Author Archives: borehead - Moderator
South Carolina shrimp harvest opens fully
After a cool spring in South Carolina, the majority of white shrimp in coastal waters have reproduced — and officials at the S.C. Department of Natural Resources have given the go-ahead for shrimp season to open in full. Commercial shrimp trawling opened in all legal South Carolina waters at 8 a.m. June 1. The trawling season in Georgia waters was scheduled to open at the same time. Shrimping season in South Carolina typically starts in spring with the opening of a small subset of waters, called provisional areas, that allow shrimpers to take advantage of the harvest offshore while still protecting the majority of shrimp that have yet to spawn. >click to read< 08:05
New England lobster, crab boats could begin using experimental ropeless gear with federal permits
Henry Milliken supervises a prototyping program for the so-called “ropeless” gear at the Northeast Marine Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole. “Our goal is to work with the fishermen, get them experienced with the gear outside of the closed areas, outside of the times when the right whales are present, and then when everyone is experienced, everyone is comfortable, then permit them to fish in the closed areas,” Milliken says. Most Maine fishermen dismiss the technology as unworkable in the state’s diverse fishing grounds. But a handful are quietly trying it out. >click to read< 19:36
Barataria Crabber isn’t Giving Up
A large majority of Louisiana’s crabs comes from the waters of the Barataria Estuary, situated between the Mississippi River and Bayou Lafourche. Scott Sugasti has been on those waters working his traps since an early age, and as one of the younger crabbers on the bayou he knows hard work is the key to success. Since Hurricane Ida he has had to work harder at avoiding numerous pitfalls the storm has caused for local fishermen. Now 23, he started crabbing on his own at the age of 13, never afraid to be alone on the water. While in high school he would get up at the crack of dawn and head out in his boat. ‘I used to go before and after school. I would wake up at three in the morning all the time and head out to run my traps.’ Over the years he has started and stopped a number of times, but it became his daily occupation when he bought his first boat from his grandfather, Jimmy Matherne, two years ago. Photos, >click to read<13:21
Are seafood wholesalers filling their pockets?
Where are the huge profits of seafood wholesalers going? Or the difference between the price paid to fishermen and the price charged to consumers, for example for crab and lobster? “It’s never easy to say who is pocketing the profits,” immediately replies Jean Côté, biologist and scientific director of the Association of Professional Fishermen of Southern Gaspésie. There are cases where there are no “staggering profits”, he insists. For example, Mr. Côté recalls that at the start of the lobster fishing season, the fisherman received $8 per pound for his catch and his displayed price in the supermarket was $8.77. >click to read< 10:41
DFO undertaking major hiring wave for enforcement officers
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is looking to hire more enforcement officers in departments all across Canada. In a hiring notice posted on Friday DFO indicated they need more staff in all seven of the nation’s fisheries. No word yet on how many positions they are looking to fill. Once fully trained DFO enforcement officers make between $66,610-$75,733 per year (DFO salaries are currently under review). Fisheries Critic and South Shore-St.Margarets MP Rick Perkins, “Since the first Trudeua government, there has been an increase in DFO executive positions from 65 to 178, with all those earning the highest pay available in the DFO.”. He wonders why that is nessecary as more fisheries have closed in that period. >click to read< 08:14
From injury to impact: a timeline of the eight critical moments that led up to R116 crash
Shortly after 9.15pm on March 13, 2017, the F/V King’s Cross trawler was on the northern edge of Porcupine Bank when Captain William Buchan told his crew to haul in the net. It was a perfectly normal request of his crew. However, it set off a chain of events so tragic and inconceivable that it still haunts all those involved in the R116 tragedy more than five years later. Fisherman James John Strachan was assigned to one side of the vessel. While attempting to clear a section of netting that had become trapped, his right hand became entangled. Capt Buchan contacted Ian Scott, the Coast Guard radio operator at Malin Head Marine Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC). Mr Scott listened with concern as Capt Buchan detailed his crewman’s condition. Immediately after establishing the vessel’s position, Mr Scott said, “It is within range of our helicopter, and he will come and get your man off the boat.” >click to read< 15:39
Sister of tragic R116 captain Dara Fitzpatrick’s incredible gesture after ‘tough week’ as inquest ends – THE sister of tragic Rescue 116 captain Dara Fitzpatrick has told how she would love to “host a documentary on loss and grief”. Dr Niamh Fitzpatrick said a number of people have contacted her to thank her for talking about loss after the inquest into the horror Rescue 116 crash finished this week. >click to read< 17:53
