Category Archives: International
Sanford fined $72,000 for ammonia leak on trawler
A fishing company has been fined more than $70,000 after two meal plant workers, who thought an onboard alarm was a drill, walked into a “white-out’’ mist of ammonia gas and water. The incident, on December 6, 2022, ended in the Timaru District Court on Thursday with Judge Mark Callaghan fining Sanford Ltd $72,000 and ordering total reparation of $17,500 to the two workers. Sanford had pleaded guilty to one charge laid by Maritime New Zealand under section 48 of the Health and Safety at Work Act following the incident on the the 64-metre-long San Enterprise. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:39
Hefty fines issued for commercial fishing offences on Lake Erie
Failing to follow proper commercial fishing practices on Lake Erie has resulted in steep fines, totalling $13,500. The Ministry of Natural Resources said a Wheatley man was found guilty of failing to comply with the terms and conditions of a licence. Between July 28 and August 18, 2023, he fished out of Port Stanley as captain of a commercial fishing vessel, read a media release from the ministry. The court heard that he fished multiple days but failed to record activities in his logbook and inaccurately reported the location of his gill nets. As a result, he was fined $11,000 and ordered to use commercial fishing boats with monitored GPS units. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:02
Unifor Statement on the Tariff Threats Facing Canada’s Fisheries
Unifor is deeply concerned about ongoing tariff threats from the United States and the imposition of tariffs by China on Canadian seafood products. These tariffs pose a genuine threat to the livelihoods of Unifor members in the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) in Newfoundland and Labrador, the United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union (UFAWU) in British Columbia, and to the broader Canadian fishing industry. While the threat of U.S. tariffs on Canada’s fisheries was lessened when Canada was granted exemptions for Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)-compliant products, the unpredictability of the Trump administration’s trade measures suggests that all U.S.-exposed industries in Canada are at continued risk of severe economic impacts from the ongoing tariff war. Close to two-thirds of Canadian seafood exports are sent to the U.S. every year. Compounding this ongoing threat from the U.S. are the tariffs imposed by China on Canadian seafood, which took effect on March 20, 2025. These tariffs threaten to devastate a substantial proportion of Canada’s seafood export market, as nearly 20% of Canadian seafood exports were sent to China in recent years, and some categories of seafood are almost entirely dependent on the Chinese market (e.g. prawns and geoduck). more. >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:54
Political leaders ‘passing the buck’ on algae crisis
State and federal leaders have been accused of passing the buck on an algal bloom crisis which has caused the deaths of tens of thousands of marine animals. Greens senator for South Australia and environment spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young accused the federal and SA governments of shirking responsibility for the disaster, which has devastated marine life and caused widespread disruption of commercial fishing operations. “We have the federal government saying it’s a state issue, and we have the SA government dragging its feet in asking for federal help,” Ms Hanson-Young said. “It’s past time that the prime minster and the premier sort this out.” The senator has demanded the event be classified as a natural disaster, with major federal government support needed. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:22
Study: Over 65% of Jackson metro restaurants mislabeling seafood as locally caught
Tampa’s shrimping industry shrinks: A century-old family business fights to survive
About 90% of shrimp consumed in the U.S. is imported from abroad, according to the Seafood Research & Education Alliance – and it’s taking a major toll on local businesses. Tampa’s Versaggi Shrimp Company, which has operated since 1912, is one of the last of its kind. The fourth-generation family business has seen its fleet shrink dramatically from 55 vessels to just five in 2025. “We’re on borrowed time here,” Justin Versaggi said. “Trade laws, imports, higher fuel costs, expenses rising and prices staying the same or decreasing… we just don’t see much hope.” Video, Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:22
The Shrimp Factory Whistleblower
On October 29 2023, a 45-year-old American named Joshua Farinella flew into the city of Amalapuram near India’s eastern coast to start his new job as the general manager at a shrimp processing plant owned by a company called Choice Canning. Farinella, who is softly spoken with a shaved head, neatly trimmed beard and full sleeve of tattoos, was excited about the prospect of living abroad for the first time. True, this would be a high-pressure job, and he would miss Christa, his wife, but he had negotiated a salary of $300,000 a year, more than double what he’d earned at another seafood company in the United States. He joked that he was now the best paid shrimp worker who did not own his own company. He figured that if he could stick it out for two or three years he would be set up for life: he looked forward to upgrading his camper van, paying off his car loan and setting aside some money for his stepdaughter’s university education. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:07
NYC fishermen beg Trump to rethink offshore windfarm that could devastate marine life
Commercial fishing workers pleaded with President Trump to again maroon a wind project off the Long Island shore – arguing Tuesday the green energy initiative could throw the industry into disarray. Business and environmental organizations gathered at the Fulton Fish Market Cooperative in the Bronx early Tuesday to emphasize the devastating effects the Empire Wind One project could have on fishermen’s jobs and marine life. The Trump administration temporarily paused the project in April while it was already under construction, launching a review of the permits issued during former President Joe Biden’s administration. The stop was lifted a month later. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:02
Is it time for a UK training vessel?
