Author Archives: borehead - Moderator
Fish about to be plundered off coast of UK as EU about to strike major deal with Iceland
A non-EU country may soon be allowed to fish in waters just miles away from UK shores thanks to the European Union, sparking fury among fishermen closer to home. Fishing officials in Ireland are worried that they have not been consulted on the negotiations, which could be nearing the final stages of approval. Iceland reportedly wants to strike a deal so that they can catch blue whiting which are common in Irish waters but cannot be found near the Nordic nation. Concerns are now growing that fishing will become unsustainable as Irish fishermen worry for their livelihoods. CEO of the Irish Fish Processors Organisation Aodh O’Donnell told GB News: “We fear that this give away of more foreign access to Irish waters is being agreed behind closed doors. There is a lack of clarity and Christmas is upon us, and we are very concerned. more, >>click to read<< 14:26
Darwin fisherman Daniel Schoolmeester charged after allegedly holding workers captive on his boat
A Darwin man who allegedly lured workers to his boat, forced them into labour and held them captive against their will with minimal food or water, has appeared before court. Daniel Schoolmeester, 47, appeared in the Darwin Local Court on Friday afternoon, charged with deceptive recruitment, causing a person to remain in servitude and forcing labour. It’s alleged he posted deceptive job advertisements on Gumtree and his social media account calling for deckhands and coxswains to work on his fishing boat. Workers allege once on board, Mr Schoolmeester made them work extensive hours without pay, denied them food, water and sleep, and subjected them to cruel and degrading treatment. Video, >>click to read<< 11:36
A unique partnership connects Lowcountry fishermen with people who don’t have enough to eat
Daniel LaRoche watches as his crew, who’s just returned from nearly two weeks at sea, hoists dozens of giant swordfish from the belly of a boat. Some are real whoppers, weighing more than 200 lbs. LaRoche owns Cherry Point Seafood on Wadmalaw Island, just south of Charleston, selling fresh fish and shrimp from his dock. But making a living, he says, has never been harder. He wrestles daily with the rising costs of fuel, boat repairs and lures. LaRoche says he must sell even more shrimp to compete with imports as he struggles to keep up. Now, a new program promises help, by providing monthly pre-paid orders for 160 pounds of his shrimp and swordfish. So, who’s picking up the tab? The South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston. photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:12
Scallop season is underway
In pitch-black morning, the scallop draggers start heading out Penobscot Bay to be ready one-half hour before the sun rises in Augusta to drop their drags overboard and begin a day’s work. Daylight here already broke the horizon as the scallop fishery opens for the day in the Gulf of Maine. “When the season opens, it’s like the first day of school,” said David Tarr, a scalloper off Naskeag Point and a member of the state’s scallop advisory council. Now two weeks into the season, and Tarr says, “I think it’s been a good opening. Boats are keeping local. Whether dragging or diving, the daily limit is 15 gallons of meat that sells anywhere from $12 to $23 per pound, depending on its size. 8 photos, more, >>click to read<< 07:55
Family of shrimp boat captain found dead in Tampa hopes to get body back to Virginia
The family of a shrimp boat captain who was found dead after a powerful Gulf storm blew through over the weekend is looking for help from the community. Curtis Lee Cowling lived on the shrimp boat full time and his body was found onboard the submerged boat around 10:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the Tampa Police Department. Now, his family is trying to get his body back to Virginia. A GoFundMe page was made to help with funeral and memorial costs as well. There’s a goal of $11,000 to be raised. Video, more, >>click to read<< 06:37
Fishermen and community leaders react to Trident announcement to sell a third of its Alaska plants
Gerry Cobban Knagin is a commercial fisherman. She and her family have fished around Kodiak and sold their harvest to Trident Seafoods, one of the largest seafood processors in the country, on and off for decades. But on Dec. 12, the company announced it’s selling off about a third of its Alaska processing plants, including their year-round facility in Kodiak. She said the announcement was a huge shock for almost everyone on the island. “Speaking with [Trident] management, there wasn’t any heads up for anyone,” Knagin said. “And they decided, according to management, that they wanted full transparency so that the fleet would know.” Photos, more, >>click to read<< 20:44
Trident Seafoods announces plan to streamline, modernize operations
