Category Archives: International
St. Bernard couple’s shrimp boat takes them on a 5-month, 6,000-mile journey around Great Loop
If this were a romantic comedy, it would be called “Tracy and Stacie’s Big Adventure.” If it were a seafaring adventure novel, the title could be “Around the Loop in 125 Days.” Whatever you call it, the five-month nautical journey that St. Bernard residents Tracy and Stacie Alfonso recently completed was the trip of a lifetime. Now the couple is home and their shrimp boat docked once again at Delacroix Island after completing the 6,000-mile Great Loop. Tracy Alfonso, who grew up in a commercial fishing family and shrimped all of his life, had dreamed of navigating the Great Loop since he heard about it. Called the greatest boat adventure in North America, the journey entails circumnavigating much of the United States and parts of Canada. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:03
Collapse of Germany’s offshore wind subsidies a cautionary tale for Canada
It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good. And in Germany, it might be better if the wind didn’t blow at all after the European Union member moved to start dismantling its flagship Alpha Ventus project after just 15 years. Despite its role as a pioneering wind farm, Alpha Ventus is being shut down — not because of technological failure, but because it is no longer financially viable without massive government subsidies. For Canada, which hopes to use offshore wind to support industries like green hydrogen production, the German experience raises critical questions about the long-term economics of offshore wind power. Without sustained financial support, will Canada’s ambitious offshore wind plans suffer the same fate? Germany has long been a global leader and pioneer in renewable energy. Alpha Ventus was built in 2009 as its first offshore wind farm, benefiting from generous state subsidies. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:44
Carney acknowledges protesting N.L. fish harvesters during 1st campaign stop
Liberal Leader Mark Carney kicked off his election campaign in St. John’s on Sunday, promising tax cuts and also addressing the hundreds of protesting fish harvesters outside the city’s convention centre. Protesters continued to block the lobby, despite securing a meeting with Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson and a promise to look at restructuring the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. A heavy police and security presence remained at the centre on Sunday evening, as police guided Liberal attendees through alternative exits. During his speech, Carney acknowledged the protesting harvesters, and said he is there to listen. He said his government will take a closer look at the department of Fisheries and Oceans, with the goal of creating a sustainable fishery and potentially restructuring the department. Videos, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:31
At a global seafood market, Maryland’s ‘fish people’ stand out by selling the Chesapeake Bay
Nancy Devine was on a mission. To see it through, she needed a very particular sort of help. “I need to borrow six oysters,” she said. As co-owner of Faidley’s Seafood in Baltimore, Devine was in Boston with 22,000 others to attend the three-day Seafood Expo North America. She and her niece, sales director Alica Mozina Sidhu, needed the oysters to test a $20,000 machine that wraps food in plastic. Their family business, which has sold fresh oysters, crabs and fish from the Chesapeake Bay for 139 years, is expanding. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:43
Tributes to heroic Northumberland fisherman who saved 127 lives at sea and was honoured by Queen
Tributes have been paid to a Northumberland RNLI member who was directly involved in saving more than 120 lives at sea. Rodney Burge, born and bred in Amble, started off his maritime career very early and actually lied about his age to get into the Royal Navy at 15. Mr. Burge left the Royal Navy in 1969 and returned to his hometown, where he signed up for the volunteer lifeboat crew alongside his day job as a fisherman. In 1992 he was appointed Coxswain and served until his retirement at the age of 55 in 1999. Queen Elizabeth II presented Mr Burge with an MBE for service to safety at sea in 1998, and in 2023, he was given a vellum by the RNLI at Amble. It was said that he was directly responsible for saving 127 lives at sea over his time with the charity. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:35
Metal inputs from offshore wind farms could pose environmental, economic and human health risks
Large offshore wind turbines are made primarily of steel. When exposed to salt water, steel corrodes over time, leading to structural damage. To prevent this, offshore wind farm developers use corrosion protection systems. One of the most common methods involves attaching sacrificial anodes to the turbines. These metal blocks, mainly composed of aluminium, zinc and indium, dissolve into the seawater to protect the steel structure. The research team at the University of Portsmouth set out to quantify how much metal is being released from corrosion protection systems used in European offshore wind farms. Their findings suggest that the accumulation of these metals in the ocean could have long-term consequences for marine ecosystems, with particular concern over the potential to enter food chains. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:40