To bee or not to bee – Bees are legally fish in California
A ruling by a California appeals court in the United States has extended the legal protection of endangered species to bumblebees and, in effect, classified them as fish. The court’s decision will allow California to legally protect these endangered, native garden-keepers and help maintain the state’s biodiversity, which is crucial to keeping ecosystems resilient. The court found that “fish” may be commonly understood to refer to aquatic species, but the interpretation of the term in the legislature is “not so limited”. >click to read< 12:07
Shrimping season begins in Georgia
The official Georgia shrimping season kicked off two days ago on June 1. This means that the Georgia coastline is now open for shrimping. The crew on the F/V Miss Marion hit the waters of the Georgia Coast for opening day. “We just made one couple day trip.” They brought back about 1500 pounds of shrimp which Pittman says is a bit less than they normally catch this time of year. “We usually do a lot better than that, which is why this wasn’t really a good opening. We usually would rather wait until the middle of the month or so,” said shrimper Joey Pittman. Video, >click to read< 10:09
Middle school lobstermen take survival training
On May 26, a group of 10 middle schoolers gathered for a U.S. Coast Guard-certified drill conductor training session at the Blue Hill YMCA/Lawrence Fitness Center. The kids, whose ages ranged from 9 to 13, are all residents of Deer Isle or Stonington and have student lobster licenses. (The minimum age for a student lobster and crab fishing license is 8). The training session started in a classroom on Wednesday, where the kids learned about fire extinguishers, flares and other safety measures, before moving poolside Thursday. This training is unique in that it is “one of the only programs in Maine to target middle school aged lobstermen,” said Matt Montgomery. Photos, >click to read< 08:40
Commercial Fisherman survives after sleepwalking on boat, falling overboard
Rescuers said “a miracle of God” saved a fisherman who fell overboard into Southern California waters when he woke up in the middle of the night and began sleepwalking off the boat. Dylan Fogg expected a typical Thursday out at sea. He spoke exclusively with Eyewitness News on Friday and said he went to sleep aboard the F/V Crystal Bay, a commercial fishing boat, but woke up in the waters off Ventura. More than six hours later, his crew realized Fogg was missing and put out a mayday call to the U.S. Coast Guard. “A miracle of God found Dylan,” said Crystal Bay Capt. Pence MacKimmie. “He was 12 miles offshore and 40 miles behind the boat. We never knew he went over.” Video, >click to read< 21:28
Commercial Fisherman Robert Wayne Day of Waldoboro, Maine, has passed away
Robert “Robi” Wayne Day, 57, of Waldoboro, passed away unexpectedly at Miles Memorial Hospital on May 26, 2022, from a pulmonary embolism. Born on September 27, 1964, in Rockland, he was the son of Robert Day and Mary (Studley) Lund. After serving in the military, Robi worked as a commercial scalloper in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He often recounted the time he was swept overboard by a wave; he thought he would never see his family again but miraculously drifted back towards the boat and lived to tell the tale. He loved bringing scallops and fish home for family and friends. Most recently, he worked as a sternman with his son, Dustin. >click to read< 20:01
Tautai o Samoa Longline and Fishing Association elects’ new officers
New officers for the Tautai o Samoa Longline and Fishing Association have their work cut out for them with a host of challenges facing members. Issues such as poor fishing conditions, increased costs of operations and increased federal regulations. The association held its 1st annual meeting yesterday to elect officers and discuss the critical issues that impact this U.S. fishery. Tautai members are U.S. longline owners that operate in the U.S./ American Samoa EEZ and produce U.S. albacore for the Starkist Samoa plant. The Tautai fleet is the only U.S. longline fleet targeting South Pacific albacore. >click to read< 14:34
One fish, two fish: The local commercial fishing industry faces daunting challenges despite high demand
It’s just after noon on an unseasonably warm Friday in early spring. Naples has had a string of cold days and now this hot one, but no one standing in line in front of Mike’s Bait House in East Naples seems to mind. The line extends from the street, where cars are parked nose-to-bumper. It snakes through the parking lot and winds beside a black extended-cab Chevy. In the back of the truck, two young men from Dilly’s Fish Co, owned by Tim “Dilly” Dillingham, lean over Grizzly coolers. “What’s the difference between a lane snapper and a red snapper?” a man in line calls out. “A red snapper’s going to be a little more firm,” one of the young men in the back of the truck answers. That’s Dominick Biagetti, Dillingham’s right-hand man. Biagetti serves as boat captain and crew, and he helps with offloading and delivery. He has a seascape tattooed on his leg, an underwater reef scene with a turtle and a moray eel. >click to read< 12:10
