Category Archives: Featured
Norwegian fisherman’s new Cleopatra 36
Kjøllefjord skipper owner Daniel Lauritzen has taken delivery of a new Cleopatra 36 from Icelandic boatbuilder Trefjar. F/V Tinder is a standard Cleopatra 36 measuring 10.99 metres and with a 3.80-metre beam, and is rigged for longlining and gillnetting, and also ready for fishing king crab part of the year. The main engine is a 350hp Scania D9 driving a ZF286IV transmission, and a 9kW Nanni 9kW generator fitted in the engine room provides auxiliary power. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:20
Everson man falls overboard commercial boat, dies
In the early hours of Saturday, Aug. 24, Cheyenne Hoy gave birth to her baby girl, Fiona Rose. Tragically, her husband Clayton was not able to be with his family. Hoy, a commercial fisherman, went missing on July 25 after he fell overboard his boat near Egegik, Alaska. On Aug. 12, he was confirmed dead. Cheyenne Hoy said Clayton “was our everything and sole provider for our family.” “He truly loved fishing and learned everything from his father,” Cheyenne said. Through his father, Guy Hoy, Clayton became a commercial salmon fisherman. Since age 15, he crewed with his father, then became his own captain. Cheyenne explained that 2024 was Clayton’s third year with his own boat and he “was already one of the top boats in the bay.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:12
Commercial fisherman Clayton Hoy, who went missing July 25 after a fall overboard near Egegik, was confirmed dead on August 12. Clayton Hoy, a 36-year-old from Washington, fell overboard from a commercial fishing boat, the F/V Warmaster. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:14
Effort builds to save historic legacy of sardine carrier ‘Jacob Pike’
At one stretch in Maine’s maritime history, the sardine was as mighty as the lobster, a fishery that employed thousands along the coast. Sardine canneries were a common sight beside busy harbors, and carriers plied the Gulf of Maine, especially in the warmer months. Thomaston was in the thick of the industry, a boatbuilding hub for sturdy fishing vessels that included the Jacob Pike. “The sardine industry back in the days was a big deal, rivaling what lobsters are today,” said Rockport Marine owner Taylor Allen, who himself spent several years restoring and then relaunching in 2020 the William Underwood, a sardine carrier built in 1941. “A lot of real estate along the coast was bought up by captains back in the day.” The Jacob Pike, built in 1949 at the Newbert and Wallace yard in Thomaston, was in the thick of it all from launching day. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:41
Building trawler’s digital twin
Seine netter/trawler F/V Naoned, operated by Lorient company APAK, has been out of the water to be outfitted with sensors to measure every conceivable aspect of its performance. This is to gather data ahead of a refit later this year and the installation of a new propulsion system, battery pack and other technology. The concept is to develop a digital twin for the fishing vessel, so that a precise comparison against its performance with the low-emissions hybrid propulsion to be fitted later this year as part of the HYBA project, led by the Brittany Fisheries Committee and managed by Vectura Systems with the involvement of naval architect Coprexma and a host of other companies in the region. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:51
In Maine, a Father-Daughter Team Wins a Lobster Boat Race
Dozens of boats zipped across Casco Bay during the Maine Lobster Boat Races on Saturday. Only one had a purple bottom. That boat, a 32-footer with a powerful diesel engine, belonged to Jeremy Beal, 45, a large, soft-spoken man who comes from a long line of boat builders and lobstermen. “See, I grew up right in it,” he said between drags of a cigarette while leaning against the rail of his boat on the evening before the big race. For decades, Mr. Beal’s father, Wayne Beal, and an uncle, Calvin Beal, have built boats used by commercial fishers up and down the Maine coast. After years spent learning the family trade, Jeremy took over his dad’s business, Wayne Beal’s Boat Shop, in Jonesport, a seaside town more than 200 miles northeast of Portland. “I bought the boat off my father,” Mr. Beal said. “It was his last power boat. He’s retired out of the boat shop. I won’t sell the boat unless I have to. Just for the fact that it was my dad’s.” Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:33
Tug Crew Tows Fire-stricken and Abandoned Trawler to Portland, Maine
Capt. Brian Fournier, president of Portland Tugboat, received the call seeking assistance, and his first thought was, “Do I have the equipment and most importantly the crew to engage in this type of rescue?” Fournier enlisted one of his most experienced crews and prepped them on the assignment. Capt. Jake Forgit, Mate Peter Roderiguez, Chief Engineer Ian Brushwein and Deckhand Aoi Daggett boarded the 110-foot (loa), 4,000-horsepower Nancy McAllister and left Portland, Maine in search of the Three Girls. Locating the trawler was no easy task. The tug and crew departed at 9 p.m. on August 12 and steamed overnight toward the estimated location of the trawler. The Nancy McAllister crew finally met up with the burning trawler at 11 a.m. on August 13—some 14 hours after setting out from Portland. The next job at hand, to safely hook up a tow line to a burning vessel, was also a challenge. The burning trawler had large outriggers with chains dangling on both sides, so getting close to the vessel proved difficult. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:59
