Tag Archives: Fishermen
Swordfish are moving north in Canadian waters
“It’s still unclear whether this is becoming the new normal due to climate change or if the biomass will eventually shift back again as we think it did historically,” said Fisheries and Oceans Canada biologist Kyle Gillespie. Nineteen-hundred tonnes of swordfish were landed in Canada last year. Nearly a third of the swordfish were taken off Newfoundland, where longline fishing boats from Nova Scotia trailed kilometres of baited hooks throughout much of the summer. Gillespie said this is a rapid shift from the previous decade, when the entire Canadian catch was concentrated along the Scotian Shelf and Georges Bank off southern Nova Scotia. more, >>click to read<< 08:46
Gloucester: During protest in harbor, fishermen say fish rules need more leeway
More than 50 people, including fishermen, their families and supporters, stood along Stacy Boulevard in the cold at dusk Wednesday to watch the 96-foot dragger F/V Miss Trish II steam into the Outer Harbor with its crew waving flares in a protest. A couple of smaller fishing vessels followed. The short and peaceful protest was called by Russo, after two trips this fall during which the Massachusetts Environmental Police allege a small percentage of the vessel’s catch was below minimum size, despite, he says, taking steps to follow the rules, including using at-sea monitors and installing cameras on the vessel for a second trip. Russo’s father and owner of the Miss Trish II, Capt. Enzo Russo, and some of the Miss Trish II crew stood along the boulevard in support. “And now the law says we’ve got 100% observers the whole time,” Enzo Russo said. 7 Photos, more, >>click to read<< 10:05
Crisis Hotline: New option for farmers, ranchers, loggers and fishermen in Oregon
A new hotline, the Agristress Helpline, launched in Oregon in September. It is tailored to support those who work in agriculture, forestry or the fishing industry through a phone and text service that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The helpline is free and has trained counselors with experience in those industries who can take phone calls in 160 languages, with English, Spanish and Vietnamese professionals available to respond by text. Experts say the line is sorely needed. Although the 988 crisis line provides a similar service, the Agristress line is specialized to address the needs of farmers, ranchers, loggers and fishermen. They often work in social and geographic isolation and in areas with limited access to health care services. These professions also have to grapple with extreme weather conditions, such as flash flooding or drought, and they face fluctuating commodity prices. >>click to read<< 18:06
‘They’re not listening’: Fishermen, tribes voice concerns on two Oregon coast sites eyed for offshore wind farms
Last week, the Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced two draft Wind Energy Areas off the southern Oregon coast. One of them is offshore of Brookings, near the California border, the other off the coast of Coos Bay. The areas also represent prime fishing grounds and important cultural areas to local Indigenous tribes. Heather Mann, executive director of the Newport-based Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, said it feels like a lot of stakeholders’ concerns are being left unheard. “They’re not listening to coastal communities. They’re not listening to the fishing industry. They’re not listening to congressional representatives,” said Mann, whose organization represents 32 vessels that fish in the area. “Fishermen are not just concerned about being displaced from fishing grounds, though that is a critical piece. ” Video, >click to read< 11:35
Fishermen, activists protesting offshore wind projects on the East Coast
Critics are sounding the alarm on the ecological consequences of the Biden administration’s green energy agenda, specifically the increase marine wildlife deaths in conjunction with offshore wind farms. Activists along with local fishermen are particularly concerned about the rise in whale and dolphin beaching. “What we’re seeing is a failure to properly manage the situation,” Rhode Island fisherman Chris Brown said. “The whales have been migrating from their southern stations during the spring up through the mid-Atlantic region, and they didn’t even slow down the acoustic carpet bombing. And as a result, the Atlantic was littered with the dead whales and dolphins and sharks. There doesn’t seem to be any environmental concern. This is a manmade environmental disaster that’s unfolding. I expect that it will half a whale population in 10 years and probably the same for our fish.”Video, photos, >click to read< 19:17
Search for Steuben Lobsterman Missing Since Friday, July 21st Continues
Steuben – The Maine Marine Patrol is continuing a targeted search today for lobsterman Tylar Michaud, 18 of Steuben, who has been missing since Friday, July 21st. Today’s search involves the Maine State Police/Marine Patrol Dive Team, Maine Warden Service, Marine Patrol vessels and airplane along with additional air support from the Army National Guard and members of the Air National Guard using personal aircraft. The search, which has been on-going since last Friday, has also involved many members of the local community and fishermen. Today’s search is focusing on the waters near Petit Manan Island.
