Category Archives: International
2024 Maritime elver season officially cancelled
The federal government has carried through on its threat to cancel the 2024 season for baby eels, also known as elvers, in the Maritimes admitting it is unable to manage the lucrative — but increasingly chaotic — fishery. In a statement on Monday, Fisheries and Oceans Minister Diane Lebouthillier cited “significant quantities of elvers being fished illegally” and “harassment, threats and violence between harvesters and toward fishery officers.” “In the light of all these considerations, it is clear that without significant changes, the risks to conservation of the species cannot be addressed and orderly management of the fishery cannot be restored,” she said. more, >>click to read<< 06:39
‘Deadliest Catch’ Reality TV Star Arrested For Alleged Probation Violation
Police arrested a cast member from Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch” in the Florida Keys on Saturday over alleged probation violations. Forty-year-old Erik James Brown, also known as Erik James, was cuffed in the Stock Island section of the Keys over alleged probation violations, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department arrest log. The exact details surrounding the nature of the arrest remain unclear. Brown was previously arrested for allegedly running an illegal marijuana growing operation out of his nearly $2 million Florida home in 2018. links, more, >>click to read<< 10:54
Location of Offshore Wind Zone Doesn’t ‘Pass the Pub Test’
While industry is moving full steam ahead with plans for offshore wind development off Port Stephens, the local fishing community still hold grave concerns over the suitability of the location. The recent Newcastle and Port Stephens Game Fish Club (NPSGFC) Garmin Billfish Shootout, an annual fishing contest held off the coast in areas potentially impacted by future offshore wind development, brought the issue into focus once more. The Game Fish Club’s President, Troy Radford, said the location of the Hunter offshore wind zone, which starts about 20 kilometres out to sea from the Port Stephens coast, does not “pass the pub test”. “If this was going on in the Great Barrier Reef would this be going on? more, >>click to read<< 09:39
New Crabber for Bridlington Family
Genesis has been built by Parkol Marine Engineering to an Ian Paton design for Neil Robson and his sons, who between them run Genesis Fishing. The new boat will work from Bridlington, skippered by elder son George, while younger son John skippers the company’s other crabber, Genesis Enigma. An older crabber, Genesis Rose, is about to be sold now that the new boat is fishing. ‘We’ve been fishing all January, and obviously we are made up with her, few bits of teething troubles but nothing major, the new deck layout works great, we have had a mixed bag of weather 45/50 knot winds on one trip, which was good to see and get a good feel of how she performs,’ George Robson said. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 08:18
The Grandys of Garnish: A history of shipbuilding and lobster fishing in a tiny N.L. town
During the heyday of the schooner bank fishery, from the late 1800s up to the 1940s, shipbuilding was the major employer in Garnish. Dozens of carpenters and labourers were involved, from cutting the timbers up around the headwaters of the Garnish and Black rivers to operating sawmills downstream and then the actual building of the vessels. The industry reached its peak in the mid 1930s, when in one year, according to 97-year-old Melvin Grandy, five boats were being built at the same time. The five vessels were different size banking schooners, capable of carrying anywhere from four dories up to 12 dories each. Without a doubt the master boat builder in the Garnish of the 1930s and ’40s was Cephas Grandy. His reputation as a craftsman spread not only all around Newfoundland but also on the Canadian mainland. photos, >>click to read<< 07:04
Deep sea trawling industry marks historic 50-year milestone
The South African Deep-Sea Trawling Industry Association (SADSTIA) which represents companies engaged in the catching, processing and marketing of Cape hake, marks its 50th anniversary in March. The anniversary comes just six months after the conclusion of a lengthy and demanding rights allocation process. The anniversary comes just six months after the conclusion of a lengthy and demanding rights allocation process. This process saw the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) allocate 15-year rights to the fishery, increasing the number of rights holders from 33 to 37. The fishery contributes an estimated R8,5 billion rand to the South African economy annually and supports approximately 12 400 jobs, mostly in the Western Cape, but also in the Eastern Cape. more, >>click to read<< 21:26
