April 12, 2014 — The blog Good Morning Gloucester recently shared a vintage 1937 Chevrolet Newsreel that features the New England lobster fishery.
April 12, 2014 — The blog Good Morning Gloucester recently shared a vintage 1937 Chevrolet Newsreel that features the New England lobster fishery.
McLEAN, Va. — April 10. 2014 — The following was released by the National Fisheries (NFI) Shrimp Council:
Seizing the influence of wildly popular food bloggers, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) Shrimp Council and OXO recently activated an online promotion, “Shrimp Showdown,” to drive awareness about shrimp during Lent.
The Council and OXO challenged 30 bloggers to each create a unique recipe showcasing nutritious and delicious shrimp and a select set of OXO tools.
Each blogger was equipped with five lbs. of shrimp from Eastern Fish Company (Sail® Brand Products) and a set of tools from OXO, including:
– Shrimp Cleaner
– Flexible Kitchen & Herb Snips
– Silicone Steamer
– Wooden Lemon Reamer
– Three-Piece Bowl and Colander Set
– 12” Tongs
Each blogger created a recipe showcasing shrimp and at least three of the OXO tools to highlight the ease of preparation and versatility of shrimp. The promotion began on March 24, 2014 and ended on April 4 and reached shrimp lovers across the online space from Facebook and Twitter to Pinterest and Instagram. Shrimp Showdown accounted for an astounding 148 percent increase in followers to the Council's Pinterest page during the two-week period, bringing the total number of Pinterest followers to nearly 5,000.
“Incorporating food bloggers into our communication efforts allowed us to reach a large target audience of consumers, showing these readers firsthand how easy and delicious adding shrimp into everyday meals can be,” said Judy Dashiell, Senior Vice President, National Fisheries Institute/The Shrimp Council. “Consumers gravitate to Pinterest for recipes and cooking ideas. With that in mind, we used Shrimp Showdown to give them exactly what they want…and more!”
The promotion was supported through a Shrimp Showdown Pinterest board that was featured on both the Eat Shrimp and OXO Pinterest pages. Via the blog posts, consumers had the opportunity to enter for a chance to win a set of tools courtesy of OXO and a gift card provided by the NFI Shrimp Council.
“OXO was the perfect partner for this campaign because any recipe, including shrimp, is made easier when home cooks, even experienced food writers, have the right tools,” said Dashiell. “We love that OXO products, like the Shrimp Cleaner, are comfortable and easy for any cook to use.”
Promotions such as Shrimp Showdown have contributed to the continual growth of the Eat Shrimp Facebook page since its launch in 2011. The NFI Shrimp Council is utilizing partnerships and integrated campaigns to make waves in its mission to encourage Americans to eat more nutritious and delicious shrimp at home and in restaurants.
The bloggers who participated in the promotion include:
A Kitchen Addiction
Foxes Love Lemons
My Man's Belly
A Zesty Bite
Garnish with Lemon
Natasha's Kitchen
Betsylife
girlichef
noble pig
Bonbon Break
Growing Up Gabel
Peanut Butter and Peppers
Cherished Bliss
Healthy. Delicious.
Peas and Crayons
Chocolate Moosey
Home Cooking Memories
Sarah's Cucina Bella
Coconut & Lime
Jeanette's Healthy Living
So, How's It Taste?
Cookistry
Julie's Eats & Treats
Taste Love & Nourish
Created by Diane
Kirbie's Cravings
That Skinny Chick Can Bake
everyday maven
Lemons for Lulu
WonkyWonderful
February 20, 2014 — Learn about successful tactics and rigs to catch striped bass with menhaden chunks at Monday’s Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association seminar. Topics such as the benefits of chumming, gear type, hooks, where and when to fish with chunks and much more will be covered.
Two local experts will address chunking for striped bass at the Mondayseminar. Capt. B.J. Silvia of Flippin Out Charters, an RISAA member who has been fishing the waters around Aquidneck Island for 30 years, and Greg Vespe, who often fishes as Silvia’s mate and who has also logged thousands of hours in local waters around Newport.