U.S. Offshore Wind: The Struggle Continues
This post updates the financial troubles of Denmark’s Ørsted, recent BOEM auctions, and pushback against Maryland governor Wes Moore. Today, operational offshore wind capacity is less than 50 megawatts versus the Biden-Harris Administration goal of 30,000 MW by 2030. Denmark’s Ørsted, the worldwide leading offshore wind developer, recorded a $575 million loss in the second quarter. In part, the loss is the result of disappointing developments in the U.S. The company has delayed commercial operation of its 704-MW Revolution Wind project off the coast of Rhode Island and Connecticut from 2025 to 2026. Ørsted’s ambitious U.S. offshore wind program has been lagging, despite solid support (subsidies, permits) from the Biden administration. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06;50
Sitka mariner dies in engine room accident
A Sitka fisherman died on Monday (8-19-24), after an accident in the engine room of his boat. Alaska State Troopers report that 75-year-old Barry McKee was fishing aboard his troller Lisa Jean in the vicinity of Salisbury Sound, about 20 miles northwest of Sitka, when he became entangled in mechanical gear below decks and was killed. McKee’s crewman was uninjured in the incident. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:45
Gulf of Carpentaria fishing couple celebrates ’90 years’ doing a job they still love
Bruce Davey has been fishing commercially in the Gulf of Carpentaria for 50 years and can’t believe how lucky he is. “I came up in 1974 on a little timber prawn trawler that I sailed from Mooloolaba,” he said. “This year, I’m celebrating my 50th consecutive year at sea working hard for my country — and my wonderful wife Juanita is celebrating her 40th year, so that’s 90 years of fishing between the two of us.” 
Their boat is called the MV Wildcard and these days there are three generations of Davey’s living onboard, including grandchildren Ellica, aged four, and Finn, aged 2. “This is Ellica’s fourth mackerel season and she’s a great help around the boat,” Mr Davey said. Photos, audio, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:55
A Maine boat captain captured these stunning photos of the Northern Lights
When Amanda Bracy learned that the Northern Lights would illuminate the Maine sky earlier this week, she was determined to capture the rare sight. So, the boat captain pulled an all-nighter in Cranberry Isles near Acadia National Park. As a result, her kaleidoscopic photos have impressed tens of thousands of people online. “I’ve never seen it like that,” Bracy said about this week’s display. “It was mind blowing. It was me and just one other person down there and I was like, ‘Are you seeing this?’ You could definitely see all the colors — blues, greens, reds, oranges. It was pretty insane.” 12 Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
‘Wicked Tuna’ to End With Season 13 on National Geographic
“Wicked Tuna” has been canceled by National Geographic following the conclusion of its Season 13 run. “After thirteen seasons on the high seas and more than 200 incredible episodes, the long-running series ‘Wicked Tuna’ has concluded its run on National Geographic,” the cable channel said in a statement Friday. “The series celebrated one of America’s oldest industries since first premiering on National Geographic in 2012 and made internationally recognizable stars out of the intrepid commercial fishermen who brave the unrelenting North Atlantic waters to catch the elusive bluefin tuna. The cancellation of “Wicked Tuna” comes amid major cost cutting at National Geographic parent company Disney, which is consolidating operations among its linear TV networks. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:01
New Gillnetter/longliner for Lofoten family
New netter/longliner F/V Ingeborg Arntsen, built by Vestværft for Lofoten brothers Jack-Allan and Hans-Michael Arntsen, represents a serious step up over their older vessel in terms of both operational efficiency and the living and working conditions on board. Ingeborg Arntsen has a 735kW MAN D2862LE447 main engine, and auxiliary engines are also from MAN. All engines are equipped with SCR systems meeting IMO Tier III requirements. The propeller and gear are from Finnøy, and there are two electric thrusters from Hundested A/S. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:47
‘We’re alright:’ Crew member recalls terrifying boat fire aboard Portland fishing vessel
A fire at sea forced the crew of a Portland fishing vessel to abandon ship Sunday night. The fishing boat “Three Girls” caught fire around 9 p.m. Sunday while the crew was getting ready to haul in their nets. They had just minutes to get into an inflatable lifeboat before the fire overtook the ship. Portland firefighters doused the fishing boat with water, then twice put foam on the smoldering fire to put it out.One crew member says the last thing he did was go into the smoke-filled cabin to grab five survival suits before abandoning ship. The fishing vessel “Three Girls” was towed into Portland Harbor Wednesday afternoon, still burning from a Sunday night fire at sea that forced the captain and crew to quickly abandon ship. Photos, Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:00
Macduff delivers twin-rigger Forever Faithful
