Monthly Archives: August 2021

Louisiana shrimpers ‘try and survive’ after Ida sinks boats, destroys homes

Some 20%-30% of the fleet of shrimp boats in the Golden Meadow region of was wiped out by the powerful winds from the Category 4 Hurricane Ida that made landfall on Sunday, shrimpers said. The industry had already suffered lower seafood demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then the storm struck fishing communities southwest of New Orleans that had largely been spared when Hurricane Katrina pummeled the state 16 years ago. “We’ve never seen anything this powerful around here before,” said shrimper Russell Plaisance. Plaisance said local shrimpers lost 65%-70% of their revenue in 2020 as the pandemic shut restaurants. This year had been looking up for the top shrimp harvesting state, until the storm. >click to read< 19:04

Grand Isle, Louisiana: Extensive damage to many boats in the fishing community, photos.

Damage from Hurricane Ida is still being assessed after it made landfall on Sunday. The storm caused at least four deaths in Louisiana and Mississippi, while thousands more were left without power and continued flooding. One area that saw extensive damage was Grand Isle, a fishing community in southeastern Louisiana, also known as the Cajun Riviera. Boats were flipped over and left sideways in the water and along roads. Roofs of many lake houses were swept away by the storm’s strong winds and rain. 55 Photos, >click to read< 16:55

Pot/Trap Fisheries Regulations to Help Save North Atlantic Right Whales Announced

NOAA Fisheries and our partners are dedicated to conserving and rebuilding the North Atlantic right whale population, which is endangered, declining, and experiencing an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event. Entanglement in commercial fishing gear is a primary cause of mortalities and serious injuries of North Atlantic right whales. Working with the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team, a group of advisors consisting of fishermen, scientists, conservationists, and state and federal officials, we have completed Phase 1 of the modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan to continue to reduce whale entanglements. Today, we are announcing the final rule to modify the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. >click to read< 15:22

Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation: A Statement on Today’s NOAA Right Whale Decision

Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation calls on state and federal authorities to do all they can to change the decision handed down by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan today. “This is incredulous. Maine lobstermen and women are not killing right whales. Why would you penalize an iconic Maine industry for the sake of being able to say you are saving right whales? It’s like cutting off an arm when it’s the foot that is the problem and pretending you have fixed the problem. This industry is under fire from every direction – right whales and large industrial aquaculture. The whale deaths are not in Maine nor at the hands of Maine lobstermen.” >click to read< 13:15

Fed Lobster Rules Call For Seasonal Closures Off Maine, Weak Rope To Help Protect Right Whales

Federal regulators on Tuesday morning issued new rules for lobster and other trap-pot fisheries that aim to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales from harmful entanglements. The new rule includes a seasonal closure of a large area of fishing grounds dozens of miles off Maine’s midcoast, requires the use of weak “breakaway” rope and increases the number of traps that must be used per line, thus reducing the overall amount of rope in the water. >click to read< 13:00

A Statement from Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation>click to read<

Invasive Blue Crab wreak havoc on French Mediterranean mollusks, eels, oysters and mussels

Fisherman Yves Rougie pulled up a net from the waters of the Canet-Saint-Nazaire lake in southern France. He was hoping for a catch of eels. Instead it was full of blue crabs. The blue crab, callinectes sapidus, has been destroying populations of eels, oysters and mussels that are traditionally caught in the area’s lagoons and coastal lakes. Native to North American Atlantic waters and brought to the Mediterranean in the ballast waters of commercial ships, the crabs have spread quickly from around 2017, according to the French Office for Biodiversity, which is helping fishermen to control their numbers,,, >click to read< 10:45

Whidbey Island Seafood Company. They sell seafood that’s “dock to doorstep”.

Brothers Andrew and Adam Hosmer practically grew up on the water, with a dad who captained the Baranof fishing boat through the icy waters of Alaska. “We grew up with that and we grew up on the water sailing and became obsessed with fishing ourselves,” While neither planned to return to the water when they got older, the Baranof called their names. With the help of their childhood friend Devin, the two decided to start a fishing business, with a twist. “Almost one hundred percent true traceability on every product we offer,” >click to read< 09:41 Visit whidbeyseafoods.com

It’s bad. Hurricane Ida death toll rises, alligator kills man, highway collapses killing two

More than 1million individuals in Louisiana stay with out energy and are dealing with weeks with out it in stifling warmth and humidity.,, As the flood waters subside, communities are actually confronted with an arduous clean-up and injury restore mission and emergency providers have warned that within the days forward, the death toll is probably going to rise as extra individuals are discovered. Officials are additionally anticipating a drastic spike in COVID instances, with the storm making a ‘good petri dish’ for unfold of the virus. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser mentioned on Tuesday morning that crews would exit in boats and high-water vans ‘at first mild’ to discover any survivors. photo’s, >click to read< 08:03