Climate Change and Marine Fisheries will also be covered at Monday’s seminar with Jonathan Hare, director of NOAA’s Narragansett Laboratory.
The event will be at the West Valley Inn in West Warwick. Optional dinner served between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. from the West Valley Inn with the seminar starting at 7 p.m. Non-members are requested to make a $10 donation to the RISAA Scholarship Fund, RISAA members attend free. Visit www.risaa.org for additional information.
Read the full story and learn more about the RISAA event at the Providence Journal
SEAFOOD.COM NEWS by John Sackton — February 12, 2014 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), based in London, is making a second attempt to hire a Regional Director – Americas.
The initial pool of job applicants was considered in early December, and no suitable candidate was found. As a result, the MSC re-opened the position to applications, with February 10th being the new deadline.
They may be conducting some interviews as early as this week.
Kerry Coughlin, the previous director for the Americas resigned, effective at the end of November.
The new regional directors first task, in our opinion, will be to try and repair some of the damaged relationships in Alaska, specifically by endorsing a world in which multiple certifications schemes exist, as has been done by some major companies such as Walmart and Sodexo.
This is the path followed by Chris Ninnes, formerly deputy head of the MSC, when he left that job to become the founding CEO of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. The ASC was founded in the Netherlands after a multi-year stakeholder process called 'aquaculture dialogues'.
As a result of Ninnes approach, that embraced other standards organizations besides his own, a series of cooperative steps have been taken between the ASC, the BAP/GAA certification program, and Global Gap to harmonize their standards where possible and cut down on the inspection and administrative expenses faced by Aquaculture suppliers.
The America's director does not have the power to take this approach without full support from the UK head office – but clearly success in the job will depend on how much of a change the organization can make from its record in the U.S. over the last few years.
This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.
January 28, 2014 — The following was released by Sea Commons:
Are you interested in a sustainable future for our community? Are you interested in securing a strong local economy? Are you interested in renewable energy projects that benefit local communities? Then this film will interest you. The citizens’ group Sea Commons will host a new documentary “Ocean Frontiers II: A New England Story for Sustaining the Sea” at the Cape Ann Community Cinema at 21 Main Street in Gloucester on Monday, February 3rd at 6:30pm. A short panel discussion will follow with some experts answering your questions.
Ocean Frontiers II is a documentary film about future ocean management planning efforts and specifically, leasing the sea floor to private corporations for developing an offshore wind farm. Ocean Frontiers II describes the process of an offshore wind farm project. Rhode Island-based renewable energy company Deepwater Wind won two leases up for grabs in a federal auction for the rights to develop offshore wind power in a 257-square-mile area of waters off Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Deepwater Wind won the auction with bids of $3.7 million for the north section of the area, which is believed to be more suitable for development, and $94,000 for the south section.Who really benefits with “Marine Spatial Planning” and the development of offshore wind projects? What is Marine Spatial Planning? How do these development projects benefit our community?
A recent article in the New York Times on New England wind farms is available here.
Tickets are discounted to just $5.00, and can be purchased in advance by contacting Sea Commons (see below). Tickets may also be purchased at the door, first-come, first-served.
Sea Commons (www.SeaCommons.com), the sponsor of the film, is a group of concerned Gloucester citizens interested in promoting a regional dialogue/public forum about the future of our Seas, and how citizens will adapt to sea level rise. For more information, contact Camron Adibi at Sea Commons at cfadibi@gmail.com or (978) 381-9709.
WASHINGTON — January 10, 2014 — National Geographic Channel President Howard T. Owens today announced that the network has greenlit a spinoff of its highly rated series Wicked Tuna. The new series, Wicked Tuna: North vs. South [working title], also produced by Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Studios, begins filming off the coast of the Outer Banks in North Carolina this winter and will premiere in the U.S. and globally this summer.
The original Wicked Tuna follows the cutthroat, high-stakes business of bluefin tuna fishing in Gloucester, Mass., as vessels and crews set sail in search of the smartest, fastest and most elusive fish in the ocean — and the big money that follows them. Although bluefin season came to an end in Gloucester on Dec. 31, it’s just about to get started in the Outer Banks.
