2025 8:00 AMHow Mexico’s Fishing Refuges Are Fighting Back Against PoachingFollowing inaction from the government fishing communities and conservationists are taking it upon themselves to set up and monitor no-catch zones to combat species depletion caused by overfishing.Community divers and monitors enter the Celestún Fishing Refuge Zone.Photograph: Geraldine CastroSave this storySaveSave this storySaveIt has been two hours since the divers left the coast behind As they reach their designated GPS points in the Gulf of Mexico their boats’ engines go from roaring to whispering they enter the Celestún Fishing Refuge Zone their lives depend on having carefully prepared their dives to this place of hope covers 324 square kilometers and is monitored by the Yucatán Coast Submarine Monitoring Community Group who are supported by personnel from the Mexican Institute for Research in Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (IMIPAS) and the civil association the Community and Biodiversity (COBI) Their methodology mixes local knowledge with scientific rigor marine populations worldwide have declined in size by 56 percent Over a third of current marine populations are overfished 62 percent are being exploited at their maximum sustainable level and 15 percent have no information on their state When the conservation nonprofit Oceana analyzed the same data it found that 34 percent of Mexico’s fisheries are in "poor condition,” says to Esteban García Peña Oceana’s coordinator of research and public policy no one is obligated to look after the health of the country’s fisheries; Mexico’s General Fisheries Law doesn’t obligate the government to take on this responsibility and in the face of legislative disinterest even filed an injunction in 2021 against the Congress of the Union such as access to a healthy environment and food This inspired a proposal to revive Mexico’s deteriorated fishing zones only for it not to be analyzed or approved by Congress the world has lost 56 percent of its marine populations communities have taken things into their own hands Although the government isn’t obliged to protect and revive the country’s fisheries people can request for it set up refuge zones to conserve and repopulate marine ecosystems totaling more than 2 million hectares and benefiting an IMIPAS researcher and head of the Regional Center for Aquaculture and Fisheries Research in Yucalpetén It is working an area in a sustainable way the Celestún team gathers under a large palapa using coconuts to show how to measure sea cucumbers and sea snails although it is not part of Mexican gastronomy its fishing has brought a lot of profit to this coast In the Chinese market these creatures can fetch more than $150 per plate The hype over the echinoderm has driven practices that are harmful to the ecosystem and to the fishermen’s health a makeshift diving machine that runs on gasoline and pumps oxygen down a tube to divers below the surface Sanitary towels sometimes stand in as an oil filter while mint tablets are taken to mitigate the taste of gas nobody denies the risk of diving with this machine Many know someone who has had an accident or died from decompression but violation of its closed seasons brought the species to the brink of extinction Divers started going deeper and deeper to hunt them a group of fishermen asked IMIPAS researchers for help to establish an area where the sea could have a chance to recover Overfishing has depleted other species here too founder of the refuge and captain of one of the boats during the monitoring trip has been accompanying IMIPAS researchers for years to evaluate the state of marine species scallops were fished until they were spent The fishermen knew they had to let the species recover the same thing happened with the Moorish crab It was spent.” Then fishing of grouper began Now it’s gone down and the juvenile is this size,” Pech says The collapse of fisheries doesn’t just result in fewer animals and smaller sizes It also pushes fishermen to go further and further out into the ocean sea and spend more days at sea They even make unregulated adjustments to their fleet “They raise their boats in search of more stability in deeper places Keeping profits higher than their operating costs is a necessity even if this puts fishermen’s lives at risk—for instance when getting caught in storms in in homemade boats They are also victims of forces outside of their control "Fishing communities receive the first impact of the inclemencies aggravated by climate change,” she says Before applying for the refuge in Celestún local fishermen and researchers had many conversations When they saw the fisheries information compiled by the Regional Center for Aquaculture and Fisheries Research they realized that it was not only the cucumber that needed protection Species such as red grouper (Epinephelus morio) and red octopus (Octopus maya) were also listed as overexploited or in decline So the community agreed to try replenish populations of red grouper artisanal octopus fishing and the capture of king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) Atlantic Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) and great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) is allowed between October and February using “trolling”—pulling a baited hook behind a boat; diving and domestic consumption of other species is prohibited Josué Canul is one of the people under the palapa I have been one of the biggest predators,” he says “I was their hater,” he says of conservationists—now he the refuge’s president That day he understood his mistake: it was not a forbidden site but the idea captivated him for two reasons: the loss of marine abundance for the community to say: we don’t fish in this area so that it will reproduce and leave some here for us.” it was said “that in Celestún they burned your boats that the most terrible and furtive fishermen lived there,” says Mariana Suasnávar To think that this community would be the first in the state to take such measures to recover the fisheries was far-fetched Canul says that fishermen justify being poachers because it feeds their families we have the culture that the more you catch We were never taught to take care,” he says a marine biologist and environmental economist at the Colegio de la Frontera Sur calls this phenomenon “the race for fish,” in which “whoever gets there fastest gets the treasure.” In her view this extractivist approach to the sea occurs because there is open access which leads to thinking: “If I don’t take it out Poot points out that fishing refuge zones are a management tool so that the communities return little by little to good practices to teach the new generations how fishing should be because today it has been distorted,” she says the fishermen watch the monitoring group leave It’s expected that a well-kept fishing refuge will result in larger organisms for these benefits to be seen beyond the borders of the protection site it is crucial to establish a baseline of how the site is at the beginning and implement a constant monitoring program “If five years go by and you don’t notice results “Experiments to evaluate that the cost of not fishing is offset by larval dispersal are scarce,” she says She collaborated with COBI on a study on Isla Natividad where they collected data over ten years and found that lobster fishing was good at the boundaries of the reserve set up there the divers are dropped on their backs into the sea and descend Some describe the type of seabed and its contents every 50 centimeters for 50 meters; others identify The invertebrate biometry team collects snails and cucumbers to measure them on the boat and Everyone notes whether the sampling site is inside or outside the refuge “It’s like taking a picture of the sea,” says Suasnávar returns soaking wet to the boat with a smile: “It's like entering another world,” she says She joined the project after seeing the decline of the octopus and today is treasurer of the refuge and a member of the Yucatán Coast Submarine Monitoring Community Group where 14 women and 12 men from different Yucatecan communities participate She learned to dive to see with her own eyes if the effort was worth it and to make her voice heard in the decision-making process The monitoring group is made up of people involved in the fishing chain with the support of organizations such as COBI the Secretariat of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture of Yucatán and the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas Members have received certifications in open water scuba diving and species identification methodologies designed by IMIPAS and COBI Their work helps to expose the results of sustainable management and to recognize if there is anything to adjust in the management of the area one of the divers who cares for the Celestún fishing refuge Data capture takes place in a small room with air conditioning From the log sheets jump the marine characters: mackerel scad (Decapterus macarellus) rehearsing the name out loud with laughter A copy of Paul Humann’s Reef Creature Identification with team members pointing out the species they have already found and those they would like to see soon and participatory science with local fishermen reduce the gender gap in the local economy diversify voices in decision making (in Celestún there is a committee of women and another of young people) and strengthen community pride and the defense of the territory Some groups are organizing against predatory tourism or the care of other coastal ecosystems an experienced diver from Punta Allen in neighboring Quintana Roo there were pending issues that could not be put off: surveillance and monitoring Canul is a restless person—his colleagues say that even underwater he keeps talking It was only a few months after joining the refuge team that he assumed the presidency the youngest of the Yucatán monitoring group but now they have won a grant from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) they are about to integrate electric motors into their work UNDP Mexico Small Grants Programme associate in charge of the energy projects portfolio using electric mobility will help reduce the environmental impact of surveillance there has been no federal budget allocated to fisheries management in Mexico Many of the things that have happened are thanks to the management and organization of civil society,” stresses Saénz Gocher of Oceana points out that many of the obstacles faced in marine conservation are due to the lack of social fabric It’s known locally who is fishing illegally “That they have to ask them not to do it implies a community conflict but it also opens the opportunity to restore the social fabric When the community sees results—that there are more resources that are more sustainable and at their pace—they begin to take care,” Gocher says “There are many fishing refuge zones and protected marine areas in which fishermen and fisherwomen make vigilance committees to make sure that fishing is done legally; they take care of everyone’s resources,” says Gocher 75 percent of the fisheries are exploited without management plans which puts the sustainable development and wellbeing of the communities at risk.” Many vigilance groups begin by financing activities out of their own pockets and the refuge team knows that they are swimming against the current that they must deal with the frustration of taking care of a resource that others steal at night They know they are at risk for pointing out those who break the rules “Many times we look like clowns when we do surveillance catch people who do something illegal and the law does nothing to them,” says Canul one of the captains notices a boat on the horizon and deduces that they are coming from illegal fishing He picks up the radio and asks the others what to do; they decide not to interrupt the monitoring 332 maritime patrols and 99 land patrols were recorded “There is no information on what happens when someone is caught or a vessel or product is seized There is opacity in the data and a high level of impunity,” Gocher says financed by the World Bank and the French Development Agency in coordination with the Mexican government Suggestions include incorporating fishing goals as part of the National Development Plan and providing legal security for coastal communities to manage their territory The vision for recovering the productivity of the sea work with those who access a maritime territory then see how they connect with their neighbors “You need a complete understanding of these phenomena.” What is impossible is to try to recover a species without listening to the fishermen Juan Pech has seen marine beauty and also a damaged sea The diver explains his commitment with an anecdote the man who taught him commercial diving told him where to go to find fish but came to a dead site; nothing his teacher described was still there he says he doesn’t want to tell them about a sea they can’t see This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish In your inbox: Upgrade your life with WIRED-tested gear “Wi-Fi keeps going down”: Trump’s RTO mandate is going terribly Big Story: The worm that no computer scientist can crack Yuval Noah Harari: “Prepare to share the planet with AI superintelligence” Uncanny Valley: An insider look at the influence of Silicon Valley It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives—from culture to business The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking An official website of the United States government Date: May 2, 2025 Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov  WASHINGTON - In a major step to expand recreational access to America’s public lands Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum today announced 42 new proposed hunting opportunities across more than 87,000 acres within the National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatchery System  This proposal would more than triple the number of opportunities and quintuple the number of stations opened or expanded compared to the previous administration underscoring a strong national commitment to outdoor recreation and conservation.  “Expanding recreational access to our public lands isn’t just about tradition—it’s about supporting rural economies and the American families who depend on them,” said Secretary Burgum “By opening more areas to hunting and outdoor recreation and generate revenue for local communities all while promoting responsible stewardship of our natural resources.”  The Service is proposing to open or expand opportunities for hunting and sport fishing at 16 National Wildlife Refuge System stations and one National Fish Hatchery System station  The Service is committed to ensuring that all hunting and fishing opportunities align with state fish and wildlife regulations We continue to work closely with our state partners to maintain consistency in areas such as the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle and we will incorporate these considerations into future updates.  “Hunting and fishing are traditional recreational activities deeply rooted in America’s heritage national fish hatcheries and other Service lands offer hunting and fishing access that helps boost local economies and gives Americans an opportunity to unplug,” said Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Paul Souza “We are pleased to expand access and offer new opportunities that are compatible with our conservation mission and are committed to responsibly managing these areas for the benefit of future generations.”  Proposed new opportunities from these openings and expansions include the first-ever opening of hunting on the newly established Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland and the inaugural opening of sport fishing at North Attleboro National Fish Hatchery in Massachusetts at the request of the State of Minnesota and the White Earth Nation Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge proposes to end an experimental five-day early teal hunt where the refuge overlaps with tribal land to ensure safety for wild rice harvesting and to align with state regulations The regular teal season remains unchanged.  Hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities contributed more than $394 billion in economic expenditures in communities across the United States in 2022, with hunters and anglers accounting for over $144 billion in expenditures, according to the Service’s National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation an estimated 39.9 million Americans over the age of 16 fished and 14.4 million hunted.  The Service will publish the proposal for public comment in the Federal Register and it will be available at http://www.regulations.gov The Service intends to finalize the proposed changes in time for the upcoming 2025-2026 hunting seasons The National Wildlife Refuge System is an unparalleled network of 573 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts There is a national wildlife refuge within an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas More than 69 million Americans visit refuges every year National wildlife refuges provide vital habitat for thousands of species and access to world-class recreation photography and environmental education.  