Author Archives: borehead - Moderator
Gulf of St. Lawrence redfish population in decline even before fishery reopens, report finds
The latest scientific assessment of the redfish population in the Gulf of St. Lawrence has sobering news even as fishing groups in Atlantic Canada and Quebec fight over who will get to catch it: their numbers are rapidly shrinking. “I think we’re at the point that we’re clearly seeing that there’s a limit to this boom,” says federal scientist Caroline Senay, the redfish specialist at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). The report comes in advance of DFO’s plan to reopen the fishery later this year after it collapsed in the early 1990s and has been closed since 1995. more, >>click to read<< 09:20
Cornwall family put boat up for sale after 300 years at sea
A family that has been fishing off the coast of Cornwall for 14 generations said they have quit the industry due to new government regulations. The Hunkin family, from Mevagissey, have been fishing for about 300 years, since the reign of King George I. However, on 1 January 2024 the pollack catch quota was set to zero, apart from a small by-catch allowance, in order to preserve stocks. Daniel Hunkin said he and others had since put their boats up for sale. More, He said the crew relied on pollack for more than half their annual income and he was worried for the industry as a whole. more, >>click to read<< 08:06
4 rescued after boat runs ashore in the North Bay
First responders rescued four crewmembers of a fishing boat that washed ashore near Bodega Bay Friday night. The boat ran around south of Salmon Creek Beach, according to Gino DeGraffenreid with the Gold Ridge Fire Protection District. “As always, the Sonoma Coast is extremely hazardous on occasion,” DeGraffenreid said. “And tonight was one of those occasions.” more, >>click to read<< 06:50
Coast Guard responds to grounded vessel near Bodega Bay
The Coast Guard responded to a report of a grounded vessel Friday night at Sonoma Coast State Park. This position is two miles southwest of Bodega Bay and is located within the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders received a call via VHF-FM Channel 16 from the captain of the 58-foot commercial fishing vessel Aleutian Storm reporting that the vessel had run aground and needed assistance ungrounding. The captain also reported that all four crew aboard were uninjured and had immersion suits. more, >>click to read<< 20:08
The Fishing Vessel of the Future
Project Octopus, the brainchild of Walter van Harberden, naval architect and one of the directors of Padmos, is more than just a fishing vessel. It is a vessel powered by a diesel-electric engine but could be entirely electric or powered by another energy source in the future. This could be possible thanks to its ‘modular’ structure. In concrete terms, the boat will have a basic hull with removable containers in which batteries or hydrogen can be stored. This principle of modularity will also enable the vessel to be versatile, so that it can be used for purposes other than fishing. ‘When the fishing season is over, we can replace the containers for storing fish with containers for other types of equipment,’ explains Walter van Harberden. Like a real octopus, the vessel will have several strings to its bow. It can be adapted to different fishing techniques: fly-shooter, single trawl or twin rig trawl. Photos, more, >>click to read<<
CA Coastal Types Singing Wind Turbine Blues: Help, Help Me, Rhonda! Get ‘Em Outta My Park!
