Author Archives: borehead - Moderator
Banner year for blue-fin tuna
Thanks to unusually warm waters, and plenty of prey in the North Atlantic off Canso, fishermen are calling 2023 a record-breaking year for landings of the fabled blue-fin tuna. “They brought in over 500 fish in this area by the end of December,” said Ginny Boudreau, manager of the Guysborough County Inshore Fishermen’s Association (GCIFA). “That’s well over a hundred more, up 20 per cent, from last year, and the highest in the last 10 years.” And the fish are bigger. more, >>click to read<< 11:10
F/V Tara Lynn II: Multiple groups work together to remove fishing vessel from Cape Elizabeth shore
This week, Portland-based salvage company Determination Marine, along with crews from Scott Dugas Trucking-Excavating, worked Friday to remove as much gear off the Tara Lynn II as possible. Parker Poole, the owner of Determination Marine, said Friday morning that the boat was leaning at a 60-degree angle and it needed to be tilted to as level as possible to remove the mast and other parts still on board. While the cold winter weather this week makes for tough working conditions, Poole said it has benefits for land preservation. Crews left the scene on Reef Road Friday evening, and Poole said he and some workers will return Saturday to continue cleaning up debris before the heavy machinery returns Monday morning. Video, more, >>click to read<< 09″08
My mom made waves as captain of her lobster boat. I’m proud to be her deckhand
A sou’easter blew with force, stronger by the second, making the waves choppy and short. My mom, laughing as she tends to in these situations, said, “Ya gotta drive ‘er it like you stole ‘er!” We were sailing at a good clip to keep her lobster boat steady and skip over the waves. A bit nervously, I laughed along with her, somewhat glad that we were cutting our fishing day short as we bounced among the tumultuous whitecaps. I was sitting at the lunch table where we sometimes enjoy a meal together as a break from the day. All seemed relatively fine, albeit a bit rough, until we had to turn starboard at a point where one current meets the other in the gully. Rather than taking the waves head-on, we were suddenly being slammed port side. photos, Video, more, >>click to read<< 07:46
First crab hauls come ashore, but Northern California fishermen frustrated by $3 price point
Dungeness crab season finally started this week following regulatory delays and a fisherman’s strike. While the strike aimed to get a better price from the fish processing companies that buy a large portion of the crabs, local fishermen are still frustrated with the starting price of $3 per pound across California. Harrison Ibach, president of Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association, said so far the weather has been less than favorable and the price leaves a lot to be desired. “No one is happy with the fact that the processors are still paying more in Oregon than they are in California,” he said. The price is better than last year’s historic low of $2.25 that coupled with a large number of crabs. But this is up to a dollar lower than what processors are paying Oregon crabbers, said Ibach, the reasoning for which isn’t entirely clear. more, >>click to read<< 16:21
State sets much larger harvest guideline for Southeast golden king crab
The commercial tanner crab and golden king crab season in Southeast opens at noon Feb 17. A change this year will require golden king crab fishermen to call in to the Department of Fish and Game every day to report which management area they plan to fish, to help fisheries staff better anticipate and manage the harvest. The department announced the golden king crab guideline harvest level in southern Southeast, Registration Area A, at 272,500 pounds, with specific areas seeing notable changes. The number is almost three times the size of last year’s guideline harvest, with most of the increase in a single portion of the region. The increase is the result of meetings between the fishing industry and state fisheries management. more, >>click to read<< 15:00
Fishing smarter, not harder
Whitelink seafood’s scallop dredger Eternal Light FR-35 reports some successful fishing in new areas, thanks to seabed details revealed by their Turbowin 3D plotter. ‘We took a hundred bags of scallops off a small uncharted ridge yesterday,’ said skipper Ian Taylor. The banks, ridges, reefs and gullies revealed by Turbowin 3D have meant that working techniques have been adapted to fish them in a precise, targeted fashion and users are clearly reaping benefits,’ according to Calum West at Seafield Navigation. ‘This means increased catches for the same effort and allowing new areas to be worked safely. Features that are only one metre high jump out at you, which aren’t included in navigation charts or any of the competitors’ 3D systems.’ a 3D image, more, >>click to read<< 13:40
Cape May fishermen at center of major U.S. Supreme Court case
Wayne Reichle, owner of Lund’s Fisheries.
