Blog.HaulingGear.com Archive (8-2008 to 3-2014)

September 30, 2009 — 9:43am ET | By Phil Goldstein AT&T and satellite service provider TerreStar Networks announced a deal for AT&T to distribute an integrated, dual-mode smartphone that will be able to access both AT&T's wireless network and TerreStar's satellite network. The phone, called the TerreStar Genus, can access TerreStar's satellite network when AT&T's service is unavailable. Users will have a single phone number for both networks. AT&T initially will launch the phone in first quarter of 2010 Read more: http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-launching-dual-mode-cellular-satellite-smartphone/2009-09-30#ixzz0SdDUDMQr  Related.... Harris Corporation has deployed the 18-meter antenna deflector the company built for the geosynchronous TerreStar ( News - Alert ) communications satellite. This will enable TerreStar to deliver the most advanced communications services over large area using only a single satellite instead of a satellite constell

Image via CrunchBase $200 Million Will Replace Satellites By Mike Musgrove Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, September 30, 2009  Bethesda-based satellite firm Iridium, a company that once crashed and burned in spectacular fashion, continued its turnaround with a public offering of stock on Tuesday. Iridium said it plans to use the estimated $200 million raised from the deal to begin replacing its satellites, originally launched 12 years ago. The firm, which reported a profit of $108 million last year, owns 66 operational satellites that fly in low Earth orbit. The company intends to replace those satellites starting in 2014............ ................... Some analysts have said that satellite phone pioneers, like Iridium and its former rival GlobalStar, originally failed because they underestimated the speed at which terrestrial-based cellphone networks would catch on. Consumers, meanwhile, never had much interest in the clunky and expensive satellite phones offered at the time.

Image via Wikipedia By JAMES HALPIN jhalpin@adn.com Published: September 29th, 2009 02:21 PM Last Modified: September 29th, 2009 02:50 PM The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued $87,300 in citations to Seward Ship's Drydock for "alleged willful, serious and repeat violations of safety and health standards" at the ship repair facility in Seward. According to OSHA, which began investigating the facility after a complaint was filed about conditions on the dredging barge Paula Lee, the work site had multiple safety issues, including lack of gas testing in confined spaces, trip and electrical hazards, and danger of being struck by compressed air equipment and damaged hooks and slings. The administration also........... http://www.adn.com/money/story/954234.html

Image via Wikipedia Tuesday, September 29, 2009 Story last updated at 9/29/2009 - 10:25 am Mining claims staked by out-of-state company triggers concerns about fisheries, Native lands By Eric Morrison | JUNEAU EMPIRE An out-of-state investment company is causing controversy in Yakutat after it staked hundreds of mining claims on sacred Native sites and around river systems that have driven the community's economy for generations. Oklahoma City-based Geohedral LLC announced last week that it staked 521 new claims that could yield billions of dollars of gold on 10,420 acres, which adds to a 48,000-acre block it claimed last year. "We think it's a world class discovery," said Herb Mee Jr., president of The Beard Co., a stakeholder in Geohedral. The companies were testing the area this summer and estimate the claims possess around 34.8 million ounces of gold. "A 2-million-ounce discovery is considered a significant discovery, so 17.4 tim

Highlighted clip from the Fish Factor 9-26-2009.. The Pribilof fishery for blue king crab has been closed for 10 years. To further protect that stock, crab scientists are recommending restrictions on pot cod and all groundfish fisheries in that region. On a brighter note, the blue king crab stock at St. Matthew Island is now considered rebuilt. That fishery, which has been closed for 10 years, may reopen this winter. Managers are set to announce the Bering Sea crab catch quotas any day. Most of the fisheries open in mid-October........ http://www.adn.com/money/welch/story/950845.html

September 28, 2009 | by Geoff Duncan Satellite phone operator Iridium declared bankruptcy a decade ago, but now it seems to be resurgent as an acquisition by GHL pumps in $200 million...and takes the company public. Satellite-based phone services has always been one of those seemingly-great ideas that never really took off—although the technology holds out the promise of offering.......... ................. Overall, the acquisition should put over $200 million into Iridium's pockets, giving it enough capital to work on a planned 2014 upgrade to its satellite network.............. http://news.digitaltrends.com/news-article/20952/satphone-operator-iridium-goes-public-through-ghl-acquisition    

