For the first time since 2008, a politician from Newfoundland and Labrador will head up the country’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard. Joanne Thompson was sworn in as federal minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard on Friday, March 14, 2025, in Ottawa in the cabinet of new Prime Minister Mark Carney. Thompson, the MP for St. John’s East, was first elected in September 2021. She was most recently Minister for Seniors under the former prime minister, Justin Trudeau. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:31NL MP Joanne Thompson named Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Coast Guard
For the first time since 2008, a politician from Newfoundland and Labrador will head up the country’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard. Joanne Thompson was sworn in as federal minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard on Friday, March 14, 2025, in Ottawa in the cabinet of new Prime Minister Mark Carney. Thompson, the MP for St. John’s East, was first elected in September 2021. She was most recently Minister for Seniors under the former prime minister, Justin Trudeau. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:31Rep. Paul Presents Bills to Protect Sears Island from Offshore Wind Development
Protecting Sears Island from exploitative development has been a mission of its Waldo County defenders for decades, and the latest leader in this effort wants to make sure that it is not turned into a port for controversial wind turbines. On Wednesday, the Maine’s Legislative Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held public hearings on Wednesday for two bills from Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport) that would codify protections for Sears Island into law and prevent it from being developed for that offshore turbines that have raised the ire of fishermen up and down the coast. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:14
Fire levels Cape John Crabs and Seafood plant
Two fishermen wondered about the future the day after fire devastated the Cape John Crabs and Seafood plant. Wayne and Roy, who didn’t provide last names, said they both did business with the plant over the years and enjoyed a good relationship. “I guess we’ll have to find somewhere else now,” Wayne said March 13, adding he and his wife were coming from Tatamagouche and could easily see the flames rising in the air. “It didn’t take long,” added the veteran fisherman. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:23
Lifelong lobsterman Elmer R. Witham of Owls Head, Maine, has passed away
Elmer R. Witham passed away on March 3, 2025, at his home in Owls Head, surrounded by family. Elmer was born on Feb. 16, 1940, to the late Clayton R. Witham and Constance M. Gardner. He grew up in Rockland, attended local schools, and enjoyed a full social life until his later years. He began working as a lobsterman at a young age, and remained a lobsterman all of his working life, fishing the grounds around Large Green Island until health issues forced him into retirement. He never lost his drive and passion for lobstering. Even when his health no longer permitted him to work, he always followed the local lobster trade, catching up with the news of fellow lobstermen, and keeping an eye on the weather. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:015
Amid ‘shrimp fraud’ reports, Tampa Bay area shrimpers need support
When restaurants charge a premium for Gulf-caught shrimp and pocket the extra profit by serving farm-raised imported shrimp, they’re denying local shrimpers a fair income. A recent study by SeaD Consulting revealed that 42 out of 44 Tampa Bay area restaurants surveyed were falsely passing off imported shrimp as locally caught. Local shrimpers say the effects of this kind of shrimp fraud go beyond betrayed diners. Shrimper Merritt Joseph Latino has been in the business for over 17 years. On one arm, underneath an anchor tattoo, the words “shrimpin’ ain’t easy” are permanently emblazoned in ink. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:38
Snow crab now crab as FFAW and ASP show willingness to work together
A week of long days and almost around the clock negotiations has left the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union and the Association of Seafood Producers optimistic that a snow crab harvest will happen this year. “The FFAW and ASP have done an incredible job together to have constructive conversations at this point,” ASP executive director Jeff Loder said Wednesday. “Of course, until you get a deal, you have no deal. But I am cautiously optimistic that we are close.” The two sides are keen to negotiate a deal as soon as possible. A meeting with a price setting panel is scheduled for March 20 should the two sides not make an agreement by then. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:08
A Fundraiser for Merv Wiseman – Advocate Merv Wiseman has lent a hand all his life, now he needs one
A Go-Fund-Me campaign has been launched to raise money for Merv Wiseman, a retired Canadian Coast Guard employee best known as a tireless advocate for a variety causes from wild commercial fisheries and the fur industry to search and rescue services and agriculture. “Merv has lent his hand to good causes his entire life, and it’s only right we lend him a hand now in his hour of need,” says Peter Leonard, spokesman for the fundraiser. Merv suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, but has been approved for the waiting list for a life-saving, double-lung transplant at the Toronto General Hospital. He and his wife, Eileen, must relocate from their home in North Harbour, Placentia Bay, to a residence within 10-minutes of the hospital to be ready for an operation at any time.more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:06
Thousands of fired federal workers must be offered reinstatement, a judge rules
