Tag Archives: new-hampshire
Young Fishermen Are Struggling to Stay Afloat
Lucas Raymond has been working as a deckhand on a boat that catches monkfish, pollock, hake, and occasional cod out of New Hampshire’s Rye Harbor for the last decade. His fishing trips often involve navigating rough, stormy waters and typically last two to three days, but the 30-year-old enjoys doing physical work outside. “Even at the end of a very hard day, it’s rewarding,” Raymond says. Like many sectors, commercial fishing is facing a worker shortage, with too few young fishermen coming in to replace the aging workforce. The average age of groundfish and lobster captains in New England is 55 years old, >click to read< 07:52
NH to join Maine in challenging North Atlantic right whale fishing regulations
Gov. Chris Sununu announced New Hampshire would join the state of Maine in federal court to appeal a Biden administration regulation to protect the endangered north Atlantic right whales that he said would cripple the region’s lobster industry. A U.S. District Court judge last month upheld a National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) regulation environmental groups sought in response to the whale population, estimated to be around 340 animals in the Atlantic waters of the U.S. and Canada. “This ruling, if upheld, would devastate New England’s lobster industry with restrictive regulations brought on by the federal government,” Sununu said in a statement. >click to read< 08:52
New Hampshire fishermen worried about new guidelines to protect right whales
New Hampshire fishermen are raising concerns about additional restrictions they’ll be facing in order to protect the critically endangered right whale. The president of the New Hampshire Fish Council said guidelines are being worked out between the industry and National Marine Fisheries Service, but he said there has never been a recorded incident between a right whale and a New Hampshire fisherman. “It’s hard to swallow the fact that we never harmed a right whale, never entangled a right whale and yet we’ve got to meet all these guidelines,” said lobster fisherman Ward Byrne. video, >click to read/watch<
Northern shrimp fishery faces potential permanent closure
Regulators are considering a permanent closure of the northern shrimp fishery off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section met in Portland last week to discuss several issues related to the northern shrimp. There has not been a northern shrimp fishing season in the Gulf of Maine since 2013. A moratorium was placed on the fishery because the shrimp population collapsed. >click to read< 07:37
N.H. Lobster fisherman credited with saving 3 people, 2 dogs from burning yacht near New Castle
An investigation is underway into what caused a 70-foot yacht to burn and sink along the seacoast Saturday. Tom Hadley, of Hollis, said he was in the right place at the right time when his instincts told him to turn his little boat around and see if the yacht showing a bit of smoke needed any help. Hadley has been driving from Hollis to his 18-foot boat on the coast for 17 years. The part-time lobster fisherman now has a tale to tell after what 
started as checking out smoke from the yacht at the mouth of Little Harbor on Saturday, quickly turned into a harrowing rescue. “By the time I reached the vessel it just burst into flames and was fully engulfed,” Hadley said. “Three people and two dogs were standing on a platform in the stern.” Video, >click to watch/read< 17:59
Atlantic Herring: New England to get $11M in disaster relief funding
Disaster-level instability in the Atlantic herring industry has prompted the federal government to give $11 million to commercial fishermen and shore-side infrastructure in four states. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said Thursday that the herring industry in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island will get the assistance. More than $7 million is slated for Maine. Raimondo said the assistance “will help affected fisheries and communities recover from disasters and make them more resilient to future challenges.” >click to read< 15:49
NEFMC to hold first scallop leasing meeting in Gloucester
Scallopers, Gloucester will be the scene of the first of seven in-person meetings and two webinars over the next two months as the New England Fishery Management Council conducts scoping for a limited access Atlantic Sea scallop program. The meeting will take place Wednesday, April 27, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Cruiseport Gloucester, 6 Rowe Square. The Newburyport-based council “is charged with conserving and managing fishery resources from 3 to 200 miles off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut,” with major ports Gloucester, New Bedford, and including Portland, Maine, according to its website. >click to read< 10:48
DMR brings news of declining young lobsters, resiliency measures to local lobstermen