There are 71 national fish hatcheries visited by more than one million people each year in the National Fish Hatchery System Hatcheries offer opportunities for viewing the operations and learning about fish In addition to offering opportunities for viewing the operations and learning about fish many hatcheries also provide picnic areas and offer other activities Currently the total number of National Fish Hatchery System units open to hunting and/or sport fishing is 31.  The Service manages hunting and fishing programs to ensure sustainable wildlife populations while also offering other wildlife-dependent recreation on public lands.  The Department of the Interior hosted a solemn ceremony today to officially unveil the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge name change by the Fish and Wildlife Services. The U.S. Department of the Interior today announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed the transfer of 680 acres of land to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the Spirit Lake Nation in Benson County, North Dakota. Secretary Doug Burgum signed a Secretary’s Order renaming the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge, following an executive order issued by President Donald J. Trump. This page was not helpful because the content: The state’s “Big 10″ account for nearly half of the annual harvest. In Minnesota, big lakes mean big fish, and lots of them. According to the Department of Natural Resources, the state’s 10 largest inland lakes feature a combined surface area of 825,000 acres and produce about 40% of Minnesota’s annual walleye harvest. These lakes — and their walleyes — also account for the bulk of the approximately $2.4 billion spent each year on fishing in Minnesota. So important are these waterways that the DNR assigns a fisheries specialist to each. And every fall, the agency gauges each lake’s productivity so bag limits and other restrictions can be adjusted, if necessary. Going fishing on the opener or later this summer? These lake profiles might get you hooked on Minnesota’s “Big 10.” Outdoors columnist Dennis Anderson joined the Star Tribune in 1993 after serving in the same position at the St. Paul Pioneer Press for 13 years. His column topics vary widely, and include canoeing, fishing, hunting, adventure travel and conservation of the environment. Outdoor Activities The state’s “Big 10″ account for nearly half of the annual harvest These three cousins were dropped in the middle of the Denali backcountry with nothing to do but explore Columnist Dennis Anderson and outdoors writer Tony Kennedy will be answering your questions about Minnesota’s largest opening day the Governor's Fishing Opener has done a great job promoting fishing and tourism in Wisconsin But the 2025 edition in Rice Lake broke new ground Yes, Gov. Tony Evers, his staff, Department of Natural Resources employees Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers as well as local tourism officials and organizations shined a deserving light on the Barron County community and lake The Elk's Lodge in Rice Lake was packed May 2 for a dinner banquet, speeches and silent auction. And under Chamber of Commerce weather Saturday, May 3, the waters of Rice Lake sparkled and waterfront activities at the city's Veteran's Memorial Park hummed with excitement What no one planned was for the event to test a deep-seated fishing superstition Bananas are universally regarded as good sources of potassium But along the way they've also earned a reputation as bad luck if brought on a fishing boat Whether it has a scientific basis (some hypothesize the oils in the fruit are repulsive to fish) or it's hooey anglers rarely choose to tempt the Chiquita fate both of Oxford and my fishing partners for the morning are keenly aware of this legend and normally take great pains to respect it Carey is a licensed charter captain and president and founder of WI Women Fish But they didn't inspect the breakfast boxes handed out May 3 to participants in the Governor's Fishing Opener And it wasn't until we launched and set trolling lines on Rice Lake that they discovered they unwittingly brought a pair of bananas on the fishing outing putting aside a breakfast burrito and holding out a yellow The mojo on the boat immediately took on the trajectory of a lead balloon The record will show I ate breakfast - sans banana It would have been bad enough if it were just an outing of friends (I've known Carey and Pardun for 15 years initially through membership in the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers) But after our planned 90 minutes of fishing and scouting "Now we've really got our work cut out," Pardun said The Governor's Fishing Opener was initiated by Knowles graduate of the University of Wisconsin's law school The Republican governor is remembered for pro-conservation and pro-environment policies; the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund Wisconsin's signature public land acquisition program The event is an opportunity to highlight Wisconsin's fishing opportunities and the tourism industry Each governor after Knowles has continued the tradition held on the first day of the Wisconsin general fishing season The event is rotated around host sites in northwestern Wisconsin Business & Economic Development Council) group covers 12 counties in northwestern Wisconsin – Ashland Sawyer and Washburn – and markets the region to visitors The 2025 event included May 2 tours of area attractions and businesses including Henry Repeating Arms in Rice Lake followed by a Friday evening banquet at the Elk's Lodge in Rice Lake and a slew of events Saturday meals and educational displays at Veteran's Memorial Park on the shore of Rice Lake Rice Lake is a 939-acre reservoir on the Red Cedar River It has a maximum depth of 19 feet and moderate water clarity and is home to a varied fish population including largemouth and smallmouth bass DNR fisheries biologist in Barron and Polk counties A couple dozen fish were collected from those nets May 3 and transferred and temporarily held in tanks as part of an educational display at Veteran's Memorial Park Carey and Pardun decided to troll through the northern section of Rice Lake looking for fish on the electronics and learning if fish were active They set out six lines on planer boards and one directly behind the boat with the mercury at 40 degrees Fahrenheit at 7 a.m and a mere puff of a wind out of the northwest We passed a pair of common loons; the birds calmly dove surfaced and stretched 30 yards from our boat At 7:45 a bald eagle flew from shoreline tree and made a dive toward the water Carey piloted the boat over a flat and along a drop off At 8:30 we were still fishless and it was time to pick up Gov Evers at a pier at Veteran's Memorial Park But we decided it would be a good idea if I took the bananas with me Evers exchanged positions with me and he waved goodbye as Carey and Pardun whisked him away from the pier A flotilla of DNR conservation warden and other security boats followed Would the banana-free boat have better luck emailed me: "Sounds like the governor caught a 19-inch pike!" A few minutes later my inbox pinged with a photo of Gov He later caught a largemouth bass while trolling and several bluegills while casting The mood on Carey's boat brightened with each fish caught By 11 the mercury had climbed to 52 and with a bright sun and no wind some winter-conditioned Wisconsinites tossed off the jackets and walked Rice Lake around in t-shirts Kids took the cue and set up a lemonade stand at the corner of Main and Douglas in Rice Lake I spent the rest of the morning talking to Capt DNR conservation warden supervisor in Tomahawk DNR fisheries director Justine Hasz and DNR educators Theresa Stabo and Chamong Xiong as well as touring the displays in Veteran's Memorial Park including by the Rice Lake Protection District Washburn County Lakes and Rivers Association University of Wisconsin Extension and UW-Eau Claire Barron County I also ate two bananas for a late morning snack Evers enjoyed the sunny day and fished until about 12:30 p.m He also helped add credence to the angling world's banana avoidance hypothesis He has caught fish each of the five times he's fished with Carey and Pardun at the Governor's Fishing Opener it was a 23-inch walleye on the Phillips Chain the largest fish ever caught by a governor at the event Clearly the trio has a winning combination Here's hoping your 2025 opening day of fishing was safe and successful Our team of Montana correspondents has been out on the water this week Whether it’s walleyes moving into the shallows or trout rising on topwater and success stories straight from the folks who live it These quick reports give you a solid edge before you hit the water this weekend with nymphs and streamers doing the heavy lifting while spring flows and sunshine keep things interesting… The Montana Outdoor Radio Show is live Saturday Mornings from 6:06am to 8:00am Skip the flowers—take Mom fishing for free this Mother’s Day and reel in some memories instead The 100-fish limit was no match for Mack Days anglers on Flathead Lake as records tumbled and lines stayed tight in a crazy weekend of nonstop lake trout action… it can sometimes be less of a friendly forest reunion and more a heavyweight smackdown… From shoreline strikes to deep-water trolls rainbows and walleyes are keeping Canyon Ferry and Holter anglers reeling in the action—no matter your bait lack of food likely caused the mortality event… Think you’re fly fishing like a pro with that bobber it might be time to ditch the training wheels and rediscover the real art of nymphing—no plastic balls required Think state records are only for monster fish slowly)—from midge hatches to streamer pulls and dry fly eats They say that if you built a bridge in a desert Fly tying can be an enjoyable yet potentially costly way to enhance your fly fishing experience by allowing you to create your own flies instead of buying them No worries — both hours of last week’s Montana Outdoor Radio Show are ready for […] Captain and Don Jamison of Park Grove hooked a couple of trophy walleyes in the dredge cuts Friday The 2025 Walleye Egg Collection is in the Books Rigger and the Captain Take a Deep Dive Into What it all Means For Montana’s Walleye Fishermen & Women… Montana FWP wants your voice in shaping the future of mule deer—join a local workshop to weigh in on the new statewide management plan and help steer the herd in the right direction We have a sneak peek into the latest amazing Montana Outdoor Podcast episode… America’s public lands are opening wider than ever for hunters and anglers with new spots and big opportunities… Bass season just kicked off—and let’s just say the opening weekend didn’t disappoint at the Echo Lake Big Sky Bass Bash… Hell Creek Marina is your year-round launchpad for all things Fort Peck and brand-new pizzas—Rock Creek Marina is back and ready to make you feel like family… A once-golden creek is being reshaped—not for fortune this time From deep water surprises to shoreline hotspots this week brought a little bit of everything at Fort Peck Snagging a river dinosaur might sound crazy to some it’s just another paddlefish season… Armored in 30,000 quills and smelling like exotic cheese the porcupine is nature’s most misunderstood Your chance to shape the future of hunting on the Flathead Reservation—share your thoughts on the 2025-2026 draft regulations… A Canada goose was confirmed infected in Gallatin County on February 26 It’s time to get your goose jerky on Donald Trump Jr.’s hunting trip in Italy just went from a wild adventure to a legal quagmire after he allegedly poached a rare duck—now Oklahoma’s public lands just got a little less public for outsiders with a heart full of grit and a camo golf cart for cover Fox Haas reminded us all why legends never hang up their calls… The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office in California reports residents are under siege from wolves posting graphic photos of a bloodied stoop where an elk was brought down just yards from a residence There have been 18 wolf attacks confirmed in 28 days released in Colorado in January after being translocated from British Columbia has made significant movements across the state covering more than 1,230 miles since translocation — an extraordinary display of the species’ natural roaming behavior IMPORTANT: The season dates for hound hunting season in the printed version of the 2025 Black Bear Regulations were incorrectly listed in the printed regulations A peaceful day of ice fishing shattered in an instant… When you need Dramamine to go ice fishing…… Some anglers are stuck dreaming of frozen lakes while others are packing their gear and chasing the last ice—where do you stand one last thrilling ice fishing adventure delivers big trout and bigger lessons—before the season slips away As Montana’s late-season ice thins and conditions become unpredictable anglers are urged to stay cautious—no fish is worth the risk the fishing has been excellent across Helena area waters Time for Your Refresher Course on How to Catch HUGE Kokanee Salmon in Holter & Hauser Reservoirs From Kit & Trevor Johnson of Kit’s Tackle Outfitters… Think again—Kit and Trevor are back to spill the secrets before the season heats up this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast dives deep into the surprising fish behind Fort Peck’s trophy giants—don’t miss “Double Bacon Cheeseburger with Fins.” What do deep-water monsters and a double bacon cheeseburger have in common Tune in to the Montana Outdoor Podcast to find out… That “special” new scent your dog is rocking here’s one way to get rid of that… Tired of playing keep-away with your dog while you’re at hunting camp Learn the secret to achieving total recall—no chasing required When it comes to filleting a northern pike Yellowstone National Park recorded its first officially documented fatal grizzly bear attack has filed a lawsuit against the Triangle C Ranch near Dubois This smart and friendly elk has serious footwork when it comes to soccer © 2025 Montana Outdoor Radio Show All Rights Reserved RSS Feed Facebook Page YouTube Channel SoundCloud NewsBreak Profile Privacy Policy 2025 8:07PMLocal veterans were out in nature this morning to give kids a lesson in one of their collective favorite hobbies.HORSHAM Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Local veterans were out in nature this morning to give kids a lesson in one of their collective favorite hobbies The Horsham VFW Post collected donated equipment to teach kids how to fish Each child went home with their very own fishing rod and lots of memories Also, check out their Facebook page BRAINERD — With more than 20 years of experience as a fishing guide in the Brainerd lakes area Nate Blasing knows plenty about local lakes and fishing It might not have come as a surprise when he was recommended and selected to guide for Minnesota Gov Tim Walz during the 2025 Governor’s Fishing Opener in Crosslake on Saturday Outside of the politics surrounding the event Blasing said he sees being chosen as the governor’s fishing guide as an honor and an opportunity to showcase the Crosslake area and fishing on the Whitefish Chain and I just look at this as a once-in-a-lifetime honor just to be asked it’s an honor as a fishing guide just to be asked to do that,” Blasing said both work as fishing guides with the Nisswa Guides League based out of S&W Bait and Tackle on Highway 371 north of Brainerd Blasing said it was his dad’s own work as a fishing guide that initially drew him into the profession “Our paths have pretty much mirrored each other He was so busy with guiding before I had a boat to fish out of and the next spring got asked by Walleyedan’s group to do some trips a local nonprofit that works to ensure future generations have excellent walleye fishing opportunities in the Brainerd lakes area and beyond The organization started by working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources after there were noticeable changes in the walleye fishing in local lakes between 2012 and 2015 “We formed it to just give the community anglers a voice and a say in what was going on with walleye fishing While Blasing is a multi-species guide who can cater to fishing for bass or panfish in the lakes area he enjoys and specializes in walleye fishing and takes part in local walleye tournaments Whether it’s for a fishing opener or local charity fishing events Blasing said it can often be difficult to find guides who are able to volunteer their time “It’s just been harder and harder to get volunteers to do that kind of thing where you donate your day just because people are so busy and your boats are expensive,” he said “That’s also one of the few weekends a lot of us don’t take customers out So that was one of the other stumbling blocks.” fishing will be on Cross Lake and the greater Whitefish Chain of Lakes Blasing said that while some of his favorite local fishing is on the Whitefish Chain it can also present its own set