The latest Macduff newbuild, Andrew West’s Forever Faithful, has started fishing for nephrops in the North Sea. The new vessel replaces an older one of the same name that also came from Macduff in 2016, and the latest Forever Faithful is the yard’s fifth build for the West family. This is the third in a series of sister vessels built at Macduff Shipyards’ Buckie site, and in which the yard continues to develop and invest. Forever Faithful PD-289 follows Zenith BF-106, handed over at the beginning of last summer, and Celestial Dawn BF-109, which was delivered in the summer of 2022. All three vessels share the same hull form and general fishing arrangement, although each has been laid out to suit owners’ preferences. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:06
Coast Guard rescues 6 people after fire breaks out on commercial fishing vessel
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued six people after a boat fire led to them abandoning ship 105 nautical miles east of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Sunday. The fishing vessel Three Girls, an 81-ft trawler, had four crew members, the captain, and a NOAA observer onboard. At 8:56 p.m., Coast Guard Sector Northern New England command center watchstanders received a mayday call from the Three Girls stating that the vessel was on fire and they were making preparations to abandon ship. The First Coast Guard District command center also received an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon from the vessel. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:25
‘Huge disaster’: Historically weak pink salmon runs strain Alaska’s seine fishermen
Expectations were low this year for the pink salmon runs that power Prince William Sound’s commercial fishing industry. But no one expected them to be as bad as they’ve been. With just a few weeks left in the season, the sound’s seine fleet has harvested just one-fourth the number of pinks that it would have caught by now in a typical year. The small runs have forced 
managers to close fishing for longer periods than usual. And even during openers, fishermen are reporting abysmal harvests. Some have quit early. Others are thinking about new jobs.” It is incredibly slow,” said Megan Corazza, a Homer-based seine fisherman who has fished in the sound for more than two decades. “It is the worst year I have ever seen with my own operation.” It’s a big blow to an industry already reeling from a global market crisis that sent dock prices plummeting last year. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:31
Steve Johnson’s Lynn Marie is Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat
Lucky Oppedisano pointed at a boat making its way to the starting line for the Gasoline Free-for-All race. The retired lobsterman identified the dark-colored boat as the type that can “roll through the water easily.” “I wouldn’t be surprised to see him win this race,” Oppedisano said. Sure enough, Steve Johnson’s Lynn Marie buzzed to a first-place finish in one of the final contests of the 32nd Harpswell Lobster Boat Races in Middle Bay. The July 28 event packed the waterfront at George J. Mitchell Field with spectators, continuing a local tradition. The Lynn Marie also took the crown as the Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat and Fastest Lobster Boat in Casco Bay, reaching a top speed of 57.7 miles per hour. Jeff Eaton’s La Bella Vita was another big winner, taking gold in the Diesel Free-for-All and the Diesel Class K race while finishing third in Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat. Photos, race results, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:55
The TikTok star saving a 400-year-old US tradition
For decades, Maryland has been synonymous with crabbing. But as the Chesapeake Bay’s “watermen” fade away, a young TikTok-famous fisherman is hoping to revive it.It’s 05:00 and still dark when Luke McFadden sets out from Maryland’s Bodkin Point to start his day. His boat, the FV Southern Girl, slowly makes its way down the creek and out into the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. Stretching from the northernmost tip of Maryland down to southern Virginia, the 200-mile-long Chesapeake Bay is made up of 11,684 miles of shoreline (more than the entire US West Coast) and is an integral part of the US Mid-Atlantic’s economy. It also serves as the workplace for thousands of men and women seeking to make a living from its bounty. “Being a crabber is all I’ve ever wanted to do,” McFadden said, leaning against the hull of his boat after a day on the water. On shore, dozens of metal crab traps are stacked to be baited and set across the bay the following morning. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:06
When it comes to boatbuilding, Peter Kass would rather build wooden boats by hand
There is something timeless, at least on the coast of Maine, about a boat made of wood. Crafting those boats requires skills and even tools dating back hundreds of years. In a time when most boats are built of fiberglass or other man-made materials, Peter Kass still does it the old way—building lobster boats and yachts from wood, the way he was taught when he was just 17 years old. Kass grew up in Massachusetts but said he moved to Maine after finishing high school to learn the boatbuilder’s trade. “I’ve always loved it,” he said, now in his early 60’s. “It’s challenging, very interesting…some parts dirty and unpleasant, but for the most part, it’s fun putting the parts together. I love boats,” Kass explained. Kass said he learned from the old-time wooden boatbuilders at the Gamage Shipyard in South Bristol; known at the time for building a series of wooden sailing ships, including a history of building commercial fishing vessels. He then worked at two other yards before opening his own shop, John’s Bay Boat Company, in 1983. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:07
Will Labour betray Scotland’s fisherman in order to win concessions from the EU?
