Author Archives: borehead - Moderator
New England Fishermen Fear NOAA Retaliation as Feds Pin Dead Whale on Maine Lobstermen
For the first time in twenty years, the death of a North Atlantic Right Whale has been linked to Maine fishing gear, according to a federal environmental agency. Found dead off of Martha’s Vineyard on January 28 near Joseph Sylvia State Beach, the juvenile, female whale was described as having been entangled in a rope that was “deeply embedded in the tail.” According to the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — parent agency of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) — the rope found on the whale contained purple markings that are consistent with water trap and pot buoy lines used by lobstermen in Maine. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 07:22
NTSB Report: Flooding and Non-Operational Alarms Led to Fishing Vessel Loss
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that the likely cause of the capsizing and sinking of the fishing vessel Hotspur near Nunez Rocks, Alaska, was flooding into below-deck compartments. On August 2, 2022, while transiting through the Dixon Entrance, the Hotspur began to list to port. Realizing the severity of the situation, the captain and four crewmembers quickly abandoned ship, escaping to a life raft. They were subsequently rescued by nearby vessels. Within 20 minutes of the crew first noticing the list, the Hotspur had capsized and sunk. more, >>click to read<< 06:32
New fisheries co-op incorporated; Fisheries Protective Co-operative
A new for-profit fisheries co-operative has been incorporated to protect and advance the economic interests of the province’s independent inshore enterprise owners. To be known as the FPC, the Fisheries Protective Co-operative Newfoundland and Labrador was created over a period of several months by a steering committee of inshore harvesters from around the province, spearheaded by fishery activists Ryan Cleary and Merv Wiseman. The idea behind the FPC is to give independent owner-operators freedom over their inshore enterprises and commercial licences, and ensure a fair, transparent, and more consistent return on their investment. The long-term goal of the FPC is to become self-sufficient in all aspects of seafood operations — including harvesting, processing, marketing, and sales. The plan for the upcoming 2024 fishing season is to pool the collective quotas of members, and either hire independent companies to process fish for a per-pound fee or sell them product directly. more, >>click to read<<17:30
Champlain Seafood blames lack of lobsters for permanent closure of Meteghan, N.S., processing plant
A lobster processing plant in Meteghan, N.S., is shutting down permanently saying there are “not enough lobsters to sustain current processing capacity.” In a news release sent out on Tuesday, Champlain Seafood announced Riverside Lobster International (RLI) will not reopen for the upcoming spring season and will close permanently. The company said the closure will not impact its New Brunswick processing plants, notably Cape Bald Packers and Captain Dan’s. “The reason for the temporary shutdown was due to lower lobster landings and overall product availability,” said Champlain Seafood spokesperson Rachelle Gagnon. “The lobster processing industry in Atlantic Canada is continuing to see an unprecedented situation.” more, >>click to read<< 15:07
Captain Jimmy Ruhle Honored Posthumously with New Cooperative Research Award
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council named Captain Jimmy Ruhle as the first recipient and namesake of a new award that recognizes outstanding contributions to cooperative fisheries research in the Mid-Atlantic region. His son, Captain Robert Ruhle, accepted the award on his father’s behalf during the Council’s meeting last week in Arlington, Virginia. Jimmy Ruhle was a lifelong commercial fisherman, a former Council member, and a trailblazer in cooperative fisheries research. He had an instrumental role in the creation and success of the Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) Mid-Atlantic/Southern New England trawl survey, a cooperative fishery-independent survey of coastal waters from Cape Hatteras north to Cape Cod. Since 2007, the survey has been conducted biannually aboard Jimmy’s vessel, the F/V Darana R, by a team of Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) researchers working in partnership with Jimmy and his crew. more, >>click to read<< 13:11
Eric’s Heroes: The 50-year journey of fisherman Pete Knutson