“We’re not talking about whales.” Those were among the first words from Kathleen Reardon, lead biologist for the Maine DMR, to lobstermen at Stonington Town Hall on March 31. Both ongoing lawsuits and legislation aimed at protecting right whales from entanglement with lobster trap lines have delayed lobster stock assessments and analysis. But now lobster councils are meeting across the state to hear about a draft addendum to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission lobster management plan for the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, where 90 percent of U.S. landings are. The ASMFC manages near-shore fisheries for 15 states, including Maine. The draft addendum would affect Lobster Management Areas 1 and 3 and off Cape Cod as well as Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. >click to read< 16:37
Shaheen, Collins Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Lobster Industry Afford New Gear
U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced bipartisan legislation to support lobstermen by creating a grant program to help them comply with federal regulations that require a change in fishing gear, which reduces the risk of entanglement for highly endangered North Atlantic right whales. The Stewarding Atlantic Fisheries Ecosystems by Supporting Economic Assistance and Sustainability (SAFE SEAS) Act of 2022 will help lobstermen with the financial burden of this transition in gear – which is expected to cost the industry tens of millions of dollars each year. >click to read< 10:20
Repeating the agenda “talking points”: Advocates say NH is blowing its chance at offshore wind
New Hampshire is uniquely positioned to benefit from one of the most promising areas for offshore wind development. Environmental advocates fear the state is blowing its advantage. The Gulf of Maine, an area with strong and reliably blowing winds, is what Sen. David Watters called the “Saudi Arabia of wind.” The area presents an opportunity to create thousands of jobs and move away from fossil fuels, supporters said at a press conference Wednesday morning organized by New England for Offshore Wind. “Offshore wind really is the biggest lever we have to move climate change action,” said Rob Werner, state director for the League of Conservation Voters. >click to read< 11:14
Roger Wood Asks, Is Commercial Fishing Heading for Extinction?
Can New Hampshire’s dwindling commercial fishing industry be revived or is the enterprise headed for extinction? Fishermen in the ground fish business are retiring. So far, there is no clear path to replace them with younger people. A new federally funded program is intended to address that. In this podcast, Roger Wood talks with a newly retired fisherman, David Goethel from Hampton and the director of a new federally funded program intended to help young people continue the trade. >click to listen, and read< 08:48
Electronic Monitoring: Hearings set for new electronic lobster boat tracking rules
An arm of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is considering implementing the tracking requirements for lobster and Jonah crab boats that have federal permits. A Jan. 19 hearing will be held via webinar and in person at the Urban Forestry Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The other hearings will be held virtually. Others are slated for mid-Atlantic states, Maine and Massachusetts and Rhode Island. >click to read< 16:15
A grievous assault on the lobster resource
In recent years, the federal government in the form of the National Marine Fisheries Service has been expanding restrictions on fin fishermen throughout the U.S.,, The federal government allows each (lobster) fishermen a maximum of 800 traps when fishing in federal waters,,, I take no pleasure in writing this, but as a former New England Fishery Management council member, I feel bound to report a grievous assault on the lobster resource even though the council does not manage lobsters. The goal of writing the article is for the public to apply political pressure to force a solution. I realize that by submitting this request/complaint that I am opening myself up to possible retaliation on the water. I ask both the reader and bureaucracy to keep that in mind. >click to read< By David Goethel 10:30
After Epic Fish Fight, Seabrook Woman Reels in a Massive Bluefin
If I want to be a bona fide badass like Michelle Bancewicz Cicale from Seabrook, I have some work to do. But hey, you gotta start somewhere! Michelle has been fishing most of her life. Like most things, if you implement the three P’s, practice, patience, and persistence you are bound to get better at it. In 2015 she started fishing mostly for tuna and in 2019 she bought her own boat. “No Limits” seems like an appropriate name for Michelle’s boat.
>click to read< 07:37
The Fisherman is the Ultimate American Hero – Fish and Men
A decade ago, while living in coastal New Hampshire, Darby Duffin had a conversation with the wife of a local fisherman. That conversation “hit me in the gut,” he said, and it haunted him for the next two years.,, “It stuck with me because it struck me emotionally,” he said. “It made me stop and think of the fishing community and the families that are involved because we don’t hear about them. Duffin took a closer look into local fishing communities, something he called “this iconic American trade so intrinsic to the cultural and economic vitality of the region” and discovered it had “devolved into a slow, quiet death spiral.” Worse, its demise seemed to be going unnoticed. Video, >click to read< 08:50
‘Environmental Justice’ To Be Part Of NH Offshore Wind Farm Projects – Environmental Justice means NO!
