Author Archives: borehead - Moderator
Let’s go to Canada! 60 thousand offer to those who know how to wash fish
Canada based company, located in Quebec, offers jobs for Mexicans with fish washing experience. The best part is that there is a striking salary of 60 thousand pesos a month. Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS)Through its employment portal, published a vacancy of a Canadian company dedicated to the processing of fish and shellfish, looking for Mexican Workers what Doesn’t necessarily know how to speak English or French Official languages of that country to operate in the 2023 fishing season. STPS indicates that this is a six-month contract and may vary slightly in line with the actual duration of the 2023 fishing season. The requirements are: >click to read the details< 20:45
Fishery interests urge judge to rule in lobster lawsuit
Parties in a lobster industry lawsuit filed against federal regulators are urging a judge to make a decision in the case because its outcome affects a parallel case that the parties have to act on. The federal judge considering this decision was the same who ruled last month that new regulations to protect endangered right whales do not go far enough and violate both the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act. In that case, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg asked the parties to propose remedies. The lobster association’s case takes aim at newly enacted and proposed federal regulations to protect the whales, which the association says are invalid because they are based on flawed assumptions and calculations. The parties need to know the court’s opinion so they can develop proposed remedies that Boasberg ordered in the parallel lawsuit brought by conservation groups. >click to read< 17:01
8 Types of Scallops – What to Know About Them and Ways to Cook
While they are no longer regarded as rich man’s food, they are still pretty pricey. And this is primarily due to the supply-and-demand concept. More importantly, they are full of health benefits. As impressive as scallops are, they are a confusing species. From dry versus wet scallops to divers and day boats, there’s a lot to them. We are here to clear the air. This article discusses the common scallop varieties and ways to cook each mollusk. We’ll also discuss how you can store them and how to avoid buying fake scallops. Yes, that’s right: Fake scallops exist. >click to read< 14:32
Joel Dejean: Turn the Tide Against the Texas Gulf Wind Farms
The Biden Administration announced last week that the first offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico will be positioned off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. The first selected area was described approvingly in the July 22 issue of The Texas Tribune by Mitchell Ferman. It is “24 nautical miles off the coast of Galveston, covering 546,645 acres, bigger than the city of Houston, with the potential to power 2.3 million homes, according to the U.S. Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.” The other project, praised in Houston Chronicle headlines, will be near Port Arthur [Texas] covering 188,023 acres, 56 miles offshore, with power potential estimated at 799,000 homes. Public hearings are to start in August. Two issues come immediately to mind. First, in the description of both projects, the phrase ”potential to power” is used. The figures given represent 100% potential productive capacity, but the wind usually delivers only 30%, and often even less. >click to read< 11:25
Coast Guard Medevacs injured mariner from vessel in Kukak Bay, Alaska
A Coast Guard aircrew medevaced a mariner on Friday in Kukak Bay, Alaska. A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak hoisted and transported the injured man from the 30-foot vessel, Wilderness 4, to awaiting Emergency Services Personnel at the air station. Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received the initial request for the medevac from a crewmember aboard the vessel at 10:09 a.m., reporting that the master was experiencing potential stroke-like symptoms. Command center personnel directed the launch of the aircrew, who diverted from an agency assist mission to conduct the medevac. The patient was transported from the air station to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center. -USCG- U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska
Prince Rupert fisherman frustrated by DFO salmon limits, despite millions of fish
