tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965370542440002490.post7905353894251975489..comments2024-03-25T16:24:52.850-03:00Comments on Eco Yogini: Hypnotized Lobsters; Considering Eco-abilityEco Yoginihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693080137196812405noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965370542440002490.post-75626623134911062172009-04-12T23:15:00.000-03:002009-04-12T23:15:00.000-03:00Hi Natalie,I'm glad this was helpful and "new" :)A...Hi Natalie,<BR/>I'm glad this was helpful and "new" :)As I've been "home" in the fishing village these past few days for Easter, I've heard SO MUCH more about fishing. I forget how much it's a part of everything my family does... and I'm getting free lobster meat to make chowder! WOO :)<BR/><BR/>I've decided to post my favourite lobster recipe ideas... as out of most of the seafood it's the most sustainable choice in eastern Canada/States :)Eco Yoginihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10693080137196812405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965370542440002490.post-16536999159908512662009-04-11T17:10:00.000-03:002009-04-11T17:10:00.000-03:00My Dad's side of the family is from Nova Scotia; I...My Dad's side of the family is from Nova Scotia; I haven't been there in years but ate lots of lobster as a kid as well. <BR/><BR/>Interesting to read all of this "insider" info on the industry, and the environmental concerns involved. Great post! <BR/> <BR/>I appreciate your taking the time to do a comparison like this, similar to the multiple analyses of meat/beef/chicken/pork out there.Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17195550991985204131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965370542440002490.post-74340569010171074412009-04-10T21:48:00.000-03:002009-04-10T21:48:00.000-03:00Alli: thank you so much!! I KNEW you'd have some a...Alli: thank you so much!! I KNEW you'd have some awesome insights :)<BR/><BR/>I knew there was some drama between US and Canadian fishing- I hear grumblings once in a while. I have heard about v-notching, but as far as I can tell they mostly just throw the females back. But then, I hear that they are not responsible for females that have eggs after they are caught and in the holding tanks.<BR/><BR/>About the females and tinkers (small lobsters)- there are huge fines yes... but I admit to have eaten tinkers before... In the summertime... with internal politics between inshore and offshore fishermen it gets tricky. Offshore boats are bigger, burn more fuel and are better equipped to fish- they go offshore when the lobsters move out, and follow them back inshore- creating tension between fishermen and flooding the market with weak lobsters.... but then. That's a whole other issue.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, from what I know salvaging traps found on the shore is rare- mostly because it's more effort than it's worth. Perhaps in different districts, the only thing I know they salvage is buoys. Lobster traps is a lucrative business (as my uncle would tell you- he owns Fox Hill Wire Traps).<BR/><BR/>I didn't comment on that aspect- but lets just say that keeping the oceans clean isn't their top priority. An example: when I was younger we used to take the boat out in the summer and for fun throw an ENTIRE bag of rubber bands out in the ocean. A quick swim off the wharf will reveal fridges, sinks, car tires etc. I wonder where the offshore traps go to?<BR/><BR/>Something else I didn't comment on was the aboriginal tensions with licensing... but then that's a HUGE issue that I don't feel unbiased enough to even begin.<BR/><BR/>I'm glad that I'm not the only one who thought those choice lists were a little too simple.<BR/><BR/>Thank you so much for your insights and knowledge! So greatly appreciated! :)Eco Yoginihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10693080137196812405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965370542440002490.post-19177537559542871062009-04-10T20:53:00.000-03:002009-04-10T20:53:00.000-03:00Let me just say that as always issues surrounding ...Let me just say that as always issues surrounding a biological resource, money and tradition are complicated. From what I understand (a friend of mine studies lobster in LFA 34) is that population levels in LFA 34 are really high, based on data and fishermen's comments reflect this also. The area where the lobsters aggregate in the winter are fished by both sides of the border, however, we actually stop during breeding season whereas in Maine they fish year-round. This could lead to declines in the populations because they are fishing during the breeding season, but we also have no idea what the effects of climate change and ocean acidification are/will be. At least for things they can currently control, there are initiatives to protect gravid females (those holding eggs) in the USA called v-notching. I don't remember if this is also used in Canada but definitely is in the USA...EcoYogini you might know better than I...What the fishermen do is when they pull up a gravid female they cut a v-shaped notch in their tail and throw them back. The notch lasts I think up to 3 molts (when they shed their external skeleton for growth) which allows the female to reproduce for up to 3 more years because even if she does not have eggs the next time but still has the notch they must throw her back in. Also, in both Canada and the USA they have a minimum allowable size and there are HUGE fines if you are caught with juveniles or v-notched females. These are just some of the measures used to manage the fishery and according to many people in government and science it is a well managed fishery in this area, at least on the Canadian side. There are political issues surrounding it which is a source of tension between the USA and Canada...like the fishing year-round and too many licenses are issued each fisherman gets less catch for their effort and there are many cross border conflicts, the tensions run high around these issues...after all it is their livelihood.<BR/><BR/>With respect to the gear and other pollution, destruction of habitat, etc. I think it is one of the least impacting fisheries out there. Like every human activity there is an impact, now is it more or less than others it is hard to judge. If I had to choose between lobster and scallops that are wild harvested (ie: dragged) and not aquacultured then I would definitely choose lobster. In my opinion, at least along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia it is well managed (we won't go into the Gulf of St. Lawrence fishery) and not all inshore fishing uses huge trap lines. All of the coastal fishermen only set on trap at a time so the impact is even smaller! Lost traps get washed up on shore where they can be scavenged for the functioning part and bricks. So like I said at the beginning, it is complicated and I didn't even get to why the lobster populations are so high!!!! Ok I'll tell you...it is thought that the populations are so high because we fished out all of their predators (cod and other groundfish)...so essentially we are filling the empty spot in the food chain left by our legacy of overfishing groundfish species...a huge convoluted mess that essentially all comes back to our unsustainable fishing practices! So when you eat seafood choose wisely and really educate yourself about the particular fisheries and be critical of everything you read even the best intentioned documents have a lot of misinformation. I wish it was as easy as those seafood choice lists but it is not. Let's just say, I eat very little seafood mostly because I don't like it but if I had to have a list of choices...Trap caught shrimp, aquacultured bivalves (mussels, oysters scallops), haddock, land aquacultured cod and Atlantic Nova Scotia lobster. I am sure there are other fisheries on the west coast and other parts of the world that would fall into my list but since I am not a big seafood eater I do not seek them out. <BR/><BR/>Thanks EcoYogini for the post! If anyone has any questions feel free to drop by my blog and ask...if I don't know I will ask my friend who studies lobster. Cheers! AlliAllihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965370542440002490.post-43186281028697493622009-04-10T14:05:00.001-03:002009-04-10T14:05:00.001-03:00Amazing stuff! Did you know I've NEVER cooked lobs...Amazing stuff! Did you know I've NEVER cooked lobster before? I've eaten, but never cooked it. Now I'm inspired to try.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for participating in today's Fight Back Fridays carnival. <BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>KristenM<BR/>(AKA FoodRenegade)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965370542440002490.post-13834744819811388382009-04-10T14:05:00.000-03:002009-04-10T14:05:00.000-03:00Wow. I grew up in Rhode Island, where there are a ...Wow. I grew up in Rhode Island, where there are a lot of lobster fisherman. I knew that about the low prices, but never really thought about the litter! Very interesting post. I found you on the Food Renegade list.Carolynhttp://eatabeet.comnoreply@blogger.com