Daily Archives: June 9, 2018

UPDATED: 2 dead after fishing boats collide off southeastern P.E.I.

Two men are dead after two fishing boats collided about nine kilometres off southeastern P.E.I., police say. RCMP Cpl. Gregg Garrett said the collision happened Saturday between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Police, paramedics and firefighters, as well as officials from DFO, victims services and the Canadian Coast Guard, were at the Beach Point wharf near Murray Harbour on Saturday. >click to read<21:23

Two men dead after fishing boats collided near Beach Point, P.E.I. – Const. Tara McBride of the RCMP says one boat was on its way back to shore and smashed into another boat that was buoyed off about 10 kilometres off the coast of Beach Point. She says there were eight crewmembers total between the two boats, including the men that died. McBride says both of the deceased were on the same boat. >click to read<13:48

Dear Senator Warren

Dear Senator Warren , As a retired commercial fisherman, and your constituent, I am trying to help those fishermen that still exist. I want to out line our problems, as I see them. A. The science used by NOAA decides our future. Under the current law NOAA does not have to compare or look at other scientific data. They “own” the term “best available science” exclusively, excluding better data collected by non government entities, including collaborative science between industry and academia! This is wrong. This needs to be changed, and the only way is to have some wording in The Magnusson Act to that effect. By supporting HR-200, you can right this wrong. B. Saltonstall-Kennedy Act,,, >click to read<18:57

‘Big Earl’ prepares to head back to sea

Fishing vessel “Big Earl,” the shrimping boat that beached on the Holden Beach strand last month, is preparing to head back out to sea. For the last couple of weeks, Big Earl has been stationed at the Holden Beach Marina, getting some much-needed repairs. Reese Atkins, Big Earl’s owner, said the boat had to have several holes patched, a new starter installed, wooden posts replaced, engine repairs and a paint job. Yet he believes the boat will be ready to shrimp by the end of the month. “We are almost completed with repairs, I’m thinking the repairs will be done by this weekend,” Atkins said. >click to read<18:41

Hundreds of upset shrimpers pack Houma meeting

“We are on the bottom. It’s time to stand up and say we are not going to be on the bottom anymore,” says a shrimper. Passionate shrimpers packed a Louisiana Shrimp Association meeting. All of them were asking for help. “The prices of these shrimp are unbelievably low. It’s the worse I’ve ever seen or heard of,” says Troy Parria. The shrimpers say the industry is struggling to stay afloat with prices as low as 40 cents a pound. “We just need a price our shrimp to make a fair honest living that’s all we ask for,” says Parria. They say import prices are forcing the prices of locally caught shrimp to be extremely low. Video, >click to read<15:06

Forget Maine, Jersey fisherman catch quality lobsters

As the sun begins to set over Shark River, the boat “Fully Loaded” approaches the dock. As the name suggests, it’s fully loaded with lobsters. “It’s like gold mining. When you come in with the boxes full, it’s gold,” said Joe Horvath, co-owner of Jersey Shore Lobster Brothers. It’s a family business for Joey and Adam Horvath. How do they catch the lobsters? “Well, people think you just throw a trap out there and get them like a crab, but they’re totally not like a crab. You have to go out, you have to find what water depth they’re in, you have to find where they’re at. At certain times of the season they’re shallower, they’re deeper,” said Joey. >click to read<11:59

DFO will not change fishing area closures, despite proposed exemptions

In a statement released Friday, department officials said they had received proposals from the Maritime Fishermen’s Union and from the Regroupement des Pêcheurs professionnels du Sud de la Gaspésie asking the department to consider exempting shallow waters from temporary closures. However, the department has concluded that the measures will remain in place to protect the North Atlantic right whales from gear entanglements. “This course of action is based on the best science information available about the presence of right whales in our waters,” the statements said. >click to read<11:19

The only Mainer ever to have fishing licenses permanently revoked facing eel charges

On Tuesday, a warrant was issued for Lucas Lemoine’s arrest after he failed to appear in court in Hancock County on two fishing-related misdemeanor charges, according to court documents. Lemoine, 36, of Southwest Harbor, has 30 criminal convictions or civil adjudications for fishing violations that date back to 1998, according to Department of Marine Resources spokesman Jeff Nichols. In 2015, his fishing licenses were revoked permanently by DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher for what Keliher at the time called “a pattern of willful disregard” for Maine’s marine resources laws. At one point in March 2015, weeks before his scallop and lobster licenses were revoked,,, >click to read<10:41

Crescent City’s annual crab haul larger than average

Despite a late start to the season, commercial fishermen brought slightly more Dungeness crab to the Crescent City Harbor than in previous years, according to numbers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While this makes for increased revenue at the harbor, which collects 2 cents for every pound brought to its docks, Rick Shepherd, president of the Del Norte Fisherman’s Marketing Association, said commercial crabbers were paid less than last year.  “I think one of the problems that I witnessed was there was a larger number of boats that participated here and so I think the actual amount of crab each boat caught was less,” he said. >click to read<09:39

Remembering Richard M. Gaines March 20, 1944 – June 9, 2013 Gloucester, Massachusetts

It’s hard to believe its been five years since Richard Gaines passed away on June 9, 2013. I miss him everyday, and I know I’m not alone. The many kind words that were written in his obituary by so many prominent members of the fishing community, reminds us when read again, that journalistic truth is elusive. With the integrity and tenacity of Richard Gaines, the truth was always told. >click to read< A video, NMFS Fraud Fishermen Thank Richard Gaines >click to watch<08:49