Daily Archives: May 14, 2020

On eve of lobster season, fishermen worry about low prices and high costs

Glace Bay harbour was a busy spot on Thursday, with lobster fishermen loading traps in preparation for setting day on Friday. It’s a time that is usually much anticipated among fishermen, but not this year. “I would say we’re going to lose 40 to 50 percent from last year to this year,” said Herb Nash. Nash has been a fisherman for more than 30 years and says he hasn’t seen prices this low since the seventies. “I don’t think our fishery is going to last two months anyway,” he said. “I think if we get two or three weeks out of it. They’re not going to be able to sell the lobster or prices are going to be that low, we’re not going to be able to afford it. We’re paying $1.25 pound for bait and we’re getting $5 dollars for lobster.” >click to read< 21:59

Snow crab price sees a bump to $3.50 after arbitration decision

On the heels of a federal government announcement in the form of a $470 million COVID-19 relief package for fish harvesters across Canada came more good news for crab fishermen in Newfoundland and Labrador. On Thursday evening FFAW-Unifor, the union representing fish harvesters in the province, announced the price setting panel sided with the union after an arbitration hearing on Wednesday over snow crab pricing. The price setting panel has now set the snow crab price to $3.50 per pound — the FFAW-Unifor minimum price — not $2.90 per pound as tabled by the Association of Seafood Producers. >click to read< 20:59

Coast Guard medevacs Fisherman 5 miles east of Fernandina Beach

Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville command center watchstanders received a medevac request via VHF Channel 16 at 4:50 p.m. from the AMG stating a crew member had sustained a head injury. The Coast Guard medevaced a man from the AMG, a 77-foot fishing vessel, approximately 5 miles east of Fernandina Beach, Thursday. The Coast Guard Cutter Sea Dog crew embarked the man and safely transported him to Dee Dee Bartels Public Boat Ramp where EMS was waiting and transferred him to the Nassau County Trauma Air Unit. >click to read< 19:46

Northport, P.E.I. community celebrates a fishermans life with a parade of boats

The community of Northport came together to celebrate the life of a beloved fisherman this week by holding a parade in his honour. However, it didn’t take place on dry land. It took place where Darrell (Daryl) Milligan loved to be – on the water. A procession of over 70 boats set sail together Wednesday morning to pay special tribute to Milligan, who died on May 10 in his home, surrounded by loved ones following a battle with cancer. He was 58.  Friends of the family, Lorna Doyle-DesRoches and Karla Profit, were close to Milligan. Milligan was the husband to Michelle Marie (nee Peters), father to Kelsey (Justin Schurman), Kalyn (Devon Bernard) and grandfather to two grandkids. He is remembered by countless family members and friends. photos, >click to read< 19:16

Fishing vessel aground near St Aubin

A fishing boat ran aground south west of St Aubin’s Fort, in the early hours of this morning (Thursday 14 May) Jersey Police say the two crew members on board the 17m boat called L’Ecume II were attempting to secure it. They were rescued at approximately 3am. The vessel has now been refloated following the high tide and the island’s Harbourmaster, Captain Bill Sadler, says there were no signs of pollution caused by the incident. more photo’s, >click to read< 17:11

Fish Harvesters Benefit: Feds pledge nearly $470m to fish harvesters – Trudeau urges consumers to ‘buy Canadian’

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday (May 14) the launch of the Fish Harvesters Benefit. The new initiative is aimed at harvesters facing a 25% drop in income in the face of the pandemic, covering up to 75% of losses up to a maximum of $10,000. Additional non-repayable grants for fish harvesters who own their own business are also being made available. The prime minister said changes would be made for Employment Insurance claims in 2021, allowing benefits to be based on income from previous years. >click to read< 16:22

Trudeau urges consumers to ‘buy Canadian’ as government pledges $470M for fisheries – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is urging people to “buy   Canadian” food to keep fishery workers and farmers in business during the novel coronavirus pandemic. “To everyone who wants to show their support, buy Canadian. Pick up some Canadian cheese to help a local dairy farmer, have a ‘fish fry, or buy Canadian lobster,” he said today during his daily press conference. “Not only will it taste great, it will help the people who keep food on our plates.” >click to read<

Port of Coos Bay: Annual Blessing of the Fleet Memorial Service canceled

The annual Blessing of the Fleet Memorial Service has been canceled this year due to public safety concerns over the novel coronavirus. The Blessing of the Fleet is a service which honors locals in the commercial fishing industry who have died since 1941. According to a release from the Port of Coos Bay, the service has been canceled “due to public gathering restrictions and social distancing recommendations.”,, According to Fiona Bai, with Port of Coos Bay, the decision to cancel the service was difficult for the Fisherman Memorial Committee. “It’s so meaningful to the community, it’s regretful to have to cancel it,” Bai said. While the ceremony will not be held this year, names will still be added to both the plaques in the Charleston Fisherman’s Memorial Garden. >click to read< 15:25

Coast Guard medevacs fisherman near Winyah Bay, Wednesday

A Coast Guard Station Georgetown 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew embarked the man and conducted a hoist with a Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew who safely transported the man to Georgetown Memorial Hospital for further medical care. Coast Guard Sector Charleston command center watchstanders received a medevac request at 8:20 p.m. via VHF-Channel 16 from the operator of the Lillie Jane, a 65-foot fishing vessel, reporting a crew member had fallen and suffered a head injury. The RB-M crew and Dolphin aircrew were in the area conducting training and diverted to assist. Once on scene, the RB-M crew embarked the man, and the Dolphin aircrew safely conducted the hoist. -USCG- 14:19

An open letter to the Alaska commercial fishing fleets from Matt Alward, President, United Fishermen of Alaska

Our industry and communities are facing an unprecedented challenge in the COVID-19 pandemic. With the 2020 salmon season nearly here, we must all take extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of our crews, and the communities we work within. Fishing during the COVID-19 pandemic will not be “business as usual,” and we must all commit to a high standard of caution and personal responsibility.,, To help you through that process, we have put together a summary of what is required. This is not a complete list, however, and should not substitute your own reading and understanding of the document. There are three elements of the mandate: planning, documentation/reporting, and compliance. >click to read< 12:54

Squid fishing season is off to a good start in Monterey Bay after a dismal 2019.

The 2020-2021 commercial squid fishing season started on April 1 and dozens of boats can be seen dotting the horizon of Monterey Bay as the squid return, this year in better numbers. “This has actually been one of the best Aprils we’ve had since 2010,” says Pete Guglielmo, a buyer and processor with Southern Cal Seafood, Inc. “Usually when the squid show up this early in the season, it’s proved to be a very good fishing season for the industry.” The squid are also larger than they’ve been in the last several years, and in high demand. >click to read< 09:04

Trump Executive Order Opens the Door for Massive Industrial Fish Farms in Oceans

Last week, the Trump administration announced an executive order opening the door for large-scale fish farming. That order, as reported by the Food and Environment Reporting Network (FERN), is designed at its core to expand the scope and facilities for aquaculture. What that likely means is a reduction in regulations, and the creation of large offshore fish farms.,, While offshore fish farms would be a boon to major seafood corporations, smaller fishermen would be harmed by it in several ways. Those environmental effects could deplete the health of wild waters, which fishermen depend on. They could also flood the market with cheaper farmed fish, harming the demand for more sustainably caught seafood.  >click to read< 08:04