Tag Archives: Eastern Fisheries
An ocean of ambition
One by one, a trustee listed the assets up for sale: eight commercial fishing vessels and 48 federal fishing permits. It was a fire-sale liquidation for bankrupt Blue Harvest Fisheries — one of New England’s largest seafood companies — and the largest bundle of groundfish permits in recent history to come available on the market. Bids, the trustee announced, would start at $10 million. Cassie Canastra was first to act: “$11 million,” she said, without skipping a beat. There was a brief pause, as a team representing O’Hara Corporation, part owner of New Bedford-based scallop giant Eastern Fisheries, huddled to discuss their options. They raised the bid to $11.25 million. “$12 million,” Canastra responded, showing no sign of relenting. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 11:03
Scallop wallop – Japanese imports are taking a bite out of New Bedford’s lucrative seafood industry at a time when the region’s shellfish are in shorter supply.
Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, landed a deal to supply U.S. military bases in Japan with scallops and other Japanese seafood products. Japan is an ally, he said, and it is important to support one of their major industries in a challenging moment. “In America we have a saying about being a good neighbor,” Emanuel said, according to the military news service Stars and Stripes. “This is being a good neighbor.” The recent spike in Japanese scallop imports is a complex political tangle. But in the U.S. seafood trade, distributors aren’t buying Japanese scallops to be neighborly, as Emanuel put it. “It’s business,” said Drew Minkiewicz, a D.C. attorney who represents commercial fishing and shipping interests. “Japan’s government is making a targeted effort to push as many scallops as they can into the U.S. That competes directly with our scallops here.” more, >>click to read<< 12:36
Eastern Fisheries cuts temp agency, laying off New Bedford workers amid labor probe
Eastern Fisheries is cutting ties with its main staffing agency, potentially laying off as many as 200 fish processors amid an ongoing federal investigation into unfair labor practices at the company. Those involved described the action of Eastern Fisheries as retaliation aimed at a small group of workers attempting to organize the largely immigrant workforce and fight for better labor conditions. Eastern Fisheries is one of the top employers on the waterfront and the largest scallop company on the east coast. Video, >click to read< 11:51
Court documents suggest Carlos Rafael may sell all permits
Documents filed in U.S. District Court on Thursday suggest that Carlos Rafael’s time as the New Bedford’s “codfather” may be coming to an end. As part of a motion requesting a sentencing delay, Rafael’s attorney sought “additional time to resolve a critical component” in the case, specifically, “the possibility of a global settlement, which may involve Mr. Rafael exiting the commercial fishing business.”The request suggests not only the 13 permits subject to forfeiture, but all of Rafael’s fishing permits may wind up with someone else before the sentencing. click here to read the story 21:23
Eastern Fisheries forms Eastern Fisheries Europe, opens plant in Staphorst, Netherlands
Eastern Fisheries, headquartered in New Bedford, announced on Monday the opening of a sixth wholly owned
in Staphorst, Netherlands and the official formation of a new corporation, Eastern Fisheries Europe (EFE).The new 23,000 sq. ft. processing plant will provide ‘real-time’ support and service to their EU customers, the company said, in a press release. The new facility will focus on the sales and distribution of scallop products and live lobsters, with more than 500 metric tons of cold storage and a 20,000 pound lobster holding tank. “This new processing plant,,, Read the rest here 15:39
New Bedford’s Eastern Fisheries sets sights on Japan scallop plant, US downstream deal
The US scallop giant, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, announced the acquisition of a minority stake in Tokyo-based Global Marketing, one of Japan’s largest scallop exporters, on Wednesday. “We will continue to have an interest in buying additional shares, if and when they may become available,” said Joe Furtado, executive vice president of Eastern. Read more here 15:03
The Industry’s Largest Scallop Fleet – Eastern Fisheries
Currently Eastern Fisheries operates 25 scallop vessels, the largest fleet in the industry. Video Read more here 08:35
Family of fisherman killed in dock fall gets $900,000 settlement
NEW BEDFORD — Eastern Fisheries, Inc. has settled a lawsuit brought by the family of a fisherman who died in a January 2011 fall from a Hassey Street dock that was slippery with snow and ice. Read more here 06:21
