Author Archives: borehead - Moderator
Coast Guard medevacs crewmember from fishing vessel 180 miles south of Pensacola, Florida
The Coast Guard medevaced a 45-year-old man approximately 180 miles south of Pensacola, Florida, Monday. Coast Guard Sector Mobile watchstanders received a call at 10:26 a.m. from a good Samaritan vessel reporting that the crew of the 70-foot fishing vessel F/V Kim Nhi was requesting a medevac for a crewmember reportedly experiencing a medical emergency. Video, >click to read< 08:16
Mount Pleasant to celebrate shrimping season with annual Blessing of the Fleet
The Lowcountry will gather to celebrate the local shrimping and fishing industries during the annual “Blessing of The Fleet” on April 30. The Blessing of the Fleet is a tradition local shrimpers have been a part of for years. The annual event will feature a boat parade, seafood samplings, shag and shrimp eating contests, and local artists and food vendors. >click to read< 17:35
Quitting While on Top
There aren’t many skippers still at the top of their game after half a century in the job behind them. One such is Jóhannes Ellert Eiríksson – best known as Elli – skipper of Brim’s fresher trawler Viðey, who has just completed his last trip. This spring it’ll be 52 years since he joined the crew of sidewinder Thormóður Góði, owned by Bæjarútgerð Reyjavíkur (BÚR) and skippered by Magnús Ingólfsson. Now approaching seventy, he’s decided it’s 
time to call it a day and step back from fishing – although he’s certain he has a busy retirement ahead of him. He has long been one of Iceland’s top skippers, consistently landing big trips of groundfish and has smashed 10,000 tonnes in some years. All the same, he says there’s no secret behind this success. Photos, >click to read< 13:57
Whale that washed up on Jersey Shore beach had fractured skull, propellor wounds
A deceased 30-foot humpback female whale that washed up on the beach in Seaside Park last week had propeller wounds and a fractured skull, according to preliminary findings by experts. The whale was “in good body condition,” but had internal and external injuries, according to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, which performed the necropsy Friday on the beach. In addition, the whale had bruising on her head, sections of fractured skull and sharp force trauma “consistent with propeller wounds,” on the right lateral side, according to the MMSC. >click to read< 12:38
Lobstermen earn majority of commercial fishing haul
Maine’s commercial fishermen earned about half of what they did last year, according to preliminary data released on Tuesday by the state’s Department of Marine Resources (DMR). But while the total of $574 million pales in comparison to 2021’s historic high value of $907 million, it is in line with data from previous years. Maine’s lobstermen brought in the majority of that haul with 97,956,667 pounds, contributing $388,589,931 to the overall commercial harvest total. >click to read< 10:34
Quota transfer to Maritime First Nations prompts Federal Court challenge
Commercial licence holders in the lucrative Maritime baby eel fishery have launched a Federal Court challenge over the decision to take 14 per cent of their quota and give it to Indigenous groups in 2022. The quota of baby eels, or elvers, was worth millions of dollars. It was reallocated without compensation to fulfil First Nation treaty rights to fish. The elver redistribution raises broader questions about what licence holders in other commercial fisheries can expect if their allocations are cut in favour of First Nations. >click to read< 09:23
Best Medium Trawler – Celestial Dawn – Macduff Ship Design
An up-to-the-minute take on a very traditionally styled Scottish trawler, this vessel was designed for a very experienced owner who operates in a very challenging part of the world. The trawler is brutally efficient but manages to combine that with a certain elegance. The company said that the vessel’s design is the latest stage of several years of collaboration and development. Striking the right balance with these improvements and retaining both ease of operation and layout, which has been refined over decades within the local fishing fleet, was key to ensuring a successful vessel. >click to read< >read more with more photos< 07:49
Coast Guard, agencies rescue 4 fishermen near Dauphin Island, Alabama
NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard, along with partner agencies, rescued four boaters after their vessel began to take on water near Dauphin Island, Alabama, Sunday. Coast Guard Sector Mobile watchstanders received a call over VHF channel 16 at 5:17 a.m. Sunday from the 90-foot commercial fishing vessel Lady Lily reporting their vessel was taking on water with four people aboard. Watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew and a Coast Guard Station Dauphin Island 45-foot Response Boat- medium boatcrew to assist. Video, >click to read< 22:05
Heading Back North After a Major Refit
When seine netter Sara Karin was delivered in June 2017 to father and son Oddgeir and Erik-Andre Brose Krag, it wasn’t long before they knew they would need a bigger boat – and with an eleven-month rebuild practically complete, that’s exactly what they have. Designed by Marin Design, Sara Karin started life as a 19.80 metre seine netter, and they family have fished successfully. In its last full year of operation, 2021, Sara Karin landed 2200 tonnes of H&G frozen blocks, and was among the top seine netters in the Norwegian fleet. ‘The problem is that for six to seven months of the year 
fishing is along the coast of Northern Norway. The other months are we sailing all the way up the Bear Island, and sometimes to Isfjorden at Svalbard. It’s roughly 500 nautical miles for us to Isfjorden, and around half of that distance if fishing around Bear Island,’ Erik-Andre explained. 14 photos on 2 pages, >click to read< 17:56
Amid record-low chum runs, Board of Fish pares down limits on Area M’s June fishery
The Yukon River’s chum salmon runs have returned at record lows over the last three years. At a recent meeting, the Alaska Board of Fisheries debated a contentious proposal that would have reduced fishing time for a controversial and lucrative fishery along the Alaska Peninsula, called Area M. Area M is a mixed-stock “intercept” fishery that targets salmon further from their spawning grounds than terminal fisheries like Bristol Bay. Proposal 140 was meant to limit the amount of chum caught in Area M’s South Peninsula fishery in June to allow more chum to return to Western Alaska rivers. The board ended up passing some restrictions on the fishery, but it’s far short of what residents in those areas were hoping for. And communities that depend on the Area M fishery say they aren’t satisfied either. >click to read< 13:20
Claims about offshore wind farms killing whales are unsubstantiated, scientists say
Since December, more than 23 whales have washed up dead along the east coast of the United States, leading wind energy skeptics to lay blame on the pending installation of offshore wind projects. But some scientists with the federal government say that there is no evidence to support those claims. Last year, the Biden administration sold six leases to produce wind from turbines off the mid-Atlantic coast, part of its effort to fight climate change by boosting production of clean, renewable energy. Some pundits and politicians have concluded that preconstruction activity on new wind turbines has resulted in an increase in the death of whales. Clean Ocean Action has joined Republican New Jersey Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew to demand a suspension of wind development. >click to read< 11:32
Maritime Explorer: Captain Rusty Court
Rusty Court is well known in these parts as a fisherman and lobsterman, but he also has quite the maritime history beginning in 1961. It was in that year that Rusty entered the Coast Guard and was stationed in Washington, D.C. as part of President John F. Kennedy’s Honor Guard. The Honor Guard presides over ceremonies such as at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and is present when visiting dignitaries arrive in Washington. >click to read< 09:05
The Whale slaughter continues, but is this just the beginning? By Jim Lovgren
Another Humpback Whale washed ashore on a New Jersey beach on March 1st , the 12th known Whale to die since the start of December, along the New York, New Jersey shoreline, coincident with multiple research vessels using active Sonar, seismic Pingers, and Ultra High Resolution Seismic sparkers. As more research vessels ply our waters, more dead Whales wash up on the beach. This is just the start of the gigantic ecosystem changing industrialization of the US continental shelf from the Gulf of Maine to Florida. We now have 23 dead Whales on the east coast within a three month period, and despite what government officials claim, it is not a normal amount. >click to read< 07:55
Too Cool for Dinner! White Dungeness crab caught near Seaside is a 1 in 2 million find