of unique challenges There are so many lakes attached and so many different things you can do Whitefish is one of my favorite lakes to fish But the Whitefish Chain can be pretty intimidating if you don’t spend a lot of time out there because there are just so many different areas you can fish,” he said Blasing expects they will likely be trying for walleye during the opener but their plans for the event itself are still in the works and he has been working with the Minnesota DNR as they get finalized Regardless of what the plan ends up being for that Saturday his main goal is to have a good time fishing out on the water “I hope we have good fishing and can catch some fish There’s definitely some pressure as a fishing guide I’ve had several larger profile clients before where you just go out and fish and have a good time and make the best of it And I think that it’ll work out,” Blasing said Dan Rothermel has been a celebrity of sorts since he was part of a local team that reeled in a nearly 13-foot great white shark off the beach in March which was splashed across headlines around the world and Jason Rosenfeld are now highly recognized as the Outer Banks’ shark fishing experts While the great white shark was the catch of a lifetime a more recent and less headline-grabbing fishing trip left a deeper impression with Rothermel and is one of his most memorable experiences in years of local shark fishing It started when Rothermel was asked to do a presentation about shark fishing at a monthly meeting of a fishing club in the Chesapeake “I was doing a surf fishing talk which had been set up before the great white shark story they wanted to hear about that too,” said Rothermel Rothermel was approached by many of the fishing club members “I told him I had always wanted to go shark fishing and asked him about who I could call,” said Perry “I told him he could call me,” said Rothermel Perry took Rothermel up on his generous offer and over the course of a few phone conversations to plan the trip the two strangers discovered that they had a life-altering connection in common “Somehow we got on the topic of his bucket list which is why he had the bucket list in the first place,” said Rothermel he was one of 8 out of 1,200 people who had survived this type of liver cancer.” Perry had battled liver cancer three times in just four years Perry had half of his liver removed yet again The cancer returned for a third time in 2007 Perry was treated with an experimental new drug for liver cancer and then I find out that Dan and his wife aren’t supposed to be here Both Rothermel and his wife had battled cancer in the not-so-distant past “The only silver lining was that when I had lymphoma and when she was diagnosed with breast cancer I was able to take care of her,” said Rothermel Rothermel converted the back of his truck into a hospital bed and Rothermel took his wife on multiple day trips from Pennsylvania to Hatteras Island “We were going back and forth all the time but Hatteras Island was healing for her – the sun The Rothermels officially made Hatteras Island their full-time home in 2020 and the couple has been cancer-free ever since Rothermel said that it was a bit of a miracle that the couple was still around and still fishing “When I found out that Perry had gone through what we had gone through and that shark fishing was at the top of his bucket list I don’t know if you believe in the universe and I have no doubt that we’re going to catch you a shark.’” Perry arrived on Hatteras Island on Friday and the two met in Buxton where they rode out to Cape Point “Everybody knew Dan and came up and talked to him – he’s a legend down there,” said Perry and I was thinking ‘this guy expects to get one and especially when protecting the sharks and releasing them safely back into the ocean is the primary concern new anglers need to watch a 30-minute video before they can go shark fishing He has all the gear required to safely release a shark and he routinely helps out visitors on Cape Point and other local beaches who accidentally land a shark and who may not have the knowledge or gear to get it back in the water when a big shark first hit Perry’s line roughly an hour after they started fishing I would have faceplanted right into the sand,” said Perry and it definitely would have knocked me down.” which was safely released after a couple of quick pictures “To say that he was excited and elated is an understatement,” said Rothermel “and to be able to see someone that excited about fishing The hammerhead was their first big shark catch the pair reeled in another 8-foot hammerhead and two roughly 7-foot sand sharks and Rothermel and Perry were able to add a NOAA tag to one of the hammerheads which tracks sharks that are at least 36 inches long “He’s so good about protecting the sharks,” said Perry “He doesn’t want to kill them or hurt their chances of survival we took our pictures while trying not to take the head out of the water He wants to catch them and put them back in as soon as possible the two anglers called it a day after reeling in four 7-8 foot sharks off the Buxton shoreline “I don’t know how he drove home because he was so exhausted Both Perry and Rothermel were surprised by the unusually great day of fishing but they were even more surprised – and grateful – for the unexpected connection that seemed to make their meeting and fishing trip especially serendipitous “There were three of us who all survived cancer Who would have thought that would happen?” said Perry He’s so giving in his time – he wants people to catch sharks and have that experience – and he did that for me.” “When he told me about his cancer and how he survived because what are the odds?” said Rothermel “And to see him smiling so much – it was the best feeling Hatteras Island just has this energy where these kinds of incredible experiences can happen.” Log in to leave a comment © 2025 Island Free Press. All Rights Reserved. Website Design & Marketing by GCP The product recommendations on our site are independently chosen by our editors when I went fishing at a small lake near our home in Birmingham We were motoring around a point in a 12-foot jon boat when they both suddenly perked up.  I took a big whiff, and the smell of fish was overpowering; it was like walking near the seafood counter at your local grocery store after they’d just received a big delivery. We anchored down right there, started casting with redworms and crickets, and caught big bluegill until we had no space left in the cooler That was the day I learned how valuable your nose can be when you’re searching for bluegill beds in spring some folks still don’t believe you can smell them on the beds Don’t be convinced by the non-believers.  “As far as being able to find where a bed is exactly, maybe not,” says Randy Zellers, assistant chief of communications for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission “But you can definitely tell when you’re in the right area “Scent is really helpful in muddy or stained water when you can’t see their beds They don’t just have one or two beds here and there and they definitely produce some scent.”  Zellers pointed out that old-school methods like smelling bluegill on their beds combine well with today’s modern technology.  “We all know that side-imaging [sonar] is almost cheating when it comes to looking for bluegill beds,” he said “But it’s incredibly effective when you smell fish and you can’t quite locate them Once that smell tells you you’re in the right area side-imaging will lead you the rest of the way Another bit of wisdom my elders shared with me is the role the full moon plays in igniting the bluegill spawn My dad used to say the best time to fish for bluegill is from three days before the full moon and three days after.  He was clear that’s not the only time you can catch bluegill — just the best time.  “It’s not a magical one-night thing,” Zellers pointed out “Some bluegill are even active in those beds 15 days later It’s not just that everybody runs up there and moves in right away But that period three days before until three days after is definitely the peak time.”  A wise man — and one of the best friends I’ve ever had is a guy named Bill Dance He won a few Bassmaster events back in the day and he’s quite possibly the most famous fishing TV star in history He once told me something about water temperature and bluegill beds that I couldn’t believe “They are not as sensitive to warm water as a lot of people think,” Dance said “If you can find water as cool as 80 degrees you’re likely to find bluegill on the beds.”  Zellers wasn’t about to argue with a man who’s seen and done as much on the water as Dance But he said he couldn’t give a firm answer about water temps and spawning bluegill.  “They certainly don’t all move up at the same time you’re gonna have some who show up early and some who show up late The easiest way to know is to let the fish tell you.  “They are very territorial and don’t like anything around their beds or even their buddies’ beds,” he said “It doesn’t take long to find an active bed they’ve either been fished out or it’s gotten too warm for them.”  People have different opinions on this matter,  and the truth is the answer differs depending on where you’re fishing.  you can wipe out a bed and sometimes it’ll take a while to recover,” Zellers said “But then there are times when you can wipe out a bed one week and new fish will move in and take over that same bed the next week Those original fish were there because it’s a good place to bed.”  Zellers said the invention of LiveScope has opened many people’s eyes to just how many fish are in large bodies of water “We used to see it to an extent with electro-sampling But LiveScope has revealed a whole new world But states have limits in place to keep us from wiping them out — and there are just so many more out there than we ever believed.”  The story is certainly different on small bodies of water with less carrying capacity.  then yes you can wipe them out,” Zellers said there’s a lot more fish out there than you probably realize People who’ve never spent time looking with [sonar] probably just wouldn’t believe it.   Bryan Brasher is an Alabama native who’s been covering sports and outdoors for almost 35 years He’s worked for major daily newspapers all over the Southeast and served as editor of B.A.S.S Times and Bassmaster Magazine for more than 10 years He holds more than 40 awards for writing and photography but what he cherishes most are his wife Kim and his 11-year-old daughters Avery and Ainsley The best online fishing resource to learn and stay current on the latest fishing gear Xplor reconnects kids to nature and helps them find adventure in their own backyard A monthly publication about conservation in Missouri the printed magazine is free to residents of Missouri – Young anglers will have opportunities to fish for free at Kids’ Fishing Day This event is co-sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Kids’ Fishing Day will be held from 6:30 a.m an area of the park will be designated as a fishing area for youths age 15 and under Children in that age range can pick up free trout tags at the Roaring River Hatchery any time on May 16 and all day on the day of the event at the large tent across from the falls MDC staff and volunteers will be available to assist the young anglers There will be a limited number of poles and bait available but anglers are encouraged to bring their own fishing gear but only one pole may be used between the helper and the child Adults are not allowed to fish by themselves call MDC’s Roaring River Hatchery at 417-847-2430 or e-mail Jared.Ballard@mdc.mo.gov, Terry.Gerke@mdc.mo.gov, or Brad.Farwell@mdc.mo.gov https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/207432 We facilitate and provide opportunity for all citizens to use Copyright ©2024 Conservation Commission of Missouri just caught something unexpected: a full-ride fishing scholarship to Florida State University Panama City and calling for breaking balls on 0-2 counts Daniels was also a clever rod-and-reel mate on Mosley's inaugural fishing team this past year "(The scholarship) happened really pretty quick," the young angler said after physics class on May 2 just a really good opportunity to further my education and pursue bass fishing in a collegiate level." Daniels said he'd like to give engineering classes the old college barb "It's very tough," Daniels said about fishing "You're out on the water about eight hours in a tournament And sometimes it's pretty slow and some days you're not getting a whole lot But you've really kind of got to grind it out and finish out the day." high school bass fishing has already given the young angler a theory-of-relativity PhD on how to succeed in college and the real world The Minnesota Fishing Opener is this weekend, and this is a good time to brush up on new regulations for 2025. I was scrolling through the online PDF version of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fishing Handbook when I stumbled on something that shocked me I've been guilty of spreading an invasive species There's a section in the guide about aquatic invasive species and dry my boat before I bring it to another lake I know how to check for vegetation or weeds on the trailer I've seen firsthand how invasive species can harm an ecosystem But I had no idea that my go-to bait is actually an invasive species The Minnesota DNR says the proper and legal way to get rid of your live bait is to throw it in the trash Don't pour minnows out into the water; it can spread disease and is illegal It turns out those night crawlers, Canadian crawlers, or earthworms are non-native to Minnesota and can damage our forests. Seriously I remember hunting for night crawlers as a kid in the yard Earthworms came with European settlers to North America. They've spread across North America and into Minnesota over the past 500 years and earthworms actually are harmful to the forests which disrupt the natural decay and spongy layer of the forest Ground-dwelling animals use this spongy layer for habitat It affects the ability of wildflowers to grow and can even cause soil erosion don't release them into the water or dump them on land The DNR says there are many parts of the state that don't have earthworms traveling less than half a mile in 100 years Minnesota's Fishing Opener is almost here, but did you know that your favorite bait might be harming local ecosystems?\nRead More The Minnesota Fishing Opener is this weekend, and this is a good time to brush up on new regulations for 2025. I was scrolling through the online PDF version of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fishing Handbook when I stumbled on something that shocked me The Minnesota DNR says the proper and legal way to get rid of your live bait is to throw it in the trash It turns out those night crawlers, Canadian crawlers, or earthworms are non-native to Minnesota and can damage our forests. Seriously Earthworms came with European settlers to North America. They've spread across North America and into Minnesota over the past 500 years The DNR says there are many parts of the state that don't have earthworms - Percent of residents with paid hunting licenses: 0.7%\r\n- Total paid hunting license holders: 267,170\r\n- Total hunting license permits and stamps: 991,897\r\n- Gross cost of all hunting licenses: $21,107,452 Over the past 50 years, the number of hunting licenses in California has been on a rapid decline, falling 70% from more than 760,000 in the 1970s to under 268,000 in 2020—even as the state’s population has skyrocketed are why California has the fewest number of hunting licenses in the nation Mentioned these opportunities a couple of months ago Going to mention them again because we have a couple more training sessions coming up and want to help others learn about the activity you love We offer free workshops to help you get started.  