Longtime marine fisherman Howard Gray is frustrated with the federal government’s management of the commercial sockeye harvest around Prince Rupert and afraid it will lead to two million dead fish that should have been caught in the ocean this year, he said on Aug. 3. Gray has been commercial fishing on the North Coast for more than 60 years, primarily harvesting salmon and herring. “A multi-million dollar travesty is happening as we speak. There’s going to be in excess of three million fish, sockeyes, going into the system, which is about two million more than there should be,” he said. Gray believes the rules that Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced regarding the commercial sockeye fishery were not in line with the high number of fish returning this year. >click to read< 08:25
Connecticut: New ‘Stonington Fresh’ campaign aimed to bring awareness to Stonington fishermen
Empire Fisheries is among the first fishermen to get on board the new branding campaign. The campaign also wants to bring awareness about what fishermen do and what they have to offer. “The idea for us is to highlight and showcase our products, which are sustainable and fresh, fishermen [who] are hardworking and dedicated to their business, and the port of Stonington which is historic and beautiful,” said Joe Gilbert, owner of Empire Fisheries. Video, >click to read< 07:35
Grieving widow of Scots fisherman killed in North Sea tragedy says family left in ‘awful’ situation
The Thai family of a Scots fisherman who was tragically killed in a North Sea boating accident have been left in an “awful” financial situation since his death. Ronald Mackinnon, who split his time between Thailand and Peterhead, passed away after a fishing vessel capsized off the coast of Norway in March. Voriya Sonthipong, his partner of 16 years, first met the 56-year-old at a Pattaya hotel where she worked. They went on to have two daughters, now aged 13 and 12, and a seven-year-old son. On the day of the tragedy, Voriya was contacted by Ronald’s mother. Voriya said her “heart almost broke” when she heard the news. And the anguish of losing her beloved partner has been compounded by financial woes that have plagued the family ever since. >click to read< 14:17
Chignik sockeye runs meet escapement goals for the first time since 2018 crash
The Chignik River has an early and a late sockeye run. The early run’s escapement is now over 420,000, and the late run’s escapement is now over 220,000 as of July 29. It’s the first time the early sockeye run has met its minimum escapement since it collapsed in 2018. The Alaska Board of Fisheries designated the early run as a stock of management concern in March as part of an agreement between the Chignik Intertribal Coalition and the Area M Seiners Association. >click to read< 13:31
DFO investigation into snow crab catch irregularities in P.E.I. leads to court sentences
A Fisheries and Oceans Canada investigation into snow crab catch irregularities at the Souris wharf during the 2019 and 2020 seasons has concluded with several fishermen and two dockside observers being convicted and sentenced in P.E.I. provincial court in Georgetown. On July 28, Judge Nancy Orr dealt with the final matter before the court and found fishermen Leo Dorgan, 32, guilty of five charges under the Federal Fisheries Act for failing to hail-in, or report, as accurately as possible the weight of snow crab on board his fishing vessel the Black Diamond II. Dorgan pleaded not guilty and had a trial on July 21-22. He was fined a total of $11,000. >click to read< 12:27
Dory boat captain loses right to fish after multiple poaching incidents
OSP Fish and Wildlife Division brought charges against a commercial fishing captain operating a dory boat in Pacific City. NOAA Enforcement Officers assisted in the case. Tillamook County officials completed sentencing procedures June 27 for Charles “Joe” Evens, of Tillamook. Evens violated the terms of his commercial license by keeping fish he caught instead of selling and documenting the catch with a fish dealer. He must pay $400 in fines, of which $300 will go to ODFW as restitution. He will also complete 80 hours of community service. The judge sentenced him to five years bench probation, during which time he is prohibited from angling or assisting others in angling. He is also suspended from obtaining commercial or recreational licenses for five years. >click to read< 10:32
Keeping It Simple on the Water, Hauling Traps and Filling Pots
