Daily Archives: December 10, 2021

F/V Bald Eagle II: Coast Guard oversees fishing vessel salvage near Duck, N.C.

The Coast Guard is overseeing the salvage and removal of a fishing vessel, Friday, that became grounded near Duck, N.C. On December 7, 2021, the Coast Guard rescued four fisherman from the disabled fishing vessel F/V Bald Eagle II off the North Carolina coast. The Coast Guard is working with the vessel owner and in coordination with state and local partners to mitigate impacts to the environment after the vessel ran aground near Southern Shores. The owner is continuing efforts to salvage the vessel and is working with an Oil Spill Removal Organization to safely remove the 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board. The cause of the grounding is currently under investigation by Coast Guard Sector North Carolina. -USCG- 21:30

Fishing Boat Design: New Crab Boat/Groundfish Trawler from Gaspé Yard

The steel-hulled vessel will have a raised fo’c’sle design with an aluminum pilot house. When crab fishing, the clear, aft deck will be capable of carrying up to 150 collapsible, 100-pound crab pots. When rigged for trawling, a gantry will be mounted over the stern with two net drums. A pair to trawl winches can be mounted on a platform aft of the raised fo’c’sle. >click to read< 18:42

New England: Offshore Wind (OSW)Mitigation & Compensation Management Concerns

I ask that you please disseminate my following comments that I would like the Council to consider, regarding my thoughts on developing a recommendation for the Mitigation and Compensation Program. Their knowledge and understanding of the fishing community will go a long way in realizing the importance in getting this program developed to the best of the abilities of all concerned. >click to read< By Jim Kendall

Still stuck – No luck moving grounded shrimp trawler

Crews have still had no luck moving a Wanchese shrimp trawler that has been in the breakers off in Southern Shores since grounding earlier this week,,, F/V Bald Eagle II, a 78-foot-long steel hulled trawler, first ran into engine trouble Tuesday around 7:30 a.m. and then a net snagged the propeller, the crew dropped anchor but were unable to prevent the vessel from reaching the shoreline off Dogwood Drive. A salvage team and another Wanchese-based trawler tried to refloat the vessel during high tide overnight, but the tow rope broke, and their efforts were for naught. Video, photos, >click to read< 13:41

EU deadline in UK-France fishing row set to expire

An EU deadline for Britain to grant licences to dozens of French fishing boats is set to expire today, with Paris threatening legal action unless a last-minute compromise can be found. France says that 104 of its boats still lack licences to operate in British and Channel Island waters that should have been granted under a Brexit deal Britain signed with the European Union in December last year. Britain denies discriminating,,, >click to read< 11:49

Reducing Fuel Consumption – Crab Boat Catches Huge Fuel Savings

Commercial fishing boats burn hundreds of gallons of fuel simply travelling from home port to destination, then back again. In the case of the F/V North American, a 35-yr old crab boat based in Seattle, running the engine 1025 rpm consumes 42 gal of fuel per hour. Adding substantially to total fuel consumption while in transit is an auxiliary generator, which provides electrical power for lights, accommodations, and other functions. Sten Skaar, captain of the North American, revealed that he now uses a FloScan fuel flow meter to monitor instantaneous fuel consumption of the boat. Instead of a stand-alone generator, the North American uses the Gen-Tech system,,, photos, video>click to read< 10:07

Updated: Crews Save Sinking Vessel Taking on Water in St. John’s Harbour

Crews were able to save a vessel from sinking after it began taking on water in St. John’s Harbour, but the feat was no easy task. The scene on the waterfront was dramatic Thursday morning with the ship listing badly against the side of the dock. Crews were eventually able to stabilize the ship, and no fuel from the vessel escaped into the water. >click to read<Sinking fishing vessel stabilized in St. John’s harbour amid 1st winter storm – “We feel we’re in control now, and I guess the next step for owner and crew is to determine where the water was coming in and get a grip on that,” English said. In a statement, the coast guard said it had stabilized the vessel by mid-afternoon that the owner had identified and fixed the leak. >click to read< 09:35

Vineyard Wind turbine farm draws CT fishing industry concern

During a meeting Thursday of the Connecticut Commission on Environmental Standards, a collection of regulators, fisherman and politicians, some members suggested that pledged research funding be directed toward protecting fishermen. State Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton and a commission member, said she was particularly concerned about fisherman based in New London and Stonington. “One of my biggest concerns is the impact on local fishing fleets,” Somers said. “We don’t need a university studying something that does not help our local fishing communities,” Somers noted, referencing the University of Connecticut’s role in the project. >click to read< 08:41

National: Legal Petition Seeks Federal Ropeless Rule to Save Whales, Turtles From Fishing Gear

The Center for Biological Diversity formally petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service to require crab, lobster and other trap fisheries to convert to new ropeless or “pop-up” gear within the next five years. The petition requests that the agency prioritize the transition in national marine sanctuaries.,, The proposed change would protect whales and other animals from entanglements in California’s Dungeness crab fishery, New England’s lobster fishery, the stone crab fishery in the Gulf of Mexico, and others. >click to read< 07:17