On Wednesday, the justices heard testimony in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. The justices are deciding whether to uphold or overrule the four-decades old Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council decision. The justices heard three-and-a-half hours of oral argument this week. Multiple media outlets reported the justices asked questions indicating that the Chevron doctrine is unlikely to remain fully intact. The fishermen are challenging the National Marine Fisheries Service for requiring the herring industry to take on the cost of paying observers. Who is supporting the fisherman and why? The fishermen are represented by the Cause of Action Institute and New Civil Liberties Alliance. Groups such as the Cato Institute, Christian Employers Alliance, and members of Congress such as Sen. Ted Cruz and Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, have filed briefs in support of the fishermen. more, >>click to read<< 12:15
Rogue wave hits Canadian lobster industry as U.S. moves to increase minimum legal size
An unexpected decision to increase the minimum legal size of lobster in the United States has appeared like a rogue wave on the Canadian industry, threatening to curtail live exports south of the border. With total Canadian live shipments worth $545 million in 2022, the potential trade implications was the first item on the agenda in the annual U.S.-Canada lobster town meeting being held in Moncton, N.B., this week. “Effectively we will not be able to ship a certain size lobster there that we always have. So their action will create an action that we have to respond to in Canada,” said Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada. The U.S. move to increase the minimum legal size of a lobster carapace, or outer shell, from 82 millimetres to 84 millimetres in January 2025 — and to 86 millimetres in 2027 — would create a mismatch in the closely integrated two-way trading between the countries. photos, more, >>click to read<< 10:22
France orders rare Atlantic fishing ban to protect dolphins
The French government will temporarily ban almost all commercial fishing in the Bay of Biscay to protect dolphins, much to the dismay of the industry. The month-long ban off the country’s West coast—the first since the end of World War II—is set to begin Monday and applies to both French and foreign fishermen. It follows calls by environmental activists to protect the marine mammals, pointing to a surge in dolphin deaths on the Atlantic coast. From Finistere in the extreme west of Brittany to the Spanish border, fishing will cease almost entirely until February 20. more, >>click to read<< 09:39
Dungeness crab season gets underway amid hope for relief in commercial fishing fleet
On Sunday, veteran fisherman Chris Lawson learned he had lost his eldest granddaughter in a terrible crash on the Bay Bridge. The next day, he was out on his commercial fishing vessel, Seaward, setting traps on the ocean floor in preparation for the delayed start of the Dungeness crab season Thursday at 12:01 a.m. Moving on is part of the grieving process, said Lawson, a third-generation commercial fisherman. But this year, it also was a necessity. Scarce fishing opportunities over the past year have pushed many in the commercial fishing industry to the brink, so the chance to finally harvest crab, even in the middle of the night, was not to be missed. Lawson’s girlfriend’s son, whom he calls his “stepson,” launched as well, setting pots from a second boat. Video, photos, more, >>click to read<< 08:18
Major lobster plant in Escuminac, with 135 workers, temporarily closing
A major lobster processing plant in Escuminac is temporarily closing its doors, two years after it was purchased by a private American investment firm. Raymond O’Neill & Son Fisheries employs about 135 seasonal workers each year. It was purchased in 2021 by ACON Investments, based in Washington, D.C. Luc LeBlanc, a fisheries advisor at the Maritime Fishermen’s Union, called the job losses at O’Neill & Son “another hard blow to our coastal communities.” At least 100 fishermen benefited from the factory’s activities, said LeBlanc, who was attending the same industry meeting in Moncton Thursday. more, >>click to read<< 07:37
Newport Fishermen’s Wives work to show up whenever, or wherever, their community needs them