“Things were much simpler in the ‘50s or ‘60s out here,” Mr. Iacono said as he piloted Freedom, the 35-foot lobster boat he has been sailing for 42 years, past the modest working boats and glossy pleasure yachts on the way toward Vineyard Sound. The lobstering industry has changed dramatically since Mr. Iacono first began hauling traps and filling pots, and so has the technology. “When I started, we had wooden traps,” Mr. Iacono said as he hauled out a wire trap off the coast of Aquinnah, two writhing lobsters inside. “They were made of oak and they would always be so heavy because the wood would soak up the seawater.” Now, Mr. Iacono’s boat is decked out with radar, GPS and a fish finder that uses sonar to map the ocean floor and help lobstermen decide where to drop their traps. How did they manage before the tech? Photos, >click to read< 09:00
Triumph II tows disabled dragger with 42,000 lbs of fish aboard through deep draft bar
The Coast Guard towed a 58-foot fishing vessel after the crew lost use of the main engine about 17 miles west of Willapa Bay Sunday. A boat crew aboard the Triumph II, a 52-foot Motor Life Boat from Coast Guard Cape Disappointment, met the crew of the fishing vessel F/V Ashlyne, a 58-foot dragger with four people and 42,000 pounds of fish aboard, and safely towed them across the Columbia River bar into Astoria, Ore. The Triumph II is one of four special purpose crafts specifically designed for the deep water bars located in the Coast Guard 13th District. The power and stability of the 52-foot Motor Life Boats make them the preferred asset for towing commercial fishing vessels across large bars, according to a Coast Guard statement. >click to read< 07:50
‘I don’t know where the breaking point is at’: A look at the threats the Louisiana seafood industry faces
Whether it’s crawfish, crabs, fish, shrimp or oysters, Louisiana is known for its seafood. The seafood industry is one of Louisiana’s largest employers. But the Louisiana seafood industry is threatened. “We are accountable for one-third of the seafood in this country. That’s something to be proud of,” said Mitch Jurisich, the chairman of the Louisiana Oyster Task Force and a third-generation oyster farmer. “But the industry, it seems like we’ve been under attack for several years now.” Those we talked to in the shrimp and oyster fishing business say there are problems gripping the seafood industry, including price, government projects and natural disasters. Let’s start with the price. Video, >click to read/watch< 21:44
UK fishing minister in Shetland aims for post-Brexit opportunities in 2026
UK fishing minister Victoria Prentis said she has listened carefully to what fishermen and industry leaders have told her about one of the islands’ key industries. Following a two day visit to Shetland during which she was lobbied by salmon farmers and fishermen, Prentis and her team were left in no doubt of the significance the seafood industries play in the wellbeing of the isles. She acknowledged that the outcome of the Brexit negotiations wasn’t what fishermen had been promised and said that preparatory work for follow-up negotiations with the EU for the period beyond 2026 were already under way. “We have already started the long and detailed work starting to talk to the industry to make sure that when we arrive at the negotiations, we know exactly what we want and what we are asking for, and this visit is very much part of that preparatory work,” she said. >click to read< 17:54
Happy Birthday USCG: Why some claim the Coast Guard is the oldest and most badass military service branch
August 4, 2022 marks the Coast Guard’s 232nd birthday. Over two centuries of continuous lifesaving, law enforcement and defense while proudly serving the United States looks good on the force. And despite the Army and Navy claiming to be the older service – they’re all wrong. So. So. Wrong. Mostly. Here’s why. When the Revolutionary War ended in 1783, the Continental Army and Navy were dissolved. Gone. Finished. Cut off! Minus two little volunteer militia units to maintain the weapons. This was largely due to the country not wanting a “standing” military, leaving it up to essentially volunteer militia and states. Seven years later on August 4, 1790 the orange and blue savior we all know and love, the United States Coast Guard, was born – though initially labeled The Revenue Cutter Service. Photos, >click to read< 15:39
The Birds Eye Fleet
In 1954, General Foods Birdseye Division was a big part of Rockland’s waterfront. In addition to a fish processing operation on Tillson Avenue, the company had a shipyard on Mechanic Street that maintained a fleet of nine fishing boats. On the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1954, the Surf went aground on the ledges of Devil’s Limb off Seal Island, to the west of Nova Scotia. The Surf was built in 1937 and was registered at 309 tons. Her length was 132 feet with a 25-foot beam, powered by a 750-horsepower diesel. Captain Douglas Schwartz of Rockland was taking the trawler and his crew of 10 men to the Grand Banks, having left the day before at 4 p.m. It is believed the trawler’s compass was off. Men who have sailed the area observe the Surf was 15 to 20 miles off course when she ran aground. >click to read< 11:53