Keeping an Industry Afloat – Thomas Goulding’s Cork Mill
Plastic floats have taken over the market since the 1950s, but before then fishing floats were almost exclusively made of cork or wood. The wooden ones were known as “cedar corks” and the only commercial supplier of them on the West Coast was Thomas Goulding who produced them in his Cork Mill at the Acme Cannery on Sea Island. The Acme Cannery was built in 1899, part of the boom in cannery construction during the late 19th and early 20th centuries to take advantage of the seemingly unlimited supply of salmon available in the Fraser River. In 1902 it was absorbed into the British Columbia Packers amalgamation. In 1918 it closed, but the buildings, net racks and moorage were maintained for the community of fishermen, mostly Japanese, who lived around it. In a small building on the west side of the cannery Mr. Goulding set up the cork mill. The building and all the equipment for the mill, the saws, the lathes, the reamer, the stringer and the tar vat were all hand-built by him with help from his Japanese Neighbours. Photos, maps, more, >>click to read<< 13:38
UK Will Provide Record $1B in Support to Offshore Wind in Next Auction
The UK government is planning to offer a record amount of support in the next round of offshore wind energy auctions scheduled for this year. It comes as the latest effort to kick start the next phase of renewable energy development in the UK after they fell short in 2023 with no bidders in the previous round of auctions. In addition to increasing its support for offshore wind, the government also earmarked £200 million for other forms of renewable energy. This includes a third round for tidal energy projects, as well as support for onshore wind, solar farms, geothermal, and to support the continued development of floating offshore wind farms. more, >>click to read<< 09:54
Century-old RNLI anniversary brochure resurfaces
A 100-year-old brochure promoting the RNLI has been donated to a charity shop. The booklet dates back to 1924 and celebrates the 100th anniversary of the organisation. The lifeboat station in Burnham-on-Sea was established in 1836, with the charity shop on the high street helping to raise funds for the organisation. Workers in the North Somerset shop plan to use it in displays, to celebrate the “amazing history” of the RNLI. Since it was first established in 1824, the brave volunteers at the RNLI have saved more than 144,000 lives at sea. photos, more, >>click to read<< 07:32
Probe sought into conditions of ‘stranded’ migrant fishers whose boat ran aground off Inis Mór
An investigation has been sought into conditions faced by four West African fishermen who were working on a boat that ran aground off the Aran Islands last weekend. The men had to be rescued from the fishing vessel as part of a multi-agency response that included the Coast Guard and RNLI. The Dáil has heard allegations that the men were “bogusly” recruited to work in Ireland, having first thought they would be working in the UK, only to find themselves working in the Atlantic Ocean off the Galway coast. Solidarity TD Mick Barry claimed the men were “put working illegally” on an Irish boat, called ‘Ambitious’, until the vessel ran aground off Inis Mór and the men required rescue last Sunday. Barry further alleged that attempts have been made by the owner “to send the four men back to Ghana in quicktime” before any authorities have an opportunity to hear of the “ordeal” they allegedly suffered. photos, more, >>click to read<< 13:30
Lifeboats and helicopter race to rescue mission off west Wales coast
Four lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter were involved in a mercy mission to a stricken fishing vessel off the west Wales coast yesterday (Friday, March 8). The five-hour operation coordinated by Milford Haven Coastguard, got underway shortly before midday when the Irish fishing vessel, the Shauna Leon, reported she was taking on water. The Wexford-registered boat, with five people on board, was 24 nautical miles north-west of Strumble Head, Fishguard. photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:53
Fisherman drowned after being dragged overboard by ‘chain weight’
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) concluded their fatal accident inquiry into the death of John Wilson who died almost three years ago. The inquiry found that the 64-year-old, who lived in St Abbs, was pulled overboard after his foot became entangled in a chain weight on August 28, 2021. Mr. Wilson was on board his boat the Harriet J near Meikle Poo Craig when the incident happened. Following the inquiry, the Sheriff recommended that crew members of single person operated fishing vessels should wear Personal Locator Beacons and Personal Floatation Devices at all times whilst at sea. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 14:38