Dog swims for several miles, finds way home after falling overboard of shrimp boat
Shrimp Boat Captain Keith “Kiwi” Soffes says his pup, Monster, never leaves his side. Monster even tags along on his shrimp boat for the daily runs out of San Leon, Texas. Last week, the loyal dog fell overboard while they were out in Galveston Bay. Soffes says he didn’t notice until they were already five miles out. He was beyond shocked and heartbroken. Video, >click to read< 11:31
American Aquafarms appeals DMR lease application decision
American Aquafarms has appealed a recent decision by the Maine Department of Marine Resources to terminate two lease applications for a proposed salmon farm in Frenchman Bay. American Aquafarms (AAF) is asking the court to vacate the DMR’s decision and send the applications back to the department for continued consideration. The DMR, in a statement, said it stands behind its decision to terminate the lease applications. The reason for termination, according to the DMR, lies in the proposed egg stock that American Aquafarms had listed in its application. >click to read< 09:41
Shrimp fisherman prepared to dump 50,000-pound catch if processors not prepared to buy it
Terry Ryan of La Scie, who together with his son Josh operate the Atlantic Bluefin Too, vows the boat will start fishing shrimp on Saturday, and if there’s no buyer for the 50,000/lbs they expect to have aboard by late Sunday/early Monday when the vessel returns to port, the catch will be dumped as a means to shake up the fishery and get it going. The spring shrimp price was set at $1.42/lb on April 24th, and Fisheries and Oceans opened the fishery on Sunday, May 29th (after public complaints by Terry Ryan on VOCM Open Line/The Broadcast), but the inshore fleet has yet to untie because processors say the price is too high. Which leads back to the increasingly popular question: what’s the good of the government-appointed price-setting panel? >click to read< 07:46
Commercial Lobsterman Donald A. Devine of Rhode Island has passed away
Donald A. Devine, 64, a Charlestown resident for many years, passed away unexpectedly on March 7, 2022, in Florida. He was born on April 24,1957. He was the son of Lorraine (Boulanger) Devine and the late George Devine. He worked on many lobster boats in Point Judith, before becoming Captain on the F/V Prudence for over 20 years. He had many friends that he enjoyed spending time with in RI, NY, and FL. He was always called Don or Donny, as Donald was reserved for his best friend “Donald” Houle. The two words that best described him were humble and kind. >click to read< 15:16
PEI – Lobster prices remain low as fuel and bait cost soar
The cost of fuel and bait continue to cause concern as fishers in LFA 24 reach the halfway point in their season. “Expenses are at a high right now,” said Korbin Fraser, Captain of the No Worries, based in Northport. “You really got to watch what you’re spending on fuel and bait because your profit can go out the window pretty quick.” Shane Gavin, captain of the Miss Holly 86, based in Seacow Pond, commiserates with Mr Fraser on the expense of these necessities. “You gotta have bait and fuel, you can’t do nothing about it,” said Shane Gavin. “I just hope the lobsters stay where they’re at right now for a while anyway, for another couple of weeks.” While expenses have been increasing, prices haven’t. >click to read< 10:19
One rescued from shrimp boat fire near Fort Pike State Historic Site
A shrimp boat burst into flames Thursday morning near Fort Pike State Historic Site in New Orleans. One person was rescued from the boat. Kirk Jacobs with the Fort Pike Volunteer Fire Department said the person rescued was the only one on the boat. The Coast Guard also responded to the fire. This is a developing story. Video, >click to watch< 09:37
UK fishing vessel sinks off Mizen Head
Shortly after 9 o’clock (yesterday) morning Valentia Coast Guard was alerted to a vessel in difficulty approximately 60 miles South West of Mizen Head. The UK registered fishing vessel F/V Piedras was reported to be taking on water and had lost propulsion. Shortly after raising the alert the crew of 11 decided to abandon the vessel and transfer to another fishing vessel, the F/V Armaven. No injuries were reported. Early (yesterday) afternoon, the vessel sunk in the area where it was initially reported to be in difficulty. >click to read< 08:46
Coast Guard: Marijuana use a factor in fatal Tillamook Bay capsizing
In February 2021, the F/V Coastal Reign, a commercial fishing vessel, capsized while attempting to cross the bar at Tillamook Bay when returning from a days-long crabbing expedition. The Coast Guard responded with rescue boats and a helicopter from Astoria, but two on the fishing vessel didn’t make it. Todd Chase and Zachary Zappone were killed when the boat capsized. Investigators site survivor testimony and evidence found at the scene, saying marijuana was used by three of the four people on board, not including Chase but including the owner and operator of the boat Brandon Anderson, for a majority of the nearly 40-hour trip. Investigators say one of the survivors told authorities they kept the use hidden from Chase while on the trip. Video, >click to read< 07:29
Lowcountry shrimpers facing challenges as season begins along SC coast
