Comments for Noelle Swan

Comment on Fireworks Blamed for Arkansas Blackbird Deaths, Cause of Fish Kill Still Unknown by Christopher Swan

Christopher Swan — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:55:36 +0000

Nice piece. Good information. Excellent writing. Thanks.

Comment on Fireworks Blamed for Arkansas Blackbird Deaths, Cause of Fish Kill Still Unknown by Debbie Bowen

Debbie Bowen — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:31:44 +0000

fascinating!

Comment on Is Fracking Just a Dirty Word? by LoveCanal2020

LoveCanal2020 — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:01:07 +0000

This posture by Chesapeake and Range Resources is the exact same tactic that the oil and gas industry used to keep the EPA from outlawing the use of diesel fuel in the fracturing process some years ago. At that time, the EPA was ready to institute a ban, but the companies agreed to stop using the diesel fuel in a “gentleman’s agreement” which is not binding and certainly not enforceable. So the oil and gas industry is attempting to pull the same type of bait and switch on the American Public again. Promises and handshakes are NOT binding, and unenforceable. The FRAC Act should be enacted into law, and companies should be required to disclose all fracturing additives AND the oil and gas industry should NOT be exempted from the Safe Water Drinking Act.

Comment on To Swordfish or Not To Swordfish by Noelle Swan

Noelle Swan — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:13:28 +0000

Alex, thanks you for your interest in this piece and more importantly for your clarifications. I have made several changes to the post per your suggestions. That is a shame to hear about the Canadian government’s favoring of longline fishing.

Comment on To Swordfish or Not To Swordfish by Alex

Alex — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 02:27:25 +0000

I’m glad to see someone clarifying the difference between the “Give Swordfish a Break” campaign of the late 1990s, aimed at allowing swordfish stocks to recover, and the ongoing attempt to educate consumers about the ecological damage caused by longline gear, which is how most swordfish are caught these days. One of the few remaining harpoon swordfish fisheries is in Atlantic Canada, yet inexplicably, the Canadian federal government has continually favored the longlining industry over the harpooners in decisions such as how much swordfish each fishery is allowed. A couple of other corrections: the long line is not called a “net” (at least not that I’ve heard) – it is the “main line.” It is more like tens of miles long, with hundreds of hooks suspended from it. The collateral damage from global industrial longlining fleets includes not only mind-blowing numbers of sea turtles and sea birds, but also marine mammals, unwanted and depleted species of fish, and an even more staggering number of sharks. It’s definitely time more people started asking how their swordfish was caught, so that eventually the sidelined and diminishing harpoon fisheries can be rewarded for sticking to old-fashioned, selective fishing practices.