Category Archives: International News
Walmart, Aldi linked to contaminated shrimp from India
NBC News, in partnership with The Outlaw Ocean Project, has released a knee-buckling report on a shrimp factory in southern India that distributes products to stores like Walmart and Aldi here in the U.S. At the center of the story is the former manager of Choice Canning Joshua Farinella, who worked at the factory for four months and left after discovering the company had allegedly engaged in several abhorrent practices, including the use of “peeling sheds” that were offsite and unsanitary, using antibiotics with shrimp in violation of U.S. food safety law, and mistreating workers. The revelation from Farinella has the attention of Congress. In mid-March ranking Democrats in the House Committee on Natural Resources wrote a letter calling for documents related to Farinella’s claims. more, >>click to read<< 15:11
Canada, Alaska suspend fishing of Yukon River chinook salmon for 7 years
In a bid to help the recovery of the Yukon River chinook salmon run, the federal government and the State of Alaska have agreed to implement a seven-year moratorium on fishing the species. The suspension, in effect for one full life cycle of a salmon, includes commercial fishing and recreational angling in the Yukon River mainstem and its Canadian tributaries. Representatives from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game signed the agreement on Monday. The number of chinook salmon crossing the international border into Canadian waters has for years plummeted, with the last two years yielding some of the worst tallies recorded on the Yukon River. more, >>click to read<< 09:06
Irish MEP Calls for “Use It, or Lose It” Principle for EU Fishing Regulations
Following the announcement by EU Fisheries Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius that he has ordered a “full evaluation” of the Common Fisheries Policy and reports that 43,000 tonnes of fish were uncaught by Member States, other than Ireland, European fishing regulations under the CFP should have a “Use It, or Lose It” principle according to MEP, Billy Kelleher, whose constituency includes coastal communities in Munster and South Leinster. . more, >>click to read<< 06:52
Fishing Trawler Copious: Fishing boat refloated after running aground in Lerwick harbour
A local whitefish trawler has been refloated on the rising tide in Lerwick Arbour after running aground earlier this afternoon (Wednesday). Coastguard teams, Lerwick lifeboat and Lerwick Port Authority’s pilot boats Knab and Kebister all rushed to the scene after the Copious LK985 became stuck on rocks near the town’s power station. Shetland Coastguard confirmed a short while ago that the Knab, Kebister and the lifeboat managed to get her afloat and assisted her alongside Mair’s Quay. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 19:01
Jersey fishing community’s fight for revival after storm
Members of a Jersey fishing community have told of their path to recovery after the “worst weather conditions in 25 years” wreaked havoc on their bay. A storm in late February caused extensive damage to boats and boatowners’ huts at Bonne Nuit Bay. Nigel Carré said two of his boats on the breakwater were damaged by gusts of up to 60mph (96km/h) and high seas. Neil Cotillard, from the Bonne Nuit Boat Owners’ Association, said at the time that the “worst weather conditions in the bay in 25 years” had caused “utter carnage”, with five fishermen’s huts ripped off their foundations. Among the floating casualties was Mr. Carré’s boat Helen of Lee. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 16:34
Fishing boat runs aground in Lerwick harbour
A rescue operation is underway this afternoon (Wednesday) after the local whitefish trawler Copious LK985 ran aground in Lerwick harbour. The incident happened in the shallow waters between the fishing industry hub at Mair’s Pier and the town’s power station. The Copious has seven crew on board. It is understood the the 25 metre vessel, which was delivered only last year, is not taking on water. Coastguard, Lerwick Lifeboat and the Lerwick Port Authority are all at the scene assessing what best to do. Photos, more to follow, >>click to read<< 11:45
Grindavík’s Harbor Sees First Trawler Return Since October
The first trawler to dock in the town of Grindavík since October 24, when the town was evacuated due to a powerful swarm of earthquakes, arrived in the harbour yesterday morning. In an interview with RÚV, Sigurður Jónsson, captain of the freezer trawler Tómas Þorvaldsson, stated that it was important for the town’s spirit to see life in the harbour, as the fishing industry was the lifeblood of the community. He admitted that he had gotten “dust in his eyes” as he sailed towards Grindavík. The vessel was fishing for just under four weeks. more, >>click to read<< 08:45
Alaska fishermen and processing plants are in limbo as a state-backed seafood company teeters
The fishing fleet in the Southwest Alaska town of King Cove would have been harvesting Pacific cod this winter. But they couldn’t: Skippers had nowhere to sell their catch. The enormous plant that usually buys and processes their fish never opened for the winter season. The company that runs the plant, Peter Pan Seafoods, is facing six-figure legal claims from fishermen who say they haven’t been paid for catches they delivered months ago. King Cove’s city administrator says the company is behind on its utility payments. And now, residents fear the plant may stay closed through the summer salmon season, which would leave the village with just half of the revenue that normally funds its yearly budget. “We should be fishing right now,” said Ken Mack, a longtime King Cove fisherman. more, >>click to read<< 09:36
