Daily Archives: April 20, 2021

Eastern Channel fly-shooter agreement reached.

An accord on the activities of fly-shooters in some English Channel waters comes into effect today, following an agreement having been reached between representatives of French, Dutch, Belgian and UK fishing sectors. So far the agreement applies only to Eastern Channel waters, although the parties concerned have agreed to meet again not later than September to discuss further measures. Fly-shooting vessels are limited to a maximum of eight days at sea in each block of two weeks, the first of which commences on 19th April. Time at sea is to be calculated from logbook data, so each sea day starts at departure from port. >click to read< 22:26

Video: Coast Guard medevacs fisherman with severe abdominal pain132 miles east of Cape Cod

At approximately 6:30 a.m., on Tuesday, Coast Guard District One watchstanders received a notification from the crew of the commercial fishing vessel Mary Anne, home-ported in New Bedford, Massachusetts, reporting a 56-year-old crewmember was experiencing severe abdominal pain. A Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew launched, and safely hoisted the fisherman at approximately 9:30 a.m. He was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital for care. -USCG- >Video, click to watch< 19:20

Big fines for boat operators illegally fishing off Yorkshire coast

Magistrates heard boats from Oban in Scotland and Torquay in Devon repeatedly broke rules designed to protect the scallop fishery off the coast near Robin Hood’s Bay during a four-month period in 2019. John MacAlister, owner of the Star of Annan OB 50, and master of the vessel Alec Murray both appeared at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court having admitted the offences at a previous hearing. The court heard how the offences included operating in a closed season, using scallop dredges, failing to operate a fully-functioning vessel identification system as well as landing undersized scallops. >click to read< 17:56

Is ‘Deadliest Catch’ Scripted? “Wild” Bill Wichrowski on Filming Season 17 During Coronavirus. (Tough to script!)

The series captures dramatic events that seem like a scene from a Hollywood film and the disproportionate flare-ups in the interpersonal relationships between the crew members. Naturally, it has got the viewers questioning whether all that we see in the series is real or not. The Emmy-nominated show has often been praised for its realism. Unfortunately, a couple of the cast members also revealed that the drama among the fishers is scripted. >click to read< Captain “Wild” Bill Wichrowski on Filming ‘Deadliest Catch’ Season 17 During COVID – While crab fishing in Alaska is already an  ultra-risky venture, the stakes are even higher on Season 17 because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Season 17 will truly be unlike any other because it was filmed entirely during the pandemic. There were multiple COVID outbreaks at major crab processing plants, Nobody was allowed off the boat or even on the deck while the crab was being taken off the boat. Video, >click to read< 14:50

Commercial vessel nabbed for fishery code violation

Authorities have filed an administrative complaint before the Regional Adjudication Committee of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Zamboanga Peninsula for proper disposition of the case against a fishing vessel and its crew. The BFAR-Zamboanga Peninsula said in a statement that the complaint was filed against the skipper, crew and owner of F/B Hulmah-1, a 4.05 gross tonnage commercial fishing vessel caught in actual fishing operation last April 17 within the municipal waters, specifically at 1.5 nautical miles southwest off Malintubuan Point, Labason, Zamboanga. >click to read< 13:02

“It’s time for our community to get back together,” Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival

A day filled with seafood snacking and shag dancing can only mean one thing – the 2021 Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival which will celebrate fishers and shrimpers in typical Mount Pleasant fashion. The daylong festival is April 25 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park. There will be a variety of activities throughout the day with the boat parade and blessing beginning at 1 p.m. After taking a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival is “back in business.” Schedule, details,  >click to read< 10:54

First Nations on Vancouver Island celebrate B.C. Court of Appeal fisheries ruling

Canada must remedy problems in commercial fishery regulations arising from a legal battle that was first launched in 2003 by a group of Vancouver Island First Nations, the British Columbia Court of Appeal has ruled. While there is no demonstrated need to make mandatory orders, they would “remain available if Canada does not act diligently to remedy the problems,” Justice Harvey Groberman wrote in a decision released Monday. >click to read< 09:24

Alliance Rubber Company announces the launch of the Seafood Banding Machine for lobster and oysters

The Seafood Banding Machine was created to decrease the pain associated with manual banding, but these machines also increase efficiency and lower overhead costs in oyster and lobster processing.,, Captain Martin Collins of a lobster fishing vessel in LFA 35, tested the bander on his vessel. According to Collins, “I normally rely on two guys to band the catches each season, but this time around they couldn’t make it. I had to hire a green bander at the last minute, who suffered from two torn rotator cuffs. To my surprise, this 55 year-old guy who couldn’t lift the traps, was able to process 15,000 lbs. of lobster on this machine without any issues what so ever. If it weren’t for this machine, I wouldn’t have made it through the season.” >click to read< Watch a demo of the Lobster Banding Machine, >click to read/watch, more info< 07:47