A fisherman with long, gray hair looks out at this beautiful place and takes a sip from his coffee mug. The fisherman is Pete Knutson. The place is Fisherman’s Terminal. Each has left their mark on the other. Don’t be fooled by how gorgeous it is. Fisherman’s Terminal, plopped right in the middle of a major metropolitan city, is a place for men and women who understand work. People who fish for a living. “It always felt RIGHT,” he says. “It always felt like a place that I was comfortable. I like the people. I’ve always liked the people in the fishing. They’re really direct, you know? It’s honest work.” Pete has been a fisherman for 50 years. He’s gone to Alaska to ply his trade, four or five months every summer, for half a century. Video, 17 photos, more, >>click to read<< 10:46
Hull people petition for Arctic Corsair to be permanently berthed in St Andrew’s Dock, not ‘concreted into city centre’
The historic vessel, Hull’s last sidewinder trawler, is set to be a dry-berthed visitor attraction at the currently developing North End Shipyard, off Dock Office Row, in the city. She is expected to be open to the public, restored to her former glory, in early 2025. The petition calls for the placing of Hull’s heritage ship Arctic Corsair at St Andrew’s Lockpits. The introduction to the petition says: “Hull Trawler Heritage – Hull City Council plan to berth the Arctic Corsair, Hull’s heritage museum vessel, on the River Hull near Hull city centre. “We the petitioners believe she should be permanently berthed in Hull’s St Andrew’s Dock Lockpits, her natural home. Sign this petition immediately if you believe she should be brought home to Bullnose before she gets concreted into the city centre.” more, >>click to read<< 09:40
Crew safe after fishing boat stranded on Newfoundland’s south coast
The Canadian Coast Guard confirmed Thursday morning that the crew of a fishing boat that ran aground off the coast of Fortune on Newfoundland’s south coast have been safely evacuated from the vessel. The ship, called the Cape Cordell, ran aground just outside Fortune Harbour on Wednesday as a blustery winter storm hit much of Newfoundland and Labrador. more, >>click to read<< 08:46
Warren, Markey and Keating demand answers from Blue Harvest owners
“After years of putting private equity profits ahead of workers and small businesses, Bregal Partners — which owned and stripped Blue Harvest of its assets — owes the community an explanation,” wrote Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Rep Bill Keating. They each signed the joint letter addressed to Gene Yoon, managing partner of Bregal Partners, which owned 89.5% of New Bedford-based seafood giant Blue Harvest Fisheries prior to the company declaring bankruptcy in September of 2023. “Bregal’s actions with respect to Blue Harvest have left local small businesses and workers holding the bag after your firm spent years price gouging, mistreating workers, saddling consumers with junk fees, and stripping assets,” the letter continued. “Your actions have harmed New England’s fishing industry and left over 1,000 independent contractors, businesses, and other creditors saddled with debt.” more, >>click to read<< 07:18
Statement from Maine Lobstermen’s Association on Right Whale death
“The Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) is deeply saddened by the death of a juvenile right whale that NMFS has attributed to the Maine fishery. We know that entanglement in Maine gear is extremely rare. This is the first reported entanglement of a right whale in Maine lobster gear in 20 years and the first death attributed to the fishery. Maine lobstermen have made significant changes to how they fish over the last 25 years to avoid entanglement and continue gear testing. The MLA will continue this important work as we review the data and evidence that NMFS has collected. MLA remains committed to finding a solution to ensure a future for right whales and Maine’s lobster fishery”. 16:50
Maine lobstering gear linked to right whale death for first time
A federal regulatory agency has confirmed that the right whale found dead near Martha’s Vineyard in January had been tangled in Maine lobstering gear. It is the first time Maine gear has been found on a dead right whale, an endangered species. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries announced Wednesday afternoon that the female right whale calf found on Jan. 28 near the island off Cape Cod had been injured by gear that has markings distinct to Maine lobstering operations. The link to Maine fishing gear was confirmed by the Maine Department of Marine Resources. Commissioner Patrick Keliher traveled to Massachusetts with department staff to inspect the gear and arrived at the same conclusion. more , >>click to read<< 15:37
Oregon fishermen, tribes angered by surprise announcement on offshore wind energy areas
