Latest news with #Fishing
CBC
7 hours ago
- General
- CBC
N.S. fishing crews make rescue at sea
Fishing crews from southwest Nova Scotia credit good planning and safety training for a successful rescue at sea on Monday morning.
IOL News
14-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
SAMSA tasked with removing abandoned vessels following legal notice expiry
Half sunken boats are seen at Hout Bay Harbour. Picture Henk Kruger/ Independent Media FILE Image: Henk Kruger/ Independent Media / FILE The department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has initiated processes with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to remove a number of identified shipwrecks and recover costs from the responsible parties. This comes after Minister Dion George directed the urgent removal of wrecked and abandoned vessels that pose significant risks to navigation, marine ecosystems, and the safety of coastal communities, by June 16. The department said George was taking steps to address longstanding environmental and safety complexities in South Africa's proclaimed fishing harbors, including Gordons Bay, Lamberts Bay, Saldanha Bay, St Helena Bay, and Hout Bay. 'A Marine Notice issued to vessel owners expired on June 16, 2025 with no response. The Department has now initiated processes with SAMSA in terms of the Wreck and Salvage Act. Minister George confirmed that SAMSA is required to remove the wrecks and recover costs from the responsible parties. 'The Department is also considering further options, including issuing directives, engaging the Navy for vessels of military interest, and unlocking the Maritime Fund,' the department said. Meanwhile, the department said the revitalisation of South Africa's Proclaimed Fishing Harbours was delivering results with upgrades completed at 15 sites. "These harbours are more than physical structures. They are the engine rooms of local economies, supporting fishers, small businesses and the communities that depend on them. We are now seeing the impact of steady, focused work to restore and secure these public assets," said George. In the 2024 to 2025 financial year, the 12 Proclaimed Fishing Harbours handled more than 1000 vessels. Thirty-three vessels have already been serviced this financial year, and more than 300 currently make use of mooring facilities. Completed work includes full signage installation at 15 sites to improve access and navigation, 24-hour security measures at high-risk locations such as Saldanha and Paarden Eiland, and progress in addressing sunken and abandoned vessels that create safety and environmental hazards. Security interventions in place include real-time monitoring, alarm systems and armed response within ten minutes. Six more harbours, including Lamberts Bay, St Helena Bay, Hout Bay, Kalk Bay, Hermanus and Gansbaai, are scheduled to receive electronic security upgrades. 'Procurement is in progress following the submission of Terms of Reference in June. The remaining five harbours, currently classified as low risk, will be prioritised in the next quarter depending on budget availability,' the department said. Signage upgrades were completed between April and June at all 12 Proclaimed Harbours, along with Elands Bay, Doringbaai and Yzerfontein. Additional signage was added at St Helena Bay on June 19. George said the work is part of a broader effort to build a thriving blue economy that benefits all South Africans. "We are investing in the future of coastal communities by ensuring these harbours are safe, accessible and fit for purpose. This is meaningful progress, and it will continue," the minister said. Cape Times
Otago Daily Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Under the sea but on land
Supporters and sponsors celebrated the unveiling of Koryu Aoshima's latest public mural ''Fishing'' at Livingstonia Park, Taieri Mouth on Sunday. PHOTO: NICK BROOK Spectacular new marine scenes now wrap around Livingstonia Park's nerve centre, thanks to the Taieri Mouth community and street artist Koryu Aoshima. Mr Aoshima's public art is a growing feature in Dunedin, and his new, over 20m, beach-front mural named Fishing unrolls local fisher-folk from seals to spoonbills and the people in between. The roller and spray-paint work of two weeks is the latest step in the Taieri Mouth Amenities Society's project to beautify Livingstonia Park. "The society started planning the mural a bit before Christmas," project co-ordinator Jade Coster said. "We have about $15,000 for upgrading the whole park, and the mural has been about $8000." She thanked everybody who had supported the project from its council and financial sponsors to individuals donating time and expertise. "This is a lovely location to work, surrounded by nature," Japanese-born Mr Aoshima said. "The encouragement and friendly feedback from the all the local people was great motivation. You don't get that when you work alone in a studio." The society made the most of his presence by organising a youth-art competition with awards, judged on the day by Mr Aoshima and others. The competition was held in the newly painted building whose best known community function is control-centre for the annual Taieri Mouth Coastal Classic mountain bike and trail run.