As the Commission To Study Offshore Wind and Port Development approaches a deadline for submitting recommendations to the governor and the legislature, questions about the role of fishermen and others who may be impacted by the project continue to arise. During the commission’s Sept. 27 meeting at the Pease International Tradeport, Erik Anderson, representing the N.H. Commercial Fishermen’s Association, pressed Mark Sanborn, assistant commissioner of the Department of Environmental Services, about worries that wind towers might disrupt the livelihoods of New Hampshire fishermen. “If we ever move forward with offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine, there will be a representative of the commercial fishermen from the New Hampshire side, I promise you,” Sanborn assured him. >click to read< 16:49
Former Senator Scott Brown to return to the political arena
New Hampshire Primary Source has confirmed that Scott Brown, the former Massachusetts US Senator who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate from New Hampshire in 2014, has reactivated his political action committee and intends to help Republican candidates from New Hampshire and elsewhere who share his desire to end partisan gridlock in Washington. That’s according to a letter of resignation Brown sent Wednesday to New England Law-Boston, where Brown had served as president since 2019, when he returned from New Zealand and Samoa, where he served the Trump administration as ambassador. “In the months ahead, I look forward to re-engaging in the political arena in support of candidates and causes who share my vision of rebuilding the Republican Party,” Interested in your position on offshore wind farms, Scott! >click to read< 13:59
Commercial Atlantic Sea Herring Fishery in Management Area 1A to Close
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has projected that the Management Area 1A Atlantic herring fishery will have harvested 92% of its Season I (June 1 – September 30) quota allocation by August 3, 2021. Accordingly, effective at 0001 hours on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, the directed Atlantic sea herring fishery in Management Area 1A will close through September 30, 2021. Unless explicitly authorized, the possession, retention, landing, and sale of Atlantic sea herring taken from Area 1A is prohibited during this closed period. >click to read< 1645
Fishing community grieves the loss of a Hampton lobsterman
Juan Peralta-Martinez became a lobsterman at a time when many say the industry was struggling to stay afloat, but those who worked alongside him said he was born for a life at sea. “He was meant to be one of the lobstermen,” said Linda Hunt, manager of Yankee Fishermen’s Cooperative,,, A husband and father of two from Hampton, Juan died at age 36 years Monday from what authorities believe was a drowning while working on his boat in the harbor. He left behind a wife and two sons, 9-year-old Juan Gabriel and 8-year-old Alejandro. >click to read< 07:48
Energy policy plan first, then offshore wind if needed – Offshore wind project needs to be vetted in NH
Here are two offshore wind farm opinion pieces in the media written by New Hampshire fisherman David Goethel. Energy policy plan first, then offshore wind if needed – With the presidential primary and annual town meetings in the rearview mirror, Seacoast residents can set their sights on the next big public policy debate. A massive wind energy facility often referred to as wind farms may be built off the coast of New Hampshire and residents will have to carefully weigh the pros and cons of this undertaking. From previous articles in Seacoast papers, it is obvious that both the political structure and the public have very little understanding of the facts surrounding this construction. >click to read< Offshore wind project needs to be vetted in NH – If you read last week’s column, you know I called on Congress to task the National Academy of Science with producing a comprehensive energy policy. One question they would answer would be why we need to construct a wind energy facility off New Hampshire when Hydro-Quebec has an enormous surplus of renewable energy going unused because no transmission line has been built to New England. Readers should ask politicians and environmentalists the same question. Meanwhile here are some facts about what is proposed for our shores. >click to read< 19:57
Coronavirus: NH lobstermen trying to keep afloat relying more on direct sales to the public
Andy Konchek has his own lobster boat and works as a deckhand for Capt. John Borden on the Mary Baker. They fish in federal waters and typically sell their catch to Kittery Trading Post in Maine, which was deemed “non-essential” and closed last week. Konchek said they have hauled in 300 of their traps because of the loss in sales. They are still going out for a limited catch and selling lobsters and Jonah crabs directly to customers from Pierce Island in Portsmouth to keep afloat financially. Brian Tarbell of Dover was one of Konchek and Borden’s customers last week. He said local fishermen need support now more than ever. >click to read< 08:56
Doing Well! Lobstermen survive with off-the-boat sales
Seacoast lobstermen have seen complete sellouts of their weekly catch since dining establishments and other businesses began to shut down as a result of the health emergency – but only because they’re finding alternative solutions to sell, mostly via retail sales to the public right off the boat. Most lobstermen were notified by their wholesale dealers last week that since restaurants in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts have been mandated to go takeout-only – resulting in many opting to close their doors completely – the buyers won’t be buying. There’s no one to sell to. >click to read< 19:57
Video: New Hampshire fishing fleet seeking support from 2020 Democrats feel they’re being ignored!