When the new season of Wicked Tuna premieres this February on National Geographic Channel, some of the New England captains from the original series will have already ventured south to reach the evasive bluefin in the Southern Atlantic waters before their North Carolina counterparts beat them to the catch. The weather is much more unpredictable in the Outer Banks during its January through March bluefin season, and the seas can be extremely rough. But if the captains can reach this “new frontier” and reel in some “monstah” fish before the government catch quota is reached (the quota was reached in mid-February last year), the winter months could potentially yield a greater catch than in Gloucester. In fishermen’s terms: a cash bonanza.
Read the full press release at ZAP 2
December 26, 2013 — The geoduck (pronounced gooey-duck) is a perfect example of the extremes that come with commercial fisheries. On one end of the spectrum, they are a thriving catch, providing an ecologically-friendly and sustainable way to create a booming fishing economy in areas that need it. At the other extreme, the industry is often subject to forces outside its control- a current example being a trade decision in China that could have more to do with international politics than with health or fishing. Looking at the recent history of the geoduck market is a excellent way to learn the ins-and-outs of the fishing industry.
Possessing a briny yet sweet taste with a slightly crunchy texture, the geoduck is a true delicacy. This giant clam can be served raw as mirugai, smoked or sautéed, or delicately shaved and served with ponzu – the opportunities are exquisite and endless. The meat of the elongated siphon is considered an aphrodisiac in many regions. This mollusk is strange, exotic, and deeply flavorful, and could be coming to a restaurant or seafood aisle near you. The geoduck has gained a prestigious reputation in Asian markets and is winning popularity in the American palate.
The wild fishery for geoducks can be found along the Pacific coast of Washington and British Columbia and draws in millions of dollars every year, employing thousands of people. The fishery is extremely well managed with minimal impact on the environment, making it one of the best choices to put on our delicious and sustainable seafood list. Unfortunately, in just the last month the geoduck industry has been all but completely shut down to a strict shellfish ban imposed by China, the main buyer of the jumbo sized clam.
Read the full story at Pucci Foods
December 19, 2013 — Most whale-boat collisions appear entirely accidental, but a few captains claim to have been deliberately targeted by a bloodthirsty cetacean. During the 19th century, the heydays of the whale-oil trade, sperm whales regularly attacked whaling ships, biting the hulls or whipping the boats with their tails.
A scuba diver off the coast of Argentina snapped a series of incredible pictures this week of a pair of southern right whales lurking menacingly close beneath a tiny boat of whale watchers. Do whale watchers ever die in collisions with whales?
It’s rare, but it has happened. Unlike recreational sailors, whale-watch captains are actively pursuing large marine mammals. They are required by law to keep 100 yards between the ship and the whale, but there are occasional accidents. In Hawaii, for example, whale-watching boats strike a few whales per year. The collisions are usually minor and involve no injury to man or beast. Ten years ago, however, the captain of a whale-watching vessel near Hawaii was fiddling with the volume on the public address system when his boat struck a humpback whale. The collision caused a 3-year-old passenger to lose his balance. He was killed when his head struck a guardrail and the deck, and the family later reached a legal settlement with the tour operator.
SEABROOK, N.H. — December 15, 2013 — The day began at 5:30 a.m. on December 6, for Marc Schloss and 26 of his friends as they prepared for a cold, windy trip on the Atlantic Ocean.
Those friends Schloss gathered, from all over New England, New Jersey and New York, boarded a 90-foot fishing boat at Seabrook’s Eastman’s Docks on a hunt for Pollock. Each paid $100 for the adventure.
Why, you ask, would anyone want to be heading 30 miles out to open sea on a cold, windy and rainy day just a few weeks before Christmas?
Tradition
It’s a story that began about eight years ago when a man named Steve Thorsen thought it would be a good idea to go fishing with a bunch of friends, and donate the catch to a charity. The charity he held close to his heart was The New Hampshire Food Bank.