Originally published Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 12:15 AM With Chilean sea bass on conscientious consumers' no-no list, black cod gets a rich, new name — sablefish — and a new place on environmentally friendly tables, thanks to the fish's plentiful supply, silky flesh and ability to marry well with a variety of culinary styles. By Braiden Rex-Johnson COPYRIGHT BARRY WONG 2009 At Anchovies & Olives, Maple-Glazed Sablefish shows off its silky white flesh atop a heap of seasonal mushrooms sauteed with corn spiked with shallots and chives. REMEMBER CHILEAN sea bass? How large, luscious flakes of it practically melted in your mouth? It was easy to love. And because it was almost impossible to overcook, chefs loved it, too. But all that love nearly spelled disaster for the poor creature, as poachers and profiteers practically fished out its breeding grounds. Thankfully, a "new" fish that mimics the finest features of Chilean sea bass is swimming into town. What

Monday, September 28, 2009 Story last updated at 9/28/2009 - 3:41 am Conservation groups, Forest Service team up for recovery projects By Mary Pemberton | The Associated Press ANCHORAGE - Loggers who for decades clear-cut large swaths of old trees from the nation's largest national forest left behind a legacy of destruction. Now, with the logging industry fading in southeast Alaska, most of those outfits are out of business. But a budding, new industry is returning the noise of chainsaws, backhoes and excavators to the Tongass National Forest. This time, however, those are the healing sounds of restoration. In Alaska, The Nature Conservancy and Trout Unlimited and other groups have teamed up with industry and the U.S. Forest Service on recovery projects. "Contractors and environmental groups have a bad history. They don't get along, but this is actually a really cool thing," said Tim Eddy, president of S&S General Contractors, which has wor

LAINE WELCH FISHERIES Published: September 26th, 2009 08:36 PM Last Modified: September 26th, 2009 08:37 PM KODIAK -- Alaska's abundant fisheries can make people forget our seafood industry is just one relatively small player in a very competitive world market. And factors driving fish prices occur far beyond the docks. "Whether you're talking fish or crude oil or timber or minerals, people around the world are producing competing products and selling into the same markets. And they are working very aggressively -- as hard as we are -- to try and increase their share of those markets. So we are always affected by............ http://www.adn.com/money/welch/story/950845.html

By LIBBY QUAID, AP Education Writer Libby Quaid, Ap Education Writer – Sun Sep 27, 8:55 am ET WASHINGTON – Students beware: The summer vacation you just enjoyed could be sharply curtailed if President Barack Obama gets his way. Obama says American kids spend too little time in school, putting them at a disadvantage with other students around the globe. "Now, I know longer school days and school years are not wildly popular ideas," the president said earlier this year. "Not with Malia and Sasha , not in my family, and probably not in yours. But the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom." The president, who has a sixth-grader and a third-grader, wants schools to add time to classes, to stay open late and to let kids in on weekends so they have a safe place to go. "Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today," Education Secretary Arne Dunc

By GILLIAN WONG (AP) 9-27-2009 BEIJING — China on Sunday started investigating complaints that American chicken products are being dumped in China and are unfairly benefiting from subsidies, adding to a string of trade disputes with Washington. The Commerce Ministry said the probe was launched Sunday on broiler products and chicken products, following requests by Chinese companies to investigate the U.S. imports they say are hurting the domestic industry. The investigation comes............. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iB3luIMp9q-tV48upyduAEcBb9owD9AVKEIO0

Image via CrunchBase It looks like the farmers are getting it......... July 14, 2009 by Machinefinder Thanks to the social web, we now have solutions for everyday components available to us online. While those in agriculture are often seen by our city counterparts as uncivilized and unconnected, the truth is proving to be far from that. AG Chat, or #agchat as it’s more commonly known........ ...........  What will #agchat mean for the industry? Now that we can communicate in an open, yet specific discussion, we can more easily share information and ideas to make the industry a stronger, more prepared, and more connected one. By adapting to the times and technology, agricultural business can strengthen its place as a player in the economy and nation as a whole. You can follow #agchat and its moderators/advisory board at @agchat @mpaynknoper @agchick @agriblogger @akleinschmidt @cowartandmore @raylindairy @shaunhaney . We look forward to seeing you at the next #agchat! (and you ca

Image by cliff1066 via Flickr By Maija Palmer Published: September 25 2009 03:00 | Last updated: September 25 2009 03:00 Iridium Holdings, the satellite phone company, is to return to the stock market a decade after going into bankruptcy. Iridium will be........ http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dfaca9ee-a96a-11de-9b7f-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1

Image via Wikipedia JOY LANDALUCE September 24, 2009 at 12:02PM AKST  Frustrated fishermen jammed into the old courthouse in the upstairs of the U.S. Forest Service building on Sept. 16. As a follow-up to their visit earlier in the season, two representatives from the Department of Transportation were in Cordova to clearly outline the towing regulations as they pertain to fishing vessels and trailers. Police Chief Chris Canaski made a statement to the group concerning the reason for............ http://www.thecordovatimes.com/news/show/7406