A rare all-white Dungeness crab caught off the Oregon coast was spared the dinner plate and donated to the Seaside Aquarium, where staff have fittingly named him … Sour Cream. The crab isn’t actually albino: He has black eyes. Rather, Sour Cream has a rare genetic condition called leucism, which causes a partial loss of pigment. Tiffany Boothe, assistant manager at the Seaside Aquarium, said Sour Cream appeared in a local commercial fishing boat’s crab pot about a month ago. “They kept him separate because it was such a unique crab, and they hadn’t really seen one before,” Boothe said. “When they got in, they just gave us a call to see if we’d be interested in him. They thought he was too cool for dinner.” >click to read<17:26
Facing Dismal Salmon Population Forecast, Fishermen’s Groups Call for Immediate Closure of Season, Request Disaster Assistance
Facing some of the worst salmon fishery numbers in California’s recorded history, a coalition of sport and commercial fishermen’s groups is calling on state regulators to immediately cancel the 2023 fall salmon season. The request comes two days after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s annual pre-season salmon informational meeting, where agency personnel delivered a dismal 2023 abundance forecast. From the press release, Today, leadership of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, the Golden Gate Fisherman’s Association, and the Northern California Guides and Sportsmen’s Association are calling for an immediate closure of the 2023 salmon season and requesting [that] Governor Newsom, the State Legislature, and state agencies seek Federal and State disaster assistance funding for affected ocean and inland commercial operators. >click to read< 12:53
Drone scours half of WA coast in search of missing fisherman
A drone with a camera last weekend flew over 109 miles of Pacific coastline, from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Quinault Indian Reservation, but found no sign of Bryson Fitch, the missing crab fisherman who was lost at sea almost one month ago when his vessel capsized near Willapa Bay. Since then, meticulous beachcombing efforts by the Willapa Bay community have discovered parts of the F/V Ethel May, including the hull, stern, wheelhouse and other miscellaneous equipment, on beaches from Long Beach to Westport, but Fitch has yet to be found. Drone images from the most recent search revealed similar pieces from the broken fishing vessel, but most had already been discovered, according to drone pilot John Jones. >click to read< 11:40
Maine lobstermen snipped by inflation as 2022 results fall nearly 50%
Fishers of Maine lobster, one of the most lucrative seafood species in the U.S., had a smaller haul during a year in which the industry battled surging fuel and bait prices, rebukes from key retailers and the looming possibility of new fishing restrictions. Maine lobster has exploded in value in recent years in part due to growing international demand from countries such as China. The industry brought about 98 million pounds of lobster to the docks worth about $389 million in 2022, Maine regulators said Friday. That was more than 11% less than the previous year, in which they harvested more than 110 million pounds of lobster worth more than $740 million. The value of lobsters also fell to a little less than $4 per pound at the docks, the lowest since 2017, a year after setting a record of more than $6.70 in 2021. >click to read< 10:33
Boris accused of ‘throwing the fishing industry under a trawler’ as huge Brexit row erupts
Former Prime Minister Mr Johnson had previously insisted “taking back control” of fishing was one of the prizes of ending Britain’s 47-year membership to the EU. But more than three years on from that agreement being signed, furious UK fisherman feel “betrayed” by the Government over the post-Brexit deal they have been dealt – with many struggling to even fish in their own coastal waters. “The UK Government has absolutely thrown the fishing industry under a trawler.” Those in fishing ports, in the South West of England, Cornwall, Devon, around the Scottish coasts and islands – they can see it for themselves. There is a widespread feeling of everything from disappointment to betrayal. >click to read< 09:33
In class action lawsuit, Massachusetts lobstermen fight efforts to ‘red list’ their catch
Four Massachusetts lobstermen have filed a class action suit against the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Marine Stewardship Council, groups that urged distributors and grocery stores to avoid purchasing lobster because of the fishery’s impact on North Atlantic right whales. “We’ve always been like the punching bag for, like, the whale people. So I’m glad we’re finally striking back,” said plaintiff Jarrett Drake, a lobsterman who fishes out of New Bedford, “because it gives us a chance to try to at least defend ourselves.” “When [Montery Bay Aquarium] chooses to tag a product as one to be avoided (“red-list”) on Seafood Watch, it acts with near certainty that the companies it collaborates with will immediately discontinue that product,” the plaintiffs say in their complaint. >click to read< 08:35