It’s not news that we face an employment crisis across the industry – and, arguably, no surprise. Everywhere we turn these days seems to bring some new threat or criticism. If it is not spatial squeeze or a lack of fish, it is accusations from armchair warriors about fishermen destroying the environment. Little wonder that many of the generation entering the UK workforce wouldn’t give fishing a second look. Huge efforts have been made to encourage new entrants, to reach out to schools, to counter the negative messages about ‘greedy’ fishermen, to highlight the many positives about a career at sea. These efforts are to be applauded, but still, we face a recruitment crisis. The numbers speak for themselves. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:3
Nantucket’s Big, Beautiful Blunder
It’s always been about the optics. The optics of the Nantucket Select Board signing the original Good Neighbor Agreement in August of 2020. The optics of the damaged GE Vernova Halide-X blade dangling perilously above the ocean from Vineyard Wind’s turbine in July of 2024. The optics of Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller, and later, State Senator Julian Cyr, sheepishly walking out of a Select Board meeting. The optics of the “non-toxic” debris washing up on our south shore beaches. And now, the optics of a $10.5 million settlement paving the way for the establishment of a “Community Claims Fund” to help compensate those negatively impacted economically by the blade failure disaster. The net effect after attorneys’ fees is roughly $8.7 million headed to Nantucket and local businesses. That’s nothing to sneeze at, and with an independent third party hired to review claims and dole out the checks, I feel confident the money won’t end up in Nantucket’s black hole for a new dump, but instead, in the pockets of island business owners such as Gaven Norton and ACK Surf School who deserve it. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:54
‘Woke nonsense!’ British fishermen face being ‘decolonised’ as museum accused of pushing ‘patriotic guilt’
Britain’s North Sea fishermen are set to be decolonised as a museum seeks to address possible links between the heritage and “colonialism and racism”. The Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre is reviewing its collection of material on decimated fishing fleets, assessing objects related to the work of the trawlermen. The centre will look at items used by the fishermen to determine whether they were “problematic”. Connections to slavery will be analysed by the centre, which plans on focusing on information of individuals from diverse backgrounds and “protected characteristic groups”. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:19
Algal bloom ‘disaster’ prompts royal commission call as impact spreads to mussel farms
A royal commission is needed to tackle the long-term effects of the devastating algal bloom off South Australia’s coast that has killed countless sea creatures and is damaging industries, the state’s opposition says. The call comes as the impact of the bloom continues to spread, with mussel farming sites around Port Lincoln shut down after shellfish toxins were detected in the area. The “precautionary closure”, which came into effect on Wednesday, has suspended mussel harvesting at the Boston Bay, Bickers Island, Lower Eyre and Proper Bay sites, according to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA). more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:28
Wes Moore, developer vows to push forward with offshore wind despite major blows from feds
Maryland’s governor and an Italian wind energy developer said they remain undeterred in bringing offshore turbines to the state’s coastline despite facing three major setbacks from the federal government this past week that could jeopardize the projects’ immediate future. Spotlight on Maryland asked Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s office on Friday and Saturday about how a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s corrective action letter, a presidential executive order targeting wind energy, and a federal judge’s decision to allow a lawsuit against offshore wind development, all occurring within the last nine day, might impact the governor’s energy goals. Moore’s spokesperson, Carter Elliott, said in an email Saturday afternoon that the governor plans to move forward with offshore wind projects the state has approved. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:44
Jackpot at sea: Trawler nets Tk 38 lakh worth hilsa haul