Image via Wikipedia A History of the 'Canned Salmon Capital of the World' By DAVE KIFFER September 23, 2009 Wednesday Ketchikan, Alaska - In the Spring of 1900, Ketchikan was rife with rumors of war, a salmon war. Washington-based Fidalgo Island Packing was building a cannery near Inman Hill, just south of Ketchikan Creek and the owners of the Alaska Packers Association Cannery near Loring, 20 miles to the north, were furious. Ketchikan Creek was a prime location for its fishing operations in the area and the APA was not willing to let a newcomer poach its resources. Creek Street from Boston Smith Heights, circa 1912 David Nicoll photo; Donor: Irene McGillvray Photograph courtesy Tongass Historical Society 76.7.10.1 Although it could not stop the construction of the new cannery, the APA vowed to prevent the Fidalgo Island from catching any fish at the new $40,000 cannery. In July, when the silver hordes

By Mike Musgrove Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, September 24, 2009   Last month, SkyTerra said that it had applied for $37 million in federal stimulus funding aimed at expanding broadband networks in the United States. Harbinger, which has invested in other satellite industry players, loaned $500 million to SkyTerra in July 2008 and now owns more than 48 percent of the company's common stock. The investment firm is also a major shareholder in TerreStar, a Reston-based company that is gearing up to offer a hybrid phone service similar to SkyTerra's. Harbinger also owns a chunk of British satellite operator Inmarsat and has signaled an interest in possibly taking over that company as well.............. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/23/AR2009092303936_pf.html

Article published on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 By LOUIS GARCIA Mirror Writer A Kodiak Fisheries Development Association (KFDA) applicant, Arctic Region Research Vessel letter; funding requests for federal capital improvements projects; and Mayor Carolyn Floyd’s Washington, D.C., trip were topics at Tuesday night’s Kodiak City Council work session. Albert Schmeil, a commercial fisherman for 30 years, interviewed for the KFDA position.  The City Council asked questions such as; What is your understanding of the purpose of the Kodiak Fisheries Development Association? What is your area of expertise? No decision was made at the work session.   The council then agreed to prepare their own letter on the Community Rights of First Refusal in the Crab Rationalization Program to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Sen. Mark Begich and Rep. Don Young. Another draft of the............. http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=8018

Southeast mayor: High-voltage transmission line could be the 'critical catalyst' for the region By Pat Forgey | JUNEAU EMPIRE A decision by top Canadian leaders to build a high-voltage transmission line into northwest British Columbia is being praised by Southeast Alaska hydropower proponents as a key step in developing the long-sought electrical intertie between Alaska and the Canadian province. Canadian Prime Minister Brian Harper announced last week that the federal government in Ottawa would help the provincial government and other entities with financing for the 206-mile line. Ernie Christian, vice-mayor of Wrangell who has been involved in promoting power development and the Southeast intertie, said the Canadian announcement may provide the support the project needs. "This may be the critical catalyst for the whole Southeast grid," Christian said. The problem Southeast communities have with developing their huge hydroelectric potential is limited

By LAINE WELCH September 21, 2009 Monday Well, it won't be one for the record books, but Alaska's 2009 salmon harvest will approach a respectable 160 million fish. We won't hit the preseason projection of 174 million fish, but it's still going to be a good catch in historic perspectives. It's a solid year pretty much across the board," said Geron Bruce, assistant director of the state commercial fisheries division. The salmon shortfall stems from a no show of pink salmon at Prince William Sound by both hatchery-raised and wild fish. A harvest of nearly 40 million pinks was predicted at PWS this summer, but the............ http://www.sitnews.us/LaineWelch/092109_fish_factor.html

Image via CrunchBase Monday, September 21, 2009 at 3:50 PM Today we've updated our Ocean Expeditions layer in the Ocean folder in Google Earth. Each ship icon represents the most recent post from either a live expedition or one within the last 6 months (look for the yellow-filled ship icon) or the post from the beginning of a historical expedition (look for the blue-filled ship icon). We have over 40 Ocean Expeditions including historical tracks from National Geographic's Ocean Now Pristine Seas Expedition, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution , Scripps Institute of Oceanography , MBARI , National Oceanography Centre, Southampton , the Cousteau Society , the Census of Antarctic Marine Life , and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). We recently added the US Coast Guard Healy arctic icebreaker expedition (see images ), followed the Scripps Seaplex expedition to the Pacific garbage patch, and tracked Roz Savage on the second leg of her solo globa

