Note from sender: I rescued mama and her 4 kittens when it first began to get cold. 3 kittens have found forever homes. I am having no luck with these 2. I took the kitten to the vet. Shots have been started and he is very healthy.  Mom is scheduled to be spayed and receive shots April 19th at the Virginia Beach SPCA.  I already have 5 cats from a pregnant mama I rescued from Kiptopeke Elementary last winter. 

If interested, email: whybedum@msn.com

Mercy is three years old dog, spayed, up to date on vaccinations and on monthly parasite prevention.  She is currently enrolled in Eastern Shore Dog’s Basic Obedience class.  Mercy is full of smiles and energy.  She would be best suited with an active person/family who would take her for walks and runs and would continue to guide her in obedience.  She interacts well with other dogs but should not live with cats.  Small children would like find her enthusiasm for life overwhelming so a house with pre-teen and teenage children would be better.  

Anyone interested in meeting Mercy should call 757-442-3150 or email easternshore@nvanet.com with Attn Morgan: Mercy Moo as the subject.  Everyone is invited to follow her adventures on the Frida and Friends Facebook page, 

The Mirror will be highlighted pets that are ready for adoption or foster homes. If you have a pet that needs a forever home, please send photos and information to capecharlesmirror@gmail.com

This week’s pets are Amber and BooBoo Buttons, sent in by Robin Bailey Von Hollin of Dogs Deserve Better. Amber and BooBoo eat, sleep and play together, perfect bookends. They are very bonded and in need of a family of their own.

These two ladies were pulled within hours of being euthanized. Their story is a very sad heartbreaking ordeal. That’s all behind them now. They are looking for a brand new start with a family that will love and cherish them FOREVER.

Boo Boo Buttons is black/white 40 lbs, about 5 years old. Heartworm negative, spayed, utd on shots. Loves cuddles, enjoys car rides and being outside on nice sunny days. Super sweet, she will make a loyal companion. Does not like cats.

Amber is brown/white about 50 lbs, 2 years old. Heartworm negative, spayed, shots utd, loves to play, run, being outside on sunny days, likes car rides, loves belly rubs! ,hanging with her people. Easily excited and will jump some time. Does not like cats.

I can not express enough just how loving, sweet and special they are! If you are interested in adding to your family these girls are a must meet!!!

If you are a rescue that can or you are interested in adopting or fostering please contact robinv@dogsdeservebetter.org for more Information on these the awesome girls.

On March 19th, United Poultry Concerns published UPC Supports Opposition to Chicken Slaughterhouse in Alexandria, Virginiaabout a plan to put a chicken slaughterhouse in Alexandria, Virginia. Ignoring protest from business owners and residents, the City Council of this Washington, DC suburb voted 5 to 2 on March 26th to issue a special use permit to Saba Live Poultry, whose owners lied on their application that their process of butchering birds under Islamic law “ensures the humane treatment of animals during the process.” 
See Council approves live poultry butchery.

Councilman Canek Aguirre told the legislative meeting March 26th that the slaughterhouse is “something Alexandria needs.” He and his side ignored “the ethical concerns raised by many residents,” asserting “the realities of our society that we do consume meat and meat products.”

To “minimize interference with surrounding businesses,” an amendment to the permit requires that the birds must be delivered overnight between 11pm and 6am.

The SPCA Eastern Shore Virginia and The Salty Stitchers are working together to help adoptable dogs find forever homes.

The Stitchers teach kids after school how to sew. One project is making costumes for the four or five dogs the SPCA will bring to the comicon.

Stop by the Cheriton Volunteer Fire Company fire hall between 11 AM and 1 PM on Saturday, April 20 to see the caped canines, take pictures, and maybe adopt one!

(NOAA) The latest assessment results indicate that summer flounder are not overfished and overfishing is not occurring, and that Atlantic striped bass are overfished and overfishing is occurring. The results for summer flounder include the stock component in Atlantic waters from North Carolina to the US/Canada border. The results for Atlantic striped bass apply to the stock component found in the coastal and most estuarine waters of all states and jurisdictions from Maine through North Carolina.