On July 18, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, after only a fortnight in the job, hosted a summit meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. The meeting, involving more than 40 of the continent’s leaders, was billed as a way for the UK prime minister to re-boot Brexit and negotiate a more favourable trade deal for Britain. The summit concluded with a private dinner between Sir Keir and the French President Emmanuel Macron at Chequers. Scottish fishermen are deeply suspicious that Labour may be planning a major betrayal of their industry. Sir Keir has a long list of concessions that he wants from the EU, including progress on cross-channel migration, increased freedom of movement for UK citizens, a major revision to Boris Johnson’s “botched” Brexit trade deal and a new security and intelligence-sharing agreement. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16: 19
‘Paris has the Olympics, Menemsha has scallop-shucking’
Around 20 commercial fishing vessels pulled up to the docks stern in. They were supposed to be in by 2 pm but most of them were in by noon, Edmundson said, alluding to an eagerness amongst participants. They had more boats actually than they’d anticipated, both from the Island and mainland. The docks and surrounding area were crowded from 3 pm to 7 pm Thursday with roughly 200 people in attendance. Some gathered to check out the fishing fleet and others stood in line at the raw bar, manned by Quinn and Grady Keefe of Outkast Oyster Company. The brothers, who grew up shucking at the Homeport Restaurant, served Menemsha Creek Oysters for a suggested $3 donation. 7 photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:37
The fallout from Vineyard Wind’s broken turbine blade
When Nantucket residents began posting photos of the fiberglass and foam littering their beaches on the morning of July 16, everyone in the offshore wind world — proponents and opponents, alike — knew the industry was about to face a very public test in confidence. The debris had fallen from a damaged turbine blade at the nearby Vineyard Wind project. The part, made and installed by GE Vernova, had broken three days earlier, and no one really knew why. The project’s developer, also called Vineyard Wind, scrambled to clean up the mess and assure the public that the material all over their pristine beaches was “non-toxic.” But more and more photos of the bright green debris washed up on social media, many carrying captions like “It’s everywhere” and “STOP #Bigwind!” Soon, a picture of the broken turbine itself surfaced. The 351-foot blade had snapped about 65 feet from the base and what remained of it hung slackly, dangling over the ocean. photos, links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:48
Biden administration rejects top Inslee choice for Alaska fish commission, reappoints trawl ally
The Biden administration has rejected a nominee for a key Alaska fisheries management post who could have tipped decisions toward the interests of tribes and conservation groups and away from the priorities of the large-boat, Seattle-based trawl industry. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo skipped over the top choice of Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, conservation advocate Becca Robbins Gisclair, and instead reappointed the last-ranked nominee on a slate of four candidates that Inslee offered: Anne Vanderhoeven, a trawl industry employee who has served on the panel for several years. Raimondo’s choice for the open North Pacific Fishery Management Council seat, which was confirmed Tuesday by Inslee’s natural resources advisor Ruth Musgrave, comes after what advocates describe as weeks of intense lobbying by supporters of both Gisclair and Vanderhoeven. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:47
Scallopers assail continued closure of Northern Edge
Fisheries regulators voted this month to “discontinue” development of a plan to reopen the Northern Edge of Georges Bank — a lucrative scallop ground that has long been closed to commercial fishing. In April, the New England Fishery Management Council agreed to consider requests to reopen the fishing grounds at the urging of both the scallop industry and Mayor Jon Mitchell. He and industry representatives cited significant headwinds for the region’s top fishery, including a slump in prices and fewer days at sea for fishermen. They added that opening the Northern Edge would benefit the whole port economy and surrounding businesses. But in the midst of a four-day meeting in Freeport, Maine, the Council voted not to continue discussing plans to reopen the area in order to focus on the “long-term productivity of the Georges Bank scallop resource.” For regulators, it’s a balancing act to weigh sustainability and the economic pressures on fishermen to sustain their livelihoods. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:43
‘So-called expert bureaucrats’: Fishermen rip Sen Warren’s new plan to ‘silence’ them
America’s seafood leaders are pushing back on new plans from Democrats on Capitol Hill to revive a legal doctrine that fishermen say threatens to “silence” them. On Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., led several of her Democrat colleagues in introducing the Stop Corporate Capture Act (SCCA), which she says is aimed at stopping corporations from “hijacking” the government. With the new threat of the Chevron doctrine finding permanence in federal law, New England fishermen are crying foul and pointing to the recent offshore wind disaster wreaking havoc on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket as a prime example of why lawmakers should not give “expert bureaucrats” power over their industry. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:45