Monday, September 21, 2009 at 5:15 PM [National Geographic has recently begun their Ocean Now expedition to Cocos Island and the Gemelas Seamounts west of Costa Rica. We've invited National Geographic explorer Sylvia Earle to author this guest post to share stories about her submarine dives on the DeepSee to coincide with the update to our Ocean Expeditions layer , which features this expedition . --Ed.] LatLong: 5 degrees 33.424 minutes N, 87 degrees 2.489 minutes. I’m here near Cocos Island five degrees north of the Equator in the eastern Pacific with a National Geographic Ocean Now project involving two ships, the Hanse Explorer and the Argo . I’m on board the Argo , which has a beautiful little submarine called the DeepSee . On the surface, there’s a support boat that’s called the TopSee . We’re all having a lot of fun out here, and............ http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2009/09/ocean-now-diving-gemelas-seamounts.html

SITKA, ALASKA (2009-09-21) The state Disaster Policy Cabinet has met to discuss the crisis at the Pelican Seafoods Plant. Whether or not the town wins a formal disaster declaration remains up to the governor.. Audio >> http://krbd.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=sideBlock&syndicated=true&ID=829

Image via Wikipedia Aquaculture Reshapes Economy, Environment By Juliet Eilperin Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, September 20, 2009 By the end of this year, the world is projected to reach an unheralded but historic milestone: Half of the fish and shellfish we consume will be raised by humans, rather than caught in the wild. Reaching this tipping point is reshaping everything from our oceans to the livelihoods and diets of people across the globe. It has also prompted a new round of scientific and political scrutiny, as researchers and public officials examine how aquaculture is affecting the world's environment and seafood supply. "Hunting and gathering has reached its maximum," said Ronald W. Hardy, who directs the University of Idaho's Aquaculture Research Institute and co-authored a study on the subject in the Proceedings of the  National Academy of Sciences. "We've got to grow more." The drive to bring fish "from egg to plate," as Har

Image via Wikipedia By Senator Lisa Murkowski   September 17, 2009 Thursday Alaska's offshore oil and natural gas resources are vital to the nation's strategic economic and energy security. That's why I strongly support responsible exploration and production in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. Our North Slope contributes 13 percent of America's total oil production, but that figure could be far higher. The most recent estimate put Alaska's offshore resources at 27 billion barrels of oil and 130 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. That's energy we can and should contribute for the good of the nation. Unfortunately, as a result of environmental litigation, a federal appeals court has effectively halted plans for offshore leasing in our state. Until the Department of the Interior completes additional analysis related to development, that decision will prevent exploration and leasing from

FIVE-YEAR PLAN: Obama crew reviewing Bush-era proposal on oil, gas leases. By ERIKA BOLSTAD ebolstad@adn.com Published: September 17th, 2009 08:45 PM Last Modified: September 18th, 2009 10:37 AM WASHINGTON -- In his first trip out of state since he replaced Sarah Palin as Alaska's governor, Sean Parnell urged the Obama administration to consider the state's perspective as it weighs whether to allow oil exploration to go forward in Arctic waters...... http://www.adn.com/parnell/story/939371.html Salazar: No hurry for offshore drilling in federal waters NO RUSH: Gov. Parnell and other Alaska officials have pushed for development. By MATTHEW DALY The Associated Press Published: September 18th, 2009 10:37 AM Last Modified: September 19th, 2009 12:02 AM WASHINGTON -- Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Thursday he's in no hurry to make a decision on whether to allow offshore drilling in federal waters off Alaska and other states, a remark that disappointed advocates of offshor

  September 18, 2009   Mariners wanting to trade in their old regional or LEO systems, such as Iridium or Globalstar, may select one of KVH’s hardware and airtime packages that include Inmarsat service and antennas ranging from the TracPhone FB150 up through the TracPhone FB500. Customers selecting the “Premium Value” Broadband Plan may receive free TracPhone FB150 hardware or reduced-cost TracPhone FB250 and FB500 systems. The limited time $500 free airtime promotion runs through December 31, 2009, or for the first 100 trade-in activations, whichever comes first...... http://www.satnews.com/cgi-bin/story.cgi?number=1984710695

Last updated September 18, 2009 6:43 p.m. PT By MARY PEMBERTON ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Pollock numbers in the Bering Sea continue to remain depressed despite expectations from government scientists that large amounts of young fish were growing to harvestable size. Two surveys provide a dim outlook for the bland, white fish that accounts for the largest commercial fishery by weight in the United States worth about $1 billion after processing. The meat is used mostly in fish sticks and fish-fillet sandwiches and to make imitation crab meat. The 2009 survey data was presented Friday at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Seattle. While preliminary, it confirmed the pollock population remains low. Doug DeMaster, director of....... http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_ak_alaska_pollock.html

