Author Archives: borehead - Moderator
Letter: Right whale entanglements – the undocumented and unknown statistics
Great Sandy Marine Park fisheries could shut down and seafood prices increase
Commercial fishing is the only job Brett Fuchs has ever known, but the Hervey Bay fisher says plans to increase no-fish zones in the Great Sandy Marine Park will be enough to sink his business, as retailers predict seafood lovers will wear the cost of limited supplies. The Queensland government has proposed to expand the green zone by almost 9 per cent in the 6,000-square-kilometre marine park that stretches from Baffle Creek to Double Island Point. Commercial fishers would be forced to remove large gill nets and ring nets from the water. “There’s nothing left for us,” Mr Fuchs said. >click to read< 11:12
Ottawa earmarks $100 million for lost fishing gear, repair to harbours – $300-million fund for Atlantic Canada not enough, fishermen say
The federal government says $100 million from its hurricane Fiona fund will be earmarked for the recovery of lost fishing gear and the repair to small-craft harbours across Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec. The federal Fisheries Department says in a news release the money will come from the $300 million Ottawa set aside for fishers, communities and companies affected by post-tropical storm Fiona, which made landfall on Sept. 24. >click to read< $300-million fund for Atlantic Canada not enough, fishermen say – Fishermen on P.E.I. say the federal government’s $300-million fund for Atlantic Canada is a good start to recover from post-tropical storm Fiona but falls far short of what is needed. It will cost millions just to fix the wharf at Covehead Harbour alone, said Allan Coady. >click to read< 09:26
Mass shellfish deaths off Whitby area coastline to be probed in Government’s new hearing – Middlesbrough Council ‘absolutely on board’
The Government’s Environment Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee is to probe the deaths of large numbers of crustaceans off the coast over the past year in a hearing at the House of Commons on Tuesday October 25. ERFA previously blamed algal bloom as the cause of the deaths, but an independent probe carried out recently pointed towards dredging and the chemical pyridine being the most likely cause, with some Whitby fishermen calling for the dredging of the Tees to halt. >click to read< Middlesbrough Council ‘absolutely on board’ with joint probe planned into crustacean deaths – Councillor Mick Saunders, chairman of Middlesbrough Council’s overview and scrutiny board, said: “Absolutely we are on board, I think there’s more to come out really, more than what the Government has been saying. Meanwhile, self-employed Hartlepool fisherman Stan Rennie, a member of the North East Fishing Collective (NEFC), has said fishermen are in a “desperate position” with half of the town’s shellfish fleet lost in the past year. >click to read< 08:30
Richmond fishing company charged with unsafe transportation of ammonia
A Richmond fishing company has been charged with transporting ammonia by people not trained to do so, not complying with safety regulations as well as possibly dumping it. Arctic Pearl Fishing, Arctic Pearl Ice and Cold Storage and Kwong Man Sang Company have all been charged in connection with incidents that allegedly occurred in the fall of 2017. The charges range from handling or transporting dangerous goods, that is, anhydrous ammonia used in the shipping industry for refrigeration, as well as not complying with safety requirements. >click to read< 18:59
Lobsterman Erik John Capuano of Deer Isle has passed away
Erik John Capuano passed away at his home unexpectedly, at the age of 33, on Sept. 1, 2022, in Deer Isle, Maine. He is survived by his loving partner Elizabeth “Liz” Perez, and her sons Judson and Elliott of Deer Isle, Maine. He was the beloved son of Lorrie and Michael “Jack” Capuano of Bantam. Erik was a graduate of Litchfield High School. Shortly after graduating the sea called him to become a lobsterman and he moved to Stonington, Maine. He loved the beauty of the early misty sea mornings, beautiful sun rises, the smell of the ocean air and the island life and brotherhood of the hardworking fishing community. >click to read< 12:24
SEA-NL questions results of fish pricing review when skippers weren’t involved; study wasn’t broad enough
Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador questions the legitimacy of the review of the province’s broken fish price-setting system when the consultant didn’t consult inshore skippers. “The consultant didn’t hold a single meeting with the more than 3,200 licensed inshore enterprise owners in this province when their livelihoods hang on the price of fish,” says Ryan Cleary, SEA-NL’s Executive Director. “Usually when government considers changing laws they consult people, but that didn’t happen with the fish pricing review and the inshore fleet, which raises the question whether this government sees fishermen as people. That sounds as ludicrous as not including owner operators in the review of fish pricing.” >click to read< 10:22
North Atlantic Right Whale not impacted by NL lobster, snow crab fisheries
“The justification for the new “avoid” rating does not reference any of this significant action by Canadian lobster fishery stakeholders, does not identify any pathway toward achieving a better evaluation and only tells the fishery to “do more”. The Canadian lobster sector is constantly working on solutions and will continue to innovate to protect the NARW. The new Seafood Watch rating tells us that Monterey Bay Aquarium is not working collaboratively to help fisheries improve.” “It’s really not even a Canadian problem. The species spends more of its time in American waters, but I think harvesters in the United States have done a lot to mitigate the impacts out that way. There is no evidence that these fisheries are impacting the recovery of the right whale overall. There’s a lot of other factors that are impacting it, but it’s not these fisheries. I hope consumers will look into this and see that is the case.” >click to read< 09:45
‘Follow the Fish’ to learn about tugs at GLMHC on Thursday
“Follow the Fish” to learn about the evolution of commercial fishing vessels in the Great Lakes. Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Maritime Archaeologist Cassandra Sadler will examine the historical development of the traditional Great Lakes commercial fish tug. “Fish tugs and fishing vessels were immensely important to the Great Lakes fishing industry,” Sadler said. “There aren’t many of the fish tugs left … there’s only a handful of active commercial fish tugs, and many are in museums. So, we’re just trying to document them before they all disappear.” Photos, >click to read< 08:28
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick crew medevacs fisherman in Canadian waters
The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick medevaced an injured fisherman Saturday in Canadian waters off Vancouver Island. A small boat crew launched from the cutter and boarded the fishing vessel F/V Miss Norma in the vicinity of Johnstone Strait, British Columbia, where they administered first aid to the 67-year-old man, who was suffering symptoms of a concussion and a broken arm. The crew placed him in a rescue litter, loaded him onto the small boat, and transferred him to the John McCormick. Photos, >click to read< 21:18
Coast Guard assists fishing vessel taking on water offshore Pascagoula, Mississippi
The Coast Guard assisted a vessel taking on water 51 miles south of Pascagoula, Mississippi, Sunday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard District Eight received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon at approximately 12 a.m. with a location 51 miles south of Pascagoula. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report of the 75-foot shrimping vessel, F/V Mr. Wood taking on water at the same position. Video, >click to read< 20:24
Commercial fish traps can aid wild salmon recovery
A new study evaluating alternative commercial fishing techniques further demonstrates the critical role commercial fish traps can play in recovering wild salmon and steelhead, improving fisheries management, and providing new sustainable fishing opportunities for coastal fishing communities. The publication confirms the ability of fish traps (or pound nets) to nearly eliminate unintended mortality of threatened salmon and steelhead encountered in commercial salmon fisheries of the Columbia River. >click to read< 18:09
Company touts benefits of micro nuclear reactors for rural Alaska
Alaskans looking for clean, safe energy sources should consider nuclear power, according to a company that is working on developing a micro nuclear reactor it says will be particularly suited for rural Alaska. Westinghouse Electric President Eddie Saab made a presentation Friday in front of Word Trade Center Anchorage, a private non-profit that focuses on trade and business opportunities. Saab told the crowd that the micro-reactor they’re developing, the eVinci, is small enough to be loaded on a truck or placed on a barge. Perfect, Saab says, to provide stable power for remote locations. >click to read< 12:59