50-year commercial fisherman Mike Lane has passed away

Michael Don Lane, a long-time Bandon resident, passed away in his home during the Perseid meteor shower on August 14, 2021, Mike graduated from Auburn HS in 1967 and went to work for Northern Pacific Railroad before enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard,,, After the Coast Guard, Mike briefly returned to Washington and his railroad job before giving in to his love of the sea and returning to Charleston. Thus began his 50-year career as a commercial fisherman. In addition to attending his children’s activities and commercially fishing Dungeness crab and salmon, Mike served his community in many ways. He was a member of the Oregon Dungeness Crab Advisory Committee, a commissioner on the Oregon Salmon Commission from 1992–2002, a member of the Rules Advisory Committee for ODA and ODFW, involved with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission,,, >click to read< 18:55

Louisiana: Coast Guard conducts Hurricane Ida post-storm overflights along the Gulf Coast

The Coast Guard is conducting critical incident search and rescue overflights and assessing for damage Monday along the Gulf Coast Region of Louisiana following Hurricane Ida. Assets conducted critical incident search and rescue overflights and assessing for damage  Monday along the Gulf Coast Region of Louisiana. Photos, >click to read< 14:39

Video: Air Station Cape Cod medevacs fisherman experiencing diabetic related conditions

The Coast Guard medevaced a fisherman from a fishing vessel 130 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Sunday. Coast Guard First District watchstanders received a report from the 65 foot fishing vessel Direction of a crewmember who was experiencing diabetic related conditions, and was requesting assistance. A Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew was launched and safely hoisted the fisherman. He was then transferred to EMS in Barnstable Massachusetts, who transported him to Cape Cod Hospital. >click for video< -USCG- 13:18

Crab Fisherman Nick McGlashan died of a drug overdose – If you know someone struggling, help them!

Nick McGlashan came from a long line of fishermen, and started plying his dangerous trade at the young age of 13. The hard-working crabber appeared in “Deadliest Catch” from 2013 to 2020. McGlashan struggled with alcohol and drug addiction, which got so bad during the shooting of the show’s season 13 that his captain had to fire him. In a 2017 interview, the crabber said that he took this extremely hard. “All I ever wanted to do was be a fisherman, and I lost that,” McGlashan said. “I lost the ability to work at sea because I forgot how to live on land.” >click to read< 11:38

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

One last rescue: Bid to restore ex-RNLI boat that saved six people on its last call out

More than 90 years ago the RNLI took ownership of its newest vessel, W&S, which would have a dramatic 40-year career and save the lives of six seaman on its last call out. Now, maritime journalist Graeme Ewens is ensuring the life of the W&S is celebrated with the publication of the boat’s ‘nautobiography’ next month. The book details every service conducted by the boat, identifying the casualty vessels and people involved with memories of crew members and survivors. Measuring 45ft 6in, the Watson Cabin class boat was named after her benefactors, Winifred Coode and Captain Sydney Webb, when she was brought in to service in February 1931. Among its memorable call outs were several dramatic shipwrecks, including the heroic rescue of the crew from the battleship HMS Warspite, which ran aground in a gale in Mount’s Bay in 1947. >click to read< 09:38

Fishermen are ‘heroes’ after finding newborn kittens onboard and caring of them for four days at sea

Fishermen who found a litter of newborn kittens on their boat and then looked after them for four days at sea have been dubbed ‘heroes’. The three-man crew of the Koł-148 boat had set off from Kołobrzeg when they stumbled upon the six bundles of fur tangled up in their fishing nets. Taking a spare fish box and lining it with cloth, the crew carefully dried the kittens before placing them inside. photo’s, >click to read< 08:13

Mismanaged Since 1949 II: DFO wants to clear the air about the role of seals and focus on ecosystems. Lol.

DFO estimates the Northwest Atlantic harp seal population at 7.6 million, the highest on record (based on 2017 data), at more than triple the population of 50 years ago and still steadily increasing. But Mr. Russell’s concerns are at odds with DFO science, which says the harp seal population is not a major factor in declining fish stocks. Instead, DFO officials offer a different explanation, one that’s harder for local fishermen to accept: that climate change is at the root of the problem. DFO officials held a technical briefing at the end of June to address what they described as misinformation about the impacts of seals on fish such as Atlantic cod and capelin in Newfoundland and Labrador waters. During the one-hour briefing, geared toward media, the officials presented the North Atlantic seal as less of a scoundrel and more of a scapegoat.  >click to read< 21:12

