Daily Archives: December 1, 2021

New Regulations for Whelk and Horseshoe Crabs a Challenge for Commercial Fisheries

New state regulations intended to rebuild the whelk and horseshoe crab populations in the Long Island Sound could substantially limit the catches of local fisherman. Davis said that the department had done surveys trawling different areas of the Long Island Sound each year. Asked about the proposed regulations, Bob Guzzo, a commercial fisherman out of Stonington who catches whelk, said he thought the regulations were unnecessary, and that the department shouldn’t be involved in making them. He said that the whelks come and go in cycles. Guzzo said he believed the trawl surveys were inaccurate. >click to read< 14:16

CT DEEP Proposing New Rules For Lobster, Striped Bass, Others – The proposed regulatory changes are intended to address the “depleted state of these ecologically and economically important species in Long Island Sound,” according to DEEP officials. >click to read< 17:02

Plan to move grounded trawler off Truro is in the works

A plan to salvage a 78-foot shrimp trawler that ran aground Tuesday near Highland Light was in the works Wednesday, according to U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Briana Carter. The Coast Guard and Truro police received a report of the grounding early Tuesday. Five people were aboard the boat, and there were no reported injuries, Carter said.  On Wednesday, Truro Harbormaster Tony Jackett described the trawler, the New Bedford-based F/V Carrabassett, the owner planned to attempt to dislodge the boat at high tide Wednesday evening, Jackett said. >click to read< 12:36

It’s not easy being the family left onshore when the lobster fishery starts

The knot in my stomach started as soon as I read the post that dumping day in the southwestern Nova Scotia lobster fishery was a go for the next day. Part of it was due to the fact that it was not a unanimous vote during that morning’s LFA 34 lobster industry conference call. Eleven port reps voted in favour of a Dec. 1 opening following a two-day delay, but seven were opposed. Truthfully, though, even if it had been a 100 per cent unanimous ‘yes’ vote, the knot in my stomach and the lump in my throat would still be there. How do I know? Because it’s there every single year. photos, >click to read< by Tina Comeau

Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 49’11″x 20′ Novi Dragger, 543HP Mitsubishi, Kubota aux

To review specifications, information, with 31 photos, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here< 10:19

North Coast Fishermen Hopeful for a Good Dungeness Crab Season

For the first time in years, the North Coast Commercial Crab Season will open on December 1st. In 2020, issues with domoic acid levels, migrating whales and price negotiations delayed the start of the season to early January 2021. But the stars have seemingly aligned with whale migration, price negotiations and “pretty much zero traces of domoic acid”, according to Harrison Ibach, the president of the Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association,, All good news for local fishermen who are hopeful that the recent lulls of the industry will continue to rebound. “Last year was probably the worst year in many decades,” said Ibach, who is also the Captain of F/V  Oceana. >click to read< 09:06

Port of Jersey Investigation: Vessel became grounded after crew fell asleep

A fishing boat making its way back to the Island after unloading in Normandy became grounded in Belcroute Bay after the crewman at the helm fell asleep, a marine accident investigation has found. L’Ecume II, one of the largest vessels in the Island’s fleet, had been at sea for 42 hours when the incident occurred. The two-man crew had been unable to rest after offloading their catch in the port of Granville, as authorities had requested the boat move on immediately owing to Covid rules.,, Investigators were told by the deckhand that his last recollection was seeing that there were 28 minutes of the journey left. His next memory was waking in the wheelhouse with the boat having run aground at Belcroute Bay. >click to read< 07:42