Nebraskaland Magazine highlights the wildlife soaking rain Sunday in the Espanola Valley More rain is forecast for the coming week temperatures are on the cool side for May and the higher elevations are still getting snow The moisture is most-welcome after our dry winter and meager snowpack The streamflow at Cerro near the Colorado border was just 173 cubic-feet-per second There will be no big spring runoff from Colorado Snowpack in the Rio Grande headwaters is just 17-percent of normal New Mexico’s snowpack remains well- below normal which is the amount of water you will have once the snow is melted was just three-percent of normal in the Pecos River basin The  Chama River Basin is now three-percent of normal The upper tributaries of the Jemez River are becoming accessible Expect muddy roads as the recent snowfall melts Snow depth at the Hopewell measuring station was just one inch Snow depth at Cumbres Trestle was just one inch The snow depth at Wolf Creek Summit in Colorado was just 24 inches The water-supply outlook for the upcoming growing season is still looking grim 28 with 270 Rio Grande cutthroat trout averaging 14.5 inches in length Fenton Lake was stocked April 30 with 869 rainbow trout Only two cutthroat trout may be kept as part of a five trout daily bag limit The Rio Cebolla flows into and out of Fenton Lake It was stocked April 30 with 399 rainbow trout It also has wild brown trout and Rio Grande cutthroat trout above Fenton Lake 24 with 5,668 small Rio Grande cutthroat trout is open to anglers 11 years of age and younger There are also some wild brown trout and a few Rio Grande cutthroats It was stocked April 9 with 756 rainbow trout The Jemez River streamflow was 28.7 cubic-feet-per-second It was stocked April 30 with 1 002 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout was stocked April 9 with 498 rainbow trout was stocked April 16 with 79 rainbow trout The Bureau also manages the Orilla Verde Recreation Area on the Rio Grande at Pilar The Rio Grande at Pilar was stocked April 9 with 2,000 rainbow trout It was stocked March 27 with 9,304 fingerling rainbow trout Some Rio Grande cutthroat trout are now being caught thanks to earlier stockings From the Colorado border to the Taos Junction Bridge the limit is two trout per day on the Rio Grande Streamflow was 291 cubic-feet-per-second at Taos Junction Bridge The Rio Grande Gorge above Pilar was stocked April 9 with  249 rainbow trout The Rio Pueblo near Penasco is free of ice and the streamflow is 52 cubic-feet -per-second It was stocked April 21with 1,200 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout The streamflow on the Red River was 54.3 cubic-feet-per-second below Questa It was stocked April 14 with 700 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout The Red River above Questa streamflow is 42.6 cubic-feet-per-second It was stocked April 14 with 399 rainbow trout Fishing is for anglers 11 years old or younger and 65 years old or older Eagle Rock Lake near Questa was stocked April 7 with 503 rainbow trout Cabresto Lake is a high-elevation lake accessible by four-wheel drive It has good fishing for wild brook trout and wild cutthroat trout Abiquiu Lake is managed by the Corps of Engineers The fishing has been slow for smallmouth bass walleye Anglers are starting to catch some small largemouth bass There are some good-sized trout in Abiquiu The streamflow in the Chama River below Abiquiu Dam was 429 cubic-feet-per-second It was stocked April 1 with 1,060 rainbow trout The Canjilon Lakes will be difficult to reach due to snowfall It was stocked April 29 with 945 rainbow trout Fishing is for anglers 11 years-old and younger or 65 years-old and older It was stocked April 22 with 121,767 kokanee salmon fry El Vado Lake State Park is closed for construction The streamflow in the Chama River below El Vado Dam was 405 cubic-feet-per-second This is lower than last week and below average 31 with 20,104 small Rio Grande cutthroat trout It was stocked April 14 with 565 rainbow trout The state-record brown trout was caught here The Chama River above El Vado Lake is free of ice The streamflow was 294 cubic-feet-per-second at La Puente It was stocked April 14 with1,130 rainbow trout The streamflow in the Rio Brazos was 168 cubic-feet-per-second Over in the Four Corners the fishing has been fair at Navajo Lake State Park Trolling minnow imitating lures like Rapalas could produce a trophy brown trout The fishing for northern pike has been fair-to-good It was stocked April 29 with  23,214 sub-catchable rainbow trout Navajo Lake was stocked April 21 with 288,059 kokanee salmon fry The San Juan River below Navajo Dam is the best river in New Mexico and well-known in the angling world The streamflow was 397cubic-feet-per-second This is slightly higher than last week and below normal It has world-class fly-fishing for big trout The first four miles of river below the dam is known as the Quality Water Angling is strictly Catch-and-Release using artificial flies and lures with a single barbless hook The Quality Water is stocked with small rainbow trout that grow quickly It was stocked March 20 with 28,798 fingerling rainbow trout Some of these brown trout would shatter the state record if they could be kept and weighed  The Bait Water below the Quality Water has good fishing and a five-fish limit may be kept here It was stocked April 23 with 21,855 sub-catchable rainbow trout Aztec Pond # 1 was stocked April 29 with 473 catchable-size  rainbow trout and with 135 rainbow trout averaging 16.7 inches Tiger Park Pond was stocked April 2 with 1,095 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 150  rainbow trout averaging 15.8 inches The Animas River in Aztec was stocked April 29 with 189 rainbow trout Lake Farmington was stocked April 22 with 3,150 rainbow trout high elevation lake between Tierra Amarilla and Tres Piedras It has stocked rainbow trout and wild brook trout The Rio de los Pinos north of Tres Piedras near the Colorado border is heavily-stocked with rainbow trout It was stocked May 1 with 1,800 rainbow trout Eagle Nest Lake State Park has been good for rainbow trout This is a big fertile lake that can produce large trout It was stocked May 1 with 20,026 rainbow trout Eagle Nest Lake was stocked April 22 with 80,127 kokanee salmon fry yellow perch and an occasional kokanee salmon If you catch a pike at Eagle Nest you have to kill it The Cimarron River at Cimarron Canyon State Park is stocked with rainbow trout It was stocked April 22 with 2,425 rainbow trout The streamflow below Eagle Nest Dam was 10.7cubic-feet-per-second The Cimarron River near Cimarron  streamflow is 23.6 cubic-feet-per-second The Cimarron Gravel Pit Lakes at Maverick Campground were stocked April 22 with 402 rainbow trout Lake Maloya in Sugarite Canyon State Park near Raton was stocked April 29 with 1,900 catchable-size rain bow trout and with 400 rainbow trout averaging 16.7 inches was stocked  April 29 with 502 rainbow trout Clayton Lake State Park was stocked March 31 with 3,601 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 400 rainbow trout averaging 15.8 inches Be sure to check out the dinosaur tracks at Clayton The Charette Lakes between Wagon Mound and Springer were stocked April 8 with 2,251 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 250 rainbow trout averaging 15.6 inches There are also yellow perch and some good-sized holdover trout Maxwell Lake 13 on the Maxwell Lakes National Wildlife Refuge was stocked April 22 with 2,000 rainbow trout It had dried up in 2020 and is being stocked again It was stocked April 30 with 2,699 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 300 rainbow trout averaging 16.0 inches Coyote Creek State Park near Guadalupita received its second stocking of the season Coyote Creek was stocked April 21 with 799 rainbow trout Coyote Creek Pond was stocked with 602 rainbow trout Storrie Lake State Park near Las Vegas was stocked April 15 with 3,034 catchable-size rainbow trout and stocked April 3 with 450 rainbow trout averaging 15.8 inches The Pecos River in Pecos Canyon State Park was last stocked twice last week with a total of 3,016 rainbow trout Fishing has been fair for rainbows and wild brown trout The streamflow in the Pecos was 105 cubic-feet-per-second and slightly lower than last week The Pecos River near Villanueva was stocked April  2 with 1,000 rainbow trout It was stocked between Villanueva and Interstate 40 April 15 with 199 rainbow trout The Mora Fork of the Pecos River was stocked April 15 with 400 rainbow trout Cow Creek was stocked April 22 with 501 rainbow trout The Cowles Ponds were stocked April 9 with 213 rainbow trout It was stocked April 22 with 256 rainbow trout  Tingley Beach in Albuquerque is no longer being stocked with rainbow trout It was stocked April 24 with 621 channel catfish Bluewater Lake near Grants has fair fishing for tiger musky and there are some catfish here It was stocked March 10 with 6,000 rainbow trout There is open water where the trout fishing has been fair-to-good McGaffey Lake near Grants was last stocked Oct Copyright © 2012-2025 The Los Alamos Daily Post is the Official Newspaper of Record in Los Alamos County This Site and all information contained here including graphs and graphics is the property of the Los Alamos Daily Post Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted provided that the Los Alamos Daily Post and author/photographer are properly cited columnists and other contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the Los Alamos Daily Post The Los Alamos Daily Post newspaper was founded Feb A Daily News Service of the North Carolina Coastal Federation More Articles More Articles More Articles More Articles More Articles 05/05/2025 by Recreational harvest of spotted seatrout in North Carolina coastal waters is closed through June 30 which includes inland and joint fishing waters a little more than two weeks after the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission voted to adopt the temporary closure rule during its business meeting April 17 The purpose of the temporary is to “avoid public confusion” after the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries’ recent proclamation to close commercial and recreational spotted seatrout harvest in coastal and joint waters because of widespread cold stun events last January “The Wildlife Resources Commission implemented temporary rulemaking as quickly as possible to provide regulatory consistency following the Marine Fisheries’ proclamation,” WRC Chief Deputy Director Christian Waters said in a release “Temporarily closing the spotted seatrout harvest season follows recommendations set out by the N.C Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spotted Seatrout Management Plan to allow the population to recover from cold stun events.” The season by hook-and-line in inland and joint fishing waters will reopen July 1 The story was compiled by staff members of Coastal Review Winner of seven North Carolina Press Association awards in 2024. © 2025 North Carolina Coastal Federation. All rights reserved.↑ We talk to prolific author Jerry Apps about the love for fishing he got from his father and has passed on to his grandchildren we get ready to grill with Mad Dog and Merrill hosts of the TV show “Mad Dog & Merrill’s Midwest Grill’n.” Jerry Apps is the author of more than 50 books and the Ones That Got Away: Fish Tales from Four Generations of Anglers.” Spring brings out the backyard grills, and grillologists Mad Dog and Merrill share what they’re throwing on the barbie Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board Canyon Ferry: Rainbows are still being targeted and caught from shore between the Outhouse Shannon and Kim’s Marina while using leech pattern flies or small black or brown nymphs as well as spawn sacks or worms Boat anglers are finding success for rainbows throughout the reservoir as the fish are moving offshore.  Try using rapalas or flashers to catch some large rainbows.  The Silos area is producing walleyes and rainbows around Pond 3 and the river while using rapalas Hauser: Good numbers of rainbows are being caught below Canyon Ferry Dam while using nightcrawlers and marshmallows Trolling flashers or crankbaits out from Black Sandy and the York Bridge area is also producing some trout Walleye and a few perch are being caught in Lake Helena and anglers have been doing well while trolling bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses with perch-colored spinner blades or various crankbaits A few walleye are being caught from the Causeway Bridge during the late evening hours while using slip bobbers and leeches or floating jigs tipped with crawlers Holter: There are still a few rainbows being caught around the boat ramp areas the BLM boat ramp and Log Gulch have been popular spots and fly fishing with nymphs Trolling various flashers or crankbaits on the lower end of the reservoir has been very productive for trout anglers A few walleye are being caught around weed beds and points while vertical jigging with crawlers or leeches.  Chris Hurley Mo.—The Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) encourages everyone to give fishing a try—for free.  This year’s annual Free Fishing Days weekend is Saturday and Sunday June 7 – 8.  Any person may fish in state waters without an MDC fishing permit MDC’s education staff invites the public to celebrate Free Fishing Days with several special fishing events Saturday Each Free Fishing  Days event runs from 9 – 11 a.m as well as guidance on getting started with fishing “Fishing is a great activity for people of all ages This is an opportunity for people to come out and get an introduction to fishing without having to purchase equipment or a permit,” said MDC Conservation Educator Registration in advance is recommended and can be completed online Each location and registration link are below: and fishing will be catch-and-release only. This event is free to attend.  Participants should wear clothing and close-toed shoes suitable for outdoor and water activities Free Fishing Days is designated each year as the Saturday and Sunday following the first Monday in June.  However user fees and permits may still be required at county Sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed of MDC’s latest programs and events by going to  https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZoP Managing Editor Arkansas Wildlife Magazine although some reports may be published for two weeks if updates are not received promptly or if reporters say conditions haven’t changed Contact the reporter listed for the lake or stream you plan to fish for current news Arkansas River and White River levels are available at: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=lzk For real-time information on stream flow in Arkansas from the U.S. Geological Survey, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/rt For water-quality statistics (including temperature) in many Arkansas streams and lakes, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/current/?type=quality Download the Fish Brain app and follow AGFC at: https://join.fishbrain.com/agfc-page (updated 4-24-2025) AGFC staff reported that fishing is still going well at the Lake Conway Nursery Pond Staffers ran into a family catching harvestable bream this past week While Lake Conway is drawn down for renovation the Lake Conway Nursery Pond is open for fishing in the immediate area with bream and trout being reported among catches of late The 70-acre pond has been stocked by the AGFC with mature bass catfish and bream as well as rainbow trout for the cold weather months (updated 5-1-2025) Mike Winkler of Little Red River Fly Fishing Trips (501-507-3688) said the fishing on the Little Red River has been solid and with Greers Ferry Lake sitting about 6 feet over power pool the Army Corps of Engineers has been keeping things consistent with one generator and one floodgate running pretty much nonstop That steady generation schedule has made for some great fishing conditions up and down the river and yes — the fish are definitely keyed in on them perfect for working close to the banks in 4 to 6-plus feet of water I’ve been pairing a Girdle Bug with a caddis dropper or just running a single San Juan Worm depending on the day “If you’re looking to get on the water or need some guidance Want to book a trip or ask about current conditions?” (updated 5-1-2025) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said fishing for trout has been going really well Only one generator has been running lately at the dam and fishing on one generation flow calls for a ⅛-ounce marabou jig for good results anglers are throwing a little bit bigger bait Though this one-generation flow should stick around a while make sure to check the links above of the Corps and SWPA for generation schedules and any changes at Greers Ferry Lake with it 7-8 feet high as of Thursday with more rain in the forecast for the upcoming weekend (updated 5-1-2025) Tommy Cauley of Fishfinder Guide Service (501-940-1318) said the water level at Greers Ferry lake is at 469.25 feet msl 7.21 feet above normal pool and falling with generation Crappie can be found near the shoreline while some others are still floating around in deeper water Jigs and minnows are working best at all depths while crankbaits are working for trolling 12-18 feet for mid-depth fish and 40 feet for the deep fish Try to drag a jig tipped with minnow or crawler and/or drop-shot Big Minnow-style plugs are working trolled Catfish are eating all over the lake and rivers Lots of blues are coming in — lines and jugs are working best with a variety of baits A lot of white bass and hybrid bass are up rivers with a lot still deep in the lake at 50 feet Use Road Runners and grubs for shallow fish spoons and inline spinners for the rest in 25-40 feet a lot are in 12-20 feet and some are still out in 50 feet (updated 5-1-2025) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) in Sherwood said the lake has been fishing well as far as catching good numbers of black bass Anglers have been catching them in 10-15 feet of water a Carolina rig and a jig both have worked well Anglers are also fishing up in the bushes in shallow water in 4-6 feet depth flipping jigs or flipping a Texas-rigged creature bait up in those bushes Early in the morning and late in the evening there is a pretty good topwater bite starting a Pop-R