Daily Archives: February 26, 2022

University warns woke students, Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea contains graphic fishing scenes!

Ernest Hemingway’s classic novel The Old Man And The Sea is the latest victim of today’s woke standards, with students warned that it contains ‘graphic fishing scenes’. Successive TV and film adaptations of the 1952 classic have been awarded U and PG certificates, suitable for children, but a content warning has been issued to History and Literature students at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland, an area renowned for its fishing industry. Mary Dearborn, the author of Ernest Hemingway, A Biography, said: ‘This is nonsense. It blows my mind to think students might be encouraged to steer clear of the book. >click to read< 17:34

Pioneer Boatworks owners moving on after 35 years in Ucluelet

A revered local couple is voyaging into the relaxing and well-deserved waters of retirement. Bonnie Gurney and Eric Caswell have sold their iconic Pioneer Boatworks shipyard and supply store, which they operated for over 35 years in Ucluelet. “The only place we could afford was a shipyard in Ucluelet,” Gurney said. “It was just a leap of faith.” She added that Ucluelet was “a lot smaller” at the time and “really undeveloped” which suited them just fine as they got to work learning the ins and outs of running a shipyard, which they’d never done. Caswell focused on the shipyard side of the business, performing annual vessel as well as repairs, while Gurney looked after the store, which offers fishing gear, hardware, raingear and a bevy of other West Coast necessities. >click to read< 13:41

Drugs on deck: Meth abuse hampers use of fisheries observers

Methamphetamine abuse aboard the commercial fishing fleet is preventing officials from placing observers on high-risk vessels. Reports released reveal hard drug use and the erratic behaviour of crew has led to observers feeling unsafe. And in some cases, the Ministry for Primary Industries have refused to put staff on board. And a survey commissioned by Maritime NZ reveals 30 per cent of fishers knew someone who used drugs while on deck. It follows the death of 26-year-old Steffan Stewart, who died after becoming trapped in a piece of machinery aboard a factory trawler. He was found with methamphetamine in his system likely consumed at sea, a Transport Accident Investigation Commission review found. >click to read< 11:37

NCMFC adopts Southern Flounder management options, delay allocation changes, finalizes shrimp management

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission this week adopted a new schedule for changes to sector allocations for allowable harvest under Amendment 3 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan. Otherwise, the commission adopted the Division of Marine Fisheries’ recommendations as its preferred management options for the draft amendment. The division’s recommendations did not include the option to phase out gill nets, and it was not selected as a preferred management option by the commission. >click to read< 10:03

Body recovered after commercial fisherman goes overboard near Bodega Bay

Authorities recovered a body Friday afternoon after searching for a commercial crab fisherman reported overboard near the southern end of Bodega Bay. The search was launched after the young skipper’s boat was found adrift, with no one inside, local fishermen said. “The local fishing community helped out with the search plan of it, passing information about last communication with (the missing captain) at 9 p.m. last night,” a Coast Guard spokesperson said. “However, they did not suspect anything wrong until the report of the adrift vessel.” Members of the fishing community said the man was known to fish alone, despite pleas from his friends not to do so, said Dick Ogg, a well-known veteran fisherman.  >click to read< 09:04

Mi’kmaw fisher won’t participate in restorative justice process

A plan by Crown prosecutors to put a restorative justice process in place for non-Indigenous fishermen accused of assault and arson will not include the Mi’kmaw fisher who was surrounded by a mob while he was inside a lobster pound. The Mi’kmaw fisherman who has not spoken to the media about the process has told the Crown he wants nothing to do with the process. Almost two years ago, lobster harvesters from Sipekne’katik First Nation exercised their treaty right to fish, launched their self-regulated fishery at Saulnierville wharf, in southwestern Nova Scotia. “It’s a double standard it’s unreal,” says Sipekne’kativ First Nation Chief Mike Sack. “I don’t even like using the word Canadian anymore.” Sack says he doesn’t believe justice will be served by going this route. Video, >click to read< 07:33