On a windy wet Saturday in January, the Newport Fishermen’s Wives end their annual meeting at Mo’s Seafood and Chowder on the bayfront and welcome visitors. As servers deliver tureens of clam chowder and platters of thick buttery toast, the group members stand to introduce themselves. Then, from the far end of the table, Denise Porter rises. “I started with the Fishermen’s Wives five years ago when my husband passed away,” Porter begins, noting that the anniversary of the capsizing that took Josh Porter’s life was just three days away. “First, I want to say I wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for you,” Porter says. “You walked me through everything … This is my passion. This organization is amazing.” Founded in the 1970s, the Newport Fishermen’s Wives today is the public face of the fishing community, a band of women known for showing up wherever needed, whether it be serving casseroles at a funeral, providing safety gear for the fleet or helping a family make ends meet. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 20:46
Commercial and recreational fishers call for overhaul of SA and Queensland permit system
Some commercial fishers in South Australia are calling for an overhaul of the recreational fishing sector, including the introduction of a permit system and a phone app for reporting their catch. SA and Queensland are the only states where recreational anglers are not required to hold permits. Elsewhere they need permits to fish from boats and in some jurisdictions, licences are required to fish from land.But commercial operators from the Marine Scalefish Fishery in SA are required to pay an annual base fee of $3,000 and those who hold quota licences pay thousands on top of that. Lower Eyre Peninsula commercial fisher Hugh Bayly would like that to change. “It’s grossly unfair,” he said. “We are paying huge amounts of money to manage a resource which everyone has a right to access and the recreational sector pays nothing.” photos, more, >>click to read<< 18:12
Preserving our heritage and livelihood – A shrimper’s stand against unjust regulations
I’ve been a shrimper for over 45 years. It’s more than just a job; it’s a legacy that’s been passed down through generations in my family. Since I was 15, I’ve been working in the waters of Plaquemines Parish, my workplace, my passion, and my source of livelihood. Today, as I continue to bring the finest Gulf shrimp to your tables, I find myself fighting not only for my job but for the very soul of Louisiana’s shrimping heritage. The recent rule by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) mandating the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) on skimmer trawl vessels longer than 40 feet is a real threat to our community. This rule, though it may seem well-intentioned, is an example of overreach and disregard for our industry’s reality. more, >>click to read<< 13:44
Celebrating 200 Years of Lifesaving: Torbay Hosts RNLI Anniversary Events
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is set to mark its 200-year journey from 1824 to 2024, with a series of celebratory events in Torbay over the year, starting with two on Sunday, March 3rd and Monday, March 4th. These two events, organized by RNLI Torbay and led by Simon James, will kick off a year of activities which will be a testament to the dedication and bravery of the RNLI’s volunteer crews throughout its rich history. On Sunday, an historic ‘Blessing of the Fleet’ will unfold featuring all RNLI lifeboats from the South Devon coast, from Exmouth to Salcombe. The lifeboats will gather in the Bay before embarking in convoy along the Breakwater to Torbay RNLI’s berth where a special blessing ceremony will be conducted by the Fishermen’s Mission Area Officer for Devon, Helen Lovell-Smith, Helen said, Photos, more, >>click to read<< 11:48
Judge dismisses lobster lawsuit, U.S.-caught crustaceans remain on
A California judge has dismissed a case filed by local lobstermen who called foul after a seafood watch group put the fishery on a” Red List” for its impact on critically endangered right whales. The California-Based Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Marine Stewardship Council pointed to trap/pot fishing gear used to catch lobsters that has been blamed for the deaths of critically endangered right whales. The “Red List” decision pushed Whole Foods, Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, and others to stop selling the shellfish caught in U.S. waters. In March, four Massachusetts lobstermen, Arthur Sawyer, Jarret Drake, Eric Meschino, and Bill Souza, filed a class action lawsuit saying the conservationists’ move caused monetary harm. But Judge Beth Labson Freeman wrote that they didn’t establish this as a class action lawsuit. more, >>click to read<< 10:43
Wreck catches fire during salvage mission