or a walking bait in white or shad color is best) up shallow around flooded bushes and flooded cover The lake is on the rise with more rain coming Black bass were biting off the shoreline in fair numbers Crappie jigs and minnows were working for the bass as well along with crankbaits in various colors (all have gotten some action) Follow more from Harris Brake Lake Resort on its Facebook page Black bass are doing well on buzzbaits and soft-plastic worms Crappie are still doing well in 6-8 feet of water Brewer Lake has a new regulation for 2025: The 13- to 16-inch black bass slot limit on Brewer (as well as Lake Barnett in White County) has been replaced; now but only one of those may exceed 16 inches (updated 4-24-2025) WestRock Landing in Roland (501-658-5598) reports water temp 68 degrees They’ve heard no reports on crappie or bream — it’s been a tough bite There have also been reports of pretty good catches of bream Crappie will be biting on the usual minnows and jigs Redear have been going for worms and bluegill will bite worms and crickets (updated 5-1-2025) Fish ’N Stuff (501-834-5733) urged anglers to heed the small craft advisory with the river running more than 100,000 cfs and more rain forecast along with water moving in on the river from Oklahoma The river has been running fast for a couple of weeks anglers can catch black bass using a wacky-rigged Senko and fish in backwaters around the grass buzzbaits in either black or white will work around entrances to the backwater Before the current ramped up and more water moved through crappie were reacting well to black and chartreuse Crappie Magnets fished around wood of the rock piles in the backwater areas Anglers are catching decent amounts of crappie and a few bream and catfish They don’t fish for bass on this (south) end of the lake but I’m sure they are catching them (in other areas).” though she didn’t have any hints from anglers on color The dingy conditions would probably favor a chartreuse in there stress to the trout than frequent changes to the generation amounts We can expect continued high water as the Army Corps of Engineers manages the water from the sky The Cotter catch has been high quality this week: 16- to 20-inch rainbows weren’t out of reach and the keepers (under 14 inches) were healthy and fat Seems you couldn’t go wrong with a suspending Smithwick Rogue Jr 7 Countdowns of almost any color (gold/black downsize your hooks (size 8 or 6) and try a tiny piece of shrimp with a bubblegum pink worm Make it a mousetail — white egg pattern on the pink worm — for a more sure catch The browns have been nibbling shad and sculpins “Come enjoy an Ozark spring day and you’ll be hooked “The storms on Wednesday and into Thursday have the potential to cause the Buffalo River and creeks to rise I recommend calling ahead to get an update on river conditions.” The offshore videogamers continue to have to work The mass of shad are still spread out moving out of the creeks Target larger bait balls or any bait you can find up high near the surface and closer to the shore A smaller 2.8 swimbait and or a regular Tater Shad has been working Topwater has started with small white Pop-R or Zara Spook Del regularly posts new YouTube videos. Visit his YouTube site (Bull Shoals Fishing Report) or delcolvinfishing.com for more information and tips on fishing Bull Shoals Lake (updated 5-1-2025) Southernwalleye Guide Service (501-365-1606) says the lake has come up over the buckbrush and is still rising Fishing in the backs of creeks with stained water has been producing a few fish Fish over buckbrush with spinnerbaits or a ⅛-ounce jighead with a small swimbait — also a shallow-running jerkbait such as a Suspending Rattlin’ Rogue will get some bites fish a little deeper along the old shore line Walleye seemed to be starting to feed a bit better this week Fish are scattered along chunk rock points with deep water close by and along steeper creek channel swings that have shad Some walleye are being caught in open water over the flooded trees Fishing 4-15 feet of water with jerkbaits or fishing the old shore line in 18-20 feet of water with jig and minnow jig and plastics or Ice jigs worked slowly back to the boat on points with deep water on at least one side will produce fish Fishing same structure right before and after dark with 110-style jerk baits or 5-inch floating stick baits and retrieved back at extremely slow speeds will get some fish Trolling size 7 Flicker Shads at speeds of 1.5 to 1.7 mph in 18-20 feet along windblown banks will also work try deep-diving crankbaits with snap weights to get your baits down 40-50 feet and fish over the flooded trees in 80-plus feet of water at 1.2 to 1.7 mph  (updated 5-1-2025) Crappie 101 Guide Service (870-577-2045) says crappie are starting to get on the banks making beds where the water temperatures are more stable Recent rain and muddy rising water definitely have slowed things down but should really improve this week They are staying 10 feet of water and casting parallel to the bank The best times have been sunset to 10 p.m. focusing on the lake’s north and east banks South and west winds warm these banks during the day The best lures for night fishing are Rogues and swimbaits Visit Tom’s website or his Facebook page linked above for more information or to schedule a trip (updated 5-1-2025) Jon Conklin with FishOn Guide Service (479-233-3474) said Beaver Lake is at 1,128.75 Lots of debris and floaters throughout the lake So ,caution needs to be used when boating on Beaver Spotted bass and smallies are on fire in the Rambo/Big Clifty and Little Clifty areas One key is if you can find water flowing in the feeder creeks with the big and dirty water from mid-lake up to Twin Bridges fish are scattered pushing up into the flooded areas fishing should respond with some stability “Summer patterns are just around the corner I assume crappie are in the process of spawning they will load up and start to feed post-spawn if you move and search you should be able to put fish in the boat especially when running with all the hazards in the lake Visit Jon’s Facebook page for the latest updates, FishOn Guide Service Goshen AR “The spoonbill (aka paddlefish) have come up to spawn as well I don’t think I will be chasing these prehistoric-looking critters I expect to see some new faces on the river If you do not have a boat with electronics fishing for these fish below Houseman might be a challenge You can simply get a heavy rod/reel and head below the dam; that’s where they are going to end up anyways No skill really involved; if you know how to cast and retrieve So if you want to try and snag one of these big fish “Remember, for additional updates follow my Facebook page (Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service); I’m pretty much on the water every week Feel free to message me if you have any questions anglers were doing some deep catching last week of crappie but it warmed up and the fish are now staying shallow bream and crappie continued to be taken in good numbers by anglers for the past week Bream are shallow now and are favoring redworms No reports on black bass or white bass this week The surface water temperature was up to 69 degrees earlier this week The clarity remains the usual murky and the water level is still high Fishing should be good based on the “moon times” forecast May 9-15 with the best days of this month being May 24-30 That should be the perfect time for catfish and bream anglers have reported that bream are starting to make their beds in preparation for spawning They said redworms were working well for bream Black bass were still around 10-15 feet down Crappie continue to be the top target for anglers here They had been moving closer to the shore before the heavy rains but afterward they have remained in slightly deeper water Minnows have been a very popular bait choice so much so that the park’s bait shop is always busy The State Park Visitor Center is open every day from 8 a.m.-5 p.m making it hard to tell how high it did get Most of the upper area from Mammoth Spring down was cleaned out aggressively A lot of the moss that was a problem should be cleaned out There are also a lot of new gravel bars on the river I look forward to relearning the river over the summer “Storms can change river conditions as they move through the area.”  Visit Mark’s blog (springriverfliesandguides.com) for updates and conditions on the Spring River (updated 5-1-2025) The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Bass Fishing Team had no report this week they reported that black bass are phasing into the spawn The best fishing at that time was in protected shallows with woody cover using dark- colored soft-plastic creatures and jigs Spinnerbaits and bladed jigs were effective on windy days (updated 5-1-2025) Anglers are reminded that all fish caught must be released immediately The Hunger Run Access was opened late last year to boat traffic There have been reports from anglers catching nice black bass (updated 5-1-2025) Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said Wednesday that lake elevation was 2 inches above normal pool and stable at 259.4 feet msl Millwood Lake Dam was releasing about 4,300 cfs and tailwater is near 233 feet msl and falling Incoming water upriver from the Tri-Lakes continues arriving downstream and feeding rivers into Millwood this week Siefert advises normal caution on the lake noting that boaters should stay vigilant watching for broken timber with reduced discharge volume rate conditions at the dam The Army Corps of Engineers continues to replace missing river buoys from Yarborough to Bee Lake to Big Bayou Boat Lane to Paraloma Trail and all the way to mile marker 1 and the open water Surface temps last week continue fluctuating Clarity along Little River is heavy stain to muddy with discharge at Millwood Dam muddy in some areas and further up Little River being the heaviest River clarity ranges 2-4 inches visibility depending on location Clarity and visibility of oxbows are heavy stained to muddy visibility from recent flooding lake-wide Siefert had these specifics of the fishing this week: * The largemouth bass activity has been fair to good over the past few weeks and in local tournaments A majority of bass have been noted post-spawn roaming shallow in search of bream beds in protected coves near cypress trees knees and stumps from 1-4 feet deep in flats and backs of creeks in a few areas in the oxbows up Little River where clarity is somewhat better than the river Most bass seen roaming flats appeared to be scouting areas of the oxbow lakes up Little River for bedding bream like bluegills Largemouths have been fair to good on square-bill cranks deflecting off stumps in shallow pockets especially near creeks running through flats with fresh lily pads where a creek bends the ATV and Echo 1.75 crankbaits in bluegill/bream Guacamole or burnt pumpkinseed patterns are best when you need to work shallow The Stumpknocker and Sunrise Perch patterns of the Echo 1.75 size drew some reactions from 2- to 3-pound bass last week near stumps on points of the oxbows Spin Traps with a gold tail spinner moving flawlessly through fresh lily pad stems will also grab a random reaction Brazalo Strutter Chatterbaits continue working for largemouths and best colors have been Millwood Mayhem Bream Reactions have been very good over the last couple of weeks and the best reactions continue to be in 5- to 9-foot depths near grass lines Brazalo Spinnerbaits in Arkansas River Shad Peach and Hot Mouse are all good choices in the stained to clear water areas in the oxbow lakes up Little River Largemouth Bass were reacting fair to 6- to 8-inch magnum-sized lizards Numerous bass are cruising grass lines and new fresh blooming lily pads in the 4- to 5-pound class 7-inch Power Worms and soft-plastic creature baits Texas-rigged Bass Assassin 5-inch Shad Assassins are working in Houdini Pumpkinseed and Smoke Wagon colors in the fresh blooming lily pad stands and behind and in dense grass lines * The bulk of white bass have been moving back down Little River and breaking up into smaller schools the past couple of weeks Seems like the larger schools have begun to separate into smaller groups and are more concentrated downriver at various creek dumps and points extending into Little River broken schools of whites were found from White Cliffs campground upriver to the entrance into McGuire Lake * Crappie seem to be moving shallow over the past week and the bite improved drastically around cypress trees and along grass lines they have been steadily improving in grass on jigs in white * Catfish continue to bite well on trotlines and limblines with the current in Little River buffalo and chicken livers were all working for channel cats up to 5-6 pounds each in current from 6-9 feet of depth * Numerous bream beds are being noted when you can find decent water clarity Water clarity in most locations is less than desirable groups of campers said they caught some off the bank and around the creek channel boat ramp on crickets and redworms last week We did note a few bream beds in the Jack’s Isle area of Little River backwater sloughs (updated 5-1-2025) Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips (501-844-5418) continues to do most of his fishing at and reporting from lakes Ouachita “The crappie and bass are finishing up their spawn or already in post-spawn We are catching limits of crappie stacked up on brushpiles fished 8-12 feet deep in 18-24 feet of water.”  (update 5-1-2025) AGFC staff visited DeGray Lake last Sunday and reported that the lake had fish around brush and that the grass was prominent with the best bite coming on wacky-rigged soft-plastic worms in green pumpkin color (updated 4-24-2025) John Duncan of YoYo Guide Service (870-942-6291 or yoyoguideservice@gmail.com) at Iron Mountain Marina says The lake is slowly coming back to near normal levels Currently the lake is at 407.68 feet msl and dropping The lake has had quite a bit of debris floating around Most started around Lenox Marcus and upriver Sorry to say that very little new information is coming in to me “The water will be in the normal range for crappie this Thursday or Friday The crappie have been on the bed but very difficult to get to Water has been so high that you could not get a boat of any size into the shallow areas that people like to fish The crappie spawn should still be going on minnows and lures and work the shoreline as best as you can Change colors and size often until you get a pattern Some of the better areas this time of year are Lenox Marcus Brushy is always good for casting jigs to the shoreline “There was a bass tournament on DeGray on April 19 I missed the weigh-in so no clue as to what they were caught on “Hopefully the water will stabilize and we can get into the shallows to fish the spawning fish.” (updated 5-1-2025) Shane Goodner, owner of Catch’em All Guide Service reports that water temperature has risen to 53 degrees with stained to muddy conditions in the tailrace Entergy scheduled very high generation flows round-the-clock for the last week of 6,000 cfs to stabilize area lakes from the last round of stormy weather to hit the state Very little productive fishing has taken place during this time as the tailrace is dangerous to navigate while this amount of water is being transferred through the system extremely muddy conditions accompanied the fast water which created a no-win situation for fishing and recreation activities The weekly generation schedule is normally posted on Wednesday at the Entergy/Hydro website (linked above) It is hoped conditions will soon allow for a much safer generation flow where the public can access the area safely good prospects for quality angling will present themselves April was the last month for rainbow trout stocking for the spring season with 4,320 fish scheduled for release in the tailrace Bank fishermen can catch limits of trout by using live baits such as redworms and waxworms fished just off the bottom with a marshmallow floater PowerBaits are a good bet presented in the same manner Boat fishermen can anchor in and around rock structure or sandbars and have success casting Rooster Tails in brown or white in a ⅛-ounce weight Spoon presentations as a Little Cleo or Super Duper also will work well in a current situation when rainbows are keying in on injured baitfish Fly-fishermen can still access areas that hold trout even though the lake is now at normal summertime pool Micro-jigs in black or white cast under a strike indicator strongly resemble river minnows that live in the tailrace Woolly Buggers in olive and black are a mainstay in the line of artificial lures on which trout will feed Egg patterns in orange or white will draw strikes when other presentations are ignored Walleye are still in the area finishing up the spawn and are feeding and preparing to migrate downstream to the main body of the lake Trolling shallow-running crankbaits that imitate crawfish and threadfin shad are a proven technique to cover water and tempt walleye into feeding White bass will move into the Carpenter Dam tailrace next month for the spawn and will