Author Archives: borehead - Moderator
F/V Second Chance hires salvage company to help get shrimp boat off the Port Aransas sandbars
It has now been three weeks since the ‘Second Chance’ shrimp boat washed up along the shore in Port Aransas, but it looks like it’s finally moving along! The boat has moved from the second sandbar of the beach and continues to try to make its way into deeper water. The Coast Guard said the boat’s crew said a salvage company has been hired to help dislodge it, although they did not yet have information on which company was hired or when the move is scheduled to begin. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:32
Anticipating the winds of change: A baseline assessment of Northeastern US continental shelf surficial substrates
The introduction of thousands of wind turbines along the North American Atlantic continental shelf over the next decade will constitute the largest regional change in marine substrates since the retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet over 14,000 years ago. Here, two large data sets, SMAST drop camera survey (242,949 samples, 2003 to 2019) and the US Geological Survey databases (27,784 samples, 1966 to 2011), are combined to derive sea floor surficial substrate probability maps for the Northeastern US continental shelf from Virginia Beach to the Gulf of Maine to 300 m depth (218,571 km2). Geostatistical models were used to estimate the probability of five geologic and one biogenic substrate types being present at a 250 m resolution, and the proportional contribution of each substrate type to the seabed composition at a 500 m resolution. By providing the first synoptic maps depicting the probability of a particular substrate or combination of substrates occurring at any location on the Northeastern US continental shelf, including planned wind energy sites, we aim to (1) provide insights regarding how substrates in the areas selected for wind energy development compare with other locations, (2) motivate the development of a priori expectations for ecosystem changes to inform monitoring and research efforts going forward, and (3) to provide a baseline characterization of the Northeastern US continental shelf surficial substrates to support robust examination of the future changes observed in areas impacted by wind energy installations. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:44
Lobster fishermen say tiny change in legal sizes could disrupt imperiled industry
Gerry Cushman has seen Maine’s iconic lobster industry survive numerous threats in his three decades on the water, but the latest challenge, which might sound tiny, could be the biggest one yet. Lobster fishing is a game of inches, and the number of inches is about to change. Fishing regulators are instituting a new rule that lobster fishermen must abide by stricter minimum sizes for crustaceans they harvest. In addition to causing a dispute between fishermen and regulators, the change has led to confusion about the ramifications for international trade in one of the world’s most popular seafoods. “We don’t need any more, really, on our plate. It’s just a lot going on, one fight after another,” Cushman, 55, a boat captain who fishes out of Port Clyde, said. “We don’t need anything in the marketplace to lower the price of lobsters.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:59
Shattered Wind Blade Puts Nantucket on Frontlines of a Clean-Energy Fight
Weeks after a busted wind turbine washed onto Nantucket shores, residents of this wealthy Massachusetts enclave are still angry. Some even liken the accident to an oil spill. While their ire belies the fleeting nature of the event — waters were re-opened for swimming within 24 hours — the sense of harm felt by the community threatens to cast a long shadow. Vineyard Wind’s project south of Nantucket is the fledgling industry’s marquee venture, heralding a massive buildout of wind energy that would provide coastal cities with zero-carbon electricity. What happens here could have implications for a raft of other projects planned off Martha’s Vineyard, Atlantic City and elsewhere on the Eastern seaboard. “The great Nantucket experiment gets an F-minus,” says Kevin O’Leary, chairman of O’Leary Ventures and an investor on the reality show Shark Tank who visits Nantucket every summer. “It’s not a golden example of success in wind turbines, that’s for sure.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:24
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 35′ H & H Lobster Boat, 450HP Cummins QSL9 Diesel
To review specifications, information, and 11 photos’, >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 06:32
WWII Veteran/Retired Commercial Fisherman Charles Lee Wescott of Wanchese, NC, has passed away
Charles Lee Wescott, a 105-year-old native of Wanchese, North Carolina, departed his Earthly home in Wanchese, North Carolina, on February 21, 2024, with his family at his side. Charles was born September 27, 1918, in Gum Neck, Tyrrell County, North Carolina, the eldest child born to Theophilus Lee Wescott and Ina Cahoon Wescott. Charles joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1940 before the United States entered the WW-II efforts in 1941. During WW II, he was assigned to the U.S. Navy. Before Charles’ death, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs confirmed Charles to be the oldest surviving WW-II Veteran in The State of North Carolina. Charles devoted his life to being a commercial fisherman, from which he retired. He was one of the first charter boat captains out of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center in the 1950s. He owned and managed his boat, the Myrtle W., affectionally named after his wife. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:35
Lobster fishery set for reprieve on size limits