Trident Seafoods, a corporate giant among North American seafood processors, is looking for potential buyers for four of its shoreside plants in Alaska as part of a restructuring plan announced on Tuesday from its headquarters in Seattle. Such bold action is necessary to deliver fair value to fleet, communities and all stakeholders into the future, said Joe Bundrant, CEO of the company built by his father, Chuck Bundrant, starting more than 50 years ago with a single fishing vessel. Bundrant said he remains confident overall of the Alaska seafood industry and Trident’s role in it. He acknowledged these significant changes and said the company is focused on treating its impacted employees and communities with the respect and compassion they deserve. more, >>click to read<< 13:43
Army Veteran/Retired Lobsterman Terry O. Brewer of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, has passed away
Terry O. Brewer, 88, passed away peacefully with his family by his side after a long courageous battle with dementia. He passed away the evening of Dec. 17, 2023 in his home in Boothbay Harbor that he purchased in 1958 and resided in until his passing. He was born in Boothbay Harbor on Jan. 29, 1935, the son of Norman Brewer Sr. and Mary Doyle Brewer Pinkham. Terry grew-up spending summers on Fisherman’s Island, where his mother and stepfather resided seasonally. He began his love for working on the water while being a stern man for his stepfather. Terry attended Boothbay schools and graduated in 1954. Following graduation he enlisted in the Army, serving overseas in South Korea. After serving in the military, he returned to Boothbay Harbor where he began his career as a lobsterman. Later, he worked at Bath Iron Works as a pipe fitter for a decade, while continuing lobstering. He retired from lobstering at the age of 77. more. >>click to read<< 12:10
Commercial Lobster Boat Stranded on Rye Harbor Jetty
Crews are working on a plan to move a boat off the jetty in Rye. The boat washed up on the inner jetty near Ocean Boulevard. Geno Marconi, Director of Ports and Harbors for the New Hampshire Port Authority, said the boat got pushed onto the rocks during high tide Monday. Marconi said the boat had been attached to a mooring that failed during the storm, causing it to float away. “It’s only as good as the equipment you put in there, but the equipment, everything mechanical is subject to failure,” Marconi said. Marconi said the owner of the commercial lobster boat has already been in contact with his insurance, and they have a plan to get it back into the water safely. Video, more, >>click to read<< 09:43
A New Rod For Gramps
Young Cris had been going fishing since he was old enough to walk. Gramps, as he had called him, was raising Chris as best he could, living on a fixed income. Cris’ parents were taken from him in a car crash wen he was only six months old, and his Gramps was just like a dad to him. Gramps had lost his wife to cancer a year before Cris was born, so the two of them needed each other very much. Living within a mile of one of Texas’ largest bays, Cris enjoyed the time he and his grandfather spent on its shores. Gramps had spent many hours schooling him in the finer art of angling for redfish and he always admired the pretty copper-colored battlers that his gramps caught and later cooked for dinner. more, >>click to read<< 08:39
Trial date set for fishermen charged with fraud, violation of herring laws
The trial for the fishermen and seafood dealers who were indicted in 2022 with conspiracy, mail fraud, and obstruction of justice in connection with a multi-year scheme to sell unreported Atlantic herring and falsify fishing records will begin Jan. 3 and is expected to last eight days. The defendants who were indicted in January 2022 in U.S. District Court were Glenn Robbins, 76, of Eliot; Ethan Chase, 46, of Portsmouth, N.H.; Neil Herrick, 48, of Rockland; Stephen Little, 58, of Warren; Jason Parent, 51, of Owls Head; Dustin Reed, 41, of Waldoboro; Glenn Lawrence, 70, of Owls Head; Samuel Olson, 73, of Cushing; the Western Sea, Inc. of Rockland; New Moon Fisheries, of Waldoboro; and Sam’s Seafood of Cushing, according to the court document. more. >>click to read<< 07:47
Suffolk farming family decide to sell ‘beloved’ farmhouse to fund fishing fleet
In October, the Simper family put their 110-acre asparagus farm with stunning views of the River Deben at Ramsholt, near Woodbridge, on the market through agents Landbridge. But they were originally planning to retain their farmhouse at Lodge Farm with about 38 acres of farmland and woodland – including a 10-acre asparagus field. The family has always combined farming with sailing and fishing, but Harry Simper – the youngest generation – elected early on to devote himself fully to a fishing career. He began it 12 years ago at the age of 16 and by 2019 the venture had grown to a fleet of four small commercial fishing boats. photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:38
VIDEO RELEASE: Coast Guard rescues 2 after vessel sinks 34 miles offshore Charleston