FFAW DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM ST. ANTHONY SEAFOODS FOLLOWING SUDDEN PLANT CLOSURE AMID COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
The Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor) is raising serious concerns after Royal Greenland’s St. Anthony Seafoods (SAS) production plant was found chained shut with “closed” signs posted on the gate, just 48 hours after the company. On Tuesday, FFAW-Unifor tabled its first proposal during negotiations in Deer Lake, focusing on key issues such as voluntary overtime and a guaranteed day of rest per week — standard provisions in fish plant contracts across the province. The company refused to present a counteroffer or engage meaningfully, abruptly leaving the session within the first 10 minutes without explanation. Senior Conciliator, Brian Kenny, from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador was present to witness the incident. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:32
‘Bewildered’ experts not on board for changes to fisheries management
The government’s proposed changes to New Zealand’s fisheries management mark the most substantial reforms in decades and have sparked debate over environmental oversight and public transparency. LegaSea, a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and restoring the marine environment, is among those rocking the boat to halt the changes. “We are going back to the 80s, it’s neo-liberal behaviour, and if we are not careful, we will kill the goose that lays the golden egg.” The government proposed the changes last month, saying they want to streamline regulations, improve data collection, and enhance sustainability while protecting fishers’ privacy. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:20
Vessel Review – Janneke – Versatile beamer/twin-rigger delivered to Dutch owner
Urk, Netherlands-based Werft Shipbuilding recently delivered a new trawler to local fisherman and skipper Jelle Hakvoort. Named Janneke after Hakvoort’s daughter, the Bureau Veritas-classed newbuild was designed by Dutch naval architecture firm Marimecs as a multi-functional vessel. The summer months will see it using twin-rig gear whereas beam gear will be employed during winter. Targeted species include squid, scallops, sole, langoustine, plaice, and turbot. Janneke has been registered to Belgium and will be operated out of Zeebrugge. This is because the owner believes that operating under the Belgian flag ensures that the vessel has access to a greater number of fishing grounds in areas such as the North Sea, the English Channel, the Irish Sea, and the Bay of Biscay. Photos, Specifications, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:028
Feds & NJ Rushed Offshore Wind – Now It’s Falling Apart! Court Ruling Highlights Oversight Deficiencies!
After nine months of covering offshore wind energy developments along the Jersey Coast, three glaring issues have emerged over that time—each fueling opposition to the federal and state-backed offshore wind plan: lack of due diligence, rushed approvals, and the bigger is better mentality. Governor Murphy encapsulated this ambition, declaring, “Welcome to NJ, the Nation’s Center of Offshore Wind.” But with mounting setbacks—including a recent court ruling revoking a critical permit—the cracks in this fast-tracked initiative are becoming impossible to ignore. The future of offshore wind development in New Jersey has been dealt yet another significant blow following a recent ruling from the Environmental Appeals Board. On March 14, the board decided to revoke the Clean Air Act permit for the Atlantic Shores wind turbine project, a move that U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) described as “another nail in the coffin” for the initiative. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:15
Trump EPA saves the whales (and consumers) by nixing NJ offshore wind farm
Offshore wind farms are one of the biggest threats to the critically endangered Atlantic Right Whale. They are also a threat to the livlihood of commercial fishermen and to coastal tourism. Offshore wind turbines are one of the most expensive ways to make electricity and raise electric rates substantially to consumers. Making electricity with offshore wind turbines is generally four times as expensive as conventional sources. Thus, there were many groups cheering when the Trump EPA blocked the permit for New Jersey’s massive Atlantic Shores planned offshore wind farm. Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:25
Good Samaritan Vessel Rescues 19 Fishermen After Vessel Fire off Chile
19 fishermen have been rescued from a raft in the South Pacific after their vessel caught fire and sank. The Galician longliner F/V Pico Tresmares got under way from Vacamonte, Chile on February 23, bound for sea. On the morning of March 17, the vessel sustained an engine room fire at a position about 1,000 miles off the coast of La Serena, Chile. A nearby fishing vessel, the F/V Playa Muino Vello, reported the fire to shipowner Pesquera Guadalquivir. The alert was passed to Spanish SAR authorities in Madrid. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:12