By Kim Marquis | JUNEAU EMPIRE Friday, September 18, 2009 Story last updated at 9/18/2009 - 11:14 am Stephanie Madsen is running for the Juneau Assembly District 2 seat to retain a fiscally conservative voice on the nine-member board. Madsen said if elected, she would ask hard questions about how the city's funds are being spent, and that sometimes means saying no. That's difficult but an important ability, she said, as the city faces a $4 million to $5 million budget deficit in 2011. Madsen said she decided to run for the District 2 seat after....... http://juneauempire.com/stories/091809/loc_494526303.shtml

PETERSBURG (2009-09-16) Petersburg’s Community Cold storage had its biggest season yet this summer - Big enough that the facility is expected to do better than break even this fiscal year.... Audio>> http://krbd.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=sideBlock&syndicated=true&ID=821

By LISA DEMER ldemer@adn.com Published: April 2nd, 2008 05:46 PM Last Modified: September 16th, 2009 05:52 PM Down at the docks, former Gov. Bill Sheffield is leading an expansion of Anchorage's port that is huge, controversial and increasingly expensive. The latest price estimate: up to $700 million. The project is so big that even the consultants have consultants. The plan isn't just for a bigger dock. The port aims to tear out the old structure section by section and build an entirely new one twice as long. The design is unconventional. Instead of familiar pilings supporting a dock, the plan is for crews to erect a long wall of steel in Knik Arm. Millions of tons of gravel will fill in between the steel wall and land, more than doubling the land mass of a port now hemmed in by Elmendorf Air Force Base. The gravel will be packed into an area now used by salmon and belugas, then paved over with asphalt and concrete. Sheffield, the port director since 2001, is relentless in

SITKA, ALASKA (09/16/2009) State senator Albert Kookesh and three other Angoon residents were cited by state troopers on July 12th for catching more sockeye salmon in a beach seine than allowed under subsistence permit rules. In a hearing in August, Kookesh and his fishing partners challenged the citation, and argued that troopers had miscounted the number of permits being fished. The state last week (9-8-09) filed an amended citation to tighten up its case. Senator Kookesh now says he’ll oppose the violation on grounds that the state has no jurisdiction over subsistence on federal lands. ......... Audio >> http://krbd.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=sideBlock&syndicated=true&ID=817

Image via Wikipedia MILPITAS, Calif., Sep 16, 2009 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Globalstar, Inc. /quotes/comstock/15*!gsat /quotes/nls/gsat ( GSAT 0.82 , -0.02 , -2.56% ) , a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services to businesses, governments, and consumers, today announced that it has commenced installation of network upgrades, supplied by Comtech Aero Astro, designed to enhance the overall customer messaging capacity and the data receiver sensitivity of the Globalstar Simplex data network. Globalstar's highly reliable Simplex data network is used to support a variety of emergency asset, fleet management and personal tracking applications as well as Globalstar's award-winning SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger(tm) products. "We anticipate these upgrades will expand our current Simplex data subscriber messaging capacity by as much as 10 times and increase our receiver........... http://www.marketwatch.com/story/globalstar-b

Image via Wikipedia Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Story last updated at 9/16/2009 - 10:22 am By Pat Forgey | JUNEAU EMPIRE   Kake Tribal Corp. canceled its Pelican Seafoods plant foreclosure auction Tuesday, fearing risk from a release of the plant's ammonia coolant, and possible liability. "We felt it had better be reviewed by our attorney to see what potential liability we have before we take any further steps," said Steve Malin, CEO of Kake Tribal. The village Native corporation from Kake sold the plant to Ed Bahrt & Associates LLC in 2006. Bahrt operated the plant for a time, but has since abandoned that effort. Fishermen who........... http://juneauempire.com/stories/091609/loc_493775668.shtml

 FOXNews.com Wednesday, September 16, 2009  U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Ann Wright made the announcement Tuesday at the Chefs Collaborative conference in Chicago.....  http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/16/white-house-launch-farmers-market/

The Associated Press Published Tuesday, September 15, 2009 KETCHIKAN, Alaska - A famous quote notes that a fish doesn't need a bicycle. But how about a bus? The Ketchikan Gateway Borough is thinking of renaming its bus system to "The Salmon Run" in an effort to increase ridership. Transit supervisor Kyan Reeve said the move could provide great marketing opportunities and make the bus more interesting to ride. Reeve said the............ http://newsminer.com/news/2009/sep/15/ketchikan-considers-salmon-themed-buses/

