Tag Archives: Vessel Monitoring System
Report on deaths of 4 fishermen in Placentia Bay leaves family still looking for answers
The wife of a fisherman who died when the Sarah Anne fishing boat sank nearly two years ago says her family is still without answers, following the release of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s investigation report Wednesday. Melissa Mayo-Norman said Wednesday was an emotional day for her and the other families, who are still mourning the May 2020 loss of the Sarah Anne’s four-man crew of Scott Norman, 35, Mayo-Norman’s husband, Eddie Joe Norman, 67, Jody Norman, 42, and Isaac Kettle, 33, all from St. Lawrence, on Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula. “We were hoping for some closure, which we didn’t receive,” Mayo-Norman said. “Unfortunately we were given no answers as to what may have happened that day, only what recommendations they could give for the Newfoundland fishermen.” > click to read < 09:11
TSB Report: F/V Sarah Anne likely capsized suddenly, causing the deaths of all 4 men aboard.
Clifford Harvey, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s director of marine investigation, said the absence of life-saving equipment and distress signals support the conclusion that the vessel’s capsizing took the crew by surprise. The crew, skipper Eddie Joe Norman, 67; his son, Scott Norman, 35; his nephew, Jody Norman, 42, and Isaac Kettle, 33, left St. Lawrence, on Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula, shortly after midnight on May 25, 2020, to fish for snow crab in Placentia Bay. The vessel was last seen 10:30 a.m. that day and was reported missing at 7:45 p.m. when it was overdue for its return. Harvey said the Sarah Anne was not equipped with a vessel monitoring system or an automatic identification system. >click to read< 11:40
UPDATED: American fisherman detained entering British Virgin Islands – New Jersey delegation aware
An American longline fishing boat captain has been in jail for a month after he was detained in the British Virgin Islands on June 8 for traveling into BVI waters during coronavirus border closures. Now he is facing criminal charges and a monthslong wait in a sweltering island prison cell. Michael Foy, who lives in Puerto Rico and left the island May 29 on a fishing expedition, was initially detained for illegal entry into the British Virgin Islands, but at his June hearing he was also unexpectedly charged with illegal fishing. >click to read< 13:21
New Jersey Senators write Deputy Governor on fisherman’s arrest – “We are aware that our constituent, Michael Foy, has been detained in Tortola and have been in communication with the State Department and the [United States] Embassy in Barbados regarding the case,” according to the June 30 letter signed by Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez and Congressman Andy Kim. >click to read< 10:09 7/11/20
Looking Back with FishNetUSA: The case for Bureaucratic Monitoring Systems (BMSs)
A good friend of mine is a New Jersey gillnetter. An acknowledged highliner, he’s served and continues to serve on several state and regional advisory committees, has always participated in the management process, and has never received a NOVA or been convicted of violating any federal or state fisheries regulations. One requires that he have a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.,, This got me thinking, and one of the things it got me thinking about was all of those bureaucrats paid from the U.S. Treasury.,, So why isn’t the wearing, or perhaps implantation if that is a practical alternative, of Bureaucrat Monitoring Systems (BMSs), required as a condition of public employment? >click to read< 13:19
Notice Regarding Loss of Vessel Monitoring Service
The McMurdo (formerly Boatracs) Omnitracs Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) operated by vessels with Greater Atlantic Region (GAR) permits will not be supported by its satellite provider after March 31, 2020. All current owners of the Omnitracs unit were notified via a letter from McMurdo dated December 19, 2019 about this issue. What should you know if you own an Omnitracs unit? >click to read< 10:27
N.E., Mid Atlantic-Vessel Monitoring System Software Update Required for Vessel Owners
The VMS unit installed on your vessel requires a software update to comply with recent regulatory changes and prepare for potential measures that still must be approved before going into effect. Depending on your vendor, the new software will be released and available on November 25, 2019 (SkyMate and Woods Hole Group), or will update automatically on November 25, 2019 (McMurdo). Begin using this new software for trips after December 6, 2019. Bulletins with additional information have been mailed and are also available on our >website<. Questions? Contact: Sustainable Fisheries, (978) 281-9315 or Northeast VMS Team, (978) 281-9213