Irish Fishing Industry calls for Urgent Consultation on Offshore Wind Farms
Representatives from the Irish fishing industry in Donegal and around Ireland say they fear being “displaced losers” in the development of offshore wind farms. The Irish fishing industry say they have a right to be consulted about offshore wind farms because it affects their livelihoods. Aodh, who is chief executive of the Killybegs-based Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO), said needs to co-operate to reduce fossil fuels but “co-operation works both ways and we are not being consulted.” >click to read< 11:36
Deaths, accusations and a search for truth: The Teesside seaside die-off and where we are now
It is an issue that has caused a huge amount of concern right the way across Teesside and down into North Yorkshire. And it is simply not going away. Last October, residents living in the Marske area began to notice huge piles of dead and dying crabs, lobsters and shellfish washing up on the beach between the seaside town and neighbouring Saltburn – in places, the piles were waist deep. Fishing livelihoods have been decimated, protests have been mounted and the campaign for a re-investigation continues. Here’s what has happened so far as the issue continues to prove contentious. >click to read< 07:58
DeSantis requests federal support for Florida fisheries in aftermath of Hurricane Ian
Gov. Ron DeSantis is requesting that the areas affected by Hurricane Ian be declared a federal fisheries disaster by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which would open up channels for more aide for those in the fishing industry. DeSantis announced the request Saturday at a press conference providing updates on Hurricane Ian relief efforts, highlighting support for those who work on the water. If approved, NOAA will be able to provide more support to commercial fishermen, wholesale dealers, charter boat captains and fisheries, he said. “Clearly a storm of this magnitude — this is appropriate for this declaration,” DeSantis said. “So once this is approved, then that provides these groups and people in the industry to work with NOAA to be able to get more support. So we’re happy to help facilitate that request.” >click to read< 14:58
Bycatch task force considers new rules, more research to protect Alaska fish intercepted at sea
In the search for a solution to the problem of bycatch, the unintended at-sea harvest of non-target species, the stakes in Alaska are high. Now a special task force is nearing the end of a year-long process to find solutions that satisfy competing interests to the problem of bycatch, which refers to fish that are caught incidentally by commercial fishers who are targeting other fish. The Alaska Bycatch Review Task Force, created by Gov. Mike Dunleavy last November, is due to release its final report by the end of next month. At least two additional meetings are to be held between now and then. >click to read< 11:50
Maine Congressional delegation backed HUGE spending increases for agency threatening lobster industry
Maine’s congressional delegation has voted to increase funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) by more than $6 billion under Democratic President Joe Biden. NOAA has come under increased scrutiny in Maine as the result of a series of regulatory actions aimed at limiting lobster fishing in the Gulf of Maine. Maine’s lobstering industry, already pressed by low prices for their catch, has been raising hell at public meetings. The recent NOAA spending increases were contained in the fiscal year 2022 appropriations bill, Biden’s massive infrastructure spending bill, and the so-called “Inflation Reduction” Act. Maine’s entire congressional delegation voted in favor of all of these bills, with the exception of Sen. Susan Collins’ vote against the IRA. The bill increased NOAA’s funding from the previous year by $447 million. >click to read< 10:04
Party time! N.B. village sends off lobster boats in style
The sky above Alma, N.B. was lit up with fireworks early Friday morning. Hundreds of people gathered on the wharf at 1:00 a.m. to wish lobster fishermen a safe voyage and to send them off in style. Around a dozen boats left filled with traps and men heading to sea as a bagpiper played during the impressive fireworks display. Terry Rossiter has been a lobster fisherman since 1979. “We’ll start tonight and they’ll [fishermen] put at least 24 hours in before they go to sleep, maybe 36. It’s a lot of time, a lot of hard work,” said Rossiter. The fleet launch began around 11:30 p.m. Thursday with live music, lobster rolls, and of course Alma’s world-famous sticky buns. Party on! >click to read< 08:17