‘It made me feel crazy’ | Filipino fishermen spent nearly 2 months trapped aboard fishing vessels in Westport
In the Pacific waters off Washington’s coast, fishermen work 18-hour shifts, hauling fish that can weigh up to 80 pounds. Commercial Albacore fishing was what drew Reyner Dagalea, Ray Sevella and Norberto Zebrele and dozens of other men to the United States from the Philippines. They agreed to work a contract with a U.S. fishing company in the summer of 2023. After spending time at sea, fishermen contracted by U.S.-based McAdams Fish and its Filipino counterpart Pescadores docked in Westport. There were 24 men, in all, across multiple boats. U.S. law does not require that foreign fishermen have visas to work aboard vessels owned by U.S. companies. But once the boats docked, the men were told that if they got off the ships, they would be arrested, fined and then deported. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:50
N.L. succeeding in finding markets outside U.S. at seafood expo in Boston, minister says
Newfoundland and Labrador Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne says efforts to diversify to markets beyond the United States have been successful at Seafood Expo North America in Boston but isn’t ready to share exactly where provincial products could be going. Byrne is part of a Newfoundland and Labrador delegation attending the ongoing seafood expo, which includes unions, plant representatives and more. Representatives from 50 countries make up the largest seafood gathering on the continent which is giving Canadian operations the chance to explore new markets as the threat of tariffs from the United States and China loom. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:03
EPA Halts Atlantic Shores Wind Farm Construction as Trump Administration Reviews Projects
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has suspended permits for the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project off New Jersey’s coast following a January 2025 Presidential directive that ordered an immediate halt to offshore wind development. The Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) granted EPA Region 2’s request to remand permits for the project, which had previously received approval to construct up to 200 wind turbines capable of generating 2,800 megawatts of power – enough electricity to power one million homes. The suspension comes amid broader industry challenges, including Shell’s recent withdrawal from the project with a $996 million impairment and the cancellation of New Jersey’s fourth offshore wind solicitation. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:38
Maritime seafood industry officials looking for new buyers at Boston expo
The Seafood Expo North America is the largest event of its kind on the continent. With importers, exporters, wholesalers and hotel operators from 50 countries in attendance, it’s the perfect place to pitch Nova Scotia seafood to the world. “I was expecting doom and gloom when I came down here and it is not that. There’s a lot more optimism for the demand for our product and will be able to get through this storm,” says Fisheries Minister Kent Smith. Smith says Nova Scotia companies have a deal with a new contact in the Philippines and one is in the works with an existing importer in Spain to expand that market. Lobster seller Shawn Landry has been busy, too. “Singapore was one of the ones that we talked with. Southeast Asia, Italy, and Europe,” he says. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:47
Icelandic seafood industry on edge as tariff concerns loom at Boston Expo
Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, Iceland’s Minister of Industry and Trade, is attending the Seafood Expo North America 2025 in Boston, where she is meeting with key stakeholders to discuss trade relations and the potential impact of U.S. import tariffs on Icelandic seafood. During her visit, Friðriksson emphasized the strong partnerships between Icelandic exporters and their American buyers, highlighting their shared interest in preventing tariffs from being imposed on Icelandic seafood. “It’s inspiring to witness the strength of these companies—whether well-established fishing enterprises, innovative startups, or even a team from Reykjavík University presenting fresh ideas. There’s so much vitality here,” she said while touring exhibition booths at the event, which runs until Tuesday. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:52
Fisherman rescued after 95 days adrift eating turtles
A Peruvian fisherman who survived 95 days lost at sea in the Pacific Ocean by eating turtles, birds and cockroaches has been rescued and reunited with his family. Maximo Napa Castro, 61, set off for what should have been a two-week fishing trip from the coastal town of Marcona, on the southern Peruvian coast, on 7 December. Ten days in, a storm blew his boat off course, leaving him adrift with dwindling supplies. It was not until Wednesday that the Ecuadorian patrol vessel Don F found him 1,094km (680 miles) from the coast, dehydrated and in a critical condition. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:50
