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Started By
Message
Pogy boats dumped 850,000 fish off Louisiana coast
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:27 am
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:27 am
quote:
Pogy boats dumped 850,000 fish off Louisiana coast, spurring new calls for fishing limits
LINK
Three massive fish spills that coated waves and beaches off the southwest coast of Louisiana last week has renewed calls for tighter restrictions on the menhaden industry.
Two menhaden fishing companies dumped an estimated 850,000 fish in the waters off Cameron Parish during three incidents over four days, the companies confirmed on Wednesday. The fish formed rotting rafts that either floated into deeper water or washed up by the thousands near Holly Beach, one of the few communities in the sparely-populated parish. Amid the dead menhaden, also called pogy, were hundreds of redfish, a species prized by recreational fishers but often snagged as bycatch in massive menhaden nets, potentially contributing to sharp redfish population declines in recent years.
“The menhaden industry likes to talk about how rare these incidents are and how unfortunate they are, but they are simply not rare,” said Chris Macaluso, marine fisheries director for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “And to see hundreds of redfish dead on the beach, you can’t help but be concerned.”
The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is investigating the incidents. Omega Protein, one of the companies, was cited for failing to report one of the spills within two hours. Wildlife and Fisheries will set Omega's penalty amount once it determines the value of the dead fish. Officials note the violation was for failing to report "the wasting of fish," and not the wasting of fish itself. The two companies say they complied with all other state laws, including a new one that requires them to try to clean up their dead fish.
quote:
It’s unclear how many fish were dead, but the netting process usually takes several minutes, killing most fish before they’re brought on-board the large ‘mother’ ships employed by the industry.
The spills were strikingly similar to an incident in the same area and same time last year. During the second week of September 2022, an Omega boat was overwhelmed by an unexpectedly big catch and had to cut its large net, dumping nearly 1 million menhaden, most of them dead, near Holly Beach.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:31 am to dewster
Can’t stand the pogy boats. Wish our government would do something about them
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:32 am to dewster
Man I wish this got the press it deserves... They've been raping our fisheries for years while other states forbid it. It's terrible and I can't believe we still allow it.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:34 am to dewster
And Louisiana will still refuse to regulate the industry because Omega Protein and others have some state elected officials bought and paid for. Louisiana is not sportsman's paradise, it's unregulated free for all with our natural resources unlike any other state.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:39 am to specchaser
Enough is enough. Find something else to make your cat and dog food out of, or don’t, I really could not care less about the industry or the jobs. Stop raping our fishery and passing the buck to the individual.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:40 am to Stexas
quote:
They've been raping our fisheries for years while other states forbid it. It's terrible and I can't believe we still allow it.
It's Louisiana. Politicians don't care if it lines their pockets.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:44 am to dewster
I almost took a job years ago with Omega Protein as a pilot/fish spotter. Could have made about $120k in six months.
Glad I didn’t take the job, I’d feel terrible knowing I’m contributing to the decimation of out fish habitat.
Glad I didn’t take the job, I’d feel terrible knowing I’m contributing to the decimation of out fish habitat.
This post was edited on 9/21/23 at 9:45 am
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:45 am to Bayou_Tiger_225
quote:
Can’t stand the pogy boats. Wish our government would do something about them
Jeff Landry is in bed with these foreign owned scumbags. All other candidates said they'd push for stronger restrictions on the pogy/menhaden fishing industry.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:46 am to dewster
The worst part about this is the fine is for failing to report a spill.
quote:
Officials note the violation was for failing to report "the wasting of fish," and not the wasting of fish itself.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:47 am to dewster
quote:
The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is investigating the incidents
It’s OK. WLF will just punish the recreational fishers by cutting the catch limits in half to make up for Omega’s incompetence.
If they really wanted to fix the Louisiana fishery situation they would just work to outlaw the Pogy boats.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:51 am to specchaser
Just so I understand, we only know about this because there was a "spill", correct?
The company will be fined, per the article, but according to the state, their sin isn't all of the by-catch, but rather the "spill", and not reporting it in a timely fashion?
Even when things go correctly, the same ratio of Pogeys to by-catch including red fish is the same, it is just that when things go as planned, it all ends up in the fishing boat instead of dead in the the water?
So what are we mad at, the contamination of a spill, and not meeting state reporting requirements, or is it the evidence of what occurs in routine practice in terms of by-catch and impact on our fisheries, especially when compared to the scale of impact that recreational fishermen are alleged to have?
The company will be fined, per the article, but according to the state, their sin isn't all of the by-catch, but rather the "spill", and not reporting it in a timely fashion?
Even when things go correctly, the same ratio of Pogeys to by-catch including red fish is the same, it is just that when things go as planned, it all ends up in the fishing boat instead of dead in the the water?
So what are we mad at, the contamination of a spill, and not meeting state reporting requirements, or is it the evidence of what occurs in routine practice in terms of by-catch and impact on our fisheries, especially when compared to the scale of impact that recreational fishermen are alleged to have?