Three Mayo Men Convicted Over ‘Very Serious’ Illegal Fishing Incident in July 2020
Three Mayo men have been convicted of false imprisonment, assault and obstruction as they attempted to evade fisheries officers from Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) at Belderrig Pier on the North Mayo coast two years ago. At a sitting of Ballina District Court on 12 July this year, Judge Fiona Lydon also convicted the men of possessing illegally caught wild Atlantic salmon and nets, in charges brought by IFI. The charges of false imprisonment were brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The court heard evidence from Lonan O’Farrell, an inspector with IFI that on the evening of 15 July 2020, the men were approached by fisheries officers as they recovered their boat at Belderrig Pier. The fisheries officers suspected that the men had illegally caught wild Atlantic salmon and illegal gill nets on board but were obstructed and assaulted when they lawfully attempted to board the vessel. >click to read< 16:01
Lobster and snow crab markets fall by as much as 65 per cent
While lobster and snow crab have long been two of the Maritimes’ most popular exports, new data suggests the markets are now falling short. At the wharf in Glace Bay, N.S., fishermen were getting about $7 a pound for lobster by season’s end and about $6 for snow crab. “It wasn’t a good year, lobster-wise or crab-wise for us,” said fishermen’s representative Herb Nash. At Louisbourg Seafoods, where lobster and snow crab have long been their biggest sellers, a record year last year gave way to a difficult 2022. “We were very optimistic coming into 2022 that we would see a replica of 2021, and that couldn’t have been further from what happened,” said Allan MacLean, a senior operations manager at the seafood business. Video, >click to read< 11:38
Nova Scotia fisherman, fish buyer, violated law during unmonitored halibut offloads, judge rules
A Sambro, N.S., fisherman, a fish buyer and two related companies have been convicted for Fisheries Act violations that included two unmonitored offloads of halibut in the middle of the night. The charges centred on seven trips made by the fishing vessel Ivy Lew between May 2019 and June 2020. In a decision released Thursday, provincial court Judge Elizabeth Buckle found Capt. Casey Henneberry guilty of five counts of failing to observe licence conditions. >click to read< 08:55
New satellite imagery first to identify North Atlantic right whale from space
New satellite imagery research led by the University of Ottawa is the first to identify a specific endangered Gulf of St. Lawrence North Atlantic right whale from space. Matus Hodul: “The North Atlantic right whale is critically endangered, with about 336 individual whales accounted for. Mortality comes from whales being hit by ships and becoming entangled in fishing gear, so being able to detect and monitor their location is important to conservation efforts. Knowing where the whales are at any given time enables fisheries to open or close to avoid the whales and enables ships to bypass them to prevent collisions.” >click to read< 07:46 ‘Individual North Atlantic right whales identified from space’ >click<
N.C. decides not to appeal to Supreme Court for review in lawsuit over marine fisheries regulations
Glenn Skinner, executive director of the N.C. Fisheries Association, a trade and lobbying group for North Carolina commercial fishermen, said Thursday he was “surprised and a little confused” by the state’s decision this week not to appeal to the state Supreme Court to reverse a September Appeals Court ruling that allows the state to be sued for alleged failure to protect North Carolina’s fisheries. The N.C. Court of Appeals ruled unanimously in September that the state chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association, a recreational fishermen’s group that bills itself as an advocate for “sound management of public trust marine and estuarine resources,” could sue the state, rejecting the state’s claim of sovereign immunity. >click to read< 19:56
SEA-NL applauds former fisherman’s appointment as Opposition critic for Fisheries and Oceans
Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) says Conservative MP Clifford Small’s appointment as Opposition critic for Fisheries and Oceans/the Canadian Coast Guard is good news for the province’s wild fisheries. “As the son of an inshore fisherman, and a former skipper himself, Clifford Small understands the wild commercial fisheries better than any politician of any political stripe,” says Ryan Cleary, SEA-NL’s Executive Director. >click to read< 11:02