Federal environmental permit gets yanked from N.J. offshore wind farm
In what may be the most striking blow to an offshore wind farm since President Donald Trump took office, a project for New Jersey’s coast had a critical federal environmental permit yanked away Friday. Judge Mary Kay Lynch, in an Environmental Appeals Court, issued the ruling to remand Atlantic Shores’ Clean Air Act permit, which the developer had been issued this past fall. The latest setback for the company comes after a challenge from a group of residents — as part of the local group Save Long Beach Island or “Save LBI” — and is being sent back to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for further review. “This is a significant event because to my knowledge it is the first time that a federal approval for any offshore wind project has been overturned,” Bob Stern, who leads Save LBI, said in a statement Saturday, “and it highlights the lack of full disclosure and questionable science and mathematics that has characterized other applications and approvals.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:24
Tariff fears and high stakes for Atlantic Canada at the Boston Seafood Expo
Seafood industry reps from more than 50 countries are in Boston for what is usually an exciting three days of meetings, showcases, and networking at the annual Seafood Expo North America. This year, though, the stakes have never been higher for Atlantic Canadians. Fears of potential industry-rocking tariffs from the United States and China are overshadowing everything happening on the show floor. The expo is playing out during a moment of potential crisis for the Canadian seafood landscape, as economic tariffs that would apply to seafood loom large, along with uncertainty about what will happen if the new charges do happen.Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:12
Shane Jones: Cameras on fishing boats is ‘state surveillance’
Shane Jones cites the dangers that come with “the court of TikTok” as the reason he wants to keep footage collected on fishing boats out of the public’s hands. The Fisheries Minister is proposing a range of changes to the Fisheries Act to “remove unnecessary regulations that impede productivity and the potential of the sector”. One of the proposals aims to prevent the release of what’s filmed on commercial fishing vessels through the Official Information Act. Jones told Q+A he didn’t agree with having on-board cameras in the first place, but that he had lost that argument. “I do not accept state surveillance of industry,” he said. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:56
Canadian crab, lobster industry officials look for answers in Boston
Canadian crab and lobster industry representatives, including some from New Brunswick, will be looking for answers and opportunities at a seafood exhibition in Boston. The goal is to develop relations with other industry players as Canada faces tariff troubles with both the U.S. and China. The expo attracts many countries. Major seafood exporters set up booths at the show. “It’s going to be very difficult to settle on prices given that we have to build in that the tariffs are happening,” said Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada. The expo attracts many countries. Major seafood exporters set up booths at the show. “I’ll be looking to see what they do, how they do it, how they pay for it, and try to bring that home, and once again attempt to come up with a marketing strategy for all Canadian seafood,” said Irvine. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:05
Fishing industry sues over offshore wind farm, says the DOI didn’t properly permit Vineyard Wind
When one turbine on the Vineyard Wind project near Marthas Vineyard began supplying electricity to the grid in January 2024, the project stood as the first step in the Biden administration’s plan to develop 30 gigawatts of offshore wind along America’s coastline by 2030. Since then, the project experienced a blade failure that dumped a football-field sized blade into the ocean and littered the beaches of Nantucket with sharp and toxic debris. Nantucket-based activists ACK 4 Whales sued over the permitting of the project, arguing that the Department of Interior (DOI) wasn’t factoring cumulative impacts into its environmental assessment of the project. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:36
As Alaska’s crab industry struggles, herring fishermen are losing their market
Captain Dan Veerhusen and Jan, his wife, run the F/V Taurus, one of the few remaining boats that still fish herring in the Bering Sea. Last summer, in Sand Point, the couple were preparing the 58-foot seiner for what would be Veerhusen’s 30th-or-so season. He’s been fishing herring since 1988, when Unalaska’s Port of Dutch Harbor was at the center of a multimillion-dollar crab boom. “I love herring fishing. It’s real fishing.” he said. “It was a regular, competitive fishery back then. But these days, there’s ourselves, another boat, maybe three boats out there.” The herring fishery in the Bering Sea boomed in the early 20th century but struggled after World War II as Americans lost their appetite for the fish. Demand increased again in the 1970s when the Bering Sea crab industry took off, creating a demand for herring as baitfish. links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:50