The Maine Lobster Industry Debuts First-Ever “Celebrate the Maine Lobster Roll,” an Impactful Twist on This Iconic Summer Dish
Lobster lovers, listen up. This summer, the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC) is partnering with local restaurants and nationwide distributors to debut a new special: the “Celebrate the Maine Lobster Roll.” The “Maine Characters” campaign will spotlight the broad impact the fishery has on the state of Maine and will feature the stories of the individuals behind the industry – from the fishermen to the processors, dealers, trap builders, restaurants owners and more. The “Celebrate the Maine Lobster Roll” will give diners a taste of the impact with custom materials including toothpicks, placemats, sandwich paper and postcards that feature these individuals, along with a QR code to the “Maine Characters” digital hub to learn more. The best part? Every roll sold will help support the fishery. >click to read< 08:29
Fishermen fear future fishery management, delisting in SE Alaska
Chinook fishermen are celebrating the start of the 2023 summer troll season in Southeast Alaska after months of lawsuits and uncertainty blocked the fishery. Since the fishery opened two weeks ago, fishermen, some based in Bellingham, have been out in droves, keeping the $85 million industry afloat for another season. But the celebration, some say, may be premature. Fishermen across the region are keeping a close eye on the final decision in the lawsuit, anticipated later this year, and they expect more legal challenges next year. “I’m worried this is going to happen again and again and again and again,” Whatcom resident and fisherman Michael Jackson said from the deck of his fishing vessel in Alaskan waters. “To have this [fishery] turned into a political argument, and shut down people’s livelihoods, it makes me sick. It makes me absolutely sick.” >click to read< 11:51
Fishing group’s list of over 100 reports of incidents and concerns since 2021 marine die-offs
Since October 2021, fishermen have been battling for the region’s ecosystem after swathes of dead crabs, lobsters, and shellfish washed up on beaches. Environmentalists and fishermen fought for answers – with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs eventually launching a probe.While the initial Defra report said an algal bloom was the most likely cause, further investigations found that a “novel pathogen” was most likely to blame. Independent marine and university experts as well as the fishermen believed dredging on the Tees unearthed historical toxins leading to the mass die off – but this has also been ruled out by the authorities. Incident reports listed by the NEFC, and what a sad list it is, >click to read< 21:34
Fishermen join disaster response effort
It took 10 years for Casey Streeter to build his fishing business, but it took just 10 hours for it all to be washed away. When Hurricane Ian hit Florida last September, local Pine Island fisherman Streeter lost nearly everything. But everything changed when Streeter got a personal call from AshBritt’s founder Randy Perkins to join him in recovery efforts. That’s why it was special for Streeter to join Congressman Byron Donalds to experience AshBritt’s coordinated debris removal work in action. >click to read< 11:33
R.I. fishermen threaten legal action over South Fork wind farm
A group of fishermen in Rhode Island is threatening to sue the state’s coastal agency, the federal government, and developer Ørsted over the under-development of the South Fork wind farm in federal waters off Rhode Island. The Fishermen’s Advisory Board and the individual fishers it represents said in a letter Wednesday that the deal to approve the South Fork wind farm did not adequately compensate them for their losses. Making matters worse, they say, a fishing vessel working on the project broadcast over a radio channel used for emergency and distress calls in April that nobody was allowed within a mile and a half of either side of recent work to construct the project’s cable. >click to read< 07:46
Are cod ‘severely depleted’ in the Gulf of Maine? Fishermen, scientists view ocean depths differently
When fishermen and women look at the gray Atlantic waters off New England, they see a marine environment literally swimming with cod, the popular white fish prized around the world for its mild flavor. Scientists, on the other hand, say Atlantic cod stocks in the Gulf of Maine are severely depleted and possibly vulnerable to extinction. The question of how fishermen and marine scientists employed by government agencies can view cod numbers so differently has puzzled Micah Dean, a marine biologist with the state of Massachusetts, for years. While a doctoral student at Northeastern University, Dean believed he came up with an answer. >click to read< 19:00
Shrimpers and environmentalists oppose growth of LNG export facilities
LNG export facilities are heralded as good things to come and economic game changers, but there are still fishermen and environmentalists who fight the massive industry. They went before the Louisiana Shrimp Task Force on Wednesday. Many local commercial fishers and environmentalists remain firmly against the LNG facilities and they took their fight to the task force. Fisherman Travis Dardar said in Cameron they are surrounded. He said he lives within four hundred feet of Venture Global. “The areas I’ve got marked in red are where we fish. They built on top of all our fishing grounds out here. The little red ‘X’ on this side is where I live. Now conveniently, Cameron has no zoning, so they don’t have to buy us out. They can absolutely build around us,” Dardar said. >click to read< 08:50
Are we really going to let them kill our ocean and our fishing way of life?
