Fisheries
FisheriesViral epidemic for third year in a row ravages French oyster farms
French oyster-growers are facing ruin because of a viral epidemic that for a third year in a row has been wiping out millions of baby shellfish. From the Mediterranean coast to the bay of Arcachon on the Atlantic and now Brittany, farmers have been watching in dismay in recent weeks as the virus once again moved northwards, keeping pace with the rising sea temperature.
Argentina’s head of fisheries flatly denies “uncontrolled hake catches”
Argentina’s head of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Under Secretariat Norberto Yauhar openly denied the alleged collapse of hake (Merluccius hubbsi) fishery in the South Atlantic and claims of absence of control measures and management to ensure its sustainability.
Argentina’s commercial hake fishery has “two years left”
Over the last 20 years abundance of common hake (Merluccius hubbsi) has declined 80% in the Southwest Atlantic as a result of over-fishing, claims Argentina’s Fundación Vida Silvestre, Wild Life Foundation, (FVSA).
Falklands’ scientists detect North Pacific Ocean species in South Atlantic
Deep sea fish species found in the North Pacific Ocean have mysteriously been caught in the southwest Atlantic in Falkland Islands waters. It is unclear how the animals, a giant rattail grenadier, pelagic eelpout and deep sea squid, travelled so far, according to a report by Matt Walker, Editor of Earth News.
Australia begins legal action in The Hague against Japan over whaling
Australia has said it will begin legal action against Japan over whaling in the Antarctic. Canberra will argue that the annual whaling hunt in the Southern Ocean is in violation of an international ban on commercial whaling.
Ancestors of modern squid identified by Canadian researchers
The ancestors of modern squid may have existed half a billion years ago - a lot earlier than previously thought. In a new study, Canadian researchers identified a previously unclassifiable fossil that was long believed to belong perhaps to the shrimp family.
Argentina confirms poor squid season and closes fishery south of parallel 44
Argentina’s squid fishery to the south of parallel 44º was closed last Friday. The measure adopted by the Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) follows scientific information furnished by the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP).
US declares “fishery emergency” in the Gulf of Mexico because of BP oil spill
United States Commerce Secretary Gary Locke on Monday declared a fishery disaster in the Gulf of Mexico because of the economic impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on fisheries in the region.
Ban on bi-valve molluscs extraction along Buenos Aires province coastline
Argentina’s province of Buenos Aires re-confirmed on Friday the total ban of commercial, artisan and/or visitors’ extraction of bi-valve molluscs along the South Atlantic coast of the province.
UN Environment Program questions ‘free market” policies for global fisheries
UN's top environment official has echoed warnings that commercial fishing could be destroyed within 50 years. “It is not a science fiction scenario. It is within the lifetime of a child born today,” said Achim Steiner, head of the UN Environment Program (Unep).