East End fishermen uneasy over wind farm South Fork Wind
Late last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul called South Fork Wind, which is projected to eliminate hundreds of millions of tons of carbon emissions annually, a “major milestone” in the state’s “nation-leading effort to generate reliable, renewable clean energy. “But at least one East End community remains staunchly opposed to wind farms: commercial fishermen — who say that the massive, 50-story turbines could irreparably damage the local marine ecosystem and displace them from areas they’ve fished for decades or even generations. more, >>click to read<< 08:12
Fisherman missing in water off Hawke’s Bay coast, colleagues join search
The colleagues of a fishing vessel crew member missing off the coast of Hawke’s Bay were on the water aiding search efforts more than 17 hours in. The man was reported overboard from a boat around 11km offshore of Waimārama, around 8pm on Easter Monday. Maritime NZ’s Rescue Coordination Centre was running the search, which included rescue helicopter services from Auckland, Gisborne and Hastings, Coastguard Hawke’s Bay and other vessels in the area. Coastguard Hawke’s Bay president Henry van Tuel said the vessel from which the man had gone missing was the Pacific Challenger. more, >>click to read<< 06:48
Oregon seafood industry calls on Gov. Tina Kotek to halt offshore wind energy development
A coalition of independent fishing boat operators, seafood companies and industry groups is calling on Gov. Tina Kotek to ask the federal government to stop a planned auction for floating wind energy projects off the Oregon Coast. In a letter to Kotek on Tuesday, the more than 100 signatories said she should stop the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from moving forward with its plan to auction offshore wind site leases until the state has finalized its own roadmap for offshore wind development. “We’re saying no auction until the roadmap is complete,” said Heather Mann, executive director of the Newport-based Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, which signed the letter. more, >>click to read<< 12:43
New Beamer Hits The Water
A year on from the launch of Interfish beam trawler Admiral Gordon at Parkol Marine Engineering’s facility in Middlesbrough, the yard has launched sister vessel Admiral Blake PH-440 for the same customer. The yard’s newbuild no 60, Admiral Blake was wheeled out of the fabrication shed and craned into the Tees. Sister vessel Admiral Gordon was delivered last year and was the first beam trawler over 20 metres in length to be delivered by a UK yard for more than thirty years. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 10:23
Gulf’s next wind auction puts focus on Louisiana after Texas shuns renewables
After the Gulf of Mexico’s first-ever offshore wind lease auction drew zero bids for sites in the waters off Texas last year, federal regulators plan to tilt the second auction toward Louisiana. Two weeks ago, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management proposed two new lease areas, totaling about 200,000 acres, in federal waters south of the Texas-Louisiana line, an area that may strike a balance between the stronger winds near Texas and the more welcoming politics of Louisiana. “Texas leaders said some inflammatory things about offshore wind right before the last lease sale,” said Jenny Netherton, a program manager for the Southeastern Wind Coalition. “That strongly suggested to some investors that Texas wasn’t the best bet.” more, >>click to read<< 08:18
Offshore wind threatens centuries of fishing
Many people today think that offshore wind power will be able to give us abundant (long-lived?) clean energy. The water in the Gulf of Maine is very deep, any turbines sited there will be on floating platforms anchored to the seabed with giant chains. It is important to remember that the Gulf of Maine is the life blood of all our coastal fishing communities. I participated in an interesting project some years ago when the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association was formed. We worked with Island Institute to document how each fishing community extended far out to sea. Each community has traditional grounds that have been worked for centuries by fishermen from those communities. Fishing sustains coastal New England. If offshore wind industrialization is allowed in these fishing grounds the communities connected to these areas will suffer. by Glen Libby, more, >>click to read<< 10:52
Exhibition celebrates town’s lifeboat heritage
A new exhibition celebrates the “very intrinsic part” a lifeboat station has played in the history of a town in the west of the island. The display at the Leece Museum in Peel features images of key figures over the years, the lifeboats that have served the station, and stories of rescues carried out. Tony Quirk of Peel Heritage Trust said the town, which was “known for its fishing industry over the years” was “never short of fishermen and sailors willing to go to sea and rescue the stricken boats”. The exhibition has been designed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the RNLI. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:40
Fishermen displaced by offshore wind farm apply for compensation
Vineyard Wind, the offshore wind developer, is constructing a 62-turbine wind farm in the federal waters south of New Bedford, the nation’s most lucrative fishing port. Uncertainty around whether it’s safe to fish inside offshore wind farms have soured many fishermen to the industry, even as wind developers offer new sources of income to fishermen willing to take on surveying, navigation and safety work. At the meeting at the port authority, a recently retired fisherman consulting for Vineyard Wind acknowledged this tension upfront. “I know how a lot of people feel about offshore wind,” said Fred Mattera. “Believe me, if I could click my heels and it’ll all go away, I’d be clicking my heels like you can’t imagine.” “But it’s not,” Mattera said. more, >>click to read<< 08:29