A second delay to implementing minimum gauge and vent sizes for lobsters caught in the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank and Outer Cape Cod was initiated last week by the American Lobster Board, which operates under the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), a measure that Maine lobstermen, and Congressman Jared Golden, have hoped and pushed for. The new implementation date would be July 1, 2025, if the measure is adopted by the ASMFC’s American Lobster Board. An earlier delay the ASMFC approved had pushed back to Jan. 1, 2025, the new gauge and escape vent sizes in lobster traps for commercial lobster fisheries in the targeted lobster management areas. When the measure was first approved, it was to take effect based on a “trigger” mechanism. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:52
Macduff delivers twin-rigger Forever Faithful
The latest Macduff newbuild, Andrew West’s Forever Faithful, has started fishing for nephrops in the North Sea. The new vessel replaces an older one of the same name that also came from Macduff in 2016, and the latest Forever Faithful is the yard’s fifth build for the West family. This is the third in a series of sister vessels built at Macduff Shipyards’ Buckie site, and in which the yard continues to develop and invest. Forever Faithful PD-289 follows Zenith BF-106, handed over at the beginning of last summer, and Celestial Dawn BF-109, which was delivered in the summer of 2022. All three vessels share the same hull form and general fishing arrangement, although each has been laid out to suit owners’ preferences. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:06
NCFA Weekly Update for August 12, 2024
As most of you know, we are about midway through updating the Spotted Sea Trout FMP (Fisheries Management Plan). Comments are again needed at this stage of the management process! Written comments and in person comments will be accepted. The DMF (Division of Marine Fisheries) has published their initial management recommendations to end overfishing. Although the stock is not overfished and barely triggered the overfishing status, DMF is recommending a 39.6% reduction in overall harvest. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:54
Ocean City prepares federal lawsuit over offshore wind projects.
During the most recent normal legislative meeting, Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan noted he was not surprised members of the municipal government did not have all the details of the proposed offshore wind development by US Wind. He cited the planned 114 turbines would be “between 10.7 to 10.9 miles off our coast. At a minimum they will be 938 feet tall, and that’s three and half times taller than any building in Ocean City. If built on land, they would be the tallest structures in Maryland.” The federal government leased the land on which these turbines are slated to be built according to the company’s federal permit application. “We’ve decided if the (federal) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management provides a favorable Record of Decision on US Wind’s permit application, the Town of Ocean City will file suit against the BOEM,” Meehan said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:02
Descendant of salvaged Maine boat’s namesake wants to save it
After seven months of being submerged off the coast of Harpswell, the historic fishing boat Jacob Pike has finally been raised by the U.S. Coast Guard. But a descendant of Jacob Pike himself is fighting to save it from being destroyed. Sumner Rugh, a student at the Merchant Marine Academy in New York, is the great-great-grandson of Jacob Pike, the namesake of the refrigerated sardine carrier. His nonprofit, the Jacob Pike Organization, wants to refurbish the vessel and use it for education. But acquiring the boat has proven tricky, Rugh said. The Coast Guard towed the boat to Portland on Wednesday to be destroyed. Rugh asked the Coast Guard to donate the vessel to his nonprofit, but because the Coast Guard doesn’t own the boat, it can’t donate it. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:36
Commercial fishers demand stricter enforcement and penalties for illegal lobster sales – Federal and provincial governments need to step-up enforcement
Uncertainty on the future of the commercial fishery will potentially put the sustainability of the lobster catch and jobs at risk according to the leaders of the Coalition of Atlantic and Quebec Fishing Organizations and the Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA). The upcoming meeting of fisheries ministers from across Canada is a unique opportunity to make sure the commercial fishery remains sustainable. Action is needed from both federal and provincial officials. For the Government of Canada, keeping independent enforcement officers on the water is critical to making sure no one fishes out of season. “Enforcing one set of rules for everyone is the key to a strong fishery. Impartial, independent enforcement officers at Department of Fisheries and Oceans is at the heart of a sustainable fishery,” according to Gordon Beaton, president of the Gulf Nova Scotia Fleet Planning Board. “We are concerned about potential changes to enforcement, we need more, not less, independent enforcement of the rules.” Science, not politics, should be driving decisions on the fishery. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:40
Coast Guard rescues 6 people after fire breaks out on commercial fishing vessel
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued six people after a boat fire led to them abandoning ship 105 nautical miles east of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Sunday. The fishing vessel Three Girls, an 81-ft trawler, had four crew members, the captain, and a NOAA observer onboard. At 8:56 p.m., Coast Guard Sector Northern New England command center watchstanders received a mayday call from the Three Girls stating that the vessel was on fire and they were making preparations to abandon ship. The First Coast Guard District command center also received an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon from the vessel. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:25
I’m outraged by New Hampshire’s treatment of Geno Marconi