I’m not really sure if there’s anything much funnier than when touchy-feely progressive types wake up one morning and realize what they’ve foisted on everyone else is suddenly coming home to roost in someplace they consider breathtakingly beautiful and ever so special. Two of President Joe Biden’s biggest priorities — conservation and the switch to clean energy — are colliding in the ocean off California’s quiet Central Coast. Located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Morro Bay boasts a rich ecosystem of fish, otters and migrating whales that the Indigenous Chumash people want to protect with a new marine sanctuary. They’d also neglected to check in with fisherfolk who ply the area or, probably more importantly because no one gives a rat’s patootie about working folks, they neglected to consult with any of the CA tribes who call that area home. They weren’t happy in 2022. more, >>click to read<< By Seege Welborn 14:50
Scotian Shelf shrimp fishery braces for another cut
For a third straight year, the shrimp fishery off eastern Nova Scotia is facing a big quota cut with ocean conditions to blame. The recent scientific assessment for northern shrimp on the eastern Scotian Shelf showed environmental factors — including warmer ocean water due to climate change — are contributing to the poor condition of the stock, he says. And the response, he predicts, will be a reduction in the total allowable catch. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is expected to announce the 2024 shrimp quota in several weeks. more, >>click to read<< 10:59
‘Wicked Tuna’ star meets Kaua‘i fishermen, scientist eager to resume local ahi research
Reality television star Dave Marciano, captain of the fishing vessel Hard Merchandise on the long-running National Geographic series “Wicked Tuna”, has spent the last two weeks on a whirlwind tour of Kaua. The famous fisherman, who visited with his family, was on vacation. However, he was also excited to reignite a long-running initiative between local commercial fishermen and marine biologists – which has all but stopped in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of funding. The local fishermen are more than Marciano’s colleagues: They’re also some of his biggest fans. When not discussing their shared profession, some could not resist taking a selfie or getting an autograph from the avuncular East Coast captain. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 08:46
Six offshore wind turbine sites planned off Barnegat Light, draw large crowd to Toms River
A plan to place wind turbine farms in six areas of ocean off the Jersey Shore brought a crowd to the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center on Thursday, where the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management fielded questions and concerns. Federal personnel met with more than 100 offshore wind supporters, critics and curious residents over a plan to develop an area of the Atlantic known as the New York Bight. Gus Lovgren, a fourth-generation fisherman, has a vessel named the Lilly Rose docked in Pleasant Beach. Lovgren worries that his family’s century-long fishing heritage in the United States is coming to an end. He said offshore wind farms could block his access to more than half of his usual fishing grounds. The wind farms will bring “devastation and the extinction of our industry,” Lovgren said. photos, more, >>click to read<< 07:29
Why it’s crucial that my generation remembers the men who were lost on the Fishing Trawler Gaul
I come from a long line of people who worked at sea. At the age of 16, my dad followed in his own dad’s footsteps. My other grandad was a ship’s welder. Growing up, when my dad was at home in his month off the ships, he would drag me anywhere and everywhere that had something to do with Hull’s maritime history: the Arctic Corsair, the Marina, The Deep. “You should’ve seen it in its prime, before the cod wars and her,” he would say. “Her” being Margaret Thatcher. One thing that I was never told about back then, understandably, was the danger of working at sea. Dad would only tell me about the glories of travelling the world and the comradery among the crew. It’s only now that I’m older and have started to look into Hull’s history for myself that that I understand why it was one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. more, >>click to read<< 06:42
States edge closer to regional fund for fishermen hurt by offshore wind projects
A New York state energy agency, in collaboration with Massachusetts and nine other East Coast states, took a concrete step Thursday toward establishing that fund. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority issued a request for proposals seeking a firm to design and develop the regional fund and a standardized claims process for the fishing industry. The process would apply regardless of which wind project caused the economic loss. In as few as 16 months, the states hope to have a claims process established, a third-party administrator selected, and millions of dollars from offshore wind developers that can be doled out to affected fishermen of any Eastern port as needed. The fund is a response to several projects that are slated to come online along the Northeast amid a lack of any national solution. more, >>click to read<< 14:53
