BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant in US

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant in US
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 12 Apr 12 - 07:33 AM

Zoom in on the photo label.

It appears someone has been feeding you malarcky.

Bumblebee Sardines are produced in Poland.
http://www.bumblebee.com/products/sardines-mackerel

Sincerely
Gargoyle

no they do not refer to poland spring Maine

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant in US
From: kendall
Date: 12 Apr 12 - 04:20 AM

When we fish out the krill, what will the great Whales live on?

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant in US
From: Ed T
Date: 11 Apr 12 - 01:53 PM

""In sampling for plankton in the Antarctic from Tara, every sample had degraded fishing net fiber in it.""

A likely source would not be "gill nets" that some refer to here.
A few countries actively fish in the antarctic using mobile trawls. I suspect regulations and enforcement is relatively low, if active at all. The krill fishery uses very fine mesh trawls. (Some folks question the wisdom of catching forage fish so near to the bottom of the food chain in such an environment).

Can one rule out an additional source, scientific research?

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant in US
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 11 Apr 12 - 01:22 PM

I used sardines for live-trapping foxes in the desert for my graduate work, once upon a time...

In sampling for plankton in the Antarctic from Tara, every sample had degraded fishing net fiber in it.

~ Becky in Long Beach

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant in US
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 Apr 12 - 12:00 PM

Perhaps they could open a condom factory instead. Of course the damn things would smell of sardines...................I'm not going there..................


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant in US
From: Ed T
Date: 11 Apr 12 - 11:21 AM

Not sure if I posted this info on sardines earlier-if so, just ignore.


Sardines

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant in US
From: Charley Noble
Date: 11 Apr 12 - 08:10 AM

It was announced this morning in the newspapers that the lobster processing company that took over the former Stinson Sardine processing factory is now in deep financial trouble and has temporarily suspended operations. More lousy news for folks Down East.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant in US
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 11 Apr 12 - 07:17 AM

It all boils down to greed.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Apr 12 - 01:47 AM

There wasn't much left of the sardine canning industry in Monterey, California, when I was stationed there in 1970. Most of the canneries were empty, but a few were being turned into tourist attractions. I was there two weeks ago, and now it's crowded with tourists and the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the biggest attraction in the area. I read Steinbeck's Cannery Row while I was living there, and the book brought alive all the history of the area to me. It's a shame that it's all gone.

One of the most interesting things about the sardine canneries in Monterey, was how they got the fish from the boats to the canneries. There were huge wooden hoppers anchored in the bay, and the hoppers were connected to the canneries by big tubes, maybe 8 inches in diameter. The boats would tie up to the boxes and dump their load of fish, and the cannery would suction all the fish in for processing. That method must have saved a lot of time and money.

Those big boxes were readily available in the 1970s. While I was waiting for my German class to begin at the Presidio of Monterey, I worked for three weeks building a garden on base, using one of those hoppers as a flower box. The man I worked for was a Steinbeckian character who had lots of stories to tell about Old Monterey.


Prospect Harbor, by the way, has one of the prettiest lighthouses in Maine. I suppose the real people will leave now that the cannery's closed, and the town will be taken over by tourists.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Ed T
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 06:45 PM

Kendall,
I suspect you refer to the miles long hooked lines set near the surface in deep sea to catch large pelagic fishes-tunas, swordfish and such. Longlines set in coastal waters are much shorter,fished regularily, are more selective and normally are weighted to fish near the bottom (groundfish). Once the bait is gone, I suspect the hooks have little of the original fishing power. GPS makes them easier to locate in today's fishery.

As to gillnets, it also depends on the species sought. To minimize longterm impact biodegradable sections are becoming the norm in regulations.