Posted on 9/21/23 at 9:56 am to dewster
Copied this by Deepwood on the Outdoor Board.
We allow two foreign companies carte blanch to do as they please because as usual in our State, they pay off the right politicians. No other State along the Gulf or East Coast allows pogie boats to operate indiscriminately, or mostly operate at all. They're not allowed.
Senator Robert Hensgens of district 26 in Abbeville has been the main opponent of these bills. He's the pogie boat industries protector and I imagine it has to do with $$$$ going into his campaign coffers.
He never allows meaningful bills regulating the industry to get out of his committee for wider consideration and a vote.
I've seen these boats destroy hundreds of redfish as bycatch multiple times near Grand Isle, Venice and Delacroix over the years.
It's a shame our State's regulations and public resources are still for sale to the highest bidder.
quote:
Rep Joseph Orgeron has put two bills forth to limit the total allowed catch and force these boats to operate father offshore. Both have made it through the house and were referred to the Senate Natural Resource Comittee. HB 1033 in 2022 and HB 567 this year.
1033 was voted by a vote of 4-3 to be delayed to a later session to be heard, a session where they knew it would not be heard. I am trying to find out who those 4 are. I know one of them is Chairman Robert Hensgens of district 26. He has been the main opponent of these bills.
It so happens that one of the two menhaden processing plants in the state is in his district…..needless to say he did not reply to my email.
Senator Bret Allain, one of the two to reply to emails, was a supporter of these bills is trying to find out the end fate of the bill from this year HB 567 for me.
We allow two foreign companies carte blanch to do as they please because as usual in our State, they pay off the right politicians. No other State along the Gulf or East Coast allows pogie boats to operate indiscriminately, or mostly operate at all. They're not allowed.
Senator Robert Hensgens of district 26 in Abbeville has been the main opponent of these bills. He's the pogie boat industries protector and I imagine it has to do with $$$$ going into his campaign coffers.
He never allows meaningful bills regulating the industry to get out of his committee for wider consideration and a vote.
I've seen these boats destroy hundreds of redfish as bycatch multiple times near Grand Isle, Venice and Delacroix over the years.
It's a shame our State's regulations and public resources are still for sale to the highest bidder.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 10:13 am to Saskwatch
quote:
Jeff Landry is in bed with these foreign owned scumbags. All other candidates said they'd push for stronger restrictions on the pogy/menhaden fishing industry.
Maybe some trial attorneys need to sue the industry. Then Jeff can be on the side of the trial attorneys against the industry.
Wonder who pays more... the pogy industry or the trial lawyers?
Posted on 9/21/23 at 10:14 am to luvdoc
quote:
So what are we mad at, the contamination of a spill, and not meeting state reporting requirements, or is it the evidence of what occurs in routine practice in terms of by-catch and impact on our fisheries, especially when compared to the scale of impact that recreational fishermen are alleged to have?
If there redfish limits, and the pogy boats are catching redfish in their nets even as a by-product, how are the boats / pilots / companies not being hit with fines and penalties for exceeding redfish limits?
Posted on 9/21/23 at 10:15 am to luvdoc
quote:
So what are we mad at, the contamination of a spill, and not meeting state reporting requirements, or is it the evidence of what occurs in routine practice in terms of by-catch and impact on our fisheries, especially when compared to the scale of impact that recreational fishermen are alleged to have?
It's the indiscriminate killing of breeding stock game fish. Redfish, Tarpon, and other types of fish valued by fisherman are taken out along with the targeted pogeys. These are breeding stock fish which are killed and not able to further produce. This is how a sustainable renewable fishing stock gets depleted. These FOREIGN companies are raping and depleting a valuable resource for Louisana and it's citizens.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 10:15 am to dewster
This N La baw gives no fricks.
The CCA dude was on 1130 KWKH yest crying about muh dead fish.
The CCA dude was on 1130 KWKH yest crying about muh dead fish.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 10:17 am to dewster
Help me understand this.
The nets are killing the fish?
Don't the boats want the fish to come on board alive? Or is it ok if they come on board dead?
And why are they dumping fish? Why would they catch fish simply to dump them back in the water?
The nets are killing the fish?
Don't the boats want the fish to come on board alive? Or is it ok if they come on board dead?
And why are they dumping fish? Why would they catch fish simply to dump them back in the water?
Posted on 9/21/23 at 10:17 am to specchaser
FIFY
It’s an unregulated free for all for corporations….
It’s an unregulated free for all for corporations….
Posted on 9/21/23 at 10:18 am to LSUFanHouston
quote:
Wonder who pays more... the pogy industry or the trial lawyers?
I imagine the crewmembers on those pogy boats are cash cow clients for the "trial lawyers" who in reality probably settle 99% of their cases.
Posted on 9/21/23 at 10:19 am to dewster
Why does LA allow people to rape our resources?
People like to talk about not being able to survive without the fed, but they are robbing us.
People like to talk about not being able to survive without the fed, but they are robbing us.
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