Federal officials say Oregon’s wind energy areas were developed “following extensive engagement and feedback from the state, Tribes, local residents, ocean users, federal government partners, and other members of the public” and are based on reducing conflicts with ocean users, particularly commercial fishermen. The areas avoid 98% of the locations recommended for exclusion due to their importance as commercial fishing grounds, they said. But local groups representing fishermen and Indigenous communities said that narrative is inaccurate and the federal government’s engagement with local communities was perfunctory at best, failing to take into account suggested impacts on local fishing areas, the environment and views that are sacred to tribes. The groups said the announcement caught them by surprise since Gov. Tina Kotek had asked the federal agency last June to pause identifying and leasing offshore wind areas so the state could fully evaluate potential impacts on the environment and economy. more, >>click to read<< 10:07
Trawler Runs Aground on South Coast
A fishing trawler has run aground on the south coast. The incident happened a couple of hours before daybreak. The vessel, named the Cape Cordell, is listing as it sits about 100-feet from shore. Mayor Deanne Hickman, who is not currently in the town, tells VOCM News that the trawler is believed to have about four crew on board. She says it was on its way to the local fish plant when it ran aground. Hickman says an attempt was made to free the vessel but was unsuccessful. She says another boat will soon be making a second attempt to free the trawler. Photos, >>click to read<< 09:04
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 40′ H&H Lobster Boat, 575HP Scania DI 1242M Diesel
To review specifications, information, and 9 photos’,>click here<, To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 08:01
Dunbar: Lifeboatman Alistair Punton recognised for 30 years of service
A lifeboat volunteer recognized for 30 years of service has vowed he has no plans to retire. Alistair Punton was recently presented with a medal to honour his three decades with Dunbar RNLI. The 64-year-old revealed that his first callout actually took place before he had officially signed up. He said: “I’d spent a lot of time on boats – I’d had little cabin cruisers of my own and been on fishing boats – so the coxswain at the time, Noel Wight, invited me to join them at North Berwick’s lifeboat day that year. He said: “I’m not ready to retire – as long as I’m passed medically fit and my line manager agrees I can stay on.” Photos, more, >>click to read<< 07:12
Canada proposes shutdown of troubled Maritime elver fishery in 2024
The federal government has served notice it intends to close the commercial fishery for baby eels, or elvers, in the Maritimes this year — six weeks before the season is set to open. Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Diane Lebouthillier informed licence holders Tuesday and gave them until Feb. 23 to respond. Lebouthillier said there was not enough time for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to implement enhanced “access for Indigenous communities, a new regulatory framework to regulate and licence the possession and export of elvers, and a suite of operational changes to the management of the elver fishery.” “Based on all the above, it is my view that it is not possible to have a safe and sustainable elver fishery in 2024, and therefore the fishery should not be opened,” Lebouthillier wrote. more, >>click to read<< 16:46
Valentine’s call on Government to prove it loves the Fishing Industry
Patrick Murphy, CEO of Irish South and West Fisheries Producers and Aontú’s Ireland South candidate for the EU elections says that Ireland’s rich marine resources, and those who work in them, deserved to be loved. “The Springtime is the optimum time for our government to roll out an information campaign on the benefits of eating fish. Lighter brighter days not only influence our spirits, but also our eating habits. The Government should tap into this and put some of the huge amounts of money it has to good and practical use”. “Repeated studies show the benefits of eating fish; it is one of the most complete foods we have, full of minerals, vitamins that we need for our bodies and minds, it is easy to cook, it’s versatile, it truly is an incredible food”. more, >>click to read<< 14:23
Southern Shrimp Alliance Submits Comments Opposing Request by Government of Vietnam to be Treated as a Market Economy