The curse of the F/V Austro Carina continues. On September 24 last year, the 25-metre-long, 150-tonne fishing trawler hit rocks, tearing a hole in the hull, near Shell Bay, on the south-eastern side of of Banks Peninsula/Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū. Four crew members were winched to safety by helicopter as the vessel teetered on rocks, amid icy water, with cliffs looming above. On Tuesday of this week, the vessel’s bad run of luck continued, as it caught fire during the salvage operation. photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:44
Maine fishing trawler that grounded during weekend storm will be demolished
A fishing trawler that wrecked on rocks off the coast off Cape Elizabeth during Saturday’s historic storm, and required a harrowing early-morning rescue, is a total loss and will be removed over the next few days, a salvage business owner said Wednesday. The F/V Tara Lynn II crashed into the rocks early Saturday off Trundy Point, a few miles south of Portland Head Light. The vessel came to rest too close to shore for traditional boats to get close enough to retrieve the crew, as winds gusted to 50 mph and 6-foot waves pummeled the shore. On Wednesday, the vessel remained in place about 300 feet offshore in Cape Elizabeth. The demolition and removal will take several days, said Parker Poole, who runs the towing and salvage company Determination Marine. more, >>click to read<< 08:53
Crew member fell asleep while piloting fishing boat wrecked in Cape Elizabeth in Saturday’s storm
The owner of a fishing trawler that ran aground off Cape Elizabeth early Saturday morning says one of the crew members fell asleep after turning on the ship’s autopilot. “[The crew member piloting the ship] fell asleep at the wheel and then just went straight into the beach,” said David Osier, owner of the Tara Lynn II and Osier’s Seafood in South Bristol. “Operator error is the cause of this accident.” The Tara Lynn II is one of four ships in Osier’s commercial fishing fleet. On Saturday, the ship was en route to Portland Harbor after a day of trawling for groundfish. He said what happened next was recounted to him by the ship’s captain. more, >>click to read<< 07:16
Louisiana Shrimp Association sues federal government over turtle excluder device requirement
The Louisiana Shrimp Association (LSA) has filed a lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regarding a 2019 rule that requires the installation of turtle excluder devices (TED) on fishing trawlers. TEDs have been required on shrimp trawlers in certain circumstances since 1987 in order to separate sea turtles, sharks, and other large bycatch so they can escape through an opening in the netting. But in 2015, the ocean conservation organization Oceana sued the government arguing that the rules were insufficient and claiming that over 53,000 estimated sea turtles were still being killed via shrimp nets each year. Video, more, >>click to read<< 19:32
(PHOTOS) Crab On
As is seemingly never not the case these days, the start of our local commercial Dungeness crab season was again delayed this year. First, it was poor meat quality that prompted the CDFW to push back opening day to Jan. 5. Then, there was another setback: another setback caused by stalled negotiations on this year’s market price for the tasty crustaceans. Crabbing is complicated, people! But that’s all behind us now. On Monday morning Humboldt’s commercial crabbers set out, bright and early, to get their pots in the water. The crab is coming, friends. Local photographer and LoCO pal Matt Filar dragged it out of bed at the crack of Monday’s dawn to document and honor the hard work of our hometown heroic fishermen. We present some of his shots below. >>click to view<< 17:50
The sad demise of the Hastings fishing fleet
RX 53 Dorothy Melinda
Here local historian, and author of the book Fishermen of Hastings, Steve Peak looks at how our fishing fleet has declined in recent decades. He writes: Hastings Council’s plan to scrap the fishing boat Dorothy Melinda RX 53, which has been standing outside the railway station for many years, highlights the fact that there is now only one wooden decked fishing boat working off Hastings beach. This last survivor of many centuries of local history is the 29 feet long Felicity RX 58, owned by the Edmunds family. She was built in 1980 as the Our Pam and Peter for Denis Barton. On the beach there is one other possibly seaworthy decked boat, formerly called the Flying Fish RX 73. But she is now unmarked and has not been on the water for many years. On her stade is an open (ie, undecked) wooden boat, Bloodaxe RX 37, which has also been laid up for a long time. Video, photos, more, >>click to read<<15:54
How a Supreme Court case involving herring fishermen affects the Little Sisters of the Poor