Defying stormy seas and a 58-day fishing ban, the crew of the fishing trawler FB Sadia-2 struck gold in the Bay of Bengal, hauling in 65 maunds of hilsa fish worth nearly Tk 38 lakh. The massive catch, landed at the Alipur Fisheries Landing Centre on Sunday afternoon, has brought a glimmer of hope to fishermen battered by recent challenges. The journey began on July 10, when 23 fishermen, led by skipper Shahabuddin, set sail from Alipur Ghat. Venturing 150 kilometres east-southeast of Kuakata, they cast their nets in the deep sea on July 12, navigating turbulent waters after months of restrictions and hostile weather. Their persistence paid off with a staggering catch, which was auctioned at M/s Khan Fish for Tk 39,60,140. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:50
Commercial fishing school refunds $1m for subsidy errors over four years
A commercial fishing school has repaid more than $1 million to the government, after errors that included claiming funding for students who never attended. Westport Deep Sea Fishing Ltd said an IT change and a decision to waive fees for flood-affected students contributed to the problems. A Tertiary Education Commission report said the private tertiary institution received funding for 523 full-time equivalent students in the four years from 2020 to the end of 2023. An audit last year “revealed significant issues with how student data was reported” and a subsequent investigation found it should have received funding for only 413 FTE students, a difference of almost 110 FTE. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:02
GE Vernova to Pay Nantucket $10.5M for Offshore Wind Turbine Blade Failure
Nantucket’s city government has reached a $10.5 million definitive settlement agreement with GE Vernova, the manufacturer of the offshore wind turbine blade that failed in 2024 and littered the coastline with debris. The Town of Nantucket commended GE Vernova for its leadership in reaching the agreement, while it was noted by observers that the developer of the Vineyard Wind farm is not a direct party to the settlement. A portion of the settlement money will be placed in a third-party administered Community Claims Fund to provide compensation for claims of economic harm made by residents and local businesses. The administrator will accept claims for the next six months but will require proof of the expenses or losses. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:39
Algal bloom fears grow as video shows dead fish in ‘neon green’ waters near Ardrossan
New vision of South Australia’s toxic algal bloom shows scores of dead fish lying in “dark neon green” waters, highlighting the extent of the ecological disaster unfolding underwater. Marine scientist and filmmaker Stefan Andrews, who captured the footage near the Ardrossan jetty on SA’s Yorke Peninsula, said he saw “hundreds, if not thousands” of fish — mostly garfish — strewn across the seabed. Mr Andrews filmed the vision on Wednesday after marine life began washing up on the Yorke Peninsula coast around two weeks earlier. He said among the dead were wobbegong sharks and stingrays. Video, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:31
‘Deadliest Catch’ Season 21: Premiere Date, Cast, Trailer, and More Updates
In 2024, Deadliest Catch aired its milestone 20th season. The season premiered in June 2024 and aired 19 episodes before concluding in October. Now that it’s been nine months since new episodes of the beloved Discovery Channel show have aired, fans are itching for more. So, when will we see Season 21? Scroll down for everything we know about what’s next on Deadliest Catch. “To claim their share of the billion-dollar bounty, captains and crews must brave unforgiving 50-foot seas to reach abandoned Adak Island, venturing farther west than anyone has dared in over 30 years and beyond the bounds of rescue,” a description says. Video, Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:04
State leaders recognize Delcambre Shrimp Festival Queen for advocacy efforts
As Louisiana shrimpers continue to fight to keep the industry alive, one young crusader is working to bring change, and she’s succeeding. Delcambre Shrimp Festival Queen Gracie Bourque hopes to help the Louisiana shrimping industry for years to come. “I went shrimping with one of the shrimpers local to Delcambre and to see how hard they work it was truly eye-opening and amazing,” Bourque said. Bourque fell in love with a way of life that day. One which she was willing to fight for. Video, more, >>CLICK TO WATCH<< 14:43
Fisherman drowned after equipment pulled him overboard