Young Donegal Fisherwoman Pleads for Future of Family Business
One of Donegal’s youngest fishers has criticized the Marine Minister for not doing enough to protect the inshore industry. Arranmore islander Muireann Kavanagh, aged 14, fishes pollack with lines alongside her father and uncles. The young fisherwoman was so stunned by a zero-catch scenario recommended to rebuild pollack stock that she wrote a personal letter to Minister Charlie McConalogue. She writes: “I fish and help maintain a boat my grandfather built by himself and his friends on Arranmore Island. This boat has provided a living for my uncles, my grandfather and my grand uncle. Over the last number of years this boat has been denied her heritage. There is no way that this boat or any of the remaining boats on the Island have destroyed the fish stocks.” photos, more, >>click to read<< 11:44
Leading Alaska legislators propose task force to help rescue a seafood industry ‘in a tailspin’
Russian fish flooding global markets and other economic forces beyond the state’s border have created dire conditions for Alaska’s seafood industry. Now key legislators are seeking to establish a task force to come up with some responses to the low prices, lost market share, lost jobs and lost income being suffered by fishers, fishing companies and fishing-related communities. The measure, Senate Concurrent Resolution 10, was introduced on March 1 and is sponsored by the Senate Finance Committee. “Alaska’s seafood industry is in a tailspin from facing unprecedented challenges,” said the measure’s sponsor statement issued by the committee’s co-chairs: Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka; Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel; and Sen. Donny Olson, D-Golovin. The measure is also being promoted by Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak. more, >>click to read<< 09:55
Saint Helena seafood company recalls landing a role in ‘Forrest Gump,’ still has receipts
In the fall of 1993, a film crew in search of shrimp pulled up to a seafood market on the island’s northeastern edge. They would need about 4,000 pounds, they told Gay Seafood Co. co-owner Charles Gay. Paramount Pictures would pay the bill. “We can do that,” Gay said. The production team bought just over 6,000 pounds in total for the making of “Forrest Gump.” Thirty years later, the film is cemented as an American classic, and Gay still has the receipts that prove Gay Fish Co.’s role in its production. more, >>click to read<< 08:41
Whale not seen in 200 years spotted in New England waters, scientists say
A gray whale that hasn’t been seen in 200 years has been spotted off the coast of Massachusetts, according to officials with the New England Aquarium. Aquarium scientists said the whale was seen on March 1 while they were flying over the ocean 30 miles south of Nantucket. Orla O’Brien is the associate research scientist in the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium. She said seeing the whale was completely unexpected. “I didn’t want to say out loud what it was, because it seemed crazy,” she said. more, >>click to read<< 13:10
Large southern rock lobsters from Beachport fetch up to $500 each as SA fisher celebrates catch
In the past, giant lobsters sold for less than their smaller counterparts because their taste was considered inferior — but that has changed. South Australian fisher Craig “Slim” Reilly recently caught rock lobsters that fetched up to $500 each, including one that weighed close to five kilograms. The three-decade industry veteran said they did not come much bigger than that. “One of the biggest [I’ve caught] for sure,” Mr Reilly said. The cray, caught in January in shallow water near Beachport, weighed 4.85kg. Mr Reilly guessed it was at least 30 years old. He said bigger lobsters used to sell for less per kilogram than their smaller counterparts, but that was no longer the case. Video, more, >>click to read<< 07:51
U.S. Coast Guard suspends search for missing boater off Oregon Inlet
The Coast Guard says they have suspended the search for a missing boater off of Oregon Inlet on North Carolina’s Outer. The Coast Guard found 65-year-old Captain Charlie Griffin of Wanchese dead after a boat heading to the Outer Banks was reported as overdue on Sunday. 36-year-old Chad Dunn remained missing Tuesday night when the Coast Guard suspended the search. more, >>click to read<< 06:11
Scots fishers feeling chipper over more haddock
