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Capt Lou's Nautical News 6/20/10
Posted on: Mon 21-Jun-2010
| | STELLWAGEN BANK SANCTUARY MANAGEMENT PLAN RELEASED
NOAA released its final management plan for the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which they say will guide the sanctuary's resource protection and conservation efforts over the next five years. Stellwagen Bank has for centuries been one of the richest fishing grounds on the east coast. The new management plan focuses on key issues affecting the sanctuary, including ecosystem alteration, wildlife disturbance, vessel traffic and its potential threat to marine mammals, water quality and invasive species. Craig MacDonald, the sanctuary's superintendent said that the plan provides a roadmap for what can be done to protect the sanctuary's valuable resources for future generations. In developing the new management plan, the sanctuary relied on data and expertise from NOAA's Fisheries Service.
POLLOCK QUOTA INCREASED IN NEW ENGLAND
Unfortunately, in some cases, NOAA's Fisheries Service's data has proven to be either wrong or out of date. This past week, fishery regulators increased the quota of pollock five to six times the original limit after New England fishermen complained that something was amiss. For months, fishermen claimed there were a lot more pollock, but the federal scientists disagreed. Now the feds admit they made a mistake and increased the quota for pollock from 6 million pounds to 35 million pounds starting in July. Now fishermen are saying that limits are far too low for other species of fish as well.
COMMERCIAL WHALING VOTE THIS WEEK
Next week the International Whaling Commission will vote on a plan to legalize commercial whaling. Japan, Norway, and Iceland support the killing of whales for profit and trade, and now there are reports that President Obama will also join those countries and support the plan to reopen commercial whaling.
BP CEO GOES YACHTING
In yet another public relations gaffe, BP CEO, Tony Hayward spent yesterday off the coast of England on a megayacht, watching his sailing yacht compete in Britain's "Round The Island Race," a yacht race around the Isle of Wight. Critics said Hayward's behavior was the height of arrogance and that he should have been on a boat in the Gulf skimming the oil instead of snubbing his nose at America by participating in a rich man's yachting race. A race official said that a man by the name of Tony Hayward had entered his 52 foot sailboat named Bob, and that the boat finished in fourth place in a class of 45 other competitors.
SEAFOOD SEIZED FROM BOAT IN GULF OF MEXICO
Despite assurances from President Obama that Gulf of Mexico seafood is safe to eat, the Coast Guard seized 19000 pounds of shrimp from a fishing boat and returned the shrimp back to the sea. The fishing boat was issued a written warning for fishing in a closed area. Officials from the Coast Guard and NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement said they are working together to prevent the harvesting of any adulterated seafood.
BOATERS IN CONTROL OF FOGHORNS
Lake Michigan boaters now have the ability to activate foghorns whenever they wish, as the result of a new system implemented by the Coast Guard. To activate the fog signal, boaters must tune their marine radio to channel 79A and depress the microphone five times. This new system can be extremely useful, especially if the foghorn doesn't automatically activate. This new system could soon be implemented in other parts of the country whenever a boater needs to find a lighthouse.
FISHERMEN EYE TO EYE WITH SUBMARINE PERISCOPE
Three fishermen were about 4 miles off Hollywood Beach in Florida when one of them noticed what appeared to be just a mast sticking above water a short distance away. They decided to investigate, thinking it might have been a sunken sailboat. As their 31 foot center console boat named Fishy Business got closer to the object, they realized they were looking at a submarine's periscope. Suddenly, down it went as it took off very fast. They reported what they saw to the Coast Guard who said they would get back to them, but they never did.
SEA TURTLE WITH VIDEO CAMERA
A sea turtle in the Caribbean, entangled in the strap of a waterproof camera, somehow activated the camera and started taking a video of itself underwater. The video is now the latest sensation on YouTube. Now here is the story behind the story. Last May, the camera in a waterproof case was found on a beach in Key West, Florida. The person who found the camera attempted to find its owner by posting the pictures on the camera's memory stick on the internet. It appeared that whoever owned the camera was a diver who was possibly attacked by a shark. Later, it was determined that the camera was entangled with a sea turtle. Eventually, the owner of the camera was found. The owner was a Dutch navy sailor who said he lost the camera when he was diving off the island of Aruba in November. The camera, with the help of the turtle, made its way to the beck on in Key West. Now you know the rest of the story.
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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