remain in the tailrace until mid-July June will bring blue and channel catfish into the tailrace to begin their spawning run and will provide angers some wonderful table fare Remember to always wear a life jacket when on the water and obey all park and lake regulations when visiting Carpenter Dam Trash cans are limited so please pick up after yourselves and always cooperate with game wardens when approached superintendent at Lake Dardanelle State Park (479-890-7474) (updated 5-1-2025) Sheila at Carter Cove Bait-N-More (479-272-4025) says the store is opening back up Friday after being closed the past two weeks She’ll have lots of fresh minnows from Lonoke in the store Carter Cove has a Facebook page, and the email address is cartercovebaitnmore@gmail.com (updated 5-1-2025) Todd Gadberry at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa (870-867-2191/800-832-2276 out-of-state) reports that black bass are still good flippin’ jig and a floating worm are still all producing quality catches Walleye are moving back into the main lake from the rivers and major creeks Stripers are good and biting on topwater C-10 redfins and live bait Bream are fair on worms or crickets in 20-30 feet of water Crappie are still good and relating to brush in the 8- to 20-foot range Catfish are still good on trotlines and jugs with live and cut bait The lake level Thursday was 578.12 feet msl Call the Mountain Harbor fishing guides (Mike Wurm (update 5-1-2025) Crappie guide Eric Watts of Natural State Fishing (501-548-8990) while he’s usually on Lake Maumelle when the water is right said he’s been commuting back and forth to Lake Ouachita lately “We’ve been on a great crappie bite in brush in 10-20 feet of water Casting Original Baby Shad Bobby Garland Crappie Baits in a variety of colors has produced remarkable numbers over the past three to four weeks.” (updated 5-1-2025) Sheila at Carter Cove Bait-N-More (479-272-4025) says bait customers who stop in before heading to Blue Mountain Lake say the fishing at Blue Mountain is going well for crappie Anglers report they are mostly using minnows thank you to all our loyal customers for shopping at Webb’s Sporting Goods!” Note: msl is mean sea level; cfs is cubic feet per second Sign up now to receive the AGFC Wildlife Weekly Newsletter in your mailbox every Wednesday afternoon (Waterfowl Reports are published weekly during waterfowl season and periodically outside the season) Fill in the following fields and hit submit They say the worst day of fishing is better than the best day of working but a little rain did not dampen the spirits of the children at the Fourth Annual Hunter Wolfe and Rug McArdle Kids Fishing Derby held at the Germantown Grove Club in East Jim Thorpe Hunter Wolfe passed away from leukemia at the age of 12 in 2011 Richard “Rug” McArdle was a member of the Germantown Grove Club who passed way in 2021 Both were avid fisherman who loved the sport The fishing derby was started four years ago to honor their memories “Both Hunter and Rug found that this (the Germantown Grove Club) was one of their favorite places,” said Kimberly Sargent “Both families were close and were very involved with the Germantown Grove Club The club offered to help us hold an annual kids’ fishing derby.” Sponsors of the event included Papillon and Moyer Excavating Jim Thorpe; the Jim Thorpe Sportsmen’s Club; Leffler’s Auto Service second and third largest fish for boys and girls The largest fish award was sponsored by Tanya Hoherchak in honor of her father The Germantown Grove Club will hold its 70th Anniversary Special Needs fishing derbies from 9 a.m The club is located at 800 Laurel Street in Jim Thorpe Casting For Kids Fishing Tournament Winners Magoffin County Rescue Squad’s 47th Media Auction Item List Magoffin County Democratic Precinct Convention Announcement Lady Hornets edge Martin County for second straight district win Magoffin County competes in 22nd Annual Lyndel Potter Memorial Tournament A local man won big at last weekend’s Casting For Kids Fishing Tournament held at April 26 & 27 at Yatesville Lake on Saturday and Paintsville Lake on Sunday – a record for the Casting for Kids Kentucky tournament The duo also had the biggest bag of fish for the whole tournament on Sunday and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" New fees based on inflation expected to sustain services for anglers Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is implementing changes to nontidal fishing license and trout stamp fees effective June 1 This represents the first adjustment to nontidal–or freshwater fishing–fees in almost 20 years addressing the rising costs of maintaining conservation efforts and angler programs in the face of inflation Maryland’s freshwater fishing licenses follow DNR’s user-pay in which license revenue directly and specifically supports the programs and resources that support nontidal fishing such as trout stocking and fish population assessments The price of a Maryland nontidal fishing license has not changed for 18 years while the expenses associated with maintaining fish populations and resources have risen 56% for nontidal fishing The cost of a trout stamp has remained the same for 33 years the cost of providing trout-related programs has increased by 129% “Fisheries management and conservation contribute to Maryland’s natural beauty and bolster our outdoor recreation economy,” said DNR’s Fishing and Boating Services Director Lynn Fegley “We approach fee adjustments deliberately because we know anglers make our work possible Every nontidal fishing license purchased represents a direct investment in the future of Maryland’s aquatic resources and recreational opportunities.” A workgroup consisting of members from the Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission and Coldwater Fisheries Advisory Committee recommended the new rates which the Maryland legislature passed and Governor Wes Moore signed into law earlier this year These advisory bodies represent the interests of Maryland’s freshwater anglers The fee structure was based on the inflation rate calculated using the Bureau of Statistics Consumer Price Index price benchmarking with fees of neighboring states and the current national average for comparable licenses and stamps *Non-resident fees may be higher depending on the fees charged to Maryland residents by the non-resident’s home state for similar licenses Albert Powell Hatchery in Hagerstown produces trout for stocking seasons Youth Fishing Rodeo Program and “Put and Grow” juvenile stocking requests from biologists This fee adjustment will enable the department to continue operating hatcheries to raise and stock sportfish and manage fisheries for long-term sustainability The Freshwater Fisheries and Hatcheries Division—responsible for monitoring and promoting access to freshwater species—receives 95% of its funding from angling-related activities License purchase revenue accounts for 65% of the division’s funding federal excise tax on fishing equipment contributes 30% of the budget and general state tax revenue accounts for 5% of Maryland’s funds for nontidal fishing Fishing licenses can be purchased online, at DNR service centers, or at sport license agent retailers Licenses and stamps are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase Current license holders may renew up to 90 days before their current expiration date for 365 more days of fishing added to their current license Maryland.gov Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More said a body was recovered from the French Broad River over the weekend They said two people fishing on the bank of the river saw the body Sunday afternoon officers found the person was wrapped in debris and covered in mud The body has been sent to Raleigh for testing and an autopsy by the Medical Examiner’s Office Police did not say whether the body was a victim of Helene the French Broad River recorded a height of 24 feet during one point of the storm “Our staff will continue working with the Medical Examiner’s Office over the coming days and weeks to identify the body and hope to bring closure to a family who has been missing their loved one,“ the Woodfin Police Department said Monday Thirty hours into a late April fishing trip far offshore in the Gulf, David Esslinger was hot, tired and frustrated. He and five friends had headed out of Galveston, Texas, at dawn the previous morning in hopes of connecting with a blue marlin “We had fished a day and a half without a bite,” said Esslinger a 45-year-old offshore veteran who lives in Houston while fishing around a floating rig 160 miles offshore A good-size yellowfin tuna blasted the surface and went airborne “It must have gone 25 feet in the air,” Esslinger said It was trying to escape something.” And not too much later that something — or one of its kin — ate one of the team’s baits “Our short rod went down and went down hard,” said Esslinger who owns a construction and development business “I normally give a six- to eight-second feed count on a blue marlin More than five hours later, the men had their answer as they brought a giant bluefin tuna alongside their boat, a 46-foot-long Invincible catamaran captained by Carson Deer Later that day the fish hit 884 pounds on a certified scale eclipsing the current Texas state record of 876 pounds MORE: The Inside Story Behind a Different Giant Texas Bluefin Tuna “I had the right crew with tons of experience,” said Deer Deer grew up fishing the inshore waters around Galveston “My brother and I would get in our little old johnboat and just disappear,” said Deer who works in the family’s industrial real estate business “I went on some offshore trips and got seasick,” he said “Eventually I beat the seasick out of me.” For the past seven years Deer has made fishing far offshore his priority Rather than a “we’ll take what hits” approach MORE: Monster Bluefin Tuna from a Skiff “You really need to fish separate ways for each species,” Deer said before admitting that’s not exactly how things worked out on the trip that started April 9 “We were actually marlin fishing when we hooked the bluefin tuna.” Also aboard were veteran offshore anglers TC Swetman Deer laughed when recalling the condition of the boat — the Catillac — as they headed out “We looked like we could have been out there for a week-and-a-half.” It didn’t take too long for the group to get past the shelf on the quad 400-powered cat and soon the group started fishing “The first part of the trip was a grind,” Deer said Things started turning around the next morning when they were quickly able to make bait loading six 5- to 10-pound blackfin tuna in their tuna tubes and setting two more out on free lines one about 50 yards behind the boat and the other about 70 yards back They were slowly bump-trolling when the line on the right rigger popped who started fishing with Deer just this year But after a short run the fish dropped the bait without getting hooked Another bite followed and this time there was no doubt Esslinger was using a Shimano Tiagra 130A reel spooled with a top shot of 130-pound test Amilan line a 180-pound fluorocarbon leader and a 12/0 circle hook On the first run the fish took out about 1,400 yards of line The fish eventually came to the surface and the crew got a quick look but they couldn’t confirm if it was a blue marlin or a giant bluefin “Carson did a great job of keeping the boat in position,” Esslinger said pulling the fish up inch by inch with the drag eventually cranked to 52 pounds “We were hugging and high-fiving.” After pulling the giant tuna into the cockpit “One of the guys had brought a kill bag,” Deer said “It wasn’t big enough so we had to cut it up and lay it on top of the fish and cover it with ice.” During the ride back — “the best boat ride you could imagine,” according to Deer — the men speculated about the tuna’s weight “The general consensus was 650 pounds,” Deer said “We had a bunch of help cleaning the fish,” Esslinger said the crew aboard Catillac had found that the giant tuna had been tagged not once Molly Lutcavage, at the Large Pelagics Research Center confirmed to Esslinger that it was most recently caught on Oct They estimated the fish’s weight at 800 pounds at the time Lutcavage was tracking down information about the other tag Esslinger said he is in the process of submitting the necessary state record application Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen Sport Fishing may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site Copyright © 2025 Sport Fishing Firecrown Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited Gloucester’s fishing community has proven that the strength of the working waterfront extends far beyond the docks Just days after the fatal accident aboard the F/V 25 to Life claimed the life of 26-year-old scallop fisherman Jaxson Marston and left fellow deckhand Jamie Bailey seriously injured the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) scallop fleet and the wider Gloucester communities launched a powerful response rooted in solidarity a young father with another child on the way was fatally injured on April 25 while fishing off the coast of Massachusetts a tight-knit group that gathers in Gloucester every spring for the region’s short but intense scallop season “It’s hard to describe how heartbreaking this is,” said Tess Browne “But what’s followed- it's everything that’s good about this industry.” A GoFundMe was launched for Marston’s partner Another campaign was started for Bailey’s road to recovery Then the fleet got to work the way it knows best- by giving back from the day’s catch As boats returned from their final trips of the season NGOM crews donated 50-pound bags of scallops to Cape Ann Lobstermen in Marston’s honor Brown and her team organized the donations and directed proceeds toward the family Today we take care of the family Jaxson leaves behind,” NGOM fisherman Jesse Roche shared in a post titled “A bag for Jaxson.” a seafood restaurant in Gloucester also owned by Tess Browne donating 50 percent of all proceeds to the families of Marston and Bailey ordering meals and making additional donations through artwork sales and QR codes linking to the GoFundMe campaigns The NGOM fleet and Gloucester community raised a combined total of $110,973,33 in less than one week “When tragedy strikes it’s often hard to look past it and see the positive light at the end of the day,” Cape Ann Lobstermen shared on social media “But this past week has shown the true spirit of the fishing community and the city of Gloucester.” Gloucester’s working waterfront came together not just in mourning but in action- honoring one of their own the best way they know how: with heart and an unwavering commitment to taking care of their own To continue to support Jamie Bailey’s recovery or help Jaxson Marson’s family send us your feedback around what we can do to improve this feature or further develop it check it out and let us know what you think via email or on social media Carli is a Content Specialist for National Fisherman She comes from a fourth-generation fishing family off the coast of Maine Her background consists of growing her own business within the marine community She resides on one of the islands off the coast of Maine while also supporting the lobster community she grew up in Become a Subscriber › You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street Free Fishing and Park Entry Day in Nebraska is May 17 Enjoy a Saturday of fishing or state park activities without the need to purchase a fishing or park entry permit for the day held annually in Nebraska on the Saturday preceding Memorial Day weekend means anyone can explore outdoor opportunities at any Nebraska state park state recreation area or state historical park Anglers must observe all fishing regulations lodging and all other user fees still apply at state park areas Entrance fees for museums at state historical parks and the entrance fee at the Schramm Education Center remain in effect Several family-friendly activities are scheduled in state park areas across the state to celebrate Free Fishing and Park Entry Day Come for the grand opening of the Treehouse Classroom learn about nature and enjoy a view of the Canyon Ponds in this unique educational facility Park naturalists will have activities set out for guests to enjoy See how layers of rock can tell a story about geological events of the past Discover and learn about the outcrop fossils that date to 350 million years Meet at the Geological Outcrop across from the canoe launch between 10 a.m cast a line and catch a fish from 9 to noon at beginner fishing programs at Platte River State Park’s Owen Landing and Eugene T Fort Hartsuff was named in honor of the Civil War hero Maj volunteers plan to take over the fort with 1860s impressions and demonstrations from the time of the War Between the States Children under age 18 are invited to fish Ash Hollow’s pond and keep everything they catch A free hot dog lunch will be served from noon to 2 p.m bait and fishing instruction are available for free to participants Come join in at the Bob Bruner Memorial Fishing Derby for fun volunteers and civic groups will be on hand