Coast Guard, good Samaritans rescue crew of sinking fishing vessel
Honolulu — The Coast Guard and good Samaritans aboard two commercial fishing vessels located and rescued the crew of the 52-foot commercial fishing vessel Sea Smile 545-miles southwest of Hawaii, Friday. The six crewmembers are reportedly in good condition and are making their way to Honolulu aboard the commercial fishing vessel Captain Minh. “Anytime you get word that a crew is preparing to abandon ship, you immediately become worried about the time required to reach the survivors,” said Cmdr. Marc McDonnell, operations officer for Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point. “In last night’s case, we appreciate the support of the good Samaritans aboard the commercial vessel Ying Rong No 638, who made this rescue possible. >click to read< 20:58
Tauranga skipper Bert Aitken retires after 43 years in fishing industry
After 43 years working at sea, commercial skipper Robert ‘Bert’ Aitken has “never” been seasick. Aitken has been working in the fishing industry for 43 years, spending the majority of that time at commercial seafood company Sanford. Wednesday was his last day. He started his career as an unqualified deckhand, eventually working his way up to become a skipper. For a typical fishing trip, Aitken would travel from Tauranga to Auckland on a Wednesday. The boat would then leave Thursday morning and not return until the following Wednesday. Everything needed to be organised beforehand, including checking the weather, making a plan on where to fish and getting ice and bins, he said. He and his two crew members, Matangaro “Mat”’ Ben and Mike Jones, would then head out. Aitken said they fished on the East Coast, anywhere between Cape Brett in the Bay of Islands and Cape Runaway. Photos, >click to read< 19:21
SEA-NL calls on DFO to delay mandatory introduction of electronic logbooks
Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) is calling on Fisheries and Oceans to delay the mandatory introduction of electronic logbooks (ELOGS) until concerns are addressed about the security of personal information and commercial catch data. “Red flags have been raised over the security of highly valuable catch data and personal information,” says Ryan Cleary, SEA-NL’s Executive Director. “The federal government must ensure Canadians that the country’s food supply is secure, commercial sensitive catch data will remain with owner-operators and fleets, and that individual privacy is protected.” >click to read< 1:14
In Depth: Alaska’s Fisheries Are Collapsing. This Congresswoman Is Taking on the Industry She Says Is to Blame.
The late 1990s and early 2000s were boomtimes for halibut fishermen in Alaska. Over 80 million pounds of the flatfish were being harvested annually. Deckhands could earn $250,000 a season. The small boat harbor in the southcentral city of Homer, known as the “halibut capital of the world,” was bustling. Erik Velsko, 39, was one of those fishermen. He started buying annual shares in 2001 when the halibut population was at near historic highs. But within a few years, the stock plummeted by more than half and the quotas for commercial fishermen were slashed accordingly. Halibut wasn’t the only so-called directed fishery to experience such a catastrophic drop. The crab fleet — made famous in the reality show “Deadliest Catch” — has been mostly stuck in port for two years after the near total collapse of the snow crab population and the decades long decline of red king crab. Photos, >click to read< 11:42
Over a Million Bucks for Bruce – Offshore Companies Get Leg-Up from DFO
This week, news broke that DFO spent untold millions completing two weeks of science work for redfish on the Mersey Venture, a 200-foot factory freezer trawler owned by Mersey Seafoods and part of the offshore lobby group, the Atlantic Groundfish Council headed by Bruce Chapman. Go on, ‘by. Surely the Union’s not out complaining about the government doing more science work when that’s what they’re going on about half the time? In an effort to simplify the complex history behind the issue, I’ll give readers some background. In a nutshell, DFO Science is directly subsidizing corporate offshore fisheries development at the expense of coastal communities and the owner-operator fishery. >click to read< 10:32