Friday, September 11, 2009 Story last updated at 9/11/2009 - 1:36 pm By Joseph Robertia | Peninsula Clarion Photo Courtesy Of Debbie Coghill Carolyn Coghill, up from San Diego, and Bill Nelson of Homer, hold up a giant wrymouth -- a rare bottom dwelling creature -- they caught in Tutka Bay while pulling up a pot of tanner crabs.   From ship-encircling serpents of Norse mythology to the multi-armed beast of a more modern Jules Verne tale, sea monster accounts are found in virtually all cultures that have contact with the sea. Homer is no exception, as a recent account across Kachemak Bay proves. Near the end of July, Bill Coghill of Soldotna, along with his daughter Carolyn Coghill up from San Diego, and............... http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/091109/out_492131051.shtml

Article published on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 By LOUIS GARCIA Mirror Writer   The pink salmon season has been good for both commercial and sport fishermen this summer. Geoff Spalinger, assistant Kodiak area salmon/herring management biologist, said pink salmon numbers have been pretty strong for most of the island because of good pink returns.   “The fishermen had a pretty good pink salmon year,” Spalinger said. “27.7 million pink salmon were harvested in.......  http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=7960  

By SETH BORENSTEIN The Associated Press Published: September 10th, 2009 12:46 PM Last Modified: September 10th, 2009 03:32 PM WASHINGTON -- Joint U.S.-Canada exploration of the Arctic sea floor discovered an unusual underwater mountain and evidence that could boost the two countries' claims that their boundaries extend farther north. For the past........... http://www.adn.com/news/environment/warming/story/929958.html

SITKA, ALASKA (09/09/2009) The city of Sitka has thrown its support behind a pilot program to create a tribally-run ferry service in the northern panhandle. Prior to its vote last night (Tue 9-9-09), the Sitka assembly had postponed action three times previously on the Short Sea pilot program while it wrestled with a basic problem: the tribal government launching the effort is Juneau’s Tlingit & Haida Central Council, which has yet to solidify an agreement with the Sitka Tribe of Alaska. Audio >> http://krbd.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=sideBlock&syndicated=true&ID=803

If you are wiring up a new boat or rewiring part or all of an older boat, it seems like you can’t help but like the NMEA 2000 networking system. This is a bidirectional, multitransmitter and receiver system that allows electronic products from different manufacturers to share data. NMEA 2000 can handle data up to one megabit per second, versus the older NMEA 0183 system’s normal operating speed of 4,800 bits per second. It is pretty much a...... http://boatsandgear.nationalfisherman.com/2009/09/nmea-2000.html

Photo provided - It took more than 100 boats, including 30 kayakers, to help form “S.O.S” on the topic of ocean acidification. The Sunday demonstration sends a message to national leaders to help support legislation that leads to lowering greenhouse emissions. • Demonstration sends a message to leaders that global warming puts us all in hot water By Sean Pearson Homer Tribune As more than 100 boats gathered in Kachemak Bay on Sunday to send out an S.O.S about ocean acidification via aerial art, many began to get a little antsy as a heavy fog continued to roll in and blanket the water. “It was kinda weird,” said Media Coordinator Celia Alario. “Our video guys overhead said the sky looked like one great big powdered doughnut.” Then, at apparently just the right time, a hole opened, and photographers snapped away. “When you look at the video, there was almost this parting of the clouds where the sky just opened up right over the boats,” Alario said. “It was pretty incredible.” Images of

Wednesday, September 09, 2009 Story last updated at 9/9/2009 - 10:22 am   Sockeye fishery where citation was issued was near collapse in 2001 By Eric Morrison | JUNEAU EMPIRE The sockeye fishery Sen. Albert Kookesh and three fellow subsistence fishermen are accused of overfishing in July was on the verge of collapse less than a decade ago due to overfishing, according to court documents filed Tuesday. Kookesh, D-Angoon, Stanley D. Johnson, Rocky L. Estrada Sr., and Scott T. Hunter were cited for illegally harvesting 73 sockeye over their limit on July 12 in Kanalku Bay near Angoon. District Attorney Doug Gardner filed paperwork Tuesday that joins the court cases together. All four men have pleaded not guilty and a trial has been set for Oct. 5. The maximum fine for the citation is $500. The men were cited after................ http://juneauempire.com/stories/090909/loc_491251471.shtml

