Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Notes from NACE
Tomorrow looks to be the biggest day of the event with a plenary session titled "A New Decade of Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable Future" kicking off the day at 8:00 am with Jensen and Reginal Harrell, of the Northeast Aquaculture Center in Maryland, among others featured in the discussion.
I'll try and update as the day allows. I hope to sit in on this first session than work the booth for a few hours.
Goodnight!
EDL
Driving to NACE
Have the publication banner, the push pins, tape and extra pens. I have extra copies of our November/December issues of both pub's and I have a trusted assistant, my girlfriend Aquinnah to help set up.
I look forward to meeting likeminded aquaculture professionals and other interested folks. I guess my first responsibility is to meet and shake hands with possible advertisers and new subscribers. This is all a first for me. I've been to many conferences in my days as a staff writer for CNET news, now owned by CBS News. But then I was there to cover any news coming out of the conference not actually a participant.
I'll be setting up my booth this afternoon. I've been asked by readers to keep daily blog entries through the conference. I'll do my best to you all up to date. Who knows maybe I'll meet some of you in person at the conference.
EDL
Friday, July 02, 2010
Legislators Try to Stop All Offshore Mariculture
On this Independence Day weekend, I thought I might take the time to update my blog, after a long hiatus, with a look at the latest attempts by members of the U.S. Congress to suppress the burgeoning mariculture industry in this country.
In the past two months, two efforts before congress look to destroy any chances of any real offshore aquaculture over the next decade.
First, in May, Senator David Vitter of
I write about the bill in the July/August issue of Aquaculture
The Research and Aquaculture Opportunity and Responsibility Act looks to provide relief to struggling marine ecosystems, including those affected by the Deep Water Horizon gulf oil spill, Sen. Vitter said in a statement.
"It's clear that the marine environment, particularly off the coast of Louisiana, can't handle any more stress as it begins its recovery from the ongoing gulf oil spill," he said. "My bill is a common sense reprieve to these vital ecosystems that would allow us to step back and asses the potential effects on native species and recreational and commercial fisheries before moving forward with any further aquaculture programs."
The bill attracted instant reaction from the industry. Ocean Stewards Institute (OSI) president Neil Simms explained that Vitter's bill will only further squash the opportunity for increasing U.S. Seafood supplies, and is another example of how
But it seems the industrial corporate fishing and environmentalist lobbyists were just getting started.
The second attempt by anti-mariculture forces in congress was brought to my attention by OSI, an aquaculture industry advocacy group. The house is considering major energy legislation, called Consolidated Land Energy and Aquatics Resources (CLEAR).
A provision to the bill is the most blatant attempt to stop offshore aquaculture in federal waters. Sec. 704-- Offshore Aquaculture Clarification, states that the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the
The provision goes on to state that any permits made and approved under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act shall be made invalid once the CLEAR act is passed.
In just two months, the chances of offshore aquaculture in the
As noted above, the clear winner in this, should offshore aquaculture be stymied, is the industrial fishing industry, and of course international aquaculture businesses. But more importantly here in the
Offshore aquaculture in the
If you are an aquaculture professional here in
Don’t allow the status-quo industrial corporate fishing lobby to decide for us.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Next issue of ANA
Feel free to leave comments on any of these stories. I love to get discussion going and welcome a little back and forth.
Cheers!
Monday, March 15, 2010
International Boston Seafood Show
Must do's include meeting and doing some face time with sources I usually just know through phone and email interviews.
Also looking into companies that are working to develop sustainable Aquaculture certification standards for upcoming issue of Aquaculture North America.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Deadline Met
The short snippet acts as a good side-bar for my larger story on the toughest winter in a longtime for southern catfish farmers, who face frozen ponds and fluctuating extreme temperatures and how that can lead to "winter kill."
This issue hits subscriber mailboxes March 1st, and features other stories I penned on Texas shrimp farmers diversifying into fish species like red drum, cobia, catfish, and even striped bass, in order to grow their market share beyond their traditional shrimp product. Also, I looked into Hawaiian-based Kona Blue Water Farms partnership with Kaeole Point Fish, Inc. to take over Kona's offshore operations off the Big Island. Finally, I followed up my earlier story on HR 4363, The Sustainable Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2009, with a breakdown of the bill and industry reaction.
For these stories and more, turn to Aquaculture North America, "a great trade mag for a great continent."
Please fee free to send story ideas or comment on existing stories in the paper. Always willing to discuss the industry with like-minded folks.
E.L.
Friday, February 12, 2010
PDF version of debut issue of ANA
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
New Publication Covering North American Aquaculture
The new Bi-monthly trade publication is devoted to the growth of a strong, economically viable and environmentally conscious cold water aquaculture industry in North America. It covers the latest news in finfish and shellfish culture in Canada and U.S.publication.
Check here for background on some of the articles I write for the publication and to keep us informed about any news items you think should get coverage.
E.L.