Over the objection of a large and diverse group of American industries and producers, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is currently conducting an administrative proceeding to determine whether Vietnam should Government of Vietnam a market economy for the purposes of our antidumping duty laws. Commerce’s current practice treats Vietnam as a non-market economy (NME) and applies special rules to address the distortions caused by the government of Vietnam’s control over the country’s economy. Under these special rules, Vietnamese shrimp exporters that are controlled by the government are subject to a 25.76 percent antidumping duty rate. more, >>click to read<< 11:23
The St. Jude Is One of Seattle’s Last Commercial Tuna Boats
It’s a Monday afternoon and Fishermen’s Terminal in Ballard is relatively empty. A man pulls into the parking lot in a minivan and snakes his way over speed bumps to the water’s edge, where he stops alongside a battered-looking boat. After hopping onto the deck and exchanging a few words and some cash with the boat’s all-Fijian crew, he gingerly packs a whole flash-frozen albacore tuna into a Styrofoam container, places it in his trunk, and glides away. The transaction has the air of a secret. But it isn’t one. The St. Jude has been trolling for albacore in the Pacific for 35 years, and its owners, Joe and Joyce Malley, have been selling their catch off the boat intermittently since 1999. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:52
P.E.I. company dips into new lobster products, extending work at Tignish plant
A seafood processing company in Tignish, P.E.I., has just launched a lobster dip, the first of several new products that will mean more work at the plant while using up leftover lobster and crab meat. Francis Morrissey is manager of Royal Star Foods, a subsidiary of the Tignish Fisheries Co-operative, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025. “We decided six years ago to move in a different direction, that we could do more with the product that we’re getting — to create more employment and add value to some of the lower-end products,” he said. Video, more, >>click to read<< 08:29
F/V Aleutian Storm: Coast Guard working to free 57-ton fishing boat grounded near Bodega Bay
The Coast Guard says the vessel ran aground during rough seas Friday night. The ‘re-floating’ mission is urgent before the boat becomes a pollution hazard from leaking fuel. By air, land and sea, there’s a major operation happening on a Sonoma County beach. Dozens of people working to get the 58-foot Aleutian Storm back into the Pacific. Trouble is, she’s stuck in several feet of sand. The Coast Guard said the plan Monday was to attach a tow line between to the Aleutian Storm and a tug boat offshore and pull her off the beach when the tide comes in. Video, more, >>click to read<< 07:15
The Adventurous life of commercial fishing
With crabbing season just around the corner, the five-person crew of the fishing vessel Adventurous is about to embark. Led by owner and captain Shon Landon, they face brutally long days prepping and converting the ship from its role as a salmon seiner for the summer season to an efficient crabber for the winter. There is both anticipation and excitement at the start of a new season; a successful haul involves planning, reviewing data, strategic decision-making, skilled teamwork, and a splash of luck. In a word, it is truly adventurous. While Landon does not hail from generations of fishermen, he still came into the industry at a young age, taking on his first job on a troller at just 12 years old. His family had moved up to Alaska after his father took a job in the logging industry. When Landon later got a job seine fishing on another vessel, he knew he had found his true passion. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 18:09
One fish, two fish, redfish, dead wish – Something fishy’s going on, and Furey and Hutchings should be getting us answers.
It seems the Trudeau and Furey governments have some things to discuss—namely the well-being and future of west coast fishers and their communities. On Thursday, fishers and political leaders from the province gathered at a FFAW-Unifor-organized demonstration in Corner Brook to condemn DFO’s recent redfish quota allocations as the commercial fishery prepares to reopen following a nearly three-decade hiatus. Dozens of fishers watched as members of Furey’s caucus and cabinet expressed confusion and outrage at their federal counterparts. leader Tony Wakeham, AFN Regional Chief Brendan Mitchell, and fishery magnate Bill Barry also shared their indignation. PC leader Tony Wakeham, AFN Regional Chief Brendan Mitchell, and fishery magnate Bill Barry also shared their indignation. more, >>click to read<< 14:25
Our Fragile Oceans: Is It Too Late to Rethink Floating Wind Turbine Power Off Our California Coastline?