A Coast Guard Air Station Savannah helicopter crew rescued two men, Tuesday, after their 30-foot fishing vessel capsized 34 miles offshore of Charleston. Coast Guard Sector Charleston command center watchstanders received a mayday call at 10:30 p.m., via VHF-FM channel 16 from a crew member aboard the fishing vessel stating their vessel was sinking. Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Charleston boat crew and an Air Station Savannah helicopter crew to assist. Utilizing direction finding technology to triangulate the last known position, watchstanders were able to identify the vessel’s approximate location. Once on scene at the vessel’s last known position, the helicopter crew immediately located a life raft with two people aboard. Video, more, >>click to read<< 19:30
CDFW Opens Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery in Northern Management Zone, Continues Commercial Fishery Delay in Central Management Area.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will open the commercial Dungeness crab fishery from the Oregon state line to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line (Fishing Zones 1 and 2) under a Fleet Advisory beginning Jan. 5, 2024 at 12:01 a.m. with a 64-hour pre-soak to begin on Jan. 2, 2024 at 8:01 a.m. The commercial fishery will remain delayed from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the U.S./Mexico border (Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6) until at least the next risk assessment due to elevated numbers of humpback whales resulting in increased entanglement risk. CDFW is also continuing the temporary recreational crab trap restriction from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point, Monterey County, more, >>click to read<< 17:29
“Heroic” Rescue Off Nantucket: Station Brant Point Tows Disabled Fishing Boat In Rough Seas
With the sea still raging from the coastal storm that hammered the East Coast this week, a crew from Coast Guard Station Brant Point on Tuesday rescued a disabled fishing vessel southwest of Nantucket amid 15 foot waves and dangerous shoals. The call came in around 9:30 a.m. The 65-foot fishing vessel F/V Two Dukes had lost all steering and was adrift in the waters southwest of Nantucket, near Tuckernuck Island, with four crew members and one dog on board. To make matters worse, the captain was injured after a window got blown out in the heavy seas, leaving him with lacerations on his face. A four-man crew from Station Brant Point suited up and set out to take part in the rescue aboard the 47-foot motor life boat. After the long transit to the waters southwest of the island, the crew located the disabled fishing vessel as a Coast Guard helicopter hoisted two people off the boat, leaving behind the captain and one other crewman. photos, more, >>click to read<<-13:40
Galveston shrimpers being run out of business due to low prices, overseas imports
Captain Jerome Kunz
Texas Gulf shrimpers are going out of business during what many are calling the worst period in the history of the industry. “You’ll see numerous boats up and down this dock and most of them are just set here,” Nikki Johnson-Kunz said as she stood along Pier 19 in Galveston. Pier 19 was once a bustling hub for Galveston’s shrimping fleet — from the same spot a few years ago, one could watch dozens of shrimp boats running back and forth to the Gulf and then to the seafood markets along the docks to sell their catch. Johnson-Kunz married into a Galveston family that’s been fishing the waters for shrimp for more than a century. They said business has never been as bad as it is now. “Our prices that we get paid per pound are under a dollar,” she said. “It’s sickening.” Video, >>click to read<< 10:52
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 54′ Steel lobster/ Scalloper/ Longliner
To review specifications, information, and 37 photos’,>click here<, To see all the boats in this series, >click here< – 08:50
Inshore Fishermen Seek Aid Package
The National Inshore Fishermen’s Association (NIFA) has warned that its members will be forced to tie up to piers “long term” due to a combination of factors. “It would have been difficult to envisage the dire situation facing inshore fishermen currently could worsen but it did so, culminating in the almost complete loss of yet another fishery so important to our economic viability,” NIFA said in a statement. It was referring to cuts in pollack, with Area vi down 26 per cent and Area vii down by 87 per cent as a result of the EU fisheries council talks in Brussels. more, >>click to read<< 07;40
‘A perfect storm’: Beaufort, Bluffton urge Gov. McMaster to take action on shrimp dumping