The full 2022 shrimping season is underway along the South Carolina coast, but economic woes may cause a challenge this year. While the offshore shrimping began in April, which allows shrimping three miles off the coast – or in South Carolina’s provisional area – Lowcountry shrimpers can work closer to the coast as of June 1. “Today, what we call the beaches, open for in-shore trawling. So, shrimpers are allowed to come in within, I think, a half-mile of the beach,” explained Cindy Tarvin, co-owner of Tarvin Seafood on Shem Creek. Video, >click to read< 18:56
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 45′ Fiberglass Lobster Boat, 750HP John Deere
To review specifications, information, and 24 photos’, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here< 12:00
Snow crab producers could limit production to help international market
An excess of snow crab produced in Newfoundland and Labrador is leading to supply outpacing demand, leaving industry figures to question if it’s worth slowing production to allow the market to catch up. More than 60 per cent of the total quota has already been caught and processed, according to Derek Butler, executive director of the Association of Seafood Producers. Butler says the fast-paced production has caused the market for crab to stall, leaving the industry to wonder where it will go next. “It’s a situation where we continue to buy, produce and to build inventories without the required sales to support those inventories,” >click to read< 10:47
Omega Protein boat rescues six from capsized boat in Mississippi Sound
A group of boaters who were stranded in the Mississippi Sound are thankful to be alive. Around 2 p.m. Tuesday, a crew of fishermen with Omega Protein rescued six people, including two children, from a small boat that had capsized. Capt. Joel Deihl said he got a distress call from the Coast Guard asking for help. After his two fishing boats located the capsized vessel, they pulled two people from the water and another four from the overturned boat. Video, >click to read< 10:16
Could an obscure provision of a Coast Guard bill threaten offshore wind farms?
A bill that passed the House of Representatives in late March and is currently under consideration in the Senate could “cripple the development of the American offshore wind industry,” according to the industry’s trade association. President Biden has set an ambitious goal of 30,000 megawatts of offshore wind electricity generation capacity by 2030, up from just 42 megawatts currently. But an amendment to the annual Coast Guard authorization bill that would require foreign-flagged ships installing wind turbines on the Outer Continental Shelf only if they have a U.S. crew or the crew of the nation from which the vessel is flagged. The intention is to protect U.S. workers from unfair competition from foreign vessels using lower cost labor from developing countries,,, >click to read< 09:06
Major sea rescue operation 60 miles off West Cork after trawler with 11-crew caught fire
A multi-agency marine rescue operation has been underway off the Cork Coast after a trawler with 11-crewmembers on board caught fire and began sinking earlier this morning. Shortly after 9 O’clock this morning, Valentia Coast Guard was alerted to a vessel in difficulty approximately 60 miles South West of Mizen Head. The UK registered fishing vessel F/V Piedras was reported to be taking on water and had lost propulsion. >click to read< 07:50
Who decides the price of fish at the wharf?
“They’re going to stop buying crab. They’re not going to buy crab if they’re losing money. The processors always have the upper hand,” Jason Sullivan, a fisherman from Bay Bulls, Newfoundland and Labrador, told The Independent back in mid-May, just before going crab fishing. As it turns out, those words foreshadowed a May 30 press release from the Association of Seafood Producers, which represents most processors in the province, that reads: “Snow crab producers compelled to respond to 2022 market challenges” and “full picture will become apparent in the coming days.” “It’s the exact opposite happening this year as to what happened to fishermen last year,” says Sullivan—who is also the president of SEA-NL, an association for licensed, independent owner-operator inshore fish harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador. >click to read< 16:31
Alabama: Gulf Coast Shrimp Season Opens June 1st
June 1 will begin like any other day for Alabama’s shrimp, until the boats start chugging and the nets start dropping. On that day, all bets are off if you’re a shrimp. The Marine Resources Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced (last) Monday that all inside waters not permanently closed by law or regulation will be open for shrimp fishing beginning June 1. Shrimp swimming in Mobile Bay, Bon Secour Bay, Mississippi Sound, Perdido Bay, Arnica Bay, Wolf Bay and Little Lagoon will be up for grabs on that day through the end of the year. >click to read< 15:44
Scallop Public Comment Meeting / NCFA Meet and Greet, June 1 @ 5PM
All fishermen are invited to attend the New Bern meeting, June 1st @ 1700. NCFA will be hosting a Meet and Greet just after public comments at the following location, Cypress Hall Restaurant 219 Middle Street, New Bern, NC. >click to read< 14:19
