MCCF Monthly | Do You Hear What I Hear?

MCCF Monthly

December 2022

Judge Boasberg Grants NOAA Two

Years to Finalize New Whale Rules

On November 17, 2022, Judge Boasberg issued his long-awaited remedy for his July 2022 ruling that NOAA’s latest implementation of north Atlantic right whale rules this past May were not in compliance with the Endangered Species Act. Such a ruling could have ordered an injunction on the entire US lobster fishery. Instead, citing the gravity of a such a disruption of the lobster fishery, the Judge invited the parties to brief him over the summer on recommended remedies. This summer provided a great many twists, turns, and hurdles for the lobster fishery operating on pins and needles these past four months.

Uncertainty. If anyone has spent much time with a fisherman, you’ve heard the phase: “that’s why it’s called fishing and not catching.” Fishermen in general, have a very high tolerance for uncertainty- they would not be able to get out every day and do what they do if they needed to be certain about the day’s outcome. Engine trouble, weather, crew, wild animal behavior, population dynamics, and now add climate change, politics, and federal court rulings contributing to the varied sources of uncertainty in a fisherman’s day. Individual fishermen have developed their own adaptive strategies to reducing the uncertainty among the first list: ways of ‘reading’ the sea conditions and what they see in their traps, regular maintenance of their vessels, keeping duplicates of important and frequently worn parts close at hand, etc. Many have begun a process of observing climate change impacts on lobster behavior and distributions as measured with their traps, but these new, external, sources of uncertainty have taken their toll on many lobstermen’s stamina and hope. While there is still so much work to do, collectively, in research, advocacy, communications, and marketing, fishermen can recoup a little hope, and recharge knowing that this wicked problem has been granted a little more time to reach a solution.

Scallop Season Has Kicked Off

Scallop season kicked-off earlier this month, and we're ready for it. MCCF has large, detailed scallop maps available to draggers and divers needing them. Please stop by the office, or call and leave a message and we'll put them in the mail for you.

To stress the importance of these coveted maps, recently a seasoned scalloper from Brooklin came in and said, "These scallop maps are great and are keeping me outta jail, seriously they are!" Stay tuned, our new mantra might just become, MCCF, helping to keep fishermen out of jail since 2003.

Happy Holidays!

Wishing all of our supporters, partners, volunteers,

and friends a safe and healthy holiday season.

An Electric Lobster Boat?

Electricity and Water...

May Now Be a Good Mix

Certainly with the introduction of electric powered pickup trucks and a wide variety of electric and hybrid cars now available, fishing boats would be a way off yet, right? Not so! Pat Shepard and Tom Duym were recently invited to Prince Edward Island to visit Aspin Kemp & Associates (AKA), a company who has launched the first plug-in hybrid lobster boat. After a 7 hour drive to recently wind ravaged PEI, they were treated to a demo of the F/V Hybrid I, a working prototype of the future of Canadian fishing machines. The 45’ Provincial had a 500HP Cummins main engine, a 110HP (75 KW) electric motor and hydraulic pump working separately or in unison through a power take off and traditional marine clutch/gear. Read more.

Wondering What You Can Give

That Special Someone?

We Know the Perfect Gift!

So many changes and questions are lingering as we go into the next year. If you haven't made your annual gift to our non-profit please consider doing so. Never has our work been more important to our industry and communities. How about making a gift in someone's honor or memory? Some supporters have been making donations to MCCF, in lieu of holiday gifts to family and friends. We know that these are unprecedented times. If you are able to give, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Visit our giving page.

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