Daily Archives: November 13, 2020

‘Window dressing’: Sealord criticized for efforts to hire Kiwis

Sealord is being accused of not making a genuine effort to employ New Zealanders to work on the two Russian-owned trawlers it charters. An ad in October told prospective employees on the two Russian trawlers, they would be doing “the same repetitive task” the “entire time” they were out at sea. Compare that to an ad for a place on one of the seven trawlers it owned that were mostly crewed by New Zealanders. No monotonous work without end on these vessels. Instead it proclaimed “no two days are ever the same”, talked of fishing trips with the equivalent amount of time off, on full pay, once you got back to shore. There were “three delicious meals a day” (the Russian trawlers also supplied meals but there was no mention of how good they were), a free flu jab and free internet access while at sea. >click to read< 17:28

NOAA Fisheries Approves Electronic Reporting Requirements for Mid-Atlantic and New England Commercial Vessels

NOAA Fisheries has approved a recommendation from the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils to require federally permitted commercial fishing vessels to submit vessel trip reports electronically as eVTRs within 48 hours of the end of a trip. This requirement will take effect November 10, 2021. This action affects all commercial vessels holding federal permits for any species managed by the Mid-Atlantic or New England Fishery Management Councils, >click to read< 14:59

Half Moon Bay fishermen frustrated over delay and are anxious to start Dungeness crab season

California postponed the start from Nov. 15 to Dec. 1 due to 50 humpback whales off the coast. The postponed crab season is meant to protect whales and sea turtles from becoming entangled or captured in fishing gear. Scott Edson, a fisherman who fishes in Bodega Bay and Half Moon Bay, said the delays are becoming the norm every year. He blames the shipping industry for the harm to whales and said most fishermen like him rarely trap whales. The regulations and delays make him feel his livelihood is at the whim and mercy of people and organizations who don’t appreciate the dangers and stress a later start season puts on the small fishermen. He has seen a lot of crab permits for sale as people begin leaving the industry. >click to read< 10:36

McClellanville receives $25K grant to help preserve its working waterfront

McClellanville is one of 12 towns recently awarded the Hometown Economic Development Grant from the Municipal Association of South Carolina. The $25,000 grant will go towards an economic development plan to keep and preserve it’s working waterfront, the main economic and cultural aspect of the town.,, “It’ll help the whole town out, this is a shrimping and fishing village, so that working waterfront, probably about half of that town relies on that working waterfront,” >Video, click to read< 09:49

A Fundraiser for New Hampshire Lobsterman Juan Peralta-Martinez

Juan suddenly passed away on 11/09/20. He is survived by his wife Katerina and his two young boys. Juan was a lobsterman and was new to the industry, but that didn’t stop him. He lobstered as much as he could when he wasn’t being a role model for his two sons. We are raising this money for Juan’s family to help support them in this time as well as cover funeral costs We appreciate any donation and would like to thank you in advance! Anything over our goal will go to Juan’s two boys for there college fund! >click to read, and please donate if you can<08:26

Fishing community grieves the loss of a Hampton lobsterman

Juan Peralta-Martinez became a lobsterman at a time when many say the industry was struggling to stay afloat, but those who worked alongside him said he was born for a life at sea. “He was meant to be one of the lobstermen,” said Linda Hunt, manager of Yankee Fishermen’s Cooperative,,, A husband and father of two from Hampton, Juan died at age 36 years Monday from what authorities believe was a drowning while working on his boat in the harbor. He left behind a wife and two sons, 9-year-old Juan Gabriel and 8-year-old Alejandro. >click to read< 07:48