Seafood News January 2016

Seafood News January 2016 I have decided I will do a blog post on seafood news at the beginning of each month. Some of the news will be on major events relating to sustainable and wild seafood, but I will also add in a piece or two of news that I found interesting. The winter […]

Commercial Fishing Methods: Traps and Pots

How Traps and Pots are used to catch Seafood Traps and pots are used all over the world to target species such as crab, lobster and cod. Fishing vessels between 25-180 feet long will drop their pots or traps in the water where the species they are trying to catch is located. The pot or […]

The strange allure of commercial fishing

Why? It is always the question. Even when people don’t ask you can always tell they are thinking it. Why would a person chase little slimy critters around the ocean? Why risk your life? Up until recently, statistics showed that commercial fishing was the deadliest job in the US. Why be away from family and […]

Commercial Fishing Methods: Trawling

What is Trawling? Commercial trawling is a very contentious method of seafood harvesting. It can be one of the most destructive methods, but it also is one of the highest volume fisheries around. For instance, most fish sticks, breaded fish burgers and a substantial amount of seafood sold at restaurants are caught by trawlers. Trawlers […]

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing

Introduction to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a severe problem for commercial fisheries around the world. If it is not effectively dealt with many species of fish will eventually become extinct. This fishing makes up such a large percentage of the world’s total catch that even if everyone […]

Commercial Fishing Methods: Trolling

WHAT IS TROLLING? Trolling is one of the most sustainable commercial fisheries. Lines are pretty much constantly being checked throughout the fishing period and so even if a non-target species is on a hook they can be released quite quickly and unlike with some other fishing methods the released fish has a decent chance of […]

Commercial Fishing: Is it Sustainable?

Sustainable Seafood and Commercial Fishing Many of the world’s commercial fisheries are really hurting. Some have even collapsed. Mismanagement of the Cod fisheries off the coast of New England and some of the Orange Roughy fisheries in Australia in the 20th century led to their pretty much non existence today. According to the Sustainable Seafood […]

Commercial Fishing Methods: Longlining

What is Longlining? Longlining is a method of fishing where a single long mainline sits in the water (for pelagic species) or on the bottom (for bottom species) which has short lines (gangions) attached at a decided interval along the mainline. This interval distance depends on the fishery and how good the fishing is in […]

Commercial Fishing Methods: Seining

What is Seining? Seining is where a net is used to surround a school of fish which are than brought aboard the fishing vessel or dragged up on the beach or river bank. For the most part their are two main methods of seining, purse and beach (or river). Seining is used to catch […]

Commercial Fishing Methods: Gillnets

What is Gillnetting? Gillnetting is a way in which commercial fisherman all over the world harvest fish. The targeted species include salmon, herring, sharks and tuna. There are many different ways in which a gillnet can be used to catch fish but the general idea consists of a net that hangs like a wall in […]