Image by cliff1066 via Flickr by Taylor Dinerman   Tuesday, September 8, 2009 In the 1990s much of the space industry was obsessed with the potential of the so-called “Little LEO” and “Big LEO” telecommunications constellations. These systems planned to operate dozens of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) providing communications services to businesses and individuals on a worldwide basis. The US conglomerate Motorola launched the first batch of Iridium satellites in 1997 and 1998 using US, Russian, and Chinese rockets. Their business model required that they very rapidly acquire at least a million subscribers. This was wildly unrealistic and the company soon entered Chapter 11. Similar firms with similar ambitions also found themselves in deep trouble. An investor group bought Iridium’s assets for less than one cent on the dollar and now, thanks to having a $5-billion asset handed to them for a proverbial song, are........... http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1458/1

Witteveen’s creations will be on display in an Anchorage studio for the month of September Article published on Friday, September 4th, 2009 By LOUIS GARCIA Mirror Writer   Sometimes people are lucky enough to have a career working with subjects they are passionate about. For a local Kodiak man, not only does he get to work with the sea wildlife he loves by day, he also gets to re-create them at night. Biologist Mark Witteveen will exhibit his metal artwork at the Fiddlehead Gallery and Sevigny Studio in Anchorage today. The “Sea of Steel” features animals ranging from puffins to octopi that are faithfully recreated with plate steel, aluminum, brass or copper. The art has been displayed at galleries in Anchorage, Homer and Kodiak. This, however, will be his first art show in Anchorage. Clare Fulp, artist relations specialist for the Alaska Native Heritage Center and an elementary school teacher in Anchorage, has worked......... full>>> http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&a

The Associated Press Published Sunday, September 6, 2009 FALMOUTH, Mass. - A Massachusetts ocean studies institute is building underwater data collection stations to help researchers understand the ocean's role in climate change.............. http://newsminer.com/news/2009/sep/06/us-climate-monitoring-stations-reach-alaska-rhode-/

Buoy data meets Twitter.. Interesting... http://www.buoyalarm.com

'E Series Widescreen'    Liza Sticpewich Raymarine, Inc., a world leader in marine electronics, and navigation expert Jeppesen Marine today announced that C-MAP by Jeppesen cartography will come standard on the new Raymarine E-Series Widescreen with HybridTouch multifunction display. This marks the reunion of Raymarine navigation displays with C-MAP by Jeppesen technology and a........ http://www.marinebusinessnews.com/Jeppesen-Marine-and-Raymarine-Reunite/61015 More... Raymarine previews its 'touch of genius' Touch screen or keypad operation? C-MAP by Jeppesen or Navionics cartography? Now users have a choice of charting software and the flexibility in operating their new multi-function display, thanks to the ingenuity of Raymarine’s new E Series Widescreen which is being previewed in Australia this month. Raymarine’s E Series Widescreen is the company’s most flexible, technically advanced and easy to use

SHRINKING ICE CAP: As recent rescue attests, help can be hard to find off Alaska's northern coast. By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK ebluemink@adn.com Published: September 5th, 2009 10:18 PM Last Modified: September 5th, 2009 11:23 PM Two rare episodes last week spotlight the new world -- and its potential and perils -- that is opening up the Arctic seas as global warming slowly erodes the ice cap. One of them was a potentially fatal illness on a cruise ship in the icy Beaufort Sea, hundreds of miles from a large surgery center, and more than a thousand nautical miles from a permanent Coast Guard station. Luckily for the crew member who was diagnosed with possible appendicitis Thursday, the 164-passenger vessel was not far from BP's massive Prudhoe Bay oil field. A small oil-spill response boat whisked her.................. http://www.adn.com/news/environment/warming/story/924593.html

. Federal agency approves plan for Gulf fish farming By CAIN BURDEAU (AP) – 2 days ago NEW ORLEANS — President Barack Obama's administration on Thursday allowed fish farming in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, a move criticized by environmentalists fearful of pollution and threats to wild stocks. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declined to oppose the plans, but said it would work to make sure future farms in the Gulf are clean and safe. The agency also said it would push to develop a national policy for offshore aquaculture, a practice of raising fish in large pens and cages. "We are interested in aquaculture done correctly," said Jim Balsiger, the acting NOAA assistant administrator for fisheries. Still, it could be............ http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hzkEKP4Vk0tC1sZH50Puy4to6I7AD9AG3I6O3 Related @Google News.. Sides being drawn on offshore fish farming Daily Comet  - Jeremy Alford  - ‎Sep 4, 2009‎ BATON ROUGE — Presiden