The tremendous fishing power and seafloor habiat impacts of mobile operated trawls are when they are in operation. While some trawl sections are likely are lost at sea, I suspect lost trawls (otter and other) at sea are few.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 04:47 PM

An Otter trawl just collapses and lays flat on the bottom. Any fish that were caught in it serve as Lobster bait.
But, those damned long lines and nets that float are killers for Whales, Sharks and Porpoise.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Ed T
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 04:44 PM

There are nets, and then there are nets.

Herring are increasingly caught in large quantitie susing purse seines,rather than the traditional gill nets. The purse seines concentrate large numbers of fish- of all sizes- to be scooped or pumped out onto carrier vessels. Sardines are small juvenile herring. Until recently, the egg bearing females were sought after and prized for their roe-for the Japanese market. The herring meat,at reporductive stages is of a lower quality and not that long ago was used for bait, animal feed or dumped in landfills, or at sea. A huge waste.Gillneta are smaller scale, and often are used to get bait for the lobster fishery.

Traditionally, groundfish (haddock and cod) were captured by long lines of hooks, or gill-nets (long ago hand lined jigging). Gillnets less frequently used today. Huge and deep towed nets, called trawls, are more frequently used today to catch large amounts of fish-of all sizes and species. They do have regulated mesh sizes, but the meshes get filled up with fish and the trawls capture many size fish. To keep the managers confident that they have a "clean fishery" small or low value species are dumped overboard. If one were to ask anyone who works on a trawler how many fish are dumped overboard, even today-I believe one would get a big surprise.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 01:06 PM

Large nets are a problem in one other way. When they are lifted out of the water, the pressure on fish near the net from about a third of the height down is so great that they are rendered unmarketable and end up as fish pellets, fertilizer, etc, or are dumped in order the get marketable fish while staying within tonnage limits.

An old Newfie I knew used to say that every fish he caught was saleable. But, who's gonna run a codline these days?

Another thing about nets... when a synthetic net is lost or dumped because it's damaged, it fishes the ocean for two hundred years.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 11:36 AM

I was appalled at some of the stories the old fishermen told, shoveling "Ping pongs" over the side by the ton. A ping pong is a small haddock; too small to be marketable.
In those days they could use any kind of nets they wanted to, and the undersize fish could not escape through a one inch opening.
In 1950 an international treaty was signed that no longer allowed boats to take Haddock and Cod with a net that had openings of less than 4 inches. That allowed the pin pongs to escape and not be brought to the surface where they would die anyway from the difference in pressure.

Commercial fishermen are some of the greediest people in the world. Each one of them wants to be the guy who caught the last fish.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: saulgoldie
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 07:37 AM

Probly should have added this link:


Tiny Fish for Japan


Saul

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: saulgoldie
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 07:35 AM

Not 'zacly the same thing, but "fishy" nonetheless: "Tiny Fish For Japan" by Stan Rogers.

Saul

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 07:27 AM

Well, the lobster harvesters here in Maine will be happy. The closure will increase their access to herring as lobster bait.

The osprey and the eagles will also be pleased.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Ed T
Date: 09 Apr 12 - 07:54 PM

People often blame foreign overfishing - and frequently overlook overfishing and distructive, and unsustainable, historic fishing practices at home.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: kendall
Date: 09 Apr 12 - 07:38 PM

Back in the 60s I was in the Fish& Wildlife service and I spent a lot of time on the piers of different Maine towns. Many fishermen hung out there and talked about the problems of the fishing business.

I overheard one grumpy old goat saying to another, "Now that that f*****G Kennedy has decided that the niggers are as good as us, we will never sell another Maine sardine."

The real problem of course was over fishing. When the Soviet fleets came to the gulf of Maine with their huge factory ships and trawlers that were designed to take everything in sight, including spawning Herring, that was the beginning of the end.
Then came the Spanish pair trawlers with nets so big it took two of them to drag them.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 09 Apr 12 - 06:40 PM

It's the largest in the world. Got that mixed up.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 09 Apr 12 - 06:25 PM

No, no, no... the last one in NA. Sorry!