Scots fishers have access to more haddock, the mainstay of fish suppers north of the border, following an international deal on quotas. It remains to be seen whether it will mean cheaper fish and chips. But more haddock is undoubtedly a boost for the supply chain, including fish friers. The agreement between the UK and Faroe was today hailed as the “final piece of the jigsaw” for the Scottish catch sector in 2024. Britain secured a total of more than 2,200 tonnes of extra fish quota in the bilateral talks. Scottish fishing vessels, including many based in the north-east, now have greater access to several key stocks. According to the UK Government, it is another example of what can be achieved from “post-Brexit freedoms”. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 16:27
Gifford Cooke, co-founder of Cooke Aquaculture, dies at 85
Gifford Cooke, who founded the now global seafood company Cooke Aquaculture from its humble beginnings in southwest New Brunswick, died on Sunday at 85. Cooke founded the company with his sons, Glenn and Michael, by setting up their first salmon farm at Kelly Cove in 1985, Cooke’s website says. They purchased their first hatchery in Oak Bay in 1989, and Cooke Aquaculture was established four years later. The company’s main brand, True North Salmon, has been used since 1994. Today, the company has nearly 13,000 employees and oversees a family of 13 brands, and Cooke Aquaculture remains based in New Brunswick. Premier Blaine Higgs released a statement on Monday to express his condolences, calling the locally-based company “a global success.” Photos, more, >>click to read<< 13:33
Awards 2023: Best Small Trawler – Copious – Macduff Ship design
This fine little ship will work for its experienced owners in the bleak, windy and cold waters to the north of Scotland. Macduff Ship Design knows those waters well and this very imaginative new trawler will work very safely, efficiently and effectively there. Magnificent! “The entire fishing operation was reviewed and analyzed. The layout of fishing operations, the positioning of the equipment, and the mechanization of a number of areas to avoid crew contact with gear was given a high priority to ensure maximum crew safety.” more, >>click to read<< 07:42
Capt. Charlie Griffin, ‘Wicked Tuna’ star, dies in boating accident on the Outer Banks; passenger missing
Capt. Charlie “Griff” Griffin of “Wicked Tuna” fame died on the Outer Banks after his boat went missing Sunday night near Oregon Inlet. A person with him remained missing Monday evening, Around 11:35 p.m. Sunday, the Coast Guard received a report of two overdue boaters transiting in a recreational vessel from Virginia Beach to Wanchese, where the boat was going for repairs, a Coast Guard spokesperson said by phone. The last communication with those on the boat had been about 6:15 p.m. Sunday. The Coast Guard and local first responders were searching the oceanfront between Nags Head and Rodanthe by water and ATV on the beach when the boat was found south of Oregon Inlet about 70 yards off shore in the break, the spokesperson said. more, >>click to read<< 17:32
Rescue Operation Saves 24 on Sinking Ship in Japan, One Fatality Confirmed
During an intense rescue mission amid turbulent seas off the southwest coast of Tokyo, a Japanese coast guard helicopter successfully retrieved 24 fishermen from a perilous situation where they were holding onto a nearly capsized ship. The incident, which occurred on Monday morning near an island chain, unfortunately also involved a fatality when one crew member was recovered deceased after being cast into the sea. The vessel, identified as Fukuei Maru No. 8, experienced engine trouble on Sunday evening in the Pacific Ocean while on route from Yaizu Port in central Japan to South America for a tuna-fishing expedition. About five hours after departure, the ship began to drift due to the stormy conditions, prompting the captain to send out a distress call reporting that the ship had struck rocks, as stated by the coast guard. Video, more, >>click to read<< 06:57
Fishing Vessel Crew rescued by Irish Coast Guard after Grounding on Inis Mór
Five crew members were rescued by the Irish Coast Guard after their fishing vessel ran aground on the northern side of Inis Mór, on the Aran Islands. The emergency call was received by the Valentia Coast Guard shortly before 5am this morning. The 21-metre fishing vessel had five crew members on board who initially abandoned the vessel into a life raft. Shannon-based Coast Guard Helicopter R115, Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat, and North Aran Coast Guard Unit were all immediately dispatched to the scene to assist with the rescue operation. more, >>click to read<< 18:57
‘He refuses to retire’: 82-year-old Iain Boyd’s thriving Ullapool Smokehouse