Generations of fishermen are no longer fishing because of the restrictions and unfair quota from faulty science. Like I said in earlier posts, we went from 400 active boats down to 17 barely active boats. Meanwhile conservation groups will tell you that we are wiping the ocean out from overfishing. That is so wrong on so many levels, it isn’t even funny. Hard to believe New England was considered to be sustainable for haddock and lobsters. Then fishing efforts went down and now we are no longer sustainable. The only thing that’s changed is windmills are on their way to the Gulf of Maine and the management at NOAA and NMFS are allowing it to happen. Why would they not talk to the people who have committed their lives to the job of harvesting our ocean?! Well, I can’t speak for everyone, but I have a few hypotheses. By Jerry Leeman. >click to read< 16:38
Lobster buoys mark the spot of lives spent fishing on the Maine coast
The colors, as varied as they can be, abundantly dot the blue surface of Maine waters like an Easter basket brimming with brightly painted eggs. They look alike for the most part, but are in many ways distinct and different, just like people. And with an imminent storm approaching by way of more regulations aimed at protecting whales, I fear for the worst and hope for the best as I remember the first time I watched fishermen work the water one summer Down East. The buoy is a fisherman’s calling card. It is also his note to self of where he was yesterday and where he will be going tomorrow. But more importantly, it is his signature of a life lived on the water. >click to read< 09:07
Fishermen warn Jersey’s marine industry ‘cannot survive’ without assistance
Jersey‘s fishing industry is at risk as long-standing fishermen leave the job, saying they simply ‘cannot survive anymore’. In the last few years, the fleet has dropped from around 60 to 30 boats, and some have even moved to the UK where they can make more money. Fishermen blame ongoing tensions with France over licences and the rising cost of bait and fuel for the industry now reaching ‘crisis point’. Video, >click to read< 08:48
Website shines a light on offshore wind farms
Fishermen, an informal coalition of more than two dozen organizations concerned about the environmental and economic impacts of proposed offshore wind farms in the Pacific Ocean, launched a new website on Monday. Visitors to protectUSfishermen.org will find details not only on the current push to place wind turbine farms off the coast of Oregon, but also learn about the sustainable seafood industry and its positive impacts on the economy and food security. For those wishing to gain a broad understanding of the debate surrounding offshore wind, the site provides a comprehensive overview. Those wishing to take a “deep dive” into the issue can click on a variety of links to well-documented studies and positions from credible sources around the world. >click to read< 16:00
Dutch fisheries will shrink considerably in the coming years
The Dutch commercial fishing fleet will shrink by 10 to 15 percent over the next five years. Many fishermen are getting into money trouble, partly because of declining turnover and high fuel costs. The financial support announced by the government will be too late for some of the fishermen, ABN Amro predicted based on its own research. About a third of fishermen think they could run into financial problems in the coming years. Brexit and the expansion of wind farms has also caused concerns for fishermen. The new distribution of fishing rights means that many fishermen are no longer allowed to catch as many fish as before Brexit. >click to read< 18:55
Fishermen, Con Groups Appeal Nordic Aquafarms’ Environmental Report Certification
Two weeks after the Humboldt County Planning Commission certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for Nordic Aquafarms’ planned land-based fish factory on the Samoa Peninsula, the decision is being appealed to the Board of Supervisors. On Thursday, leaders of three local nonprofits, the Redwood Region Audubon Society Chapter, the Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association and 350 Humboldt, submitted a letter to the supervisors and to John Ford, the county’s director of planning and building, initiating the appeal. The letter alleges that the environmental report, which was prepared for the county by local engineering firm GHD, violates the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by understating several of the project’s impacts, including its greenhouse gas emissions, its energy use and the threats it poses to commercial fisheries and coastal and bay ecosystems. >click to read< 11:44
Warning of ‘environmental devastation’ of offshore wind farms
A campaign group has accused the offshore wind industry of creating “environmental devastation”, and claimed that the impact will become greater as more projects are developed. Scotland Against Spin took issue with a Scottish Government survey which found that a majority of people approve of offshore wind farms. Those living in coastal areas cited the economic benefits of offshore, according to the study, while the effects on tourism “could be minimal”. Industry body Scottish Renewables said the findings indicated that most members of the public recognise the social and economic importance of the offshore wind sector. However, Scotland Against Spin chairman Graham Lang maintained that offshore developments are posing a threat to seabirds, including puffins and kittiwakes, and to fish species such as haddock, cod and mackerel. >click to read< 20:19
‘Like someone tore the guts out of me’: A look back in the 30 years since Crosbie shut down the cod fishery
