Daily Archives: April 10, 2020
Feds delay Snow Crab season in Gulf of St. Lawrence
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans said the decision on Thursday to pause the season will let everyone involved in the fishery to put necessary health and safety measures in place. Seafood processors in the Maritimes had called on Ottawa to delay the crab and lobster season, warning that moving ahead with fishing risks workers’ health — and the bottom line — amid the COVID-19 pandemic.,, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said Thursday the province hopes Fisheries and Oceans Canada will delay the spring season for a few weeks, with the possibility of federal compensation. The Maritime Fishermen’s Union, which represents 1,200 harvesters in New Brunswick, said Friday they support a delay of the lobster season until May 15 >click to read< 16:28
Wooden fishing vessels are becoming gradually rarer – and what’s even more rare is to see a new fishing vessel built in wood
Le Croisic fisherman Jérôme Debec made the choice to go for a wooden fishing vessel, opting for a 12.98 metre boat with a 6.20 metre beam to replace his previous 15 metre boat. Built for netting and potting, Kab David IV was launched at Saint-Quay Portrieux and will soon be on its way to join the fleet at Le Croisic. While the hull is built in wood, the superstructure is moulded in GRP for ease of maintenance. Kab David IV has accommodation on board for a crew of up to five, a pair of 3.48m3 vivier tanks. Tank capacities are for 6.40m3 of fuel and a tonne of fresh water. The main engine is a Scania DI13, driving a Masson W1950 gearbox to turn a four-bladed propeller. photos, >click to read< 13:59
Nova Scotia’s lobster industry faces massive setbacks due to Coronavirus impacts
It was shaping up to be one the best seasons ever, but then COVID-19 struck. Geoff Irvine says “it was probably the best time in the lobster industry ever.” As executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada, things were looking up as the new decade began. The shore price was good, catches were consistent and filled the demands of the markets for live and processed lobster. Then, along came COVID-19. Irvine says the Chinese market, the Atlantic industry’s biggest for live lobster, started to collapse on January 25th as they began closing restaurants in China. Europe and the United States would soon follow. Why can’t fishers just wait it out until demand rises again? It’s not that simple. >click to read< 11:28
Floating Offshore Wind Farm to Power Offshore Oil Platforms Gains Approval
Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Industry has approved the plans for development and operation of the Hywind Tampen wind farm which will mean the Snorre and Gullfaks platforms will be the first platforms in the world to receive power from a floating offshore wind farm. The wind farm will consist of 11 wind turbines based on the Hywind wind farm concept developed by Equinor. The 8MW turbines will have a total capacity of 88MW and meet about 35 percent of the annual power demand of the five platforms Snorre A and B and Gullfaks A, B and C. The wind farm will be located around 140 kilometers from shore, between the Snorre and Gullfaks platforms, at a water depth of 260 to 300 meters. >click to read< 10:45
Port of Newport workers still providing services during coronavirus outbreak
With both agricultural and transportation implications, the Port of Newport is considered part of the country’s critical infrastructure as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “Although the port is considered an essential public service provider, just like everyone, we had to adjust to the pandemic,” said Paula Miranda, port general manager. That decision-making led to keeping the commercial marina and international terminal operating while closing or significantly limiting some of the recreational facilities. The result is an “all hands on deck” call, to which the staff has responded favorably. “I can’t praise our staff enough,” the general manager said. >click to read< 09:59
Federal Judge Finds Lobster Fishery Threatens Endangered Whales, Orders NMFS To Comply
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg of the District of Columbia said in a 20-page order Thursday a 2014 finding by the National Marine Fisheries Service the American lobster fishery would not jeopardize the North Atlantic right whale population – of which there are 400 left in the world – violated the Endangered Species Act, granting summary judgment in favor of several conservation groups. The 2014 Biological Opinion by the National Marine Fisheries Service failed to include an “incidental take statement,” rendering the opinion illegal under the Endangered Species Act, Boasberg found. >click to read< 07:49