Commercial Cod Harvesters Opposed to Drastic Increases in Rec. Fishery
Commercial fish harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador are calling for stricter monitoring of the recreational cod fishery in the province and assert that unaccounted for removals in the recreational fishery could threaten the conservation integrity of the stock. The petition to the federal government supported by Conservative MP Clifford Small is to more than double the number of days in the recreational fishery from 39 to roughly 90. Recreational removals are a significant source of uncertainty in DFO science and management and is blatantly contradictory to the Department’s mandate to monitor fish landings. more, >>click to read<< 14:04
Baffling mystery of tragic trawler that sank killing 36 – as heartbroken families demand answers 50 years on
The fishing trawler Gaul went missing during a fierce storm in the Barents Sea half a century ago in what remains Britain’s worst trawler disaster. The families of the missing seamen from the Hull area endured an agonizing wait for news on the morning of February 9, 1974. The fact that it took 23-years to find the trawler fuelled speculation about the disaster which claimed so many lives. The families of the victims spent years trying to establish why the trawler sank. The Gaul sank during the height of the Cold War and it was common knowledge that the security services had used trawlers to carry out spying missions in the 1960s. Video, photos, more, >>click to read<< 11:22
Irish fishermen fury over ‘unbelievable and outrageous’ secret EU deal talks to give Iceland access to our waters
Irish fishermen are up in arms over secret EU talks to give Iceland access to our fishing waters. Our trawlermen are being allocated an extra 15 million Blue Whiting quota this year on condition that Icelandic crews can fish here. The Irish Government claims the talks are “informal” and nothing has been decided yet. But Aodh O’Donnell of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) blasted that they must fight for our fishing industry the way other EU member states do. “They are not an EU member. How is this a fair deal? “Are we getting to catch around 15 million of extra fish in Iceland or EU waters for this deal? No. more, >>click to read<< 19:21
A report has concluded the sinking of a Cadgwith based fishing boat caused by extensive modifications
Skipper Brett Jose and crewman Callum Hardwick were rescued after an ordeal in which Mr Jose had to escape through the wheelhouse window as the 25 foot crabbed suddenly heeled over and capsized. Following the sinking in November 2022 a Crowdfunder was launched by the Cadgwith community to buy a new boat for the pair. The Crig-A-Tana had been fitted with a new wheelhouse, engine, safety kit and deck equipment with the help of Government grants but all had been approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:18
Alaska tribes, green group take aim at planned bottom-trawling study in northern Bering Sea
Three tribal governments and an environmental organization on Thursday served notice to federal agencies that they are planning a lawsuit to block a fishing experiment along the seafloor in the northern Bering Sea. The practice of bottom trawling, sweeping a net to catch fish on or near the seabed, is currently prohibited in the Northern Bering Sea, which is abbreviated in legal documents as NBS. But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service is planning to deploy some commercial trawling gear in selected spots over the coming summers to see what impacts, if any, result to the habitat and the marine life dependent on it. The research project is called the Northern Bering Sea Effects of Trawling Study, or NBET. It is focused on specific areas north and south of St. Lawrence Island and would potentially simulate effects of commercial harvests. more, >>click to read<< 08:10
The Plaintiffs in the Supreme Court’s Big Chevron Case Moonlight as Anti–Offshore Wind Activists
William Bright, Wayne Reichle, and Stefan Axelsson have a lot in common. They live in Southern New Jersey and run commercial fishing operations whose catch includes Atlantic herring, silvery little bottom-dwellers that feed on krill and fish larvae. They are plaintiffs in a Supreme Court case that could soon kneecap federal agencies’ ability to write and enforce regulations. And for the past few years, they’ve had a common adversary: offshore wind developers. Plaintiffs in one of the most closely watched cases this term participated in efforts to block two major renewables projects off the coast of New Jersey, Ocean Wind 1 and 2. The campaign against Ocean Wind 1 and 2 was aided by a network of conservative groups and corporate backers, who rejoiced when Danish energy firm Ørsted canceled both projects in November. Now, when the Supreme Court rules on Chevron this spring, these groups may have a much bigger win to celebrate. more, >>click to read<< 06:53
Welding accident sparks fishing boat fire on Fairhaven waterfront