In the early stages of the now 82-year-old’s career, he spent a great deal of time lobster fishing, scallop diving and mussel farming. It’s a passion that has never dwindled through the decades. Even when Iain went on to work in the oil business, he still “yearned to be involved” in the fishing trade, so much so that his downtime was spent smoking kippers, mackerel, haddock and salmon. “He spent many years perfecting a traditional artisan method [to smoking salmon] before starting up the smokehouse about 20 years ago,” says daughter Louise. The smokehouse in question is Ullapool Smokehouse which is, of course, based in the picturesque fishing village of Ullapool. More specifically, in Morefield Indstrial Estate. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 10:10
Suffolk teenager chooses career as a fisherman to keep town’s proud tradition alive
A teenage fisherman is hoping to inspire other youngsters to follow in his footsteps after launching his own £300,000 vessel into the North Sea. Alex Wightman, 18, from Lowestoft in Suffolk still believes there is a future in fishing despite government figures showing a decline in registered fishing boats in the UK. His boat, the 10 metre-long Emma Claire, named after his mother, is thought to be the first new vessel in the town’s inshore fleet for nearly 20 years. “Anybody my age, especially coming in to the fishing industry, would absolutely die to have a boat like this.” Alex hails from a fishing family, with his brother Max, 23, and dad Steve also fishing off the east coast. Video, photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:47
Lobster tagged in New Brunswick caught over 250 kilometres away in Maine
Emily Blacklock was scrolling through social media when she spotted a video of a Maine fisherman hauling in an unexpected catch, a lobster with a tag from her research team found hundreds of kilometres away from where it was attached in New Brunswick. “All of a sudden I saw one of our blue tags, so I ended up messaging him,” she said. “We all know it’s possible that lobsters go from the Bay of Fundy to the Gulf of Maine, but the chance of him being the one to catch that lobster and make a video was fantastic.” Blacklock, a PhD candidate at the University of New Brunswick, is part of a team of researchers trying to find a way to identify the age of lobsters. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 16:49
Commercial Fishermen in Alaska Find Suspected Spy Balloon, FBI Investigation Pending
Commercial fishermen off the coast of Alaska have stumbled upon what could be a significant find—a suspected spy balloon, sparking immediate interest from U.S. officials. The object, believed to resemble those used in foreign surveillance activities, is now en route to the shore, escorted by the fishermen who discovered it. This incident has generated considerable attention, with the FBI preparing to conduct a thorough investigation upon its arrival. The unexpected discovery occurred when the fishermen noticed an unusual object floating off the coast. Initial photographs sent to local law enforcement caught the eye of federal officials, prompting an urgent request for the object to be brought to land. more, >>click to read<< 18:18
On fisheries, Australia must be prepared for New Zealand as opponent rather than ally
On February 1, senior Australian and New Zealand ministers signed a Joint Statement of Cooperation, acknowledging the long history of collaboration between the two nations. The same week, New Zealand rejected an Australian proposal on sustainable fishing at the annual fisheries meeting of nations that fish in the high seas of the South Pacific. The move has driven a wedge between these traditional allies. At stake was an agreement by those nations to protect 70% of special and vulnerable marine ecosystems, such as ancient corals, from destructive fishing practices like bottom-trawling. Until December 2023, NZ was jointly leading the work to implement this agreement with Australia. But New Zealand’s new government, a coalition of conservative parties, rejected the proposed restrictions, citing concerns about jobs and development. more, >>click to read<< 10:53
Put rules in writing to fix Maritime elver fishery’s enforcement problem, say businesses
Representatives of the $45-million Maritime elver fishery are calling on the federal government to implement enforceable regulations for moderate livelihood fishing by Indigenous people. They told a Senate committee in Ottawa Thursday the failure to define or regulate moderate livelihood rights by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is one reason for the uncontrolled harvest of baby eels on dozens of rivers in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. “Among these poachers are First Nations unwilling to work with DFO to access the fishery under a banner of moderate livelihood rights, backed by organized crime, specifically biker gangs and foreign smuggling networks. Our once peaceful industry has recently faced violent disruption,” said Genna Carey, a commercial licence holder speaking on behalf of the Canadian Committee for a Sustainable Eel Fishery, an industry group. more, >>click to read<< 09:29