Setnetters turn to seining in effort to save east side fishery, king salmon
For the second year in a row, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has largely barred over 400 permit holders in Cook Inlet’s east side commercial setnet fishery from putting any gear in the water this year. This summer, one group of setnetters is deploying experimental gear they hope will preserve king salmon runs and offer relief to the fishery. On a recent overcast Thursday, Brian and Lisa Gabriel spend the day at the beach. Astride green and yellow tractors, they motor toward the end of a commercial fishing net that’s been pulled onto Cook Inlet’s shores. The net wriggles with shiny, silver sockeye salmon, which splash fishermen with wet sand as they flop around. A waiting team of about 10 people plucks the fish from the net and tosses them into waiting totes, where they swim in murky water. One or two people occasionally peel off from the group, holding handfuls of writhing flounder they hurl back into the inlet. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:17
F/V Argos Georgia: Montevideo port fishing vessels turn sirens on to remember fallen mariners
At mid-morning Thursday, fishing vessels in the port of Montevideo turned their sirens on for a few minutes to the memory of the lost mariners from longliner Argos Georgia, believed to be almost unsinkable given its sturdy complexion and modern technology, which sunk in the middle of a dramatic storm in the deep south Atlantic. Earlier in the year she had called in Montevideo for fuel and provisions before sailing to the Falklands and from there east with its South Georgia toothfish license- But on this occasion the dramatic storm, 35 knots wind and eight meter high waves raging now for a week turned into a tragedy when the vessel called for help and all of the crew members took to live rafts in the midst of challenging consequences that finally only allowed 14 out of 27 to survive, with the loss of nine mariners and four still missing. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:33
BOEM Hears Mostly Opposition at a Meeting in Eastham
Local officials on the Outer Cape have for a month been calling for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to hold a public information session here about one of eight proposed wind energy areas in the Gulf of Maine — the one sited about 20 miles off Cape Cod’s back shore — before its size and shape are approved. BOEM, the agency of the Dept. of Interior that is charged with managing the development of offshore wind, finally did that on June 17, and some 200 people turned out at the Four Points by Sheraton for it. BOEM announced the meeting only six days before it was held. Statements about possible negative effects of the development on commercial fishing dominated the meeting. Many of those who spoke identified themselves as fishermen or the wives of fishermen and said that they feared their livelihoods would be lost because of the construction of wind turbines. Truro lobsterman Dana Pazolt said he believes the cables would serve as a barrier to lobster migration. “You run the wires across the seabed, our industry is dead,” he said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:43
Longliner Sinks off Falklands, Leaving Crew Adrift in Extreme Weather
The crew of a modern freezer-longliner were forced to abandon ship off the coast of the Falkland Islands yesterday, and local accounts report that at least six lost their lives in “extremely challenging” weather conditions before they could be rescued. On Sunday, the 2018-built fishing vessel Argos Georgia got underway from Port Stanley and headed out to her fishing grounds with 27 crewmembers on board. On Monday afternoon, she reported a serious flooding incident at a position about 200 miles to the east of the port. As rescue assets mobilized to the scene, the situation on board deteriorated, and the crew was forced to abandon ship into their life rafts. The vessel sank after they departed. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:17
Harpswell adopts ‘right to fish’
Harpswell has a new right-to-fish policy intended to protect the town’s working waterfronts and fishermen. “We have a sign when you come into town saying we’re a working waterfront community. We’re pushing the town to do more than just a sign,” Cundy’s Harbor fisherman Matt Gilley, who helped develop the policy, told the Anchor before the meeting. The Harpswell Select Board approved the policy unanimously on July 11, but not before some tense exchanges between board members and advocates. The policy commits the town to several actions. Speaking to the Anchor, Gilley emphasized a provision protecting fishermen from nuisance complaints about sights, sounds or smells that might result from fishing activities, like operating boat engines or storing fishing traps on private property. Maine law already prevents such complaints against fishermen who are operating in line with applicable laws or rules. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:38