A fishing vessel recently acquired by the owners of BASE Seafood Auction caught fire and burned on the Fairhaven side of the harbor early Thursday morning. The 78-foot groundfish trawler F/V Carrabassett was in the process of being decommissioned, according to Fairhaven Harbor Master Tim Cox, who was on scene the morning of the fire working with an environmental cleanup crew. He said the fire was sparked by welders using a cutting torch to carve out the boat’s piping. The welders called in the fire just before 7 a.m., Cox said. Thick clouds of black smoke could be seen rising over the harbor as firefighters from Fairhaven, New Bedford and Mattapoisett worked to knock down the flames using hoses and a foam fire suppressant. The fire, which at its peak had fully engulfed the cabin, was contained by about 8 a.m., Cox said. 6 photos, more, >>click to read<< 20:39
Protesting fishermen gather at DFO office to voice frustration over redfish quota
Outside the Department of Fisheries and Oceans office in Corner Brook, a crowd of about 50 people gathered to express their frustration with a recent federal decision to allot a 19 per cent share of the redfish quota to Newfoundland and Labrador. One protestor, Rendell Genge from Anchor Point, took to the microphone and asked the crowd to raise their hands if they’ll lose their jobs if the redfish quota isn’t increased. “Redfish was our only hope. We was let down. No one was any more disappointed than I was when this announcement was made,” said Genge. “The battle is just beginning, in my books.” Thursday afternoon’s protest was organized by the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union (FFAW), and secretary treasurer Jason Spingle said the crowd was there to show their resolve and disappointment regarding the recent federal decision. more, >>click to read<< 16:49
Vessel Review: F/V Arctic Fjord – Alaska Pollock Trawler to be Deployed in Bering Sea
Seattle-based seafood company the Arctic Storm Management Group has taken delivery of a new trawler-processor optimised for catching Alaska pollock in the Bering Sea. The newer F/V Arctic Fjord has a length of 324 feet (99 metres), a beam of 68.9 feet (21 metres), a draught of 28.5 feet (8.7 metres), space for 152 crewmembers and processing personnel, and a wave-piercing bow that reduces fuel consumption and slamming in rough seas. Approximately 4,000 cubic metres of fish products including fish meal and fish oil can be stored in the holds. Pkotos, specs, more, >>click to read<< 14:25
Five people, three companies convicted of 18 violations in N.S. halibut fishery
A major investigation into the halibut fishery in the Sambro area of Nova Scotia has led to multiple fines and licence suspensions. Five people and three companies were convicted of 18 violations of the Fisheries Act and Regulations. The Department of Oceans and Fisheries (DFO) conducted the investigation, according to a Tuesday news release.DFO originally laid 66 charges against eight individuals and five companies in 2021. “Harvesters who break the law give themselves an unfair advantage, undermine the effective management of the fishery, and threaten the sustainability of our shared fishery resources,” says DFO in the release. Links, more, >>click to read<< 10:43
Fairhaven and New Bedford fire crews respond to commercial fishing boat fire in Fairhaven
New Bedford and Fairhaven fire crews are on the scene of a boat fire in a vessels docked at the bottom of Washington and Water streets in Fairhaven Thursday morning. According to a source on the scene, the boat, named the Carrabassett, was under repair when it caught fire. A 2021 report in the Provincetown Banner when the vessel was grounded in Cape Cod waters, states the Carrabassett was previously named Cowboy and was part of a fleet that belonged to “The Codfather,” Carlos Rafael until it was sold to Blue Harvest Fisheries in 2020. more, >>click to read<< 09:30
Commercial redfish fishery to reopen, but pending quota threatens to push some fishers out
“It hurts me to talk about it,” says Brad Genge, a 51-year-old inshore fisherman from Anchor Point, on the west coast of Newfoundland’s northern peninsula. Genge says what should have been a good news story – the Government of Canada’s historic reopening of the east coast commercial redfish fishery – is hitting fishermen in this province hard. “Worst news we could have gotten,” says Genge. “Only thing that could have hurt more is if they came down and hit us in the face with a piece of lumber.” “We are done, we are out of the fishery,” says Genge, who tied up his trawler, the BNB Mariner, in early February. Video, more, >>click to read<< 08:22
Commercial Fisherman Pleads Guilty to Income Tax Evasion
A crew member on commercial fishing vessels operating out of New Bedford pleaded guilty today to evading nearly $300,000 in federal income taxes. Rodolfo Membreno, 49, of Fall River, pleaded guilty to one count of evading and defeating taxes before U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns. Judge Stearns scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2024. Membreno was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023. From 2013 through 2021, Membreno earned more than $1.3 million working as a commercial fisherman. During the calendar years 2013 through 2019 Membreno failed to file federal income tax returns. more, >>click to read<< 07:25