Reg Butler, a 50-year-veteran fisherman from Bonavista, remembers those years well. The Butler family has a long history in the cod fishery in the town, a tradition being passed down from one generation to the next. Butler started going out fishing when he was nine. His father was a widow and had to take him out in the boat, along with his older brothers, because there was no one to take care of him. “When the moratorium was announced, everything was up in the air. Cod was our main source of income,” Butler said. “We had cod traps out. Who thought, when we took them in at the time, they’d never go in the water again? It was just like someone knocked the wind out of you. My father had fished up until he was in his 80s. The fish stocks were in decline, but it was still a shock to him, and us all, when it was shut down.” photos, >click to read< 08:26
Massachusetts fishermen feeling the pinch of lower lobster prices, rising fuel costs
“What we’re seeing this year is astronomical fuel prices, very high bait prices, scarcity of bait, and we’re seeing a starting price that was actually coming off a high high this winter to something that is a little bit lower than expected,” said Nick Muto, a commercial fisherman out of Chatham. “As fishermen, we don’t get to control the price of our lobsters,” said Steve Holler, a commercial fisherman out of Boston. “We’re at the mercy of the dealers.” “I have zero confidence in our administration,” Muto said. “Given the political climate right now, I see this getting much worse before it gets better. This situation that we have in the country right now will cause a lot of fishermen to go out of business, and that’s tragic really.” Photos, >click to read< 18:30
Fishermen say survival training could prove vital
Five fishermen have undertaken man overboard training to help reduce incidents at sea. The free in-water courses held in Aberdeen, demonstrate how to avoid overboard incidents, and what can be done to recover and improve the chances of survival. The environment pool training facility at energy sector training provider Survivex, which simulates some of the conditions experienced at sea, including heavy swells and rain. The session was funded by the Fishing Industry Safety Group, a partnership between the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, RNLI, fishermen’s associations from across the UK and public body Seafish. >click to read< 18:30
Channel fishermen protest to ban supertrawlers, fly-shooters
Fishermen from the UK and France have met in the English Channel to protest against industrial fishing practices. Boats from Dover, Rye, Newhaven and Boulogne-sur-mer gathered in the Bassurelle Sandbank marine protected area. They called for politicians to ban supertrawlers and fly-shooting from protected Channel waters. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said vessels must follow UK sustainability rules. >click to read< 12:33
San Fernando fishermen call for nationwide strike over gas hike
With several fishermen going out of business in San Fernando, San Fernando Fishing Cooperative president Salim Gool is calling for an island-wide fishing strike in the hope that this will force the Government to reduce gas prices for fisherfolk. If Gool’s call is successful, this could mean no fresh fish in any fishing depot or marketplace across the country. “We do not think the Government is taking us seriously. Since April 22, we called for a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture Land and Fisheries and he has not responded. We are now calling for a strike of fishing islandwide.” >click to read< 09:58
The value of Canadian lobster exports has skyrocketed driving the wharf price toward a record high
Two weeks ago, at wharfs in Nova Scotia, the price of lobster was the highest it has ever been. Stewart Lamont, managing director of Tangier Lobster Company, a live lobster exporter in Nova Scotia, said the shore price for lobster, the amount fishermen get from buyers, was $18 a pound. That’s more than double the regular pre-pandemic price. It has since gone down due to a drop in exports and higher supply. Lamont said this week lobster was around $12 to $12.50 a pound. While high prices mean more money for lobster exporters and fishermen, Lamont said he is scared that if lobster becomes too expensive, people and businesses will simply stop buying it. >click to read< 10:52
A new day of fishing to help children with cancer
Once again this year, a day like no other took place Saturday off the coast of Nanaimo, mobilizing fishermen, truckers and volunteers to raise funds for children with cancer by selling a huge amount of herring. I’m extremely grateful to be a part of
it,” says Aaron Chin, a board member of Fishermen Helping Kids With Cancer. The 1925 bags were quickly sold, representing just over 19 tonnes of fish and $38,000 for cancer patients at the BC Children’s Hospital. >click to read< (you may need to click translate) 21:01
Fishermen, residents voice concerns about proposed Morro Bay offshore wind farm
An area of ocean 20 miles from the Cambria shoreline and about 35 miles northeast of Morro Bay could become home to nearly 400 square miles of wind turbines,,, Many, like Cheri Hafer, are concerned the area will prohibit commercial fishing. “One of our biggest enemies right now is industrialization of the ocean,” Hafer said. “Not just to fishermen, but to the marine habitat.” Larry Thevik, a dungeness crab fisherman, said many fishermen feel like their concerns aren’t being heard and that the impact it may have on the commercial fishing industry isn’t being thoroughly considered. >click to read< Public critical of environmental analysis for Morro Bay Wind Energy Area – A number of public speakers at an offshore wind energy impact analysis scoping meeting said a full environmental impact statement should be prepared before the federal government leases tracts in an area northwest of Morro Bay. But officials with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said a full EIS can’t be conducted on the effects of wind turbine installation,,, >click to read< 12:12