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 09 Apr 12 - 06:21 PM

Last sardine processing plant in the world.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Gurney
Date: 24 Apr 10 - 11:00 PM

Tanglewood, prawn trawlers may be the death of the oceans. They use very fine-mesh nets, and everything they catch dies. Baby fish, weed, sponges, everything. They leave a desert behind them, with nothing to effect a recovery. Ask eastern Australians.
I've been told that British waters are now trawled with EU-approved nets, finer than the British-approved ones. Is this true?

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Tangledwood
Date: 24 Apr 10 - 07:48 PM

"You cannot trust commercial fishermen to fish sustainably"

Especially the crporate fleet, and the government folks who enable their operation.

There's a TV documentary series running here about Scottish trawlers.
In the last episode we were taken on board a prawn trawler. The prawns were proving elusive but in the search tons of fish were being unintentionally caught. Under EU law because the vessel was a prawn trawler it was only allowed to take a certain quantity of fish. Once that was exceeded any additional fish had to be thrown back in, even though they were now dead.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 24 Apr 10 - 05:53 PM

Portuguese would be hard to scan, I suppose, and throw the song too.

I recall a story about some Newfs in small boats shootin at them Portuguese factory ships with 303s just before the Cod Wars and the 200 mile limit declaration. Got some kinda balls them Newfs.

Subject: ADD: Seven Spanish Trawlers
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 24 Apr 10 - 05:29 PM

This song from Newfieland explains it!


SEVEN SPANISH TRAWLERS
(Squeezin' Steve Searle)

He looked down into his cod trap 'n' said,
My God, where have they gone?
He threw his arms up in despair,
For his cod trap it held none.
Then he looked out o'er the raging foam just in time to see,
Seven Spanish trawlers headin' out to open sea.

There were seven Spanish trawlers,
They were fishing in the sun;
The Spanish they caught all the fish,
The Newfies they got none.
Then the clouds appeared, and the fog rolled in,
The sun no longer shone;
And seven Spanish trawlers took all the codfish home.

Then Ol' Brian sent a letter off,
To Frazier in Ottawa:
You fellows better do something,
When they're breaking our fishing law.
Then the government quickly they dispatched,
The good Canadian patrol;
They boarded the Spanish trawlers,
And took them back to port.

There were seven Spanish trawlers,
They were fishing in the sun;
The Spanish they caught all the fish,
The Newfies they got none.
Then the clouds appeared, and the fog rolled in,
The sun no longer shone;
And seven Spanish trawlers took all the codfish home.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 24 Apr 10 - 01:41 PM

Ed T... these guys put on a "good front".... see above for link...

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu - PM
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 05:57 AM

That's a cryin shame!

Just next door.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Ed T
Date: 24 Apr 10 - 12:08 PM

"You cannot trust commercial fishermen to fish sustainably"

Especially the crporate fleet, and the government folks who enable their operation.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 24 Apr 10 - 11:39 AM

Just inhale one of the "packed in oil" tins I got last week. Deeeelicious... but I forgot to turn the tin upside down and shake it shake it first. Coats the top sides with oil.

My old man used to love em on soda crakers.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Gurney
Date: 23 Apr 10 - 05:53 AM

As Riginslinger said up there, too many people.

You cannot trust commercial fishermen to fish sustainably. Their job is to catch fish, not conserve them, and they will deplete a resource and still keep fishing it as long as better-and-better methods make it possible. When the resource collapses, they will, if they can, move to another fishery, which is probably already being fished. With similar results.
Nowadays, fishermen cross the largest oceans to fill a ship with fish. They fish Antarctic waters for the fish they have renamed the Chilean Sea Bass, the deepest water for Orange Roughy. Fish that our fathers never heard of. Because the fish they HAD heard of, are gone.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Naemanson
Date: 23 Apr 10 - 05:03 AM

My dad sent me a copy of the article with the note attached saying that civilization has now ended. Can't disagree...

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 02:32 PM

Alas, Kippered (now it says Kipper) Snacks are no longer on my healthy diet list. And Smoked Oysters.