I am outraged with the “paid administrative leave” of the Port Director, Geno Marconi and all the secrecy around it. I chaired the Ports and Harbors Advisory Committee for ten years. I was appointed by Governor Lynch and reappointed for another 5 year term. I also chaired the Piscataqua Maritime Commission (Sail Portsmouth) for 10 years where we brought Tall Ships to Portsmouth. I worked with Director Marconi very closely in both capacities and I can say without a shred of doubt that he is “by the book” and an imminently fair and honest man. Now with the suspension of his wife from her position as a State Supreme Court Justice, the pressure is turned up. Governor, you have messed with the wrong people. Director Marconi is not one to be pressured to resign. He is a by-the-book man, and you are about to learn that lesson. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<. by Donald Coker 10:45
NAFO Moving Forward with Offshore Dragger Access Despite Legal Injunction and Historical Agreement for Northern Cod
Despite vocal opposition from industry and environmental groups, the North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) is making strides towards allowing international and domestic offshore draggers back on the Northern cod grounds as early as this fall. The European Union (EU) is awaiting approval of their harvesting proposal from the NAFO Commission to get access to the fishery. “It is our strong opinion that the NAFO Commission should defer reopening the offshore allocation for the 2J3KL northern cod fishery. The reopening of the commercial cod fishery was done under poor faith by Minister Lebouthillier and Prime Minster Justin Trudeau; with both went against the advice of science, environment and industry, and also broke a four-decade commitment to our province,” says Pretty. “By lifting the 32-year moratorium on commercial fishing on June 26, 2024, the Government of Canada is further corporatizing public resources, limiting the economic sustainability of coastal communities, and breaking a decades long promise to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador,” Pretty explains. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<07:50
Crawlers to Inspect Blades After Vineyard Wind Failure
Vineyard Wind and GE Vernova on Friday released a plan outlining the steps to be followed after a turbine blade failure last month at the Vineyard Wind offshore project off the coast of Massachusetts, which left potentially dangerous debris on beaches on the island of Nantucket. Vineyard Wind, the first major U.S. offshore wind farm, was shut down by federal authorities after the turbine blade failure. The plan outlines the steps to be followed to recover the remainder of the blade on the turbine. It has been developed in consultation the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard, the companies said in a statement. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:47
Tributes to “Godfather” of Wexford Maritime History, Fisherman John Power
Tributes have been made to Wexford fisherman, writer, researcher, maritime historian and community activist John Power, who died last month aged 90. The Sunday Independent reports that the RNLI’s Kilmore Quay lifeboat station has described his knowledge of maritime history as “encyclopedic”. The station where he had a long involvement also said that Power’s extensive collection of photographs was “unique”, and his “passion for his subject” was “unwavering”. Power, who was born in Wexford’s Kilmore Quay on August 29th,1933, trained as a mechanic but took up commercial fishing from Dunmore East with his father, Tom, and brothers, Tommy and Paddy. He married Trish Bates in 1963 and the couple reared six children, several of whom would follow their father into fishing. Power, who fished from 1958 to 1995, owned a number of boats including the Pride of Kilmichael, the Guillemot, the Girl Ann and the Glendalough. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:04
Nephew, 12, dedicates gruelling sea challenge to raise funds for charity to beloved uncle who died in trawler tragedy
When popular Kinsale fisherman Des Hurley died in a tragic accident at sea on December 14, his family and the wider community in Kinsale were devastated by his loss. Des was Joey’s godfather and best friend, and his death left the lad with his world shattered. But he bravely channeled his grief into exercise with the help of friend and personal trainer Mickey Power, who understood how shock and sadness can affect someone so young. The Duathlon for Des on Saturday on August 10 saw Joey kayak from the Bulman Bar to James Fort, followed by a 10 km run from James Fort to Charles Fort and back, finishing with the 1km kayak crossing back to the Bulman. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:14
B.C. commercial fisherman fined $33K for harvesting catch in unique reefs
The owner of a commercial halibut vessel in British Columbia received more than $33,000 in fines for fishing in a marine protected area containing glass sponge reefs unique to the waters of the Pacific Northwest. Fisheries and Oceans Canada says a provincial court judge handed down the fine in May to Brent Belveal, who pleaded guilty to offences under the Fisheries Act. It says Belveal, operator of the vessel Gypsy Soul, harvested and sold his illegal catch from within the Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reef Marine Protected Area near Bella Bella off B.C.’s central coast. The department describes the reefs as “globally unique ecosystems.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:39
Protest Over High Risk Off-Shore Wind Farm Electric Cables Under New Jersey Neighborhoods
A significant community education meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 19, 2024, at 6:30 PM at the Manasquan Community Senior Center, located at 63 Atlantic Ave. The Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Interconnection Cable Project plans to install 700-800 turbines capable of generating nearly 6,000 megawatts of power—significantly more than the now-closed Oyster Creek nuclear plant. These cables, potentially placed 3.5 to 8 feet underground near homes and schools, raise health and environmental concerns, particularly around the Sea Girt Beach landing area, which is home to protected birds and plants. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:53
And they call this “green” energy.