What You Didn’t Know About the Andrea Gail and ‘Perfect Storm’ Location
In the fall of 1991, a catastrophic storm swept the northeastern coast of the U.S., wreaking havoc along the coast of Massachusetts. The Andrea Gail set out from Gloucester on what was meant to be a month-long fishing trip off the coast of Newfoundland, covering a total of 900 miles. What they didn’t know was that the storm heading up the coast would take the lives of 13 people and cause millions of dollars in damage from Florida all the way up to Nova Scotia. Winds from the storm reached strengths of 120 miles per hour, and when no communication was heard from the 72-foot Andrea Gail, which was right in the center of the storm, the search was called off in a matter of ten days. To this day, the trawler, and its crew, have never been recovered. Here’s what you never knew about the Andrea Gail’s last communication, speculation about what exactly happened, and the haunting clues that have surfaced since. more, >>click to read<< 09:49
Expert To Examine Case of Arklow Vessel Which Developed Serious Stability Issues
The European Ombudsman may be asked to examine the case of the Mary Kate, the fishing vessel which developed serious stability issues after it was bought by an Arklow family. An Oireachtas committee has also agreed to appoint an expert to examine information surrounding the case. Representatives of the departments of transport and agriculture, food and marine may then be invited before the committee after the expert report is completed. The Joint Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen has proposed to take these actions after an initial hearing on the case in late February. Arklow fisherman CJ Gaffney was invited to outline his experience, where he was left with debts of 1 million euro. more, >>click to read<< 08:48
UK authorities backtrack on under-10 medical requirement
The UK government has announced a partial reversal of its policy on medical certification for fishermen. This follows an extensive campaign by the NFFO, and now anyone fishing for four weeks or more on a UK under-10 vessel between 30th November 2021 and 29th November 2023 is exempt from the requirement to hold a medical fitness certificate. ‘This is a welcome outcome and desperately needed. It is a total reversal in the government’s position on the under 10m fleet and will benefit thousands of fishermen,’ an NFFO representative commented. more, >>click to read<< 06:50
New Bedford – True North Seafood to shut down city plant
One of the city’s largest seafood processors is shutting down its waterfront facility, laying off as many as 94 local workers as the company consolidates its production in Virginia. True North Seafood, a subsidiary of Canadian seafood giant Cooke, announced the sudden decision to its staff at a floor meeting Thursday morning. The company is a leading distributor of imported fish, processing more than 16 million pounds of salmon each year, according to its website. Cooke has both harvesting and processing operations spanning 15 countries and over 13,000 workers. Its revenues are north of $4 billion, according to a recent interview with CEO Glenn Cooke. more, >>click to read<< 20:16
Opinion: In memoriam of Blue Harvest — private equity giveth, and it taketh away
You have to be careful when you swim with sharks — sometimes private equity sponsors. Sadly, for New Bedford, Blue Harvest did business with the Dutch private equity firm Bregal Partners. There’s a lot to unpack here, but one thing that sticks out is why a Dutch financial firm would have an interest in a New Bedford fishing company? Big fans of cod? Nope. Money. The answer is always money. The point here is not to blame the process — it’s to learn to avoid the greedy players involved and reflect on why we all did not see it coming. Or at the very least for being surprised it happened. more, >>click to read<< 16:59
Fishermen keep fighting against offshore turbines
It’s a fishing story that’s not being told. That is how some members of the North Carolina For-Hire Captain’s Association (NCFHCA) feel about what they see as a threat offshore wind turbines would pose to the local fishing industry, economy, wildlife and environment. “No matter how we feel or whatever, the feds are shoving this down our throat and it doesn’t matter what we say,” said Capt. Cane Faircloth, a NCFHCA board member who handles media, public relations and marketing for the association of about 300 people. The subject is dear to the heart of Dr. Nick Degennaro of Southport, who has worked in the offshore industry for 30 years and has a doctorate in commercial engineering from the University of Rhode Island. He is opposed to offshore wind energy. This issue is so important to him, “because it’s going to destroy the ocean,” he said. Degennaro said areas that have offshore wind turbines become “dead zones” for fishing. more, >>click to read<< 10:48
Lineless Lobster Launches The Gear Guardian as a Low Cost Rapidly Deployable Interim Solution to the Entanglement Crisis