Image via Wikipedia SEPTEMBER 1, 2009 BY MIGUEL BUSTILLO AND GEOFFREY A. FOWLER Wal-Mart Stores Inc., borrowing a page from Amazon.com Inc., Monday began offering merchandise from lesser-known retailers on its Web site in exchange for a share of the revenue. The world's largest retailer by revenue said it added nearly one million new items to Walmart.com from other sellers as part of a new online mall, known ... (WSJ password required) http://sbk.online.wsj.com/article/SB125176311963174365.html

Image by Getty Images via Daylife Sep 4 01:05 PM US/Eastern By CLARKE CANFIELD Associated Press Writer MATINICUS ISLAND, Maine (AP) - Life here is defined by the ocean. It's the ocean that feeds the livelihoods of the lobstermen. It's the ocean that dictates the weather. And it's 20 miles of ocean that separates Matinicus from the mainland and makes it a world apart. The ocean's bountiful waters have also been a source of strife here for as long as anyone can remember. Lobster fishermen have feuded for generations over who can set traps, and where. To protect their fishing grounds, the lobstermen here have been known to cut trap lines, circle their boats menacingly around unwelcome vessels and fire warning blasts from shotguns. With lobster prices down, the animosity has been particularly shrill this summer ...... http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9AGKHNO0&show_article=1

Video at KTUU

Story last updated at 7:55 PM on Wednesday, September 2, 2009  By Aaron Selbig Staff Writer A busy season for halibut and black cod has meant a brisk business this year for Homer's municipal-owned ice plant, which is nearing its record annual ice sales with 3,458 tons of ice -- worth about $400,000 -- sold since March. "We've done very well this year. Sales are high at the ice plant and the fish dock is very busy, too," said Homer Harbormaster and Port Director Bryan Hawkins.............. http://homernews.com/stories/090209/business_bu_002.shtml   Photo by Aaron Selbig J.J. Lee (left) works quickly to clean a load of fresh caught halibut at the Homer Fish Dock May 23.  

By Randy Boswell, Canwest News Service September 3, 2009 4:02 PM   The ice is too thin for sleds and the water too full of ice for boats in much of the Arctic, making fishing impossible for much of the year. Photograph by: Allagui, Agence France-Presse; Getty Images, Agence France-Presse Image via Wikipedia Canada has lodged a diplomatic protest with the U.S. government over its unilateral imposition of a fishing ban in a part of the Arctic Ocean claimed by both countries, Canwest News Service has learned. The new flare-up in a long-simmering territorial dispute over a 21,436-square-kilometre section of the Beaufort Sea has come to light less than two weeks before Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to visit U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House. Canada formally voiced its objections to.......... http://www.canada.com/news/Canada+files+protest+over+fishing+Arctic+Ocean/1959483/story.html

(Oh, and she also knew Tom Cruise in a previous life) By Peter Popham   Thursday, 3 September 2009 Japan's new Prime Minister, Yukio Hatoyama, with his wife, Miyuki, in the early days of their marriage Move over Michelle, watch your backs, Carla and Sarah. There's a new kid on the first lady block, and she looks like upstaging the lot of you. Miyuki Hatoyama, wife of Japan's Prime Minister-elect, Yukio Hatoyama, is a lifestyle guru, a macrobiotics enthusiast, an author of cookery books, a retired actress , a divorcee, and a fearless clothes horse for garments of her own creation, including a skirt made from Hawaiian coffee sacks. But there is more, much more. She has travelled to the planet Venus . And she was once abducted by aliens . The 62-year-old also knew Tom Cruise .............. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/i-have-been-abducted-by-aliens-says

Posted by thevillage Posted: September 2, 2009 - 5:20 pm The company says it's rolling out cell service this week in Cold Bay , Fort Yukon and King Cove , followed by more communities later in the year. http://community.adn.com/adn/node/143313

Posted on Engadget by Vladislav Savov posted Sep 2nd 2009 at 6:39AM MIT has been at this robotic fish lark for a long , long time, and its latest iteration is a true testament to all the effort and energy put in. The first........ http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/02/video-mit-robofish-set-to-snoop-the-deep-seas/

PETERSBURG-AK (09/02/2009) Alaska’s Department of Transportation has been stepping-up enforcement of rules that cover many commercial fishing operations and other businesses when they haul gear and vessels on public roads. The regulations can also impact non-commercial drivers who transport boats or other loads that exceed size restrictions. State officials say the rules have long been in place to meet federal highway safety requirements. But the issue has prompted an outcry from some fishermen who say the rules are excessive and that concern has caught the attention of state lawmakers....... Audio >> http://krbd.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=sideBlock&syndicated=true&ID=795