The story of the Gaul trawler tragedy, 50 years on
On January 22, 1974, the Gaul – a deep sea factory ship designed for long trips – set sail from Hull for Norwegian fishing grounds. At some time in the night of February 8-9, the trawler went down in heavy seas north of Norway, with the loss of all hands. It was later described as “the worst ever single-trawler tragedy”. At the time of the disappearance, mystery surrounded the fate of the trawler. No mayday signal had been received and it was only when the vessel failed to report in that alarm bells were raised. Stuart Russell, who was working on the Hull Daily Mail’s news desk, recalled how there was uncertainty from the outset. As with other trawler tragedies, the Mail got a crew list from the ship owners and the reporters went out to visit the relatives. more, >>click to read<< 06:26
FFAW DEMONSTRATION IN CORNER BROOK THURSDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2024,
FFAW-Unifor is holding a demonstration tomorrow, Thursday, February 8, 2024, at 1:00pm outside of the DFO Building located at 1 Regent Square in Corner Brook. The Demonstration is to call attention to federal mismanagement of fisheries – in particular the recent decision by Minister Diane Lebouthillier to allocate nearly 60% of the newly commercialized Unit 1 Redfish fishery to a handful of corporate offshore draggers, instead of the 100 or so inshore, owner-operator vessels that rely on it. Minister Lebouthillier has failed in her capacity as Minister to make decisions based on her mandate and the federal Fisheries Act. Specifically, management decisions should prioritize social, economic, and cultural factors as well as the preservation and promotion of the independence of independent license holders. None of which was evident in the Minister’s decision. more, >>click to read<< 16:11
Pot Half Full: Cordova boats find success in Kodiak crab despite uncertainties
As crab fisheries around the state become increasingly unstable over the last two years, fishermen have found reliable opportunities in Kodiak. Several Cordova vessels and captains journeyed to Kodiak this past month to participate in the 2024 Kodiak tanner crab fishery, a state fishery managed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). The fisheye opened at noon on Jan. 15 and closed on Jan. 21. This year Guideline Harvest Levels (GHL) allowed for 3,480,000 pounds of crab to be harvested by the fleet, down from the 7,300,000 pounds GHL in 2023. Last year the fleet staged a strike over the low grounds price of crab resulting in more than a week’s delay to the season. Although the price rose only marginally this season, the fleet went fishing on the regularly scheduled opener. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 14:37
Orsted, months after a $4 billion write-off on offshore wind, decides to cut jobs, halt dividends, and quit several markets
Orsted has struggled to keep its promising wind projects alive in recent times. High costs tied to Inflation, elevated interest rates, and supply crunches took a toll on Orsted as it wrote off $4 billion linked to two large New Jersey wind projects in October. At the time, the company described America as the “most painful part of its portfolio” that it would have to make that hard decision of de-risking from—a blow for President Joe Biden’s administration that had pinned great hopes to the country’s investment in green energy. more, >> click to read<< 12:13
A treasured industry and an endangered species compete for survival
On a cold morning in January, Chris Welch is already out preparing his boat. This time of year, his days begin before sunrise. It’s a ritual he’s grown accustomed to — at just 35 years old, he’s already spent decades working in the lobster business. “I started lobstering when I was six.” Welch said. Being a lobsterman in Maine is less of a job and more of a lifestyle. It’s a family business for many, including Welch, whose learned the ropes from his grandfather. But recently, the focus is less on what lobstermen’s ropes are pulling up and more on what may be running into them. Video, more, >>click to read<< 10:23
Pair of bills makes electronic monitoring of state-regulated fisheries a possibility
Nels Evens is a longliner and gillnetter, and the executive director of the Petersburg Vessel Owners Association. He says he’s not sure what the bills’ aim is. “Because it is so broad, and we don’t understand what it’s really trying to get at, we’re not supportive of it,” he said. The pair of bills – Senate Bill 209 and House Bill 294 – stem from a discussion at last year’s Board of Fisheries meeting. The Board was trying to figure out how to enforce regulations that require Area M fishermen to keep chum salmon, instead of tossing them back in favor of much more valuable King salmon. Area M is along the Alaska Peninsula and Eastern Aleutians. It intercepts some chum salmon bound for western Alaska. more, >>click to read<< 08:53