Commercial fisherman dies in heavy equipment accident at ENC fish market
An eastern North Carolina man died over the weekend in a heavy equipment accident at a seafood house. Pamlico County Sheriff Chris Davis said William Smith of Bayboro was killed while using a forklift to move items from boat to boat at R.E. Mayo Seafood in Hobucken. He was employed by the fish market as a commercial fisherman. Pamlico County Sheriff Chris Davis said William Smith died when a piece of equipment fell on him while he was on a forklift. Video, photos, >click to read< 10:30
Maine Lobstermen’s Association appreciates Brady’s fundraiser
Lobster is the iconic symbol of the state of Maine, but new federal regulations threaten the future of this fishery. To boost the Maine Lobstermen’s Association’s (MLA) effort to preserve this way of life, the Boothbay Harbor community is teaming up to host a fundraiser on Sunday, Aug. 7. The event, a community lobster dinner, raffle, and auction, will be held at Brady’s, 25 Union Street, from 3-6 p.m. and proceeds will be donated to the MLA’s “Save Maine Lobstermen” campaign. >click to read< 09:45
NOAA rejects Trump-era expansion of rock shrimp fishing on Oculina Bank
In a surprise and unusual move last week, NOAA Fisheries rejected the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s request to allow this type of commercial fishing in 22 square miles of the area, where it has been prohibited since 2014. The ruling will keep about 19 permitted rock shrimpers, mostly from the Port Canaveral area, from working in a region believed to be habitat for the delicacy. Rock shrimp, known for their unique flavor, sell in Brevard County seafood markets for $29 a pound. Conservationists celebrated the decision, but the matter isn’t settled yet. >click to read< 08:04
Annual fisheries meeting tackles lobster lawsuits, whale protections
Tuesday in Washington D.C., key players from Maine’s lobster fishery tackled what it considers its most pressing issues. The first issue was an update regarding Judge James Boasberg’s July ruling in the U.S. District Court case involving the Center for Biological Diversity versus Secretary Raimondo and the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. This case made the news in early July after Boasberg ruled regulators aren’t doing enough to protect the right whale. Just days after, he sided with environmental groups in another lawsuit to allow Area 1 to close again to fishermen this coming fall and winter. Another issue was a proposal to shrink the size limit for lobsters over the course of five years in order to replenish the declining population of young lobsters. Also, reduced boat speeds and the future of ropeless lobster traps. >click to read< 20:15
A one-two punch – Lobster prices reach pre-pandemic cost
It’s more unwelcoming news for lobstermen and women the price of soft shell lobster has dropped to pre-pandemic levels. Beal’s Lobster Pier dock manager Justin Snyder says its a one-two punch for lobstermen. “What’s really affecting them is the increase in costs in everything else, so the lobster prices have fallen back to normal, but everything else is just as expensive bait and fuel mostly,” said Snyder. Not only is inflation a primary reason, but Snyder said it also has to do with supply and demand. “We’re seeing a reduction in the demand compared to last year. We’re in the high supply part of the lobster season. If the demand is not there and there’s no more supply, the lobster prices are going to go down,” Video, >click to read< 17:14
Shrimp fishermen catch pristine 17th century wooden head
A crew of shrimp fishermen made an unusual catch earlier this week when they pulled up a 17th century wooden head which may have formed part of the adornments of a large ship. The fisherman caught the head, which is in pristine condition, in their nets when fishing off the coast of the Wadden island of Texel on Monday morning. Crew member Victor Ayal put the find on Twitter, sparking a lively discussion about its possible origin, from the work of Vikings to that of Northern European shipbuilders. photos, >click to read< 15:48
Strong sockeye salmon runs bode well for famed Fraser fishery