How the Alabama Seafood Labeling Law is affecting Gulf Coast industry
Almost a year after being signed into law, residents should be beginning to see impacts the Alabama Seafood Labeling Law is having on the local industry. The Seafood Labeling Law was signed into law in May 2024, requiring in-state food establishments, such as grocery stores, restaurants, food trucks and in-store delis, to disclose and label whether any seafood being served was imported or domestically produced, as well as whether the seafood was farm-raised or wild-caught. Sellers are encouraged, but not required, to disclose the country of origin of imported foreign fish or shellfish. It also requires seafood suppliers who sell to these establishments within the state to disclose the country of origin so the retailers can accurately inform customers. It does not apply to ingredients in processed food. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:47
Hitting pause: Talks to set price for 2025 snow crab season in NL on hold
There’s still no deal, but both sides trying to hammer out a new pricing formula for Newfoundland and Labrador’s snow crab fishery have agreed to pause talks until March 19. That will be one day after Seafood Expo North America, the major annual seafood show in Boston, where this year’s provincial delegation will be looking to convince American buyers that tariffs placed on Canadian exports, including seafood, are not a good thing for the sector. The negotiators from both FFAW-Unifor, the union that represents fish harvesters and plant workers, and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP), which represents fish processing companies, have met several times since the middle of January to try to hammer out a snow crab price for the 2025 season. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:38
Amid ‘shrimp fraud’ reports, Tampa Bay area shrimpers need support
When restaurants charge a premium for Gulf-caught shrimp and pocket the extra profit by serving farm-raised imported shrimp, they’re denying local shrimpers a fair income. A recent study by SeaD Consulting revealed that 42 out of 44 Tampa Bay area restaurants surveyed were falsely passing off imported shrimp as locally caught. Local shrimpers say the effects of this kind of shrimp fraud go beyond betrayed diners. Shrimper Merritt Joseph Latino has been in the business for over 17 years. On one arm, underneath an anchor tattoo, the words “shrimpin’ ain’t easy” are permanently emblazoned in ink. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:38
Snow crab now crab as FFAW and ASP show willingness to work together
A week of long days and almost around the clock negotiations has left the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union and the Association of Seafood Producers optimistic that a snow crab harvest will happen this year. “The FFAW and ASP have done an incredible job together to have constructive conversations at this point,” ASP executive director Jeff Loder said Wednesday. “Of course, until you get a deal, you have no deal. But I am cautiously optimistic that we are close.” The two sides are keen to negotiate a deal as soon as possible. A meeting with a price setting panel is scheduled for March 20 should the two sides not make an agreement by then. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:08
Humane, sustainable Canadian seal harvests an environmental necessity, says USIANL
The United Seal Industry Association of Newfoundland & Labrador (USIANL) has created a fact-based campaign explaining the environmental necessity for Canada to carry out sustainable seal harvests. The campaign is being piloted in N.L., Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Vancouver. USIANL was created to help Canadians understand that humane, sustainable seal harvests are an environmental necessity. The harp seal population off N.L. is the largest in the world – numbering in the millions. Not only are harp seals depleting important fish species and everything those species feed on, but fierce competition for food is putting their own well-being at risk. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:39
Fuming fishermen hit out at John Swinney’s ‘disrespect’ as calls grow for urgent Holyrood debate
The SNP Government has been urged to hold its first fishing debate in almost three years before Easter amid fears over offshore wind developments. It comes after John Swinney was advised by officials not to use the term ‘spatial squeeze’ during talks with fishing industry leaders in Shetland last year. The term was first put forward by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) to describe the loss of fishing ground to other uses such as offshore wind farms and marine protected areas. Elspeth Macdonald, chief executive of the SFF, said: “It’s disgraceful, when it plans systematically and permanently to exclude fishermen from traditional fishing grounds to build colossal offshore wind farms, that a Scottish Government official briefed the First Minister not to recognise their deeply held concerns for their future livelihoods. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:49