to provide food Visit Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov for more information on events Ivanna Harshman holds up a nice tautog she caught in the Ocean City Inlet recently This week holds promise for anglers across Maryland from the western mountains to the Atlantic Ocean Warmer weather makes being outdoors –  and especially fishing – a fun experience Wet fishing weather is ahead with stable, warm conditions for Maryland Bay waters. Main Bay surface water temperatures have jumped to the low to mid 60s. River temperatures are slightly warmer. Due to our region’s rain deficit, expect average to slightly below average flows for most Maryland rivers and streams expect Bay salinities to be slightly above normal for this time of year For more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay’s Click Before You Cast Anglers are enjoying fun catch-and-release fishing for hickory shad this week in the lower Susquehanna River A combination of brightly colored sinking flies small shad darts and chrome or gold spoons The action is not expected to last much longer as water temperatures in the lower Susquehanna reached 67 degrees yesterday the which perch have arrived in the lower Susquehanna River A collection of 35-to-40-pound blue and flathead catfish that were electrofished from the lower Susquehanna last week were delivered to the Cooperative Oxford Lab in Oxford last week they disgorged about a dozen medium to large white perch various mystery pieces of partly digested fish parts Casting small shad darts in tandem will be a good way to fish for the white perch and putting a little enticement on the shad darts in the form of tiny Gulp baits and pieces of bloodworm can help win over white perch Dropper rigs fished from boats is a great idea low-bottom rig baited with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworm always works well Mark Hanson sent in this picture of a nice blue catfish he caught recently in the lower Susquehanna River Blue catfish are active and hungry for anything they can fit in their mouth; almost any type of cut bait will work just fine on them and many tackle shops are now carrying gizzard shad as well as menhaden and blue catfish are noted for chasing down crankbaits The lower Susquehanna and Elk rivers are good areas to fish for blue catfish and channel catfish can also be part of the mix Tidal rivers along the western shore all have blue catfish as does the Chester River Fishing for Chesapeake Channa (northern snakehead) in the lower Susquehanna River and in the middle and upper sections of the tidal rivers can offer some exciting fishing opportunities and that is the best place to look for them Anglers are catching some impressive large ones by casting chatterbaits rigged with white soft plastics Striped bass fishing remains closed in the Bay until May 16, except above the line from the south corner of Hart-Miller Island to Tolchester, which opens on June 1. DNR’s online striped bass season regulation map site can help striped bass anglers understand seasons and boundaries Water temperatures are holding around 63 degrees in the middle Bay and 66 degrees in the Choptank River; most tidal rivers are holding approximately the same water temperatures The striped bass spawn in the Choptank River is about over all we can do now is wait for the young of year survey results and river herring which were all spawning in the rivers So many factors enter into the success of a spawn White perch have been moving down the tidal rivers where they spawned and usually they reach their summer habitats by the middle of May they provide lots of fun fishing off a dock or over oyster beds with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworm on a bottom rig Casting spinners and small soft plastic jigs near shoreline structure is always a favorite evening pastime Anglers can find plenty of action this week fishing for a mix of blue and channel catfish They can be found in every tidal river within the middle bay region The Choptank River holds the greatest number of blue catfish which can be found from the town of Choptank to Denton Blue catfish are responding to warmer water temperatures and moving freely along channel edges and flat shelves alongside channel areas Cut bait is usually the first choice for most anglers and fresh white perch are readily available at this time Many tackle shops carry frozen menhaden or gizzard shad and anglers also report good luck with chicken parts and scented baits A Santee type catfish rig is a popular option with a circle hook with a small float nearby and a sliding sinker It is important to keep baits off the bottom for the best success (northern snakeheads) is good this month in the backwaters of Dorchester County The most popular way to fish for them is casting white paddletails chatterbaits rigged with white soft plastic baits and soft plastic frogs Shoreline sunken brush and emerging grass beds are good places to target There are still some hickory shad being caught in the upper Choptank River near Red Bridges and likely the action will not last more than a week and gold or chrome spoons are often rigged in tandem Eric Packard caught and released this hickory shad near Mason Springs on Mattawoman Creek Catch-and-release fishing for hickory and American shad is an option in the Potomac River within the confines of the District of Columbia up to Little Falls Anglers are catching and releasing American shad on large shad darts while fishing from small boats and kayaks that allow them to reach the main channel There is still a spawning run of hickory shad in Mattawoman Creek near Mason Springs this week Shad darts and small chrome spoons rigged in tandem are a popular presentation with spinning gear There is also a smaller hickory shad spawning run in the upper Patuxent near Wayson’s Corner “Grass shrimp and how to catch your own.”  Anglers have been targeting black drum in Pocomoke and Tangier sounds as well as near the Target Ship and Mud Leads Most are slowly surveying waters with their depth finders and once fish are spotted dropping soft crab baits to the fish is a good tactic Water temperatures in the lower Bay are currently 63 degrees and anglers are anticipating large red drum and speckled trout to arrive soon in the shallower waters of Tangier and Pocomoke sounds The tidal Potomac River from the Route 301 Bridge to the Wilson Bridge continues to provide plenty of fishing opportunities for blue catfish this week The tidal Potomac holds the greatest numbers of blue catfish in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay’s tidal rivers The Patuxent above Benedict and the Nanticoke near Sharptown also hold large populations of blue catfish Many charter boat captains now target blue catfish on the Potomac this can result in an action-filled trip with plenty of opportunity to fill one’s freezer with good eating fish Chesapeake channa (northern snakehead) are very abundant in the tidal rivers of the lower Bay The creeks that flow into the Potomac and Patuxent on the western shore and to the Nanticoke and the Pocomoke on the Eastern Shore are the places to find them Grass beds are filling out and the fish can be found close to those emerging grass beds Casting chatterbaits rigged with white soft plastic baits white Paddletails and soft plastic frogs over or near the grass beds is an excellent way to target them and many put-and-take and delayed harvest trout management waters will continue to be stocked Trout anglers will see stockings in the marginal waters of the central and southern regions taper off in the next couple of weeks as water temperatures rise beyond tolerable limits for the survival of trout These waters often are community ponds and rivers in the southern and central regions the trout tend to spread out from where they were placed If anglers explore areas away from the stocking sites Casting small spinners and spoons is an excellent way to cover a lot of water and a good way to catch the attention of trout that have evaded the traditional Powerbait offerings Deep Creek Lake continues to offer good fishing for a mix of species this week The waters are still cool enough that fishing for walleye can be good along steep rocky shorelines and deep grass edges Smallmouth bass can be found in the same areas as well as rocky points and smallmouth and largemouth bass will be found seeking refuge from the bright sun under them Swimbaits and small crankbaits are good choices for fishing for the walleye and smallmouth bass casting wacky-rigged soft plastic worms and stick worms near cover is a good choice for the largemouth bass Herb Floyd holds up a big pre-spawn largemouth bass for a quick photo before releasing her Male largemouth bass are scouring out spawning beds in the central and the cooler western region waters will soon invite the same spawning responses The large female largemouth bass are staging outside the shallower spawning areas where the beds are located jerkbaits and soft plastics is a good way to entice a strike from a lurking female largemouth bass Casting into the spawning beds may cause a smaller male largemouth bass to strike a lure threatening his spawning bed The cool waters of spring continue to offer some of the best crappie fishing to be found The crappie can be found schooled up near bridge piers Small minnows rigged under a slip bobber can be adjusted to find the proper depth where crappie are holding This happy angler holds up a nice black drum caught in the Assateague surf for a picture Fishing for black drum in the surf at Assateague has been good and promises to continue through this week Anglers are also catching and releasing a few striped bass that measure outside of the required slot fishing for tautog has been good with a pleasant amount of fish measuring above over the required minimum of 16 inches The jetty rocks and bulkheads in the inlet and Route 50 Bridge are being targeted and sand fleas are the most popular bait Striped bass are being caught in the early morning and evening hours in the inlet by anglers casting soft plastic jigs and paddletails; a few small bluefish are also occasionally being caught Flounder are moving through the inlet and headed for the back bay waters so the inlet is a good place to intercept them As they become more common in the back bays the best fishing tends to be on an ebb tide which brings warmer water from the bay shallows The Thorofare and similar channels leading towards the inlet tend to offer some of the best fishing success Fishing for striped bass at the bridge piers of the Route 90 and Verrazano bridges continues to be a fun catch-and-release event during the early morning and late evening Casting paddletails near the bridge piers and marsh banks has been the most popular way to fish Tautog fishing at the offshore wreck and reef sites continues to be very good this week Limit catches of eating size tautog are common for anglers Anglers are catching some very large tautog weighing in the double-digit category and many anglers are choosing to return them to the water in favor of filling out their limit with smaller fish “A good rule of angling philosophy is not to interfere with any fisherman’s ways of being happy Click Before You Cast is written by Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment Director Tom Parham A reminder to all Maryland anglers, please participate in DNR’s Volunteer Angler Surveys This allows citizen scientists to contribute valuable data to the monitoring and management of several important fish species What: Spend the night out on the town with this Mother's Day event snacks and drinks all while supporting local Where: Ohio State University at Marion Morrill Hall Auditorium What: Calling all Beatles fans! Sing-along to an acoustic night of Beatles throwbacks featuring William Florian Florian is sure to play fan-favorites like "I Saw Her Standing There," "Yesterday," "Imagine" and more What: Kids under 18 years old can join Marion Police Department and Marion County Sheriff's Office for a day by the water The Ohio Department of Natural Resources will provide polls to kids who don't have them Cost: Free (bring your own pole and tackle) What: Analog Youth will perform at OK Café The performance will take you back in time with songs spanning multiple decades What: Silo Mayne, a singer-songwriter born and raised in Marion County, will perform. Mayne's music is influence by classic country and rock. He's also the lead vocalist for a Central Ohio rock band, Crow the Saint you can have an electronic license for fishing in Minnesota You used to have to have a printed-out license but now proof on your phone is sufficient proof of licensing It happened to a friend of mine a few years back. They googled Minnesota online fishing license and it brought them to a page where you could purchase a license for around a $25 fee and an extra processing fee and then they were sent a book on how to purchase an online license they got scammed into buying a book online that told them how to buy a license The scammers know that you are probably in a hurry and won't read all the fine print. People get scammed enough that the online licensing page from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources actually has a warning They say that they've had some reports of people purchasing an online license only to finish the transaction without having anything Only buy a license from the Minnesota DNR's website If you think you've been a victim of fraud call the issuer of your credit card immediately and report it Purchase your online license at the verified DNR page. More people are purchasing their fishing licenses online, and that means more people are getting scammed.\nRead More 🎣 We’re reeling with excitement for the fishing opener!\n\nGovernor Tim Walz stopped by DNR to purchase his fishing.. It happened to a friend of mine a few years back. They googled Minnesota online fishing license The scammers know that you are probably in a hurry and won't read all the fine print. People get scammed enough that the online licensing page from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources actually has a warning Only buy a license from the Minnesota DNR's website Purchase your online license at the verified DNR page. To Texas\r\n- Moved from Alabama to Texas in 2019: 8,791\r\n--- 8.9% of residents that moved\r\n- Moved from Texas to Alabama in 2019: 8,405\r\n--- #20 most common destination from Texas Georgia\r\n- Moved from Alabama to Georgia in 2019: 14,169\r\n--- 14.4% of residents that moved\r\n- Moved from Georgia to Alabama in 2019: 13,993\r\n--- #6 most common destination from Georgia Florida\r\n- Moved from Alabama to Florida in 2019: 15,153\r\n--- 15.4% of residents that moved\r\n- Moved from Florida to Alabama in 2019: 15,519\r\n--- #10 most common destination from Florida Daily Weather Report Powered By: Participants in last year's Tri-Lakes Fishing Derby line the south shore of Palmer Lake Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Stories you've missed since your last login: Recommended stories based on your interests: by Phil Howard — As the weather warms up NBC Montana ventured up to Rock Creek outside of Clinton to fish the lower section of the river Warmer weather means Rock Creek and other rivers around Montana are starting to rise-- making conditions fast and dirty That's why John Staats, the owner of Rock Creek Fishermans' Mercantile says he recommends sticking to slow shallow water this time of year as a safety precaution "Minimize your wading to just going over marshy side channels or anywhere it gets wet just to get to the main stem of the river and don't get in the river itself," Staats said River conditions can change fast-- that's why John recommends checking the USGS Flow Chart for the spot you plan to fish before heading out This time of year-- most of the action is going to be sub-surface with nymphs and streamers Here's a look at what we used up Rock Creek: NBC Montana did see some fish rising for March Browns and Blue Wings-- but with the river hovering around 1,000 cubic feet per second and rising-- the best shot at fish will be getting a nymph in deeper holes “If you know how to get to those fish and how to put the flies on them but it’s definitely more work at this time of the year," Staats said Don't let all this muddy water get you down though-- hit the vise-- tie up some salmon flies and remember those big bugs will be the first thing you throw when the water levels out Russian Financial Conglomerate AFK Sistema Sells Major Salmon Fishing Asset in Kamchatka The Russian financial conglomerate AFK Sistema has decided to sell its major fishing asset one of Russia’s largest Pacific salmon fishing companies with a business value of approximately RUB 15 billion (USD $183 million).   which is owned by Russian businesswoman Milana Kerimova.    