Thousands of federal employees fired by the Trump administration must be offered job reinstatement within the next week, a U.S. district judge in San Francisco has ruled, because he said they were terminated unlawfully. “It is a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that is a lie,” Judge William Alsup, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, said before issuing his ruling from the bench. The Thursday decision marks a significant stand against President Trump’s sweeping efforts to remake the federal government. The White House pledged to appeal. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:52
Western Flyer from Steinbeck’s Sea of Cortez returns to Gulf of California after 85 years
A fishing vessel that was built during the Monterey Bay’s sardine boom and made famous by a Nobel Prize-winning author will return to the site of its former glory after 85 years. The Western Flyer, a state-of-the-art purse seiner when it was built in 1937, was chartered by John Steinbeck and his marine biologist friend, Ed “Doc” Ricketts, for a six-week expedition that would be immortalized in the “Sea of Cortez: A Leisurely Journal of Travel and Research.” Fully renovated to its original specifications and updated with cutting-edge technology, including a hybrid diesel-electric engine and science lab, the Western Flyer will return to the Gulf of California and retrace Steinbeck’s and Ricketts’ groundbreaking journey of discovery. 18 photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:45
Humane, sustainable Canadian seal harvests an environmental necessity, says USIANL
The United Seal Industry Association of Newfoundland & Labrador (USIANL) has created a fact-based campaign explaining the environmental necessity for Canada to carry out sustainable seal harvests. The campaign is being piloted in N.L., Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Vancouver. USIANL was created to help Canadians understand that humane, sustainable seal harvests are an environmental necessity. The harp seal population off N.L. is the largest in the world – numbering in the millions. Not only are harp seals depleting important fish species and everything those species feed on, but fierce competition for food is putting their own well-being at risk. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:39
Fuming fishermen hit out at John Swinney’s ‘disrespect’ as calls grow for urgent Holyrood debate
The SNP Government has been urged to hold its first fishing debate in almost three years before Easter amid fears over offshore wind developments. It comes after John Swinney was advised by officials not to use the term ‘spatial squeeze’ during talks with fishing industry leaders in Shetland last year. The term was first put forward by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) to describe the loss of fishing ground to other uses such as offshore wind farms and marine protected areas. Elspeth Macdonald, chief executive of the SFF, said: “It’s disgraceful, when it plans systematically and permanently to exclude fishermen from traditional fishing grounds to build colossal offshore wind farms, that a Scottish Government official briefed the First Minister not to recognise their deeply held concerns for their future livelihoods. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:49
Fishing industry asks Supreme Court to hear case against Vineyard Wind
A national fishing industry group and conservation think tank have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to take up their lawsuits challenging the approval of the Vineyard Wind project, which has been under construction since 2023. The lobbying group, Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), sued the lead government regulator of offshore wind in early 2022, alleging the agency violated several acts, including those to protect existing ocean users and endangered species. At the crux of RODA’s appeal to the Supreme Court is the language of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, and particularly, how the federal government interpreted it. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:52
F/V Elite Navigator carried more safety equipment than required, writes TSB in investigation report
It’s impossible to know what caused the fire on the Elite Navigator in July 2024, as the fishing vessel was never recovered. But nearly seven months later, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s (TSB) investigation reveals what happened in the vessel’s final moments. According to the TSB report released on Wednesday, light smoke was visible in the engine room soon after a smoke alarm sounded at 7:30 p.m. NT. “A crew member in the deckhouse yelled that there was a fire in the exhaust trunking.” The report says the crew of the Elite Navigator were highly skilled in distress communications, even carrying devices not required by regulation like satellite communication devices and cell phones. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:22
N.S. premier promoting seafood, minerals on New York, Boston trade junket
Nova Scotia’s premier is promoting the province’s seafood and critical mineral deposits on a tour that will take him to Boston and New York this week and next. “Now, more than ever, we have to diversify our economy,” Houston said in a government release. “We have to go where the buyers are. Nova Scotia has a lot to offer, from high-quality products like seafood and resources like critical minerals.” The province exported more than a billion dollars’ worth of lobster in 2024, making lobster its second largest export. The two countries that collectively import about 80 per cent of live Nova Scotia lobsters are China and the United States, both of which have said lobster will face tariffs in the coming weeks. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:28
Mass Layoffs at Companies Working on Humboldt Offshore Wind Projects; At Least Some Local People Laid Off
The future of Humboldt County’s offshore wind industry appears increasingly uncertain following mass layoffs at RWE and Vineyard Offshore, the multinational energy companies leading efforts to develop commercial-scale floating wind farms on the North Coast. The job cuts come in response to widespread market uncertainty following President Donald Trump’s efforts to ban offshore wind development in the United States. In a regulatory filing submitted last week, RWE Offshore Wind Services, LLC confirmed its plans to cut dozens of jobs in its U.S. offshore wind division. Lots of links. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:38