When I was working on the road, we used to get out the black rum and indulge in these delights while telling stories. Back then, it was a common custom in many hotels in Atlantic Canada to prop the door open and allow vistors and visit others. I dare say that practice would not be prudent, and, I expect, would be frowned upon, these days.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Ed T
Date: 21 Apr 10 - 07:28 PM

A great source of healthy and beneficial fish oils...I like'em..and Eat the Brunswick brand weekly.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 21 Apr 10 - 05:38 PM

Yesterday, I bought a dozen tins of Millionaires at Costco for $10. I was rather surprised at the new "logo"... "From the East Coast."
Used to be, "The fish she is very small." Not politically correct or maybe the fish she is not as small as they used to be? I shall know soon.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: GUEST,999
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 09:22 AM

Times we would have starved when I was a kid were it not for sardines. I recall them being about ten cents a can and there were about 16 sardines in it. They`re even better when you had bread or toast to put em on. Butter with that was a luxury. I still like them (and kippers).

I hope the workers are treated well, but I ain`t gonna hold my breath.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Cuilionn
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 08:37 AM

Maine poet and Instigator of Sundry Artistic Outrageousness, Gary Lawless, grew up in a sardine-canning town and has been working on a series of public events to commemorate and celebrate this important element of Maine's history and culture.

He's been seeking out songs and poems from "sardine cultures" around the world, many of which are featured on a blog called, "Sardine Songs, Herring Hymns" Anyone else have any sardine songs/poems to share?

Hmmm... thinking I should post this above the line, too.

--Cuilionn

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 06:08 AM

Hmmm... sounds like deals behind closed doors with the government involved.

Happens a lot up here. A plant/business "has" to close, thereby reducing the payroll and pension burden on the owner. Government steps in and makes a deal with a buyer for payouts and or tax relief to save jobs and everyone (the rich ones) benefits from the deal.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Mike in Brunswick
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 12:03 AM

Let's try that again

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Mike in Brunswick
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 12:01 AM

Perhaps a happy ending here

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 11:18 PM

Love them bones. Just crunch them up and blow them out your nostrils!

I actually prefer the ones that are packed in water rather than oil but I do prefer the little ones that you get from Oscar rather than the Bumblebee whales.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: kendall
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 08:33 PM

Actually most of our sardines are and have been Herring. The real sardine is a Pilchard, not a herring.
I prefer canned mackeral filets anyway. No bones or skin.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 05:33 PM

Some canneries left in Alaska. Time to relocate.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: pdq
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 03:54 PM

Here is some more good reading about...                                                   

                                                                the late great sardine industry

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Riginslinger
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 02:55 PM

I've noticed sardines are getting bigger. The ones from Norway are much more like sardines used to be.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: gnu
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 01:56 PM

I picked up a half dozen tins on sale about 6 months ago. Grabbed them. Only the tin on top was packed in oil. The the others were packed in water and they suck in comparison. And they were fairly large... never seen em that big... oh well, just three cans left to choke down now.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Riginslinger
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 11:10 AM

I could contain my driving to the freeway, but there aren't a lot of sardines out there.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Becca72
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 11:05 AM

If you are addressing that question to me, I didn't say there was anything wrong with them; I personally find them disgusting - your mileage may vary.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Riginslinger
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 10:34 AM

What's wrong with sardines?

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Becca72
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 10:11 AM

While you couldn't pay me enough to eat a sardine, it's still sad that all these people are losing their jobs in an area where not much else is available. Hopefully the conversion of the plant will go through.

Subject: RE: BS: Sad day in Maine: last sardine plant
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 09:36 AM

There is continuing discussion that the sardine plant be converted for canning lobster and other sea food products. Maine was a pioneer in canning lobster way back in the 19th century.

No one has said this yet but when it comes to canning, Prospect Harbor's slogan should be "Yes, we can!"

Charley Noble