Protest Photo’s: More than 125 boats in “Save the Bay” flotilla today

More than 125 boats participated in a “Save the Bay” flotilla today to protest plans by American Aquafarms to place a massive industrial salmon farm in Frenchman Bay, just off Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. The boat parade included many working lobster boats and a variety of pleasure craft. Organizers called the size of the boat parade unprecedented and said it demonstrates the depth of opposition to the salmon farm from people all around the bay. >click to see the photos< 17:50

Mismanaged Since 1949! – A primer on fishing failures

Both the federal and municipal elections heighten our interest in whether or not fishery issues will, at last, be tackled in this province. Perhaps those running for elected positions need a primer on how our fishery was decimated over the past 70 years since Canada took over management of this resource following Newfoundland and Labrador’s Confederation entry in 1949. Hopefully, it will counter the current PR that is being disseminated by DFO, which wants Canadians to believe that it is not the department that has failed our province and our communities, but that the destruction has come from climate change, changes in water temperatures and other uncontrollable factors accounting for the demise of our once great fishery resource. There are still many, including myself, who have worked in the industry all these decades and witnessed first-hand and know full well that DFO has mismanaged our fishery since 1949. >click to read<, By Gus Etchegary, St. John’s 13:30

PFD Reminder for Fishing Crews Following Report on Scallop Boat Sinking Incident That Cost Two Lives

The Department of Transport has issued a new Marine Notice on the correct use of lifejackets or personal flotation devices PFD’s on fishing vessels. It follows the report earlier this month from the Maritime Casualty Investigation Board into the sinking of the FV Alize off Hook Head early last year. Two fishermen died after the F/V Alize sank while fishing for scallops out of Duncannon, Co Wexford on 4 January 2020. Joe Sinnott was recovered from the scene by the Irish Coast Guard’s Waterford-based helicopter Rescue 117 but was later pronounced dead at University Hospital Waterford. >click to read< 12:04

Why Are The Chum Runs So Low? It’s not just an Alaskan/Yukon phenomenon.

The State of Alaska has closed fishing for chum to protect the runs. For Yukon River families, chum is particularly important. Chinook salmon have been low for decades, but chum were the fish families could depend on until last year, when the summer chum run dropped below half of its usual numbers. This year the run dropped even further, to record lows. Biologist Katie Howard with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said that the chum declines are not just occurring in the Yukon River. “When we talk to colleagues in the lower 48 and Canada, Japan, Russia, they are all reporting really poor chum runs. So it’s not just a Yukon phenomenon. It’s not just an Alaska phenomenon, but pretty much everywhere,” So why are the chum numbers so low? The short answer is no one really knows for sure. >click to read< 10:38

Hurricane Ida at near-Category 5 intensity as Louisiana braces for landfall

Hurricane Ida explosively intensified overnight into a high-end Category 4 storm, and is bringing “catastrophic effects” to Louisiana as it gears up to be the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the state’s recorded history. The latest: As of 8 a.m. ET, the storm’s center was located about 100 miles southeast of Houma, Louisiana, and was moving northwest at 15 mph. Maximum sustained winds were measured by aircraft to be 150 mph, just shy of Category 5 intensity. The big picture: Ida intensified at an astonishing rate early Sunday, leaping from a 105 mph Category 2 storm at 11 p.m. ET Saturday to the cusp of Category 5 intensity as it spun closer to the southeastern coast of Louisiana. >click to read< 09:32

Kids in Elsipogtog sponsored to play hockey in honour of late fisherman, ‘Our Jumbo’

Captain Craig (Jumbo) Sock was a hockey defenceman and lifelong hockey fan, his favourite team being the Chicago Blackhawks. So when fellow fisherman Joshua Noel Millea decided to do something to honour his friend, who is believed to have died when his fishing boat capsized last year, it only made sense to incorporate hockey. “In memory of my brother man Jumbo … I would like to sponsor one kid for the upcoming hockey season,” >click to read< 08:42

Hurricane Ida is Forecast to Rapidly Intensify Before Reaching the Northern Gulf Coast on Sunday

At 1000 PM CDT (0300 UTC), the center of Hurricane Ida was located near latitude 27.2 North, longitude 88.0 West. Ida is moving toward the northwest near 16 mph (26 km/h), and this general motion should continue through late Sunday or early Monday, followed by a slower northward motion on Monday. A northeastward turn is forecast by Monday night. On the forecast track, the center of Ida will continue moving across the central and northern Gulf of Mexico tonight and early Sunday, and make landfall along the coast of Louisiana within the hurricane warning area Sunday afternoon or evening. Ida is then forecast to move well inland over portions of Louisiana and western Mississippi on Monday and Monday night. >click to read<  10:50

