Fishing

Ghost Fishing Nets Being Vanquished In Puget Sound

Ashley Ahearn — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:54 +0000

Fishing nets are designed to ensnare fish. But when those nets are lost or abandoned at sea, they don’t stop catching fish. Instead, they become ghost nets – floating death traps for the marine life that continue to get trapped in their mesh.

'Fish Fraud' Lower In Seattle And Portland

David Steves — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:50:07 +0000

Seattle and Portland are among the best cities in the country to buy fish that is accurately labeled. That's according to a new report by a marine conservation group.

Idaho Voters To Decide Right To Hunt Amendment

Aaron Kunz — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:20:55 +0000

Voters in Idaho will be asked next month to make some additions to the state constitution. House Joint Resolution 2 is less than two pages long and adds hunting, fishing and trapping to Idaho’s Constitution.

Tribes Oppose Oregon Measure to Ban Gillnetting

Courtney Flatt — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:43:48 +0000

Columbia River Indian tribes are opposing a ballot measure that would ban commercial gillnet fishing in Oregon. Reporting for EarthFix, Courtney Flatt has more.

Oregon Moving Ahead With Phase-Out Of Gillnetting

Chris Lehman — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:40:27 +0000

Oregon is moving ahead with a proposed phase-out of commercial gillnetting along the Columbia River. A state fish and wildlife panel Tuesday gave the initial go-ahead to the proposal made by Gov. John Kitzhaber. The action comes as the governor tries to head off a more restrictive ballot measure.

Icicle Seafood Company Fined Over Release Of Ozone-Depleting Refrigerant

Ashley Ahearn — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:01:28 +0000

A Seattle-based seafood company has been fined 430,000 dollars for violations of the Clean Air Act. Ashley Ahearn reports for EarthFix.

Icicle Seafoods harvests and sells salmon, crab Pollock and other fish from the waters of the Northwest and Alaska. And one of the key components of catching fish and bringing them to market – is refrigerant.

R-22, to be more specific. It’s a substance that’s used to keep refrigerators cold and it’s being phased out because it depletes the ozone layer.

Clean Water: The Next Act - Seattle's Duwamish River Part II

Ashley Ahearn — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:05:36 +0000

This fall marks the 40th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act – a piece of legislation that changed the way waterbodies in this country are regulated and protected.

Pollution was supposed to be curtailed so that fish from all the waters in America would be safe for people to eat. 40 years later, though, many waterways still bear fish too tainted to consume safely.

One of the most polluted waterways in the Northwest is Seattle’s Duwamish River. We’re taking a look at the Duwamish as part of EarthFix’s series “Clean Water: The Next Act.”

Campaign Says Gillnet Ban Heading To Oregon Ballot

David Steves — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:14:58 +0000

Oregon voters likely will decide this fall whether to ban gillnet fishing in the Columbia River and other state waters. Campaigners say they turned in enough signatures Monday to qualify their gillnet ban as a ballot measure in the November election. Oregon requires more than 87,000 valid signatures on petitions for initiatives that change state law.

Eric Stachon is spokesman for the Stop Gillnets Now Coalition.

Oregon Releases Fishing Rules For New Marine Reserves

Amelia Templeton — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 22:58:36 +0000

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has released rules for three new marine reserves on the Oregon Coast. The state Legislature approved the reserves at Cape Perpetua, Cascade Head, and Cape Falcon. The reserves will protect species like rockfish, shrimp, and sardines that live near the shore.

A total fishing ban would apply in the core areas of the reserves. In other protected areas, the new rules would allow some salmon fishing and crabbing.

Report Details Risks of Proposed Mine Near Alaska's Bristol Bay

Ashley Ahearn — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:10:20 +0000

Bristol Bay, in Southwestern Alaska, is the home of one of the world’s largest runs of Sockeye salmon. In fact, all five types of salmon spawn in the bay’s freshwater tributaries.

Bristol Bay could also become the home of a new mine to extract copper, gold and other minerals.

The Environmental Protection Agency has released a risk assessment study on how mining could impact the ecosystem there. The Agency will hold a public hearing in Seattle Thursday.

Ashley Ahearn reports that fishermen in the Northwest are watching the process closely.