A fund created by the FishAmerica Foundation for restoring fisheries habitat and recreational fishing facilities devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita is expanding to include fisheries and their habitats that are expected to be impacted by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Despite efforts to cap the leak, close to 210,000 gallons of oil per day reportedly are being released into the Gulf with potentially disastrous effects on the region’s fish and wildlife.
“The FishAmerica Foundation is prepared to step up and assist local groups with funding to restore sport fisheries and their habitat once the restoration efforts begin,” said FishAmerica Foundation Executive Director Johanna Laderman. “The foundation has a 27-year track record of successfully helping community-based organizations who want to get involved in restoration projects.”
Go to http://www.fishamerica.org to get more information or to make a contribution to the Gulf Fund.
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A State Supreme Court justice has denied a motion by New York State to dismiss a lawsuit challenging its right to require saltwater licenses for those fishing in East End waters, which means the case will go to trial.
Justice Patrick Sweeney sided with the seven Long Island towns that are party to the lawsuit, originally filed by the Southampton and East Hampton town trustees and the Town of Shelter Island. A temporary restraining order prohibiting the Dept. of Environmental Conservation from enforcing the new saltwater license regulation in the towns that are party to the suit remains in place.
The state has 20 days to lay out its argument against the towns’ legal claims. The two sides are scheduled to meet with Justice Sweeney again on June 24. A trial could start by the fall.
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The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board has modified the 2010 season length for the black sea bass recreational fishery. The season will now run from May 22 to Oct. 11 and from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31.
The season represents an extension from what was originally planned. When the original seson was developed, the Board only had 2009 harvest estimates for January through June. Harvest estimates for July through December 2009 were projected using previous years’ data to calculate a total harvest estimate.