The centerpiece of Biden/Harris “accomplishments” is the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which included $369 billion worth of green giveaways/grants, including 30 gigawatts of offshore wind turbines by 2030. Harris plans to spend $10 trillion in public/private funding on green initiatives. So, how is it going? On July 13, a massive blade from a wind turbine nearly as tall as the Eiffel Tower collapsed into the Massachusetts Nantucket Sound for no apparent reason throwing the tourist destination into economic crisis at the height of the summer season. More than six truckloads’ worth of debris was collected, with more still washing up weeks later. Miles of the island’s famous ocean beaches had to be closed for days due to the dangerous debris, yet the media coverage was negligible. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< by Arthur Keller 07:17
Gulf of Maine lobsters are experiencing a housing crisis
Lobster fishing has been a good business in the Gulf of Maine for a long time. With the exception of a few notable dips, both the landings and value of the catch have been on an upward swing for decades. Between 1984 and 2014, the lobster population in the Gulf of Maine jumped an estimated 515 percent, while simultaneously declining by 78 percent in southern New England as the water warmed in both regions. While it’s started to decline in recent years, numbers are still far higher than they were several decades ago. The result? A lobster housing crisis. “The warming sea temperatures have actually created a real sweet spot for lobster reproduction,” said Brian Skerry, a National Geographic photographer and producer on the recent GBH/PBS series Sea Change, which explores the impact of climate change on the Gulf of Maine. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:51
St. Mary Parish shrimpers raise concerns over the future of their industry
If you’re in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway of St. Mary Parish, you may notice fewer shrimp boats out this year during Shrimp Season. I caught up with two shrimpers who told me why we don’t see as many people as we are used to working in this industry. Donald Ribardi had people coming and going all afternoon to purchase his shrimp at the dock in Berwick. He takes his boat “Mama D” out anywhere from two to three days a week. “Wherever it takes to go I mean all on the Gulf Coast, Vermillion Bay, along the gulf, back of Houma, Dulac, whatever it takes you know?” Ribardi said. “What’s hurting us right now is all that imported shrimp,” Ribardi said. “It’s a shame right now we gotta suffer over here and like I said people losing their homes. They don’t know when they’re gonna pay their next bill cause of them all imported.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:14
‘Huge disaster’: Historically weak pink salmon runs strain Alaska’s seine fishermen
Expectations were low this year for the pink salmon runs that power Prince William Sound’s commercial fishing industry. But no one expected them to be as bad as they’ve been. With just a few weeks left in the season, the sound’s seine fleet has harvested just one-fourth the number of pinks that it would have caught by now in a typical year. The small runs have forced 
managers to close fishing for longer periods than usual. And even during openers, fishermen are reporting abysmal harvests. Some have quit early. Others are thinking about new jobs.” It is incredibly slow,” said Megan Corazza, a Homer-based seine fisherman who has fished in the sound for more than two decades. “It is the worst year I have ever seen with my own operation.” It’s a big blow to an industry already reeling from a global market crisis that sent dock prices plummeting last year. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:31
Wind turbine blade on tractor-trailer hits Maine bridge, shutting down part of Route 1 for hours
Maine State Police officials say a section of Route 1 in the Mid-Coast region has temporarily reopened after a tractor-trailer transporting a wind turbine blade struck a railroad bridge in Stockton Springs, shutting down that part of the roadway for nearly 11 hours. Police said the tractor-trailer was hauling the wind turbine blade to Columbia when the crash happened at about 5:30 a.m. Friday. According to investigators, the driver of the tractor-trailer did not position the vehicle far enough into the left lane in order to clear the lower side of the train trestle, which crosses over Route 1. The wind turbine blade, which was mounted onto the trailer with large brackets, struck the trestle. The collision caused the truck and trailer carrying the blade to roll over, police said. Video, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:41
He was found fatally shot in his truck 15 years ago. Whatcom County detectives believe it was an ambush