Chinese tariffs on Canadian seafood would serve ‘devastating’ double whammy, fisheries council says
The Fisheries Council of Canada says tariffs on Canadian seafood entering China spells disaster for the industry — including in Newfoundland and Labrador — and serves as a double whammy with U.S. tariffs already in play. China announced it would impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian seafood effective March 20 as a retaliatory measure to Canadian tariffs on steel, aluminum and electric vehicles in the fall. The list of over 40 products facing the tariff includes lobster, crab, shrimp, halibut and more. “Some of the fisheries, some of the species that go to China, are almost exclusively going to China,” council chair Alberto Wareham told CBC News from Arnold’s Cove, N.L. on Tuesday. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:56
Higgins, Nehls Introduce the Save the Shrimpers Act
C
ongressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Troy Nehls (R-TX) reintroduced the Save Our Shrimpers Act, which prohibits federal funds from being made available to International Financial Institutions (IFIs) that finance activities related to shrimp farming, shrimp processing, or the export of shrimp to the United States. This legislation directs an investigation within the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) and requires annual reports to Congress that track whether IFIs’ U.S. Executive Directors are complying with Federal law USC 262(h) and opposing any assistance from international financial institutions that cause injury or harm to U.S. producers. Congressman Higgins has been a strong advocate for Louisiana’s seafood industry. Most recently, in February, he sent a letter to President Trump requesting tariffs and increased trade enforcement for seafood imports from China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:45
Supreme Court denies fishing case
“It’s not good that we were denied the hearing in front of the Supreme Court, but this is far from over. We are in it to win it!
The Supreme Court has denied a hearing for a coalition of Maryland fishing associations and charter boat operators seeking to overturn new striped bass fishing restrictions. But for Captain Robert Newberry, chairman of the Delmarva Fisheries Association, the legal battle is far from over. “It’s not good that we were denied the hearing in front of the Supreme Court, but this is far from over. We are in it to win it! We will be announcing our next move within a week,” Newberry said, emphasizing that no other group in the state has fought as hard on this issue as the Delmarva Fisheries Association, the Maryland Charter Boat Association, and supporters like Brian Nesspor and Ken Jefferies. The coalition had filed an emergency petition with the Supreme Court to block the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (the Commission) new restrictions, arguing they imposed “drastic, unwarranted, and illegal limitations” on striped bass fishing in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:21
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 54’x17′ Fiberglass Dragger, 451HP Cummins X15 Diesel
To review specifications, information, with 21 photos, >click here<. To see all the boats in this series >click here< 06:15
Bermagui loses part of its fishing history with loss of fishing vessel Volition
When the fishing vessel F/V Volition broke up on the night of 27 February after running aground very early that day, Bermagui lost a piece of its history. As the closest port on the mainland to the continental shelf, fishing was central to Bermagui’s development and economy during the 20th century. Rocky Lagana, CEO of the Bermagui Fishermen’s Co-operative, said the boat had been working in the tuna longline industry from Bermagui for the past 20 years. According to the Bermagui Historical Society, Volition was built in Adelaide in 1972 by Tony Franov. The first owner, Mario Basile of Ulladulla, named it Angelica. Third-generation Bermagui commercial fisher Michael Jubb knows a fair bit about Volition’s history. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:17
Commercial fisherman sentenced to 6 months in prison for falsifying fishing records and taking an endangered sperm whale
A Southeast Alaska commercial fisherman was sentenced today to six months in prison for falsifying fishing records in violation of the Lacey Act and illegally taking a sperm whale in violation of the Endangered Species Act. According to court documents, between October and November 2020, Dugan Paul Daniels, 55, of Coffman Cove, knowingly submitted false records about his commercial fishing activities to make it appear that he lawfully caught sablefish, aka “black cod,” in federal waters on two separate occasions. An investigation revealed he harvested the fish illegally in State of Alaska waters, specifically, in Chatham Strait and Clarence Strait, respectively. The total market value of the illegally harvested fish was $127,528. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:10
The ‘sustainable’ cod in your shopping basket may be no such thing – new study reveals mislabelling
Cod sold in some European supermarkets is being mislabeled and is actually fished far from its claimed origin, according to our new study. We sampled cod sold in Germany, Spain, France and the UK and found that about 30% of it originated in a different location. Seafood mislabeling, in which one species is sold as another, is a common problem. It may happen by mistake or by deliberate fraud, in which case, there is at least hope for improvement, as various DNA methods are now available for testing species. But our new research highlights another problem: the mislabeling of geographical origin. As with species mislabeling, this issue can affect the sustainable management of fisheries, the conservation of fish in the wild and consumer trust. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:53
VESSEL REVIEW | Ecofive – New Norwegian shrimp and whitefish trawler boasts innovative catch handling setup