A lone fisherman was dragged overboard by his equipment and drowned, a marine accident investigation has concluded. Hugh MacLachlan was creel fishing while near the Isle of Luing, off the Argyll coast, when the tragedy occurred on 13 December 2023. A report found the 58-year-old became entangled in a rope while releasing creels and was dragged through an opening at the back of his boat, Nista, into the sea. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch said the accident showed that creel operations pose “persistent and enduring hazards” to the lives of fishermen. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:12
As ‘Jaws’ Marks 50 Years, Montauk ‘Monster Shark’ Fisherman Who Inspired ‘Quint’ Remembered
For the more than 67 million who sat, terrified, as “Jaws” captivated moviegoers after the film opened on June 20, 1975, the 50th anniversary has brought back that creeping fear of the surf, the dread of inflatables in the crashing waves, the chill of the iconic words spoken, as blood soaked the sun-splashed water on that long-ago July 4: “The beaches are open and people are having a wonderful time.” But what locals on the East End of Long Island and beyond know is that Quint’s character was based on real-life “monster” fisherman Frank Mundus of Montauk, whose life was spent on the open seas, his daughter Pat Mundus, who lives in Greenport, told Patch. Reflecting on her father, Mundus said in reality, the character of Quint was nothing like the man who shaped her life. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:29
Maryland GOP Congressman Fighting Offshore Windmills Sees Victory on Horizon
Rep. Andy Harris, Maryland’s sole Republican congressman, is calling for the end to an offshore windmill project that would industrialize the state’s scenic Eastern Shore, a conservative region that depends on tourism and fisheries. Harris has long railed against the project, having represented the 1st Congressional District since 2011. “The leading opponent is Ocean City, Maryland,” Harris said. “Because they feel they will lose attraction to tourists with these huge windmills easily visible from the beach.” He added, “But it goes beyond that. The commercial fisheries are very worried about it for two reasons. One is, it obviously disturbs a lot of the bottom and affects the ability to commercially fish. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:56
Businesses, environmentalists join forces to stop NY offshore wind project they fear will harm fishing, sea life
They’re in uncharted waters. In a rare move, businesses and environmentalists have joined forces in court to furiously fight New York’s Empire Wind One offshore project, saying that it will devastate both the commercial fishing industry and marine life in local waters. “A decade ago, we said it would affect fishermen, fisheries, and guess what? The state didn’t care,” said Bonnie Brady, executive director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association. “We are collateral damage — even though we feed people.” The decade-long planned energy initiative, which began construction last April off the coasts of New York and New Jersey, faces a growing lawsuit from stakeholders in the tri-state area. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:45
P.E.I. bluefin tuna in high demand as season opens early, says Island exporter
There’s currently strong global demand for bluefin tuna from Prince Edward Island, says a local exporter who buys and ships the fish around the world. Fisheries and Oceans Canada opened the commercial bluefin tuna fishery on July 1, two weeks earlier than usual. Jason Tompkins, owner of North Lake-based TNT Tuna, said some Island harvesters have already headed out early to take advantage of high prices. While only about seven to 10 boats were fishing for tuna last week, sightings have been promising, he said. Six tuna were already brought in from three different ports along P.E.I.’s North Shore as of Monday morning. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:04
Portugal: EU-Canada fishing agreement doubles Portugal’s cod quota
The Council of the European Union (EU) approved the fisheries agreement with Canada on Tuesday that doubles Portugal’s cod quota in a NAFO division to 495 tonnes, reopening in 2024 after 32 years. Authorities protected the division, 2J3KL, by keeping it closed to fishing for 32 years after the collapse of cod stocks in Canadian and Newfoundland waters. This year, the total allowable catch (TAC) more than doubled compared to 2024, and officials set it at 40,000 tonnes, corresponding to a quota for Portugal of 495 tonnes for the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:43
