Times & Tails

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will close most of the state’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery on Monday, April 8th. Zones 3, 4, 5, and 6, covering from Sonoma-Mendocino county to the U.S.-Mexico border, will be shut down at 6 p.m. due to the presence of humpback whales, with a 30-fathom depth limit on traps in zones 1 and 2, which span the rest of the coastline north to the Oregon border.

If the whales and sea turtles off our California coast could express gratitude, they would be applauding the efforts of our state's Ocean Protection Council (OPC). Recently, the OPC allocated over $1.8 million in state funding to mitigate the risk of whale and sea turtle entanglement in fishing gear used by California's fisheries.

In a daring rescue effort, a humpback whale ensnared in fishing ropes has been successfully liberated. The distressed adult whale, affectionately known as Ivy, was discovered offshore in Cornwall's Mounts Bay, nestled between Mousehole and Newlyn, on Easter Sunday. 

Expressing concerns over the dwindling population of North Atlantic right whales, an international environmental advocacy group has voiced disappointment with the Canadian government's perceived lack of progress in enhancing protections for these majestic creatures.

Thiraphong Chansiri, CEO of Thai Union Group, has tempered expectations regarding the potential proceeds from the sale of Red Lobster. Speaking during an investor call on February 19th and later at a shareholder meeting, Chansiri indicated that the company does not anticipate significant gains from divesting its stake in the casual dining chain, which boasts approximately 560 locations worldwide, predominantly in the U.S.

The tragic death of a North Atlantic right whale reported on February 13th off the coast of Georgia has been attributed to a fatal collision with a vessel, announced NOAA today.

The North Atlantic right whale population faces another devastating blow as the first confirmed baby of the year is found dead, victim to a fatal collision with a ship... Federal authorities were alerted to the grim discovery of a deceased right whale stranded off Georgia, marking a somber beginning to the season, as announced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The federal Fisheries Department is actively seeking input on the impending reopening of the redfish fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, following a prolonged moratorium due to depleted stocks.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada recently announced the indefinite closure of the Lophelia Reef, located within the Finlayson Channel off the coast of British Columbia, approximately 500 kilometers northwest of Vancouver.