Shrimp Boat Captain Richard Emil Rick Shattel

Richard Emil “Rick” Shattel’s life ended peacefully in the presence of his family on August 5, 2021. He was sixty-nine years old. Rick was born March 7, 1952, in Galveston, to Emil and Josephine Schattel. Rick was a man of the sea hardened by salt and sun. He was a third-generation commercial fisherman who captained multiple shrimp boats of the Mosquito Fleet including the Shell Belly and his favorite, the Katie Marie. Rick was an independent spirit and a self-professed rebel. He was a fierce defender of family and friends. >click to read< 15:55

The Shocking Amount of Money Sig Hansen has Made from “Deadliest Catch”

Reality television is popular. It’s so popular that there seems to be a show for just about everyone. From watching housewives and their drama unfold to watching people bake and cook to watching them compete to be the best singer or performer in the world, there is no shortage of reality entertainment on television.,, The Discovery Channel brought its own drama to television when they debuted this show, and it’s made people such as Sig Hansen not only famous but quite wealthy, too. Just how much money has this boat captain made over the years? Let’s find out. >click to read< 13:44

Hurricane Ida: Moving north into the Gulf, expected to strengthen to Cat 4

Ida, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is expected to make landfall late Sunday or early Monday. Sunday is the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Watches and warnings are in effect for Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Saturday could be rainy in south Louisiana, making storm prep and evacuations more complicated, forecasters said. The rain is not from Hurricane Ida but from another disturbance moving over the state. Lots of details, >click to read<, to be updated. Life-threatening winds, storm surge, flooding and tornadoes from Hurricane Ida are expected Sunday. 11:04

Offshore wind opposition is growing From N.E. to N.C. – Nantucket Wind Suit May Have Virginia Echoes

A group of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts residents have filed suit challenging the pre-construction environmental review on a massive offshore wind complex planned off its shores. The issues raised may have a direct impact on the similar wind energy project planned off Virginia Beach, which is only now beginning its environmental impact process.,, The umbrella group is using the name “Coalition for Ocean Protection and Safety.” The Nantucket group, playing off the code designation for its local airport, call themselves ACK RATS, with the RATS standing for Residents Against Turbines. The wind developments there are not 27 miles offshore the way it is planned in Virginia. >click to read<

Bad faith, beads and trinkets negotiations by DFO obstructs court-affirmed fishery

The lack of good faith negotiations by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in its dealing with five First Nations on the West Coast could result in the criminalization of Nuu-chah-nulth fishers who exercise their court-affirmed right to a commercial fishery, asserts First Nations leadership. “The federal department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) continues to stonewall negotiations and acts as if it is above the law,” reads an Aug. 24 press release from the five nations impacted, Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, Ehattesaht/Chinehkint, Mowachaht/Muchalaht and Tla-o-qui-aht. The nations have said they will fish according to their own fishing plans, pitting Nuu-chah-nulth fishers against DFO officers patrolling Nuu-chah-nulth waters, because DFO hasn’t come to the table to negotiate a plan for the season. >click to read< 08:14

Hurricane Ida Expected To Move Into The Gulf Of Mexico Tonight

800 PM EDT, the center of Hurricane Ida was located over western Cuba near latitude 22.4 North, longitude 83.5 West. Ida is moving toward the northwest near 15 mph, and this general motion should continue until Ida reaches the northern Gulf coast on Sunday. A slower northward motion is forecast after Ida reaches the northern Gulf coast. On the forecast track, the center of Ida will remain over western Cuba for another hour or two, and then move over the southeastern and central Gulf of Mexico later tonight and Saturday. Ida is forecast to make landfall along the U.S. northern Gulf coast within the hurricane warning area on Sunday. >click to read<  – Visit The National Hurricane Center, >click here<  20:14

Kenai River sockeye over-escape by 1M, Kotzebue’s 2021 chum season to wrap up, Big PWS Humpy Harvest

Those numbers concern fishermen like Joe Dragseth, a drift-netter in Kenai. He said he worries about the health of the river. And, he said, it’s unfair commercial fishermen have been restricted while so many fish have made it up the river. “Basically, they’re taking the living away from us,” he said. >click to read<Kotzebue’s 2021 chum salmon season to wrap up with another low catch – “It hasn’t been very good,” said Karen Gillis, manager of the Copper River Seafoods processing plant in Kotzebue. It’s one of two commercial chum salmon buyers in town this year. >click to read< Prince William Sound Humpy harvest is 3rd largest of decade – “The highlight of this season has been the wild stocks returning stronger than anticipated, given the uncertainty about spawning success from the 2019 parent year that was assumed to be negatively impacted by drought conditions,” said Heather Scannell, area management seine biologist in Cordova for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. >click to read< 14:35