Norway’s Westcon Yards recently delivered a new factory trawler to local seafood company Bluewild. Designed by Norway’s Ulstein Design and Solutions, the DNV-classed Ecofive (an abbreviation of “Eco-Friendly Fishing Vessel”) was developed to ensure 100 per cent catch utilisation, minimised quality losses during handling, and reduced energy consumption. The concept focuses on utilising resources so that the main product, the by-products, and residual raw materials will be of very high quality. The newbuild has a steel hull, a length of 74 metres (240 feet), a beam of 16.8 metres (55.1 feet), a displacement of 2,200 tonnes, a speed of 14.5 knots, and accommodation for 30 personnel. The propulsion delivers bollard pulls of 85 tonnes at 2.5 knots and 75 tonnes at 4.5 knots. Photos, specifications. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:15
New Laws, Fines, and Genetic Testing in the Battle Over Shrimp Labeling
When considering things that are distinctly American, several spring to mind. Baseball. Hot dogs. Apple pie. And . . . really good shrimp? While shrimp aren’t unique to the United States, few varieties are as lauded as those caught in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean by southeastern states such as the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Recent testing has shown that as much as 80% of the shrimp being touted as Gulf- or Atlantic-caught are instead coming from farms in foreign countries. Many diners are getting shellfish considered inferior to what they ordered. And that’s a problem. Efforts are being made on federal and state levels to ensure truth-in-labeling becomes the norm. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:30
NCFA WEEKLY UPDATE FOR March 10, 2025 – MFC Meeting This Week
The time has come for the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) to discuss and vote on the six fisheries on the chopping block. This is your chance to come together and show unity and support as a fishing community. Public comments are important, but showing up in large numbers sends a strong message as well. We have talked about these issues for weeks leading up to this MFC meeting. You know the issues, you know the problems, and you want to do what is right. Just attending this meeting shows solidarity and the urgency of our situation. If you can, we also encourage you to give public comment, talk with MFC members, and/or DMF staff. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:15
Trump firings hit NOAA scientists, analysts on South Coast
Federal cuts ordered by the Trump administration reached Massachusetts in late February, when the NOAA Fisheries’ workforce from Maine to North Carolina was slashed. Hundreds more cuts may happen this week, when department heads must meet a deadline to submit proposals for “large-scale” reductions in force at their respective agencies to not only terminate people but eliminate their positions altogether. This means more scientists and analysts who protect and manage the country’s commercial fisheries may soon lose their jobs. Their terminations have raised concerns about the future of the fishing industry, the science that underlies its management, and the people who rely on it for work and for food. “How many fishermen are left, and how many regulators and scientists are left to manage us? Try to get that number,” Tony Alvernaz said, suggesting there are too many regulators for what he sees as a struggling and overregulated industry. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
Body caught in fishing nets off Mass. coast appears to be woman buried at sea
Authorities have released new details on the wrapped body that was caught by fishermen off the coast of Massachusetts last week. The person’s death is not considered suspicious, the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office said Monday, and appears to be consistent with having been buried at sea. The person was a woman in her 60s who had cancerous tumors. She is not likely to be identified but there were no indications of foul play, prosecutors said. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:48
Commercial Fisherman Wilbert “Ben” Danos of Larose, Louisiana, has passed away
Wilbert “Ben” Danos, 95, a native and resident of Larose, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 6, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Mr. Ben spent his life on the water first as a tugboat captain then became a commercial fisherman. He, with his wife Ruth as his deckhand, trawled for many years proudly creating their legacy of 3 generations of fishermen. He loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren deeply as they did him. He will be missed by all those who knew and loved him. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:22
Wrapped, decomposed body pulled out of nets by fishermen off Boston coast
Early Friday morning a fishing vessel that wanted to remain unnamed pull a wrapped, decomposed body out of their fishing nets approximately 40 miles offshore of Boston. The body was wrapped in a blue tarp and the body itself- severely decomposed – was bound around the torso with white rope keeping the arms to the person’s side. “The body, which was wrapped and in a state of decomposition, is now with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for autopsy purposes,” said the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office who is investigating alongside the Coast Guard. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:59
West Coast fishery managers troubled by NOAA layoffs as another 1,000 employees expected to be let go
The long-term impacts of staff cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are still unknown, but fishery managers on the West Coast say the situation is troubling. On Feb. 27, NOAA laid off more than 800 workers as the Trump administration continues its push to reduce the federal workforce. On Saturday, the New York Times reported that the nation’s premier agency for weather and climate science has been told by the Trump administration to prepare to lose another 1,000 workers. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:49