On January 24, 2024, Democrat Congressman Jared Huffman gave a speech in Humboldt County applauding the securing of $426 million federal grant dollars for the establishment of floating wind farming turbines off the Humboldt County coastline. Local leaders, commissions, private and public businesses, and the indigenous community seemed to be onboard. East coast fishermen recently have been battling the establishment of wind powered generators along their coastline. Many claim that these wind turbines will effectively ruin the oceanic fisheries along the east coast of the United States. One also must question the ultimate expanse of such an infrastructure rollout. That said, my preliminary ballpark calculations (with a continuous high level of efficiency of the turbine units) could only provide a range of 0.7% to 3.0% of the needs of California households (under the current grants) and that would exclude any commercial usage. more, >>click to read<< by Jeff Wyles 11:43
Lifelong commercial fisherman Jeremy Davis of Maine, has passed away
Jeremy G. Davis died unexpectedly on Saturday, January 27, 2024, at York Hospital after a short illness. Jeremy was a lifelong commercial fisherman. He crewed and eventually captained boats for others out of ports in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts in his early years. Eventually, Jeremy purchased his first commercial fishing boat, a 42′ boat fittingly named the F/V Chutzpah. This allowed him to stay closer to home, support his young family, and avoid the extended offshore trips on larger vessels. His love for fishing was not just a job; it was his life’s work. Jeremy was an extremely hard worker who rarely took a day off from running his fishing business. He eventually purchased his largest boat, the F/V Karen Lynn I, named after his wife of 42 years. Jeremy captained that boat until his semi-retirement a few short years ago when he started spending winters in Port Charlotte, Florida. more, >>click to read<< 09:34
Swordfish are moving north in Canadian waters
“It’s still unclear whether this is becoming the new normal due to climate change or if the biomass will eventually shift back again as we think it did historically,” said Fisheries and Oceans Canada biologist Kyle Gillespie. Nineteen-hundred tonnes of swordfish were landed in Canada last year. Nearly a third of the swordfish were taken off Newfoundland, where longline fishing boats from Nova Scotia trailed kilometres of baited hooks throughout much of the summer. Gillespie said this is a rapid shift from the previous decade, when the entire Canadian catch was concentrated along the Scotian Shelf and Georges Bank off southern Nova Scotia. more, >>click to read<< 08:46
Uncharted Waters: The Hunkin Family’s Fight for Their Ancestral Fishing Trade
For 14 generations, the Hunkin family has braved the unpredictable waters off the Cornish coast, weaving their lives into the rhythm of the sea. But now, a sudden shift in government regulations has forced this storied fishing family to abandon their ancestral trade. As of January 1, 2024, the pollack catch quota has been set to zero, save for a minuscule by-catch allowance, leaving the Hunkins – and many like them – grappling with an uncertain future. Daniel Hunkin, the latest in a long line of seafarers, laments the lack of notice and communication from the government. “We relied on pollack for more than half our annual income,” he says, “We’ve had to sell our boats and face an uncertain future.” more, >>click to read<< 07:07
Fishing boat aground near Bodega Bay
F/V Aleutian Storm’s owner, watching his fishing boat stuck fast in the sand at South Salmon Creek Beach, didn’t want to talk to a reporter. His livelihood was aground, out of commission and, despite its sturdy build, in some peril. His 58-foot vessel had run aground near Bodega Bay late Friday night — all four of the crew aboard got off safely, the Coast Guard said — and Chris Fox was waiting for a tugboat he’d hired to arrive from San Francisco. “If you lost your house, if you lost your means of making a living, all of that is similar to what’s happening, “said Dick Ogg, a veteran fisherman who is president of the Bodega Bay Fishermen’s Marketing Association. ”Chris works so hard. He’s such a good person and it’s just devastating to see something like this happen. He had been out Friday night fishing, too, Ogg said, and it “had been miserable.” “There was probably close to 20 knots of wind and, you know, it had been building and it just was nasty,” he said. Five photos, more, >>click to Read<< 15:14
Fisheries minister says seal is the new lobster
“When properly prepared, it is delicious,” said Lebouthillier at a Senate Fisheries Committee (SFC) meeting. When it comes to seal meat, Lebouthillier called for it to be exploited. “Making it a consumer product is a priority,” she said. “We did it with lobster.” With regulators, she said they must “use this acquired experience.” This means they do not need to reinvent the wheel. The Senate Fisheries Committee sought new markets for seal products since sales collapsed under a 2009 European Union export ban. The trade at its peak in 2006 was worth $34.3 million per year. more, >>click to read<< 11:40
January storms leave many working waterfronts in Maine adrift
Chris Hole watched in horror last month as the storm pummeled his family’s fishing business at Lookout Point in Harpswell. It was Jan. 13, and the second of two powerful storms in less than a week leveled Henry Allen’s Seafood, a lobster wharf, wholesaler and retailer. Strong winds and high tides wiped out the dock’s seawall, drowned new refrigeration units and flooded buildings with waist-high water. Guy Baker left his fish house on Bailey Island that day so he wouldn’t have to bear witness. When he returned, the building that had stood on the edge of Baker’s family property for more than 80 years had been reduced to a pile of rubble on the shore. Farther up the coast in the Washington County town of Milbridge, all but the supporting structure of Chipman’s Wharf floated away at high tide during the Jan. 10 storm. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 10:11
