded. The family's lawyer said his client only wants to make sure that no other family loses a child due to the negligence of the Coast Guard.
G) Scientists at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science announced that they believe diseases found in dolphins are similar to those diseases found in humans. They believe the dolphins can provide clues to how human health might be affected by exposure to coastal water or seafood contaminated by PCBs. In simple terms, the scientists agreed that if the dolphins are healthy, then humans cannot get sick from anything in the sea. Also another study involving dolphins has led to a possible treatment for type II diabetes, a disease that accounts for an estimated five percent of all human deaths globally. These studies have found that healthy dolphins appear to readily turn on and off a diabetes-like state as needed. This mechanism is likely caused by the dolphins' very high-protein and very low-carbohydrate fish diet.
H) And last on today's n nautical news, in preparation for Lent, which begins February 25th, many fast food restaurants are preparing for their customers' abstinence from meat by promoting seafood specials on their menus. Hooters is running an eight-week Lenten special that includes a Blackened Mahi Sandwich, Daytona Shrimp, and Grouper Bites. Wendy's is promoting its Premium Fish Fillet. Popeyes is offering a special on Butterfly Shrimp and Captain D's is promoting several seafood specials. In recent years, Captain D's has reported record sales during the Lent and they just increased their wait staff.
Listen to the live broadcast of "Nautical Talk Radio" with Capt Lou and crew, Sunday mornings from 11 - 12 noon (Boston time) on radio station 95.9FM WATD, Marshfield, and streaming around the world on www.959watd.com. You can also listen to a replay of the most recent show anytime during the week at www.nauticaltalk.com.
* Winner of Mass/Rhode Island Associated Press "BEST TALK SHOW"
* Recipient of Coast Guard's Joshua James Lifesaving Medal for public service
* Recipient of American Lighthouse Foundation's "LEN HADLEY AWARD"
* Winner of Boston's Achievement In Radio "BEST INTERVIEW" AWARD
* Nominated Boston's A.I.R. "BEST PRODUCED PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM"
* Recipient of Man of the Year Award - Metropolitan Yacht Club - 2009
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