Fifteen years have gone by with no tips to help Whatcom County Sheriff’s detectives solve an Everson man’s homicide. Even so, detectives say they are close to solving the case. On July 28, 2009, Jeff Little was found dead in the front seat of his pickup truck on Massey Road. The 34-year-old had been shot to death. Detectives found at least 11 bullet holes in his truck, three of which struck Little. Jeff Little worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska but returned to Washington in July to get medical attention for an injury in his hometown. “He was in the engine room, and he hurt his knee, and he had to come home to have it looked at,” his brother, Joel Little, said. “In less than 24 hours of him being home, he was gone.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:14
Lobster’s nightmare: Vicious Atlantic wolffish is one scary catch in the Gulf of Maine
Atlantic wolffish are vicious looking. Their head is huge with gaping teeth that protrude from their lips both top and bottom, giving them a severe overbite. Their tail is tapered with long dorsal and anal fins, which give it a look of an eel. Beware to anyone trying to get a hook out of their mouth! These fish enjoy cold water and can be found throughout the Gulf of Maine to Labrador and down to the Great South Channel of Georges Bank in New England. Amazingly, they can survive in some of the coldest water by producing “antifreeze” proteins stored in their blood and livers. This keeps their blood from freezing under extreme conditions. Around age 5-6, they reach maturity and begin mating. It appears that wolffish are solitary animals except during the mating season, according to NOAA, which occurs in the Gulf of Maine during the fall. The wolffish find mates and remain together until the female lays her eggs. Lobsters beware! The teeth of the wolffish allow them to eat and crush almost anything they want, and what they want are lobsters. They have several rows of very sharp teeth. My husband, always a biologist, when he was fishing commercially regularly dissected the fish he caught to see what they had been eating. Twenty years ago, he opened a 20-pound wolffish and found 21 lobster tails and more body parts in its stomach! more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:20
As Europe reviews its rules on seal products, Canada calls for easing of restrictions
The Canadian government is calling on the European Union to ease restrictions on seal products as member states review trade regulations. Ottawa said in a letter dated Tuesday to the European Commission’s vice-president that Canada has been given the opportunity to “provide input” on the seal trade while the union fine tunes its rules. The outcome is scheduled to be published on the site in eight weeks. In 2009, the European Union limited imports for Canadian seal products, citing the “pain, distress, fear and other forms of suffering” of seals because of the way in which they are killed and skinned. Canada has many species of seals including bearded, grey, harbour, harp, hooded and ringed. Three of these — grey, harp, and hooded — are killed for commercial uses. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:44
U.S. Offshore Wind Opponents Seek to Form National Group to Fight Projects
U.S. activists opposed to offshore wind development are forming a national coalition aimed at fighting projects from California to New England, according to the effort’s founder and two other organizations. The National Offshore-wind Opposition Alliance, or NOOA, aims to bring a national profile to what is currently a fractured movement of dozens of local groups, according to its president, Mandy Davis. Offshore wind is a nascent industry in the United States and a key pillar of U.S. President Joe Biden’s plan to combat climate change. His administration’s push to install turbines along every U.S. coastline has attracted pushback, including multiple lawsuits, from residents concerned about the industry’s impact on tourism, property values, fishing and marine habitats. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:25
Steve Johnson’s Lynn Marie is Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat
Lucky Oppedisano pointed at a boat making its way to the starting line for the Gasoline Free-for-All race. The retired lobsterman identified the dark-colored boat as the type that can “roll through the water easily.” “I wouldn’t be surprised to see him win this race,” Oppedisano said. Sure enough, Steve Johnson’s Lynn Marie buzzed to a first-place finish in one of the final contests of the 32nd Harpswell Lobster Boat Races in Middle Bay. The July 28 event packed the waterfront at George J. Mitchell Field with spectators, continuing a local tradition. The Lynn Marie also took the crown as the Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat and Fastest Lobster Boat in Casco Bay, reaching a top speed of 57.7 miles per hour. Jeff Eaton’s La Bella Vita was another big winner, taking gold in the Diesel Free-for-All and the Diesel Class K race while finishing third in Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat. Photos, race results, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:55