“The last bunch of years have just been nothing but doom and gloom when it comes to B.C. salmon,” said Granville-Island based fisher Steve Johansen, who just returned from “crazy” commercial fishing in Barkley Sound a week ago where sockeye returns were more than double Department of Fisheries and Oceans estimates. On the Skeena River, a key B.C. salmon river, returns have been 50 per cent higher than estimates. “I think everything else (that has) happened this summer before the Fraser runs is just making everybody’s anticipation and excitement just up a couple more notches,” Johansen said. >click to read< 12:50
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 46′ Wesmac Scallop/Tuna/Lobster, 750HP John Deere Diesel
To review specifications, information, and 12 photos’, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here< 11:45
PEI halibut season half over
According to Danny Arsenault, who co-chairs the PEI Ground Fish Advisory Board, catches in 4T5 and 4T7H (an area off the west coast previously closed) show promise this year. Ten boats fished the area during the July opening and got their quota. The partial opening of the area is allowed by DFO to see if there can be a viable halibut fishery in the area without influencing the cod stocks. Quota for halibut, an Atlantic flat fish that can grow up to 400 lbs, has been doled out a little differently for the past several years for PEI license holders, explained Mr Arsenault. >click to read< 11:02
Protect Our Coast NJ cites offshore wind farm’s ‘negative impacts’
Protect Our Coast NJ, a group dedicated to stopping the Ocean Wind 1 wind turbine project, has weighed in on the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, pointing out the areas the 1,400-page document shows dangers to the region. Meanwhile, Ocean Wind said it is finalizing comments that it plans to publicly release on points the project developers believe should be addressed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement. A statement released Monday said it has already taken steps to minimize the project’s impact. The public comment period on the draft statement, or DEIS, closes Aug. 8. Most commenters either roundly supported the job creation they expect from Ocean Wind 1 and a series of other wind turbine projects off the coast, or they attacked the project for the harm they believe it will cause to marine mammals and the tourism, commercial fishing and recreational fishing industries. >click to read< 09:09
F/V Gabby G: Collision with cruise ship under investigation
There will be a U.S. Coast Guard investigation into a collision early Saturday morning involving a fishing vessel out of New Bedford and a cruise ship. The F/V Gabby G, which had been fishing for whiting, was returning to port when it struck the Norwegian Pearl, which had been bound for Bermuda, according to the Coast Guard. The collision occurred at 2:25 a.m. in rainy conditions about 35 miles southeast of Nantucket. Dan Farnham, manager of vessel owner Gabby G Fisheries Inc. out of Montauk, N.Y., said there was one minor injury aboard the fishing vessel. “He’s all fine, just a little scrape,” he said. >click to read< 07:26
Lobster Fishermen in Mexico’s Yucatán Organize to Protect Their Catch
For the last four months, fishermen in the community of Río Lagartos, Yucatán, have operated as a vigilante group to protect lobster populations on local fishing grounds, according to a report (photos) by newspaper Milenio. The group is made up of five fishing cooperatives, who stated that a sharp rise in illegal fishing had led to a rapid decline in lobster stocks. The fishermen reported that on July 1, the first day of the open season, which usually yields the largest lobster hauls, the catch was two-thirds lower than usual. Where each boat would normally catch 60 kilograms of lobster a day, they barely made it to 20 kilograms this year, Milenio reported. >click to read< 19:14
Russian fishing trawler “Mekhanik Maslak” catches fire in St Petersburg shipyard
The Russian fishing trawler “Mekhanik Maslak,” caught fire while reportedly under construction at the Admiralty Shipyards in St Petersburg. The fire covered more than 800 square metres of the hold. Footage of the incident was shared on Twitter, with one user posting, “The Mekhanik Maslak, a fishing trawler under construction, has caught fire at the Admiralty Shipyards in St Petersburg. The fire is being extinguished from both shore and water.” short videos, >click to read/watch< 16:34
Fire ignites on factory trawler under construction in Saint Petersburg, Russia – Russian media reports that a fire broke out on a large fishing vessel still under construction at a shipyard in the city of Saint Petersburg on Tuesday, August 2. >click to read<