A Supreme Court case being argued this week could have significant implications for a decade-long religious liberty battle fought by the Little Sisters of the Poor. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments this week in Loper Bright Enterprises, Inc. v. Gina Raimondo, a case challenging the authority of the federal administrative state to dictate certain rules and regulations related to federal laws. Okay, so how are the Little Sisters involved? Though the involvement of a group of Catholic religious would seem unlikely in a case such as this, the Little Sisters of the Poor are participants in the Loper case, with the nuns having filed a friend of the court brief last year in support of the fishermen. more, >>click to read<< 12:46
Vessel Review: Seraphin- Scottish Owner adds Prawn and Groundfish Twin-Rigger to fleet
Family-owned Lighthouse Fishing Company of Peterhead, Scotland has expanded its east coast vessel fleet with the recent acquisition of a new twin-rig trawler built by Parkol Marine Engineering. Seraphim was built to a design by Ian Paton of SC McAllister and Company for both single and twin rig trawling of prawns and groundfish. It can also operate as half of a pair trawler team if needed, providing greater flexibility for the owners. The development of the new trawler was in fulfillment of the requirements of Lighthouse’s owners, father and son fishers Andrew and Joshua Buchan. photos, info, >>click to read<< 10:43
Cairns detectives charge man with torture and slavery offences against deckhands on board his fishing vessels
Operation Victor Diabelli
Deckhands allegedly swam through crocodile-infested waters to escape being tortured, with police charging a Karumba man with 46 offences including assault and slavery. Queensland Police Acting Inspector Jason Chetham said deckhands on board the man’s vessel were allegedly abused and assaulted and had food and water withheld. “They unfortunately worked without wages, they were forced to sleep on the open deck of the boat,” he said. Acting Inspector Chetham said police would allege there were five male victims and one 25-year-old female victim. more, >>click to read<< 09:37
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 75′ Steel Shrimp Dragger, 3412 Cat
To review specifications, information, and 21 photos’,>click here<, To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 08:10
Maine fishermen look to rebuild higher after harbors took ‘a real beating’
Working waterfront property owners along the entire Maine coast witnessed destruction as extreme winds and storm surge flooded buildings, set some adrift and tore docks apart. Some already are planning to rebuild — with sturdier and maybe higher piers in mind as they consider the future — but it’s too early to tell how long it will take and how much it might cost. Commercial lobster docks where fishermen offload and sell their catch were damaged in Milbridge, Corea, Southwest Harbor, Stonington and New Harbor, to name a few places. photos, more, >>click to read<< 07:07
Kyle & Mallaig lifeboats launched to trawler hard aground at Kylerhea narrows
Kyle lifeboat Spirit of Fred. Olsen launched into a snowstorm at 5:48pm, and made best speed towards the vessel, arriving on scene at 6:00pm. On arrival the vessel was on the rocks and was listing slightly to port, however the 7 crew on board were all accounted for and uninjured. The UK Coastguard helicopter from Inverness arrived on scene, however at this point there was no danger to the crew so the helicopter was stood down and returned to base. The fishing vessel’s crew readied their life raft and got prepared to abandon the vessel should the boat capsize. The lifeboat could not get alongside the trawler but stood by to rescue any fishermen who entered the water. 2 photos, more >>click to read<< 19:00
Fall of the kings
The Seattle-area-based Wild Fish Conservancy has dropped a bomb on the Alaska commercial fishing industry with a petition to the federal government demanding it list the state’s Chinook salmon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Such a listing would almost certainly to lead to yet more restrictions on Chinook-directed fisheries, such as the troll fishery in Southeast Alaska and the drift gillnet fishery off the mouth of the Copper River, which has been found to intercept some Chinook bound for rivers in Southeast, British Columbia and the Lower 48. The number of those fish now caught in the Copper’s Chinook fishery is not large but appears to increase in years when ocean waters are warm which could present issues going forward. more, >>click to read<< 17:17
Reader Commentary: NOAA cares about whales — until wind farms are involved
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