Voskhod Holding is considered one of Russia’s largest Pacific salmon producers The company's main assets are located in Kamchatka Note: All comments are displayed with user's screen name Please go to My Account to update your screen name Comment Policy: SeafoodNews.com and Urner Barry have made the comment feature available to encourage further discussion of our news stories or comments deemed not relevant to the story will be removed SeafoodNews.com and Urner Barry may restrict the right of individual subscribers to offer comments comments represent opinions of the poster only opinions or estimates put forward by SeafoodNews.com and Urner Barry West Coast Fisheries Infrastructure Waxes and Wanes: Part 1 Shoreside fisheries support decreases following limited fishing seasons  Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series on the struggles facing shoreside infrastructure that supports West Coast fisheries submitted by Pacific Fishery Management Council Executive Director Merrick Burden Parts 2 and 3 will be published later this week.  Stand on a dock in any West Coast fishing town and you will see similar things: worn wood these are just some of the more obvious signs of an underlying problem that is making fishing off the West Coast exceptionally difficult: The decay and loss of shoreside infrastructure.  Infrastructure is everything that supports a healthy fishery It means docks that need to be maintained in the harsh elements; harbors that need to be regularly dredged; fuel docks to keep vessels moving; bait suppliers; and support businesses to sell and store the gear that a fishing boat needs It means ice to chill the fish; a dock and hoist to land them; a buyer to buy them; a processor to filet and package them; cold storage; and a distribution network and reliable markets and repair services for when things go wrong The past few years have been rough for West Coast fisheries.   GAPP Gets USDA Funds for 2025 Trade Missions The Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) a group focused on marketing and researching Alaska's pollock industry between its receipt of federal funds for exploring emerging markets and the release of its most recent round of Partnership Program funding for which proposals are now being accepted Exploring emerging markets in South America and Asia GAPP announced its receipt of federal funding through the U.S Foreign Agriculture Service (USDA-FAS) Emerging Markets Program (EMP) to explore emerging markets.. Full $4.5 Million in Maine Sea Grant Funding Restored The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration informed the University of Maine on Monday that it was reinstating all $4.5 million in federal funding it had previously cut from Maine Sea Grant The 20-person program provides technical and research support to the state's fisheries and coastal economies "The groundswell of support for Maine Sea Grant and the stories that have surfaced about its incredible impact on our state's working waterfronts have been extraordinary and effective," UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy.. Commercial Rock Crab Fishery Opens from California/Oregon Border to Humboldt Bay Following a recommendation from state health agencies(opens in new tab) the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced(opens in new tab) the reopening of the commercial rock crab fishery in northern California from the California/Oregon border (42° 00.00’ N Lat.) to the Humboldt Bay entrance at the north jetty (40° 46.15’ N This area has remained closed for nearly a decade following a domoic acid outbreak and lack of sampling effort in subsequent years.. The Falkland Islands Fishing Companies Association (FIFCA) and its Spanish associates said that following the early closure of the first Loligo season (March 1 to April 27) given the scientific reports and with total catches close to 38,000 tons FIFCA said that "whilst the early closure of the first Loligo season – with just a few days remaining - is disappointing we understand the reasons behind the decision it is important that we collectively protect our resources and maintain a sustainable fishery..." NZ Snapper Trial Promising Underwater Pen is Innovative 'Stepping Stone' Towards Open Ocean Farming Finfish are being trialled in an open ocean aquaculture test system for the first time in New Zealand – in a “soft” Plant & Food Research has moved around 2000 snapper from its Nelson finfish facility to its prototype pen in Tasman Bay about 6km off the western coast of D’Urville Island after the project got fast-track approval last year Programme lead Dr Suzy Black said the system developed by Plant & Food Research was the first of its kind.. Violence and Organized Crime: Inside the Lawless East Coast Elver Fishery In the chill dark of a March night on a Nova Scotia river a hip-wader-wearing woman put Canda’s sovereignty to the test the 40 or so net-wielding members of Sipekne’katik First Nation on the opposite bank were calling Canada’s bluff They caught juvenile American eels (elvers) under their own band-issued licenses in defiance of a Fisheries Act requiring them to have licenses approved by the federal fisheries minister “I think it was the fourth call to DFO I asked their dispatch if they..." OPINION: About Time Lobster Rules Were Informed by Lobster Fishery Turbulent" is a word often used in reporting about the relationship between the people who lobster for a living and the people who regulate that business The state of Maine last week announced something that might take the temperature down: As it develops new rules for fishing it has undertaken to conduct the first survey of commercial lobstermen in almost 20 years This regulatory landscape is generally uneven and hotly contested Britain can keep its post-Brexit ban on sand eel fishing - designed to protect puffin populations - a European court has ruled after the EU attempted to overturn the policy The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that the UK was not legally obliged to reverse bans in either English or Scottish waters despite the EU arguing the policy broke the terms of the Brexit trade deal It is being interpreted as a "great Brexit win" for the Government at a time when Westminster and Brussels are locked in negotiations over fishing.. Sullivan-Whitehouse FISH Act 2025 is Unanimously Passed by Senate Commerce Committee Science & Transportation Committee unanimously passed the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest (FISH) Act unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing within the U.S also known as the FISH Act (or the FISH Act of 2025) establishes federal infrastructure and processes to blacklist offending IUU vessels from U.S Coast Guard’s enforcement capabilities and partnerships and advance international and bilateral negotiations to achieve enforceable.. Japan’s Black Cod Imports Exceed 10,000 Tons 3 Years in a Row Japan's 2024 imports of frozen cod from the United States amounted to 10,006 tons though still exceeding the 10,000-ton mark for the third consecutive year the import price rose 15% from 985 yen/kg ($6.83/kg) the previous year to 1,136 yen/kg ($7.88/kg) According to reporting from Minato Shimbun the rebound in market price was due to producers suspending fishing due to fatigue from low prices Scottish Aquaculture Tech Company Ace Aquatec Raises €11.7M; Will Create 15 Jobs has secured £10M (approximately €11.7M) in funding consisting of £7.5M in equity funding plus an additional £2.5M (approximately €2.9M) debt facility The funding round was led by Stolt Ventures with participation from Scottish Enterprise and Aqua-Spark This latest round was oversubscribed and incorporates a period post-close to allow further investors to participate The funding will help the company create 15 jobs at the company’s offices in Dundee Russia Hopes for Good Mackerel Catches This Year Despite Earlier Reports of Stock Decline Russia is hoping for good mackerel catches this year despite some earlier reports about a significant decline of mackerel stock within domestic territorial waters as well as abroad According to recent statements from leading Russian fisheries scientists the Atlantic mackerel stock continues to remain stable and is not at risk of decline due to overfishing Director of Research at the Russian State Research Center of Fisheries and Oceanography explained how scientists monitor stocks and analyze mackerel catches every year Jazz Fest Bucks National Trend by Serving Real Gulf Shrimp Amid growing concerns nationwide over seafood fraud the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has emerged as a rare bright spot in the murky world of shrimp sourcing A new round of genetic testing found that nearly every shrimp dish sold at this year's Jazz Fest was made with genuine U.S wild-caught shrimp from the Gulf — a striking contrast to most restaurants across the South conducted by SeaD Consulting using its RIGHTTest genetic analysis tool examined 19 shrimp-based dishes from vendors at the 2025.. RCMP Investigate Latest Case of Gunshot Targeting Home of N.S Police are investigating the latest case of someone allegedly firing a gun at the home of a lobster buyer in southwestern Nova Scotia Geoffrey Jobert says he recently checked on some damage to the roof of his home in Mavillette and discovered birdshot pellets lodged into shingles The RCMP issued a release today confirming a shot was fired at his home in the small community near Meteghan and requesting public assistance with the case Jobert says the pellets struck his home a few.. Down East Community Mourns Loss of Fisherman Jaxson Marston In the days since Jaxson Marston died in an apparent accident while dragging for scallops the Down East region where he grew up has rallied to support his young family and honor his memory Marston's family and friends have posted social media tributes to the 26-year-old fisherman from Addison who was the father of a young daughter and was expecting another child with his longtime girlfriend The fishing community and others from far beyond Washington County have donated over $110,000 to.. SeafoodNews.com is the most widely read seafood industry news in North America We provide a quick daily snapshot of the global seafood industry we focus on the business side of the industry Our largest reader category is seafood buyers Subscription: There are two options the free subscription which you can find here. this will give you access to updates every 72 hours or you can upgrade to premium access learn more here. Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline Silver Bay Partners with BBEDC to Purchase Former Icicle Stake in OBI Seafoods Seafood Expo North America 2025: Day 1 in Photos What Trump Tariffs Mean for Food and Agriculture Trade The Winding Glass: Seafood Consumption in Crossfire as Global Tariff War Erupts fish farms have seen a spike in attacks from sea lions prompting companies to request the use of rubber bullets as a deterrent Sea lions "have breached the system and are being aggressive to staff," wrote Krista Sandberg regional manager of aquaculture environmental operations at Fisheries and Oceans Canada describing the situation at a fish farm run by the aquaculture company Mowi near Port Hardy "[They] have requested to [use] rubber bullets to gain control of the situation..." Fortune Sues Former Executive and Salmon Company Vikenco for Stealing Trade Secrets (Fortune) recently filed a lawsuit against former employee Christopher J Marchese and Norwegian salmon company Vikenco North America argues that the defendants stole confidential and proprietary information and trade secrets and engaged in direct competition with the plaintiffs despite contractual and common law obligations that prohibited such activity.. CHANNEL ISLANDS -- Strands of kelp glow in the dim morning light off California's Channel Islands as fish and sea lions weave through the golden fronds It's a scene of remarkable abundance — the result of more than two decades of protection in one of the state's oldest marine reserves life in the vast Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument faces a very different future The Trump administration has moved to reopen 500,000 square miles (about 1.3 million square kilometers) of previously protected waters there to.. Lobster Industry Worried About Prices as Season Begins The Maritime Fishermen's Union is concerned that prices paid to lobster fishermen in northern New Brunswick won't be enough to cover their rising overhead costs but they are concerned that "rumoured" prices of $6 to $6.50 per pound are not enough to cover the rising costs of fuel and they believe $8 per pound would be better CDFW Announces Closure of Mad River Fish Hatchery The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Friday the end of fish rearing at the Mad River hatchery citing millions in repair costs the department is on the hook for during a state budget crisis along with some rainbow trout living there will be released in spring Hatchery operations will then cease come June or early July “This place has been struggling with financial issues for decades,” said Peter Tira Vietnamese Ca Mau Seafood Overcomes the Fear of US Tariffs After the US announced new counterpart tariffs on imported goods seafood processing and exporting enterprises have proposed solutions The Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province said that Ca Mau Fisheries products exported to the US market were mainly shrimp the export turnover of the province to the US market in 2023 was 70.98 million USD (accounting for 5.91% of the province's exports); In 2024 it reached 76.78 million USD (accounting for 6.07% of the province's exports) Tuna Tune-Up: Calls for Clearer Green Claims on Cans There could be something fishy going on with the green claims slapped on tins of tuna Promises of "responsibly-sourced" and "planet-friendly" on cans of the go-to source of cheap protein are not always backed up with evidence The findings of the Marine Stewardship Council-commissioned study cast light on the way brands communicate to consumers rather than their actual efforts to avoid bycatch and source fish from healthy populations the commercial tuna fishing industry has made inroads on environmental performance Louisiana's Inshore Shrimp Season to Open May 8 in Some Parts the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission published the opening dates for the state’s inshore shrimp fishing season The following dates were decided upon for Louisiana’s inshore shrimping areas using information provided by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) biologists as well as public comments: * State inside waters from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line westward to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River will open at 6:00 a.m Nations Rally Against Trump’s Deep-Sea Mining Order with $9.1B Sustainable Oceans Commitments regions and philanthropists have collectively committed $9.1 billion of new funding to protect and restore oceans at an annual summit in Busan A total of 277 funding commitments were made at the Our Ocean Conference which concluded on Wednesday (30 April) and is regarded as a key precursor to both the UN’s Ocean Conference in June and its annual climate summit (COP30) in November the funding commitments made at the Conference totalled $9.1 billion.. World's Coral Reefs Hit by Worst Bleaching Event on Record Harmful bleaching of the world's coral has grown to include 84% of the ocean's reefs in the most intense event of its kind in recorded history the International Coral Reef Initiative announced today It's the fourth global bleaching event since 1998 and has now surpassed bleaching from 2014-17 that hit some two-thirds of reefs And it's not clear when the current crisis which began in 2023 and is blamed on warming oceans Endangered Right Whales Spotted in Shipping Lanes South of Massachusetts A group of over 75 critically endangered North Atlantic right whales were seen in shipping lanes south of Martha’s Vineyard triggering a “crucial” slow zone in the area “Ship strikes are one of the leading causes of injuries and deaths for this critically endangered species making it crucial that vessels slow down to the recommended speed,” the Aquarium staff stated Thursday Voluntary slow zones encourage mariners to slow to 10 knots or less to prevent collisions with whales Advances Legislation Supporting State Shrimp Industry the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) issued a news release detailing the Texas House of Representatives’ recent advancement of two bills that stand to support the state’s shrimp industry Louderback and Terri Leo-Wilson and unanimously approved by the Trade Workforce & Economic Development Committee on April 23 The bill urges the federal government to address the domestic surge in cheap farm-raised imported shrimp and to take measures to combat the negative impact that such imports have on.. MLAs Raise Concerns About Need for More Dredging on the North Shore Fishers in North Rustico hit the water earlier than usual Wednesday morning after more than a dozen boats were stranded offshore on Tuesday Extremely low tides and strong winds combined with extra sand in the channel meant about half the boats that went out Tuesday morning couldn't get back to the wharf at the usual time and had to either wait for high tide to return or seek other harbours "I'd never seen the tide that low as it was yesterday," said Ian Gauthier