Daily Archives: May 9, 2022
Tullus Gordon remembered for contributions to fishing and construction industries
Tullus Gordon, a longtime Seattle-area general contractor, died Dec. 29 at the age of 95. A celebration of his life will be held next month in Ballard. Gordon operated Tullus Gordon Construction for 40 years. After WWII, he joined his brother in the commercial fishing industry. During this time, from 1947 to 1956, he fished up and down the West Coast, from Alaska to California. He later developed the power warping crab block, which helped revolutionize the fishing industry, according to his son. Todd said his dad transitioned from fishing to construction after Tullus was swept overboard while fishing in a storm off the Oregon coast and nearly died. That’s when Tullus’ first wife, Millie Vermillion, gave him the ultimatum “It’s either fishing or family,” according to Todd. >click to read< 18:26
Portuguese dragger again accused of illegal fishing on Grand Banks; NAFO can’t enforce quotas
A Portuguese offshore factory-freezer dragger has been accused for the fifth time in six years of illegal fishing on/near the Grand Banks, hammering home, yet again, that the enforcement regime that oversees foreign fleets outside Canada’s 200-mile limit is a joke (on Newfoundland and Labrador). The latest accusation (not actual court charge) against the F/V Nova Virgem Da Barca was issued on March 28th when enforcement officers from the Canadian Coast Guard ship Cygnus boarded the dragger on the tail of the Banks (fishing zone 3N) where she was fishing redfish. The officers issued a “notice of infringement” against the captain for misreporting catches, with “supporting documentation from the inspection and infringement forwarded to the European Union for investigation and follow-up.” Canada cannot charge a foreign dragger with illegal fishing. >NAFO<, >click to read< 15:42
Donegal Sinn Féin TDS call for urgent intervention in Killybegs fishing debacle
Speaking today, Deputy Pearse Doherty said: “The Taoiseach promotes the ‘Shared Island’ brand, aiming to provide public money to break down the borders and barriers to trade on this island. How then can he stand over the situation in Killybegs? “The SFPA (Sea Fisheries Protection Authority) have punished the fishing community there by removing in-factory weighing permits because landings happened to take place in Derry and, according to them, ‘outside of Ireland’? “This obviously comes after a series of vessels have been turned away from Killybegs harbour over the last number of weeks which had already caused widespread outrage. >click to read< 14:19
10 years in prison for fishy scheme involving theft of $830K worth of lobster, shrimp and ribeye
Paul Diogenes used stolen bank info from Rhode Island restaurants to buy pricey delicacies which he then sold back to the eateries he had defrauded. This fishy scheme has landed a seafood scammer a 10-year term upriver. A one-time aspiring chef-turned fraudster has been sentenced to a decade behind bars for using stolen bank information from Rhode Island restaurants to buy $830,000 worth of lobster, shrimp and steaks which he then resold, sometimes to the businesses he had just ripped off, federal prosecutors said. >click to read< 13:37
Fish Wholesaler/Processor Dana F. Besecker of Bellevue, Washington has passed away
Dana F. Besecker, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend passed away peacefully with his wife Jill and sons Jeff and Tyler by his side due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. He founded the Dana F. Besecker Company in 1989 which is located on Mercer Island, WA with additional offices in Bellingham, WA. As a fish wholesaler and processor, his company buys seafood from fishermen in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, and Canada. His company now sells seafood in 58 countries. He was well-known and highly respected within the industry as a leader, innovative businessman and mentor to many, as well as an honest professional–his word was his bond! Dana was a trustee of Halibut Association of North America, a sponsor and longtime supporter of Fishing Vessel Owner’s Association, and an active participant in the International Pacific Halibut Commission. >click to read< 11:30
Commercial elver fisher accuses Indigenous groups of poaching
A legal battle is brewing in southwestern New Brunswick between a licensed commercial eel fisher and some First Nations fishers. Mary Ann Holland, who has been fishing elvers since 1988, is accusing several Indigenous groups and individuals of poaching elvers in waterways where she has exclusive rights to fish. She has applied to the Court of Queen’s Bench for an injunction to stop them from fishing and from threatening and intimidating behaviour toward her fishers. >click to read< 10:26
Fernandina’s Shrimping Industry: Storied Past, Uncertain Future – A Look Back
Here we are in the birthplace of American shrimping industry. We greet visitors with a waterfront Shrimping Museum. Pink and blue larger-than-life statues of shrimp adorn our parks and street corners. Our major civic celebration is the annual Shrimp Fest, complete with a parade and people dressed like crustaceans. But is it all just nostalgia? Is our historic shrimping industry just a museum piece, or is it a vibrant business that will survive and thrive? At Dave Cook’s dock at the south end of Front Street, Roy Mc Henry, who was working on his 39-foot shrimper, Queen B, while his aging Golden Retriever, Sweetie, lounged in the cockpit. Capt. McKendree was not optimistic about the state of the local shrimp industry. >click to read< 09:22
Cordova: Fishing is the Name of the Game
With the tempo picking up all over town, one can tell another fishing season is right around the corner. The streets and intersections are filled with vehicles, and what I call “summer” speed limits, as well as vanishing parking spaces, now seem to be the norm. Nautical writer William Snaith, in his essay “About Figaro” wrote much about the naming of sailing vessels, but his truisms apply to all craft. For example, consider the F/V Aquaholic, clearly hooked on the Copper River’s murky waters, anticipating reds and kings hitting the gear in that first set of the season. Or how about the F/V Net Profit? Clever. Then there is the F/V Slo Learner,,, >click to read< 08:25