According to Schloss, Thorsen “loved the concept of being together fishing and giving it all away.” Thorsen chose the Friday before Thanksgiving each year to do the good deed; mostly because food would be in need for the upcoming holiday season.
Steve Thorsen died a few years ago, ironically, the night before one of their trips. But happily, Norwood, Mass., resident Schloss decided to pick up the torch and run with it. The 52-year-old sales manager now organizes the pilgrimage to Seabrook each year with his group of merry fishermen.
And the Tradition continues
John Viol is from Westchester, N.Y., and has been on every Food Bank fishing trip. According to Viol, the expedition, which is now held between Thanksgiving and Christmas, is conducted out of Seabrook because, “the Pollock are plentiful, and Pollock is the big draw. Holding the trip at this time works better because the colder water temperature makes for better fishing.”
Indeed, the Pollock were being hauled in so quickly that two or three of the 15 pound fish were landed at a time on multi-hook jigs. Viol had battle scars on each side of his face where fishing tackle got too close for comfort and broke the skin. He simply shrugs it off with a grin and says, “It was worth it.”
Read the full story at Foster's Daily Democrat
December 11, 2013 — Walmart, the country’s largest retailer and employer, makes more than $17 billion in profits annually, so it has a lot of money to dump into “environmental” groups that serve its agenda of privatization of the public trust. The wealth of the Walton family totals over $144.7 billion – equal to that of 42% of Americans.
The Walton Family Foundation reported “investments” totaling more than $91.4 million in “environmental initiatives” in 2012, including contributions to corporate “environmental” NGOs pushing ocean privatization through the “catch shares” programs and so-called “marine protected areas” like those created under Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative, as well as to groups supporting the Bay Delta Conservation Plan to build the peripheral tunnels.
According to a press release from the Walmart Headquarters in Bentonville Arkansas, “the foundation awarded grants of more than $91 million to groups and programs that create benefits for local economies and communities through lasting conservation solutions for oceans and rivers.”
The foundation directed an overwhelming majority of the grants toward its two core environmental initiatives – “Freshwater Conservation” and Marine Conservation.”
“Our work is rooted in our belief that the conservation solutions that last are the ones that make economic sense,” gushed Scott Burns, director of the foundation’s Environment Focus Area. “The foundation and our grantees embrace ‘conservationomics’ – the idea that conservation efforts can and should bring economic prosperity to local communities.”
The foundation donated $38,648,952 to “Marine Conservation,” $29,367,340 to “Freshwater Conservation” and $23,683,286 for “Other Environment Grants” in 2012.
Conservation International, the top recipient of Walmart money, got a total of $22,650,774, including $5,725,000 for the Bird’s Head Seascape, $4,214,881 for the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape and 12,718,763 for “Other Environmental Grants.”
The Environmental Defense Fund, the second largest recipient, received a total of $12,943,017, including $7,800,000 for catch shares, $1,881,652 for the Colorado River, $3,032,300 for the Mississippi River, $20,000 for the Gulf Of Mexico and $209,065 for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Ocean Conservancy, a strong supporter of the privately funded Marine Life Protection Act Initiative to create “marine protected areas” in California, received the third largest chunk of money from the foundation in 2012, $5,447,354, including $2,112,500 for “Marine Conservation” in the Gulf of Mexico and $3,334,854 for the oil spill in the Gulf.
Nature Conservancy, Inc. received $4,509,616, the fourth largest amount of money, including $1,700,000 for the Colorado River, $725,557 for the Mississippi River, $553,148 for the Bird’s Head Seascape, $21,000 for Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape, $350,000 for Gulf of Mexico projects, $400,825 for catch shares and $759,086 for “other conservation grants.”
Other recipients of Walton Foundation money in 2012 include American Rivers, the Center for American Progress, Environmental Working Group, Marine Stewardship Council, National Audubon Society, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Geographic Society, Oxfam America, Inc., Resources Legacy Fund, World Wildlife Fund and many other NGOs.
A complete list of Walton Family Foundation recipients is available here.
Read the full story at TruthOut