Fishermen feel their concerns have been ignored by candidates. Video, >click to watch< 11:10
Federal regulations to protect right whales are delayed until at least this summer
Officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is responsible for protecting the critically endangered species, had planned to issue the regulations last year. But they were delayed after months of criticism from the region’s powerful lobster industry, which is worried that new requirements could be harsh and expensive. >click to read< 18:03
New Hampshire: Lobstermen lament coming whale entanglement regulations
Seacoast lobstermen weighed in on the proposal at a meeting Thursday night in Portsmouth with the state Department of Fish and Game. They’re still skeptical that their fishery poses enough of a threat to the whales to merit new regulations. And they want more details and input on the new, more easily breakable lines or gear they’ll have to use to keep whales from being entangled. >click to read< 07:10
Seabrook: New Hampshire Fishermen deserve voice in offshore wind plans
Selectmen are abandoning a task force looking at offshore wind turbines in the Gulf of Maine, demanding their local fishermen have more direct inclusion.,, Fishing communities like in Seabrook have expressed strong concerns about the turbines’ impact on the ocean and the fish they harvest for a living.,, They said in their letter to the OSI they wanted fishermen to have a direct seat on the task force, which is comprised of elected officials from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. >click to read< 18:08
Offshore Wind Task Force Meets Today At UNH, livestream of the BOEM task force meeting beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday
New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts are set to begin planning how they might develop offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine. The first meeting of the tri-state task force takes place all day today at the University of New Hampshire and is open to the public. Watch a livestream of the BOEM task force meeting here beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday: >Click here to read, and watch livestream< 08:22
ASMFC Atlantic Herring Days Out Conference Call, Scheduled for July 10, 2019 at 1:00 PM
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Management Board members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts set effort control measures for the Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) fishery via Days Out meetings/calls. Atlantic Herring Board members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts are scheduled to convene via conference call to consider changing the start date of the Area 1A fishery on: Wednesday, July 10th at 1:00 PM >click here for more info, and links<13:42
Northern Shrimp: Regulators set hearing on shrimp rules
Meeting in Portland earlier this month, the ASMFC’s Northern Shrimp Section approved, subject to public comment, an “addendum” to the current version of the Northern Shrimp Fishery Management Plan. The addendum would allow each of the three states that have shrimp landings — primarily Maine but also New Hampshire and Massachusetts — to allocate their annual catch quotas between the types of gear used in the fishery. The ASMFC will take written comments on the rule until Wednesday, Nov. 7. >click to read<11:46
NH delegation requests Hampton Harbor emergency dredging while Depoe Bay Mayor ready to do jail time for dredging
The congressional delegation from New Hampshire is requesting that emergency dredging of Hampton Harbor be included in the Army Corps of Engineers’ work plan for the 2019 fiscal year. The plan must be submitted to Congress no later than Nov. 20. Sand shoals in the harbor are causing serious issues for those who navigate the waters for work and recreation. The channel is currently only 20 to 30 feet wide in some places and at least two boats have gotten stuck on the shoals this season. >click to read< Declaring her intent to save the town’s harbor from an onslaught of muddy silt, Mayor Barbara Leff said she would do anything — including jail time — to dig the harbor out of trouble following a futile plea for help to federal officials. “We’ve done all the political things we can to get the harbor dredged,”, >click to read<10:49