The city of Beaufort and the Town of Bluffton recently became the third and fourth coastal municipalities to call for the declaration of an economic disaster due to the dumping of imported shrimp into local markets. The actions speak to a statewide concern. Fishermen warn that limited resources and an inundated market have created a “perfect storm” that without intervention could tear apart South Carolina’s shrimping industry. On Dec. 12, Beaufort and Bluffton joined Mount Pleasant and McClellanville in urging Gov. Henry McMaster to declare an economic disaster due to the dumping of imported shrimp. Van Willis, Port Royal town manager, said officials there are planning to take a similar action in January. photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:29
Major ‘climate deception’ lawsuit against Big Oil voluntarily dismissed
A major years-long lawsuit alleging that Big Oil companies have waged a disinformation campaign about the impacts of climate change was voluntarily dismissed by plaintiffs in a victory for the U.S. energy industry. The California-based Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), the largest trade association of commercial fishermen on the West Coast, requested the dismissal in a filing with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The request came after Judge Vince Chhabria ruled on Nov. 1 that the case could be heard in federal court despite PCFFA’s argument for it to be tried in state court. Video, more, >>click to read<< 17:46
Commercial crabbing start pushed into 2024
Dungeness crab in the vicinity of the mouth of the Columbia are still only inching their way toward the proportion of meat required before commercial harvest is allowed, delaying the season again. Fishery managers decided on Dec. 18 to push out the season start to Dec. 31, Jan. 15 or Feb. 1. They will meet Dec. 20 to settle on which date crabbers will be allowed to drop their pots, with deliveries back to port typically occurring around 72 hours later. Samples gathered Dec. 17 found south Pacific County crab had 20.7% recoverable meat, up from 19.4% meat on Nov. 28. Clatsop County crab tested at 22.9%, just shy of the mandatory minimum meat recovery criteria of 23% north of Cascade Head, and up from 21.1% on Nov. 29. more, >>click to read<< 14:30
Lobster demand remains high during the holidays
Back in the 1960’s, Dartmouth resident Bruce Nickerson was a lobster fisherman. “We got 50 cents a pound,” says Nickerson, who adds, when the price jumped to 90 cents per pound, it was big news back in the day. “I thought that was great.” Those prices are ancient history. “Anything under two pounds (are) $13.25 a pound,” says Samantha Strachan, who works at The Lobster Dive store in Eastern Passage, N.S. “Two pounds and up are $15.25 a pound. Anything under two pounds (are) $13.25 a pound,” says Samantha Strachan, who works at The Lobster Dive store in Eastern Passage, N.S. “Two pounds and up are $15.25 a pound.” Video, more, >>click to read<< 12:32
The Harbor Fish Co. is Gig Harbor’s next-gen fishing family
Wild, packed with nutrients, and heart-healthy. For Gig Harbor residents, a local fishing family provides direct delivery of fresh wild Alaskan-caught salmon to your doorstep. Alex James and Zack Worrell launched their company, The Harbor Fish Co., in 2022 to connect Gig Harbor with high-quality wild-caught Alaskan salmon, Dungeness crab, and striped shrimp harvested from the pristine and icy waters of southeast Alaska. The company is anchored in Gig Harbor and Juneau, Alaska. “We started it because we wanted to get a good product to our community. Food is such a great way to bring people together,” explains Alex. Inspired by their connection to the sea, she believes their fishing business can help “nourish the community” with “wild, sustainable, and nutritious food.” She also encourages consumers to learn more about their food. photos, links, more, >>click to read<< 09:50
Atlantic halibut thrive in warming Maritime waters, study finds
Warming ocean temperatures caused by climate change will provide favourable conditions for Atlantic halibut, according to a new study, although what happens to their prey is uncertain. A paper published in the journal FACETS links an exponential increase in Atlantic Canadian landings over the past decade to warming ocean temperatures and predicts that trend is likely to continue under low- and high-warming scenarios in coming decades. “Under both of those scenarios, we see similar trends. Even in the higher emission scenario where it’s warmer, it would appear that halibut stand to gain more habitat with these warming conditions” says co-author Ryan Stanley, a Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientist at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. more. >>click to read<< 08:46
Following Legal Victory for Maine Lobstermen’s Association, State Receives $17 Million from NOAA to Improve Data on Right Whale