Atlantic Striped Bass

The Atlantic striped bass assessment was led by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Management Commission and involved a number of state, federal, and academic researchers. New estimates of recreational catch were included in the assessment. This resulted in higher estimates of biomass and new young fish entering the population in comparison to the last assessment (2016), but did not change the overall population trend, which has been declining since 2003. For more on the Atlantic striped bass assessment visit the Atlantic States Fisheries Commission.

Summer Flounder

The summer flounder assessment was presented to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Science and Statistical Committee in February. The striped bass assessment is with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Each body creates fishery management plans for fisheries in the region. The council focuses on fisheries in federal waters. The commission focuses on fisheries in interstate waters.

The summer flounder stock assessment process was completed by scientists from NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council, state agencies, the fishing industry, and academia.

The summer flounder assessment benefits from one of the most comprehensive data sets in the region. It includes data from state surveys, federal surveys, recreational surveys, and data from the commercial fishing industry. Fishermen’s data and input were used through vessel trip reports (logbooks), biological samples from commercial catches, data taken during commercial fishing trips by fishery observers, and recreational interviews and catch samples. Fishermen also had input into this assessment through research projects that focused on catchability: how efficiently flatfish species like summer flounder are caught in the NEFSC scientific bottom-trawl survey.

New data in the summer flounder assessment included updated estimates of recreational catch. The new estimates increased recreational catch, which increased estimates of numbers of fish in the stock. These data come directly from recreational anglers through interviews and mail surveys. Another new element was the evaluation of several sex-specific models, attempting to account for size differences between males and females. The model selected for this combined sexes, but the review allowed for significant discussion on building sex-specific models for this species.

More Information

• Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop
• More on Summer Flounder
• More on Atlantic Striped Bass

Join United Poultry Concerns for the 8th annual Conscious Eating Conference in Berkeley, California. This year’s conference features bold, informative speakers from across the country to share their expertise on issues affecting farmed animals.

Saturday, March 2, 2019
David Brower Center
2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA

This year we will have a stimulating debate on the issue of cell-based (also called in-vitro, clean, cultured) meat. Some animal advocacy organizations, as well as agribusiness heavy hitters like Tyson foods, are investing in the research, viability, and marketability of cell-based meats. But as the technology becomes reality, others in the animal rights community have raised red flags.

The debate over cell-based meat and whether we, as animal activists, should be putting our time and resources into this innovation is gaining traction. We feel that animal advocates need to know more about this emerging issue and are hosting a debate with leading experts on the subject.

Register for the event and check out the schedule here.

For more information contact Hope Bohanec at:
hope@upc-online.org
or
707-540-1760

United Poultry Concerns is based in Machipongo, find out more on their website.

NOAA-Fishing and seafood consumption in the United States increased in 2017, with landings and value of U.S. fisheries continuing a strong, positive trend. Across the nation, American fishermen landed 9.9 billion pounds of fish and shellfish in 2017, while the U.S. imported 5.9 billion pounds of seafood, up 1.6 percent. The landed 9.9 billion pounds of fish and shellfish in 2017 represents an increase of 344 million pounds (3.6 percent) from the year before. The value of the landings also increased to $5.4 billion, up $110 million (2.1 percent) from 2016.

Overall, the highest value U.S. commercial species were salmon ($688 million), crabs ($610 million), lobsters ($594 million), shrimp ($531 million), scallops ($512 million), and Alaska pollock ($413 million). By volume, the nation’s largest commercial fishery remains Alaska pollock, which had near record landings of 3.4 billion pounds (up 1 percent from 2016).

Saltwater recreational fishing remains among the nation’s favorite pastimes. The revised recreational fishing estimates survey demonstrates how recreational fishing remains a key contributor to the national economy, with 202 million marine fishing trips taken. The top six recreational U.S. species ranked by harvested weight were striped bass, bluefish, red snapper, sheepshead, yellowfin tuna, and red drum.