UK-EU deal threat to non-quota stocks
The recent UK-EU revised trade agreement has implications for the sustainability of non-quota stocks (NQS) in UK and EU waters, a leading shellfish sector figure has warned. Andrew Brown, a director of Macduff Shellfish and a vice chair of the North East Scotland Fisheries Development Partnership (NESFDP), said the agreement was not a simple rollover in terms of non-quota stocks like the 12-year agreement in relation to quota shares. He told the latest meeting of the NESFDP that additional wording in the NQS section of the agreement says the UK and EU can fish NQS ‘at least’ as much as they have done historically. “That ‘at least’ is new wording,” he said. “Up until now we’ve had a quota ceiling for NQS – 12,000t for UK vessels in EU waters and 32,000t for EU vessels in UK waters. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:21
Ocean City lawsuit to block offshore wind farm clears hurdle
Ocean City’s lawsuit seeking to block an offshore wind farm cleared a procedural hurdle last week, as a federal judge declined to dismiss most of the plaintiffs’ claims. Ocean City and nearly three dozen co-defendants sued the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in October after BOEM gave final approval for US Wind to build more than 100 turbines off the coast of Maryland and Delaware. The plaintiffs – which also include Worcester County; Fenwick Island, Delaware; and environmental, fishing and business groups – say the project threatens endangered species and the tourist economy. In a July 2 opinion, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher allowed five of the plaintiffs’ claims to proceed, dismissing the other three. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:39
Calls for South Australia’s algal bloom to be declared national disaster, as ‘algal war’ erupts
An ecologist says an “algal war” that has broken out along South Australia’s south coast could be a sign that the tide is slowly turning against the state’s toxic bloom, which the Greens want treated as a national disaster. Fishers have reported seeing what is believed to be a bioluminescent alga that is known to eat the Karenia mikimotoi algae species responsible for the mass fish kills over the past four months. Estuarine ecologist Faith Coleman said she had examined images of the samples and identified them as containing Noctiluca scintillans — the algae which causes “sea sparkle”. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:54
I’m a fisherman – fish would be cheaper in the UK if we stopped giving our seas away to EU
A skipper has explained just how much of an injustice the handing over of fishing rights is for the industry. Another fish merchant has said the industry is at ‘tipping point’ which in turn will have a huge effect on coastal communities. Steven Walker has been a fisherman for 35 years (a skipper for 15 years) in the Devon and Cornwall area. The 52-year-old said the current situation has been made a lot worse “due to the Government giving away access to our 12-mile limit”. However, Defra has said that the recent deal with the EU “protects Britain’s fishing access”. Mr. Walker said: “We don’t have support from the government, there has been no investment in new bigger vessels like the European ports have had – and it just goes to show that they don’t care what happens to fishing. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:34
Canada to take steps to protect vanishing North Atlantic right whales from ships
The Canadian government says it is taking steps this summer to protect a vanishing species of whale from lethal collisions with ships in its waters. The whale is the North Atlantic right whale, which numbers only about 370. The whales give birth off the southeastern U.S. in the winter and spring and migrate north to New England and Canada to feed. Along the way, the whales face dangers including ship strikes and entanglement in commercial fishing gear. Environmental groups have long faulted the U.S. and Canadian governments for not doing enough to protect the critically endangered animals. Canada is enforcing mandatory protection measures for the whale this summer, Transport Canada said in a June 27 statement. All vessels of 42.7 feet (13 meters) in length or more must comply with speed restrictions in designated areas of the ocean to avoid whale strikes, the agency said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:46