This federal funding comes just months after the federal court of appeals ruled in favor of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) in their lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) — a subagency of NOAA — for adopting improperly-founded regulations against the industry. In September of 2021, the MLA filed a lawsuit against the agency alleging that their efforts to protect the NARW were unlawful, as the regulations promulgated were founded upon a “simplistic and false premise” that “exaggerates and arbitrarily inflates the risk posed by the Maine lobster fishery.” The MLA stated that the NOAA’s analyses was “unlawful” as they “did not rely on the best available scientific information, made erroneous and arbitrary assumptions unsupported and contradicted by data and evidence, relied on an outdated and flawed methodology to model projections of the North Atlantic right whale population, and inexplicably failed to account for either the positive impact of mitigation measures already or soon-to-be employed by the Maine lobster fishery.” more, >>click to read<< 07:09
Christmas Comes Early: Reedville Fisherman’s Museum Gifted Historic Draketail
Reedville Fishermen’s Museum (RFM) has a special new resident at its dock. The museum was recently gifted a 99-year-old Chesapeake deadrise draketail boat with a unique dolphin nose stern by Bill and Beverly Pickens of Ware Neck, Va. Guests will have a chance to take tours on her beginning next year. Fannie is 36’ x 6’ x 2’6” and was built in 1924 by Charles Spencer. He built two boats of this style in his yard at Brick Inn on Main Street in St. Michaels, Md. One of the boats was named Fannie, after his daughter. The draketail stern, sometimes called a Hooper’s Island draketail because so many of this design was built in that area, was modeled after early motor-powered racing launches and torpedo boats. photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:20
Seal overpopulation having ‘significant and damaging impact’ on Canadian fish stocks: report
Canadian parliamentarians are warning that seal populations pose a danger to fish stocks and are upsetting marine ecosystems in the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans. A bipartisan report from the House of Commons standing committee on fisheries and oceans says urgent measures are needed from the federal government and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, including an increase in the humane seal harvest. “This report’s objective is to draw the attention of DFO, relevant departments and the Canadian government to important observational and empirical evidence that the overpopulation of pinnipeds on Canada’s three coasts is having a significant and damaging impact on the health and conservation of fish stocks and is creating an imbalance in our marine ecosystems,” the study concludes. more, >>click to read<< 18:00
Dungeness Crab Season Delayed Again, SF Crabbers Miss Holiday Haul
For decades, fishers have earned a living selling Dungeness crab out of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. But many, like Shawn Chen Flading, have struggled over the last five years as the state has consecutively delayed the commercial season. “Every delay is difficult. Right now, I have zero income as a fisherman,” Flading said. The season, which has historically started on Nov. 15, is delayed until at least New Year’s Day to protect migrating humpback whales. Crabbers like Flading hope to catch the tail end of the holidays to recoup what they’ve lost. “It’s something people like to splurge on to create a feast,” Flading said. “But with the delay, we’ve lost all the holiday markets.” Photos, more, >>click to read<< 13:37
UPDATED: Missing shrimp boat captain’s body recovered from sunken ship
Divers recovered the body of a missing shrimp boat captain on Sunday night. Tampa police say the body of Curtis Lee Cowling was discovered inside a sunken vessel around 10:30 p.m. “Although our Dive Team members, joined by multiple agencies, all worked tirelessly in their efforts, we now share in the sorrow of this tragic outcome,” said Chief Lee Bercaw. more,>>click to read<< 17:37
Tampa police drivers found a body while searching for a missing shrimp boat captain, according to a release. The Tampa Police Department said divers found the body on board the sunken “Miss Jodi,” which is owned by Curts Lee Cowling. Cowling was last seen alive at about 11:00 p.m. Saturday, as storms began to hit the Tampa Bay area. After receiving several reports about Cowling’s boat being found submerged off Causeway Boulevard, officers found the boat at about 7:44 a.m. Sunday. more, >>click to read<< 10:39
Commercial Fisherman Peter Allen Zuanich of Anacortes, Washington has passed away
Peter Allen Zuanich was born September 3, 1946, in Bellingham, Washington. He passed away peacefully on November 24, 2023, in Oak Harbor, Washington, with his wife, Kimberly, by his side. Peter graduated from Bellingham High School and Central Washington University. Though he graduated with a degree in business, he ultimately followed in his father’s wake, working for many years as the owner and captain of commercial fishing vessels along the coasts of Alaska and California. A celebration of life will take place at 1pm on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at The Boathouse in Zuanich Point Park. more, >>click to read<< 08:05