Lineless Lobster proudly announces the launch of its new project aimed to help address the Right Whale entanglement issue with a product called “The Gear Guardian.” The Gear Guardian is a low cost mechanical device with no electronics that attaches to any lobster trap in minutes. It is designed to reduce the occurrence and severity of Right Whale entanglements, provide a way to rescue otherwise lost “ghost gear” and prove a consumer demand for ethically sourced lobster. “It hit me two years ago-I love whales but hate the way the entanglement issue with Right Whales is playing out. It’s painful seeing Lobstermen hit with unfair regulations and at the same time watching good science be ignored or debated,” says Chris Buchanan, Founder of Lineless Lobster. links, more, >>click to read<< 09:33
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut receive proposals for offshore wind projects
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut received proposals Wednesday for offshore wind projects as the three East Coast states hope to boost their reliance on the renewable energy source. The three states joined in a historic agreement that allows for potential coordinated selection of offshore wind projects. Massachusetts received bids from Avangrid Renewables, South Coast Wind Energy and Vineyard Offshore in response to the region’s largest solicitation to date for offshore wind, seeking up to 3,600 megawatts. more, >>click to read<< 08:07
A New Chapter In Newlyn’s Fishing Legacy: Formalising The Fish Auction Agreement
In a significant development for the Port of Newlyn, the Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners (NP&HC) and W Stevenson & Sons Limited (WS&S) have finalised a landmark agreement, poised to redefine the UK’s leading quality fish auction from 1st April 2024. This formalization solidifies a longstanding and productive relationship, setting the stage for a modernised partnership aimed at bolstering the facilities and services for the Cornish fleet and the wider UK fishing industry. With the agreement set to activate on the 1st of April, WS&S will assume exclusive auctioneering rights at Newlyn Fish Market for a duration of seven years. more, >>click to read<< 10:31
Fishing industry reels over Biden’s destructive wind farm plan: It’s ‘coming at us from every direction’
Time is running out for fishermen and women in the Northeast who fear their industry is being put at risk by the Biden administration’s renewable energy agenda. “Ground fishermen, lobstermen, whatever you are, you’re under the microscope right now, and it just seems to be something coming at us from every direction,” New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) COO Dustin Delano said on “The Big Money Show” Monday. “And with this offshore wind agenda out there to attempt to fight climate change,” he continued, “it’s almost like environmentalists and different folks are willing to destroy the environment to protect the environment.” Video, photos, more, >>click to read<< 08:52
Lawmakers support new fees on Louisiana seafood dealers who import foreign catch
State lawmakers advanced separate bills Tuesday to address the dominance of cheap foreign seafood in Louisiana. One would require seafood dealers to pay higher fees for importing foreign catch into the state, and another would require wholesalers and retailers to obtain a new seafood importer license. House Bill 748, sponsored by Rep. Jessica Domangue, R-Houma, would raise the state’s imported seafood safety fee from a flat $100 per year to a 0.1% assessment on the company’s gross revenue. The proposal marks the freshman lawmaker’s first bill, which Domangue, the daughter of a commercial fisherman, called “very special” for its ability to protect the domestic seafood industry. It cleared the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment with unanimous support and will head to the House floor for consideration. more. >>click to read<< 08:05
Graves and Peltola Urge Biden to Immediately Halt Unsafe Shrimp Imports
U.S. Congressman Garret Graves (South Louisiana) and Congresswoman Mary Sattler Peltola (Alaska) sent a letter to President Biden urging him to immediately halt shrimp imports into the United States from India, following concerning reports of severe food and safety issues and labor violations in Indian shrimp processing facilities. The reports highlight that shrimp imported from India are farmed and they regularly do not meet domestic health standards; the suppliers themselves know this to be true, evidenced by their tactics to evade detection at American ports. Graves and Peltola noted that there is already high-quality, healthy shrimp caught in America that is being pushed out of the market by foreign shrimp sold at artificially low prices and unsafe for consumption. more, >>click to read<< 12:49
Change to legal size of lobster imports proposed
Draft Addendum XXX, an amendment to American lobster regulations, will consider whether new minimum lobster size increases that take effect Jan. 1, 2025, should apply to lobsters imported into the United States. The proposed change was initiated to meet a federal Magnuson-Stevens Act requirement prohibiting imports of whole live lobster smaller than the U.S. legal minimum possession size. A public hearing will be held online on Tuesday, April 9, from 6-8 p.m. links, webinar, info, more, >>click to read<< 10:19
Southern Shrimp Alliance: The Outlaw Ocean Project Investigation Regarding Imported Shrimp Supply Chains
On the same day that Corporate Accountability Lab (CAL) publicly released the results of its three-year investigation into forced labor practices in the Indian shrimp industry, Hidden Harvest: Human Rights and Environmental Abuses in India’s Shrimp Industry, and the Associated Press published an article and video news story by investigative journalists Martha Mendoza, Mahesh Kumar, and Piyush Nagpal confirming CAL’s findings, The Outlaw Ocean Project has provided a rare view into the inner workings of a major Indian shrimp exporter to the United States, Choice Trading Corporation Private Limited. more, >>click to read<< 09:25