Crab fishing remains lucrative, critical industry for Gig Harbor fishermen
Off the coast of Washington, several Gig Harbor residents are hard at work on crab fishing boats, handling all that comes with the job. A handful of Gig Harbor residents hold commercial crab fishing licenses. Several others are crab license lease holders. The state capped the number of available commercial crab fishing licenses at 220 in the 1990s. The intent was to manage crab populations, and also limit the amount of gear in the water to protect other sea life, such as whales, said Dan Ayers, coastal shellfish manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Commercial crab fishing was an estimated $86 billion industry in Washington state in 2022. That total includes boat sales, gear, and processing facilities that handle the harvests. >click to read< 09:24
Landlocked Congressman Targets Maine’s Lobstermen Over Whales
When a senior congressman from a land-locked state in the American West drops a bill pertaining to the Atlantic right whale out of the blue, it just seems fishy. But that is exactly what happened when Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-NM) introduced a bill for the sole purpose of undoing the six-year pause on enforcement of NOAA rules that Maine’s congressional delegation had wrestled out of budget negotiations late last year. Why? A long-time progressive, Grijalva until recently chaired the House Committee on Natural Resources, where he welcomed the testimony of Monterey Bay Aquarium Executive Director Julie Packard. Home to Seafood Watch, the group that “red-listed” Maine lobster last year, Packard’s Monterey Bay Aquarium has made fast enemies in the Pine Tree State. >click to read< 08:07
Unfounded Environmentalist Dogma Overshadows DFO Mackerel Meeting
March 2, 2023 – JOHN’S, NL – Despite the mountains of evidence and years’ worth of work by inshore fish harvesters and the Union that represents them, the federal meeting to determine the fate of the Atlantic Mackerel Fishery in 2023 has left fish harvesters feeling frustrated and ignored.FFAW-Unifor is calling on Minister Murray to commit to fully investigating the possibility of mackerel spawning along the Northeast coast by conducting an egg survey and a robust sampling program. FFAW-Unifor is also calling on DFO to organize an urgent conference of mackerel harvesters and scientists from other North Atlantic countries to share information on shifting migratory patterns of this highly migratory species. >click to read< 17:23
Atlantic mackerel population continues to decline a year after fishery moratorium
The Atlantic mackerel population is continuing to decline after a decade of falling numbers, according to a federal assessment presented to industry and environmental groups in Halifax this week. According to the 2022 assessment, mackerel stock remains in the “critical zone” — where serious harm is occurring — and the average number of fish reaching spawning age is only 27 per cent of what it was between 1969 and 2011. “The amount of young fish entering your population has been rather low in the last couple of years. That’s concerning,” Elisabeth Van Beveren, a biologist with the federal department of Fisheries and Oceans, said. In Newfoundland and Labrador, seafood companies and fishermen have claimed for years that DFO has it all wrong because mackerel are plentiful around their coast. >click to read< 15:32
Fish tales come true on Ballard’s legendary wooden boat the Emancipator
It happened in the late summer of 1958 after a robust season for sockeye in Puget Sound. Of 400 local purse-seiners vying for salmon, the Emancipator, a sleek 65-foot wooden boat built in 1918 by the Skansie Bros. of Gig Harbor, had finished among the top 10 boats for gross stock. In 28 consecutive days, its nets had hauled in a respectable 25,000 fish. Joining a flotilla of competing boats near Point Roberts, the Emancipator initiated a set and then began pulling in its seines. What happened next was mind-boggling. Photo gallery, >click to read< 12:57
Panel discusses impact of offshore wind on West Coast fisheries
The Biden administration has called for deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy to combat climate change by 2030. Depending on where the turbines are placed, they could displace highly productive fishing grounds that account for billions of dollars and thousands of jobs in Oregon, Washington and California. Projects must be planned carefully using the best available science to mitigate potential damage, according to a panel of experts who spoke March 1 at the Northwest Offshore Wind Conference in downtown Portland. >click to read< 11:52