The Hindu
06-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
How ocean science is feeding coastal India
Every morning, as fishing boats head out to sea, they carry more than just nets and bait; they carry insights from space. Thanks to the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, thousands of fishermen are guided by Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories, generated using high-resolution satellite data and oceanographic analysis. These advisories, based on parameters such as sea surface temperature, chlorophyll concentration and ocean currents, pinpoint likely fish-rich areas, thereby helping fishermen cast their net with more confidence. The result? Better catches, higher incomes, lower fuel costs and a smaller carbon footprint. PFZ advisories are generated using high resolution satellite data from multiple sources and then disseminated to the fishermen daily. The impact is measurable. A survey by the National Council of Applied Economic Research, covering 757 fishermen across 34 districts in seven States, recorded 1,079 successful fishing trips guided by PFZ advisories. On average, each trip earned an additional ₹17,820, collectively netting extra income of ₹1.92 crore. INCOIS director T.M. Balakrishnan Nair, who carried out a study on the efficacy of PFZ advisories along with his team of scientists, found that 52% of fishermen received the advisories and 35% actively used them. In a follow-up study conducted in 117 Kerala villages between 2022 and 2023, Nair's team found a clear link between PFZ access and increased fish catch. The southwest coast, particularly Kerala, accounted for 37% of India's marine fish landings in 2023 with 69% of the catch comprising sardines and mackerel. In villages with major fishing harbours and landing centres such as Azheekkal, Beypore, Chellanam, Fort Kochi, Munambam, Neendakara and Sakthikulangara, the daily catch often exceeded 100 tonnes and occasionally peaked at 500 tonnes. 'Our findings revealed significantly higher fish catches on days when PFZ advisories were used, and even on the following day, validating their effectiveness across a wide area,' explained the INCOIS director. The analysis also revealed an interesting trend: planktivorous fish dominated catches on PFZ days, while carnivorous species were more common the next day, indicating a transfer of productivity through the food chain. The study, conducted between June 2022 and March 2023, found peak PFZ activity during July to September, coinciding with peak southwest monsoon. This period of increased ocean surface productivity, driven by monsoon winds, was marked by high chlorophyll levels and cooler sea surface temperatures due to coastal upwelling, which are ideal conditions for fish aggregation. During both the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons, planktivores and carnivores continued to dominate the catch. Scientists observed that nearshore PFZ occurrences were most frequent during the pre-monsoon months, especially February and March, a period that usually sees lower fish catch compared to the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. This highlights the seasonal variability of PFZ events, which are closely linked to changing environmental conditions. The study found that planktonic prey, which is critical for planktivorous fish, peaked during the monsoon and post-monsoon periods. In contrast, prey species for carnivorous fish remained consistently available along the coast throughout the study period. Interestingly, the highest fish catches were often recorded the day after PFZ advisories were issued. Scientists believe this is due to a combination of fish aggregation patterns and the time fishermen take to act on the information. This insight enhances understanding of how timing affects the effectiveness of PFZ advisories. The research also underscored the value of using village-specific landing data to study coastal ecosystem productivity. Village-level catch data, when analysed alongside satellite-derived environmental information, can offer early indicators of ocean productivity and its link to fishery abundance, added Nair. The study recommends further refining PFZ advisories by incorporating local factors such as dominant gear types, craft used and operational depths. It also calls for in-situ experiments and long-term monitoring at dynamic and persistent ocean fronts to better understand changes in environmental triggers and food chain shifts, which are key to improving future fisheries forecasts. 'The study validates that PFZ events are associated with higher catches. It also demonstrates the potential of using village-specific landing data to explore productivity dynamics in coastal ecosystems,' said Nair. Other scientists involved in the study included Dhanya Mohan Lal, Harisha, Alakes Samanta, Sudheer Joseph and Sanjiba Baliarsingh.
CNA
01-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- CNA
Paul misses Florida fishing season but reels in a lunker in Paris
PARIS :Tommy Paul's rods may be gathering dust back home in Florida with the prime fishing season under way but the 12th-seed reeled in one of his biggest catches when he blasted past Australia's Alexei Popyrin in the French Open fourth round on Sunday. Paul, an enthusiastic amateur fisherman, admitted the rod and reel sport was sometimes on his mind even during baseline rallies on the world's biggest tennis stages. "Right now it's like the prime time season in South Florida for fishing, so I'm seeing a lot of great fish get caught while I'm away, and it's kind of breaking my heart," Paul told a press conference. "At least some people are catching them, right?" He did bag a whopper himself on Sunday though with his 6-3 6-3 6-3 win over Popyrin, becoming the first American male player to reach the last eight in Paris in 22 years. Paul also became the only active American player to reach the last eight on all three surfaces after his 2023 Australian Open semi-final and 2024 Wimbledon quarter-final runs. "For me it's just like a getaway. When I'm fishing, I'm not thinking about tennis. Sometimes when I'm playing tennis, I'm thinking about fishing," he said. "When I'm out there (fishing), it's like a complete separation from my job, from tennis. I think that's really healthy." Paul can land another trophy catch in the last eight where he will face either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or fellow American and world number 13 Ben Shelton.
