Category Archives: International
Classic Boat Review: Frey CT 137
Launched as Boy Ken TT 70, this Noble’s stalwart was built for scalloping – as well as prawn trawling and herring and sprat pair-trawling – and 52 years later, she’s a fixture of the Manx scallop fleet. Being a west coast sort of person, there is always a sense of allegiance in writing about those very few boatbuilding yards on the west coast. In the postwar era of fishing vessels, you can almost count the west coast yards building in wood on one hand. And always it is the Girvan yard of Alexander Noble that stands out as the leader of the field. By Mike Smylie, Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:34
The 10 Wildest ‘Deadliest Catch’ Moments, Ranked
Since its premiere in 2005, Deadliest Catch has thrilled audiences by pulling back the curtain on the perilous world of Alaskan crab fishing. The icy waters, unpredictable weather, and extreme physical demands show how the Bering Sea can be one of the most dangerous workplaces in the world. The grueling nature of the show, therefore, has produced some of the wildest moments ever caught on camera over the years. Episodes featuring deadly waves, boat fires, and catastrophic sinkings like that of one of the F/V Destination serve as grim reminders of what working at the sea can be like! more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:04
New Federal Report: Offshore Wind Farm Construction Can Harm Whales, Birds, Fisheries
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on Monday released a new report that said whales, dolphins, birds and more can indeed be harmed — and killed —by offshore wind farms. BOEM also warned commercial fishing could be disrupted by wind farms. The report is an environmental impact statement BOEM was required to conduct of these six existing wind farm sites that were previously approved off New Jersey/Long Island. Wind turbine construction actually does increase the risk of injury to whales, particularly the underwater noise from pile-driving during construction, the federal report found. Turbine construction can permanently damage whales’ hearing. Turbines can also lead to an “increased risk of individual injury and mortality due to vessel strikes” and entanglement in fishing gear. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:36
EU to demand continued fishing rights in British waters
The European Union (EU) will demand to keep its fishing rights in British waters, the bloc’s Brexit negotiator has told MEPs. The post-Brexit deal agreed by the EU saw its fishing quota in British waters cut by 25 per cent, but European fishermen were allowed continued access to parts of the UK’s coastal waters. As the deal nears its expiry in 2026, the EU is keen to start negotiating as soon as possible to keep its access to the UK’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which extends by up to 200 nautical miles from the coast. Government officials fear the EU will only renegotiate the Brexit trade agreement – a key part of Labour’s manifesto – if the UK guarantees European fishermen full access to its seas after 2026. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:27
New Bedford Port Authority Expresses “Grave Concerns” Over BOEM’s Proposed Central Atlantic Offshore Wind Development Area
The New Bedford Port Authority (NBPA) has submitted a formal response to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) regarding the recently proposed Central Atlantic 2 Call Area (Docket No. BOEM-2024-0040), raising significant concerns about its potential impact on the commercial fishing industry. As the nation’s most profitable fishing port and home to the first large-scale offshore wind marshaling port, New Bedford is deeply invested in both renewable energy development and the preservation of vital fishing grounds. “BOEM has painted with too broad a brush. As the port where the fishing and offshore wind industry intersect more than anywhere else, New Bedford is committed to the successful coexistence of both industries. We believe that the new Mid-Atlantic call areas must be cut back from existing scallop and other fishery access areas, which still would leave ample room for nearby states to achieve their offshore wind capacity goals,” said New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:39
Offshore wind looked like a sure thing for Oregon — until it wasn’t.
A push to bring floating offshore wind technology to the Southern Oregon coast was gaining momentum. The Oregon Department of Energy saw floating offshore wind playing a critical role in the state’s, and the region’s renewable energy goals. The Biden administration had ambitious national goals for developing offshore wind, and the Oregon Coast played a key role. For the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, the years-long process of identifying areas for development and selecting potential bidders to see if the technology would work off the coast was coming to a close. And then, in a single week in late September — after years of effort, and less than three weeks before BOEM officials expected to choose a company to develop offshore wind — everything fell apart. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:09
Grounding and loss of the F/V Ocean Maid on Cairnbulg Point, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 24 October 2022
At 05491 on the 24 October 2022, the UK registered fishing vessel Ocean Maid grounded on Cairnbulg Point to the east of Fraserburgh, Scotland. The four crew evacuated to a liferaft and were subsequently rescued by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Two of the crew sustained minor injuries and the vessel later broke up and sank. There was no significant pollution. The investigation found that: more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:27
It’s Time to Abandon UMaine’s Offshore Wind Scheme in Favor of Cheaper Alternatives
The federal government this week blocked a proposal that would have allowed the Mills Administration and labor unions to bulldoze Sears Island into an industrial wind power port. Although this hard-fought victory is good news for fishermen, ratepayers, taxpayers, and the environment, it’s only temporary. The Mills Administration has given no indication that it will stop its relentless pursuit of expensive and unworkable offshore wind schemes. Depending on how Election Day turns out, the Legislature could be back at the drawing board devising other ways to enrich the wind turbine industry and destroy pristine ocean environments. So it’s worth remembering how we got here, and how Maine’s institutions and media became witting and unwitting pawns in an expensive game of crony capitalism. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:35
More Vineyard Wind blades must be removed, repaired
Vineyard Wind must remove an unknown number of blades that have already been installed south of Martha’s Vineyard while it repairs others, the company announced Wednesday. The project also received permission from the federal government this week to resume blade installation after it removes and repairs the components in the coming weeks. The latest announcement suggests investigations found more defective blades similar to the blade that failed in July and comes after the project quietly delivered at least four turbine blades from New Bedford to Cherbourg, France, where GE Vernova operates a blade manufacturing plant. >more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:48
Poll Finds Offshore Wind Projects Not a High Priority for N.J. Voters
Offshore wind projects are not a high priority for New Jersey voters, including those who support wind turbines, according to a Stockton University poll released Tuesday. Cape May County mounted a legal battle to oppose a wind farm project that would have included nearly 100 giant turbines 15 miles off the coast stretching from Atlantic City to Stone Harbor. Elected officials representing Cape May County and its beach communities asserted that the project would have caused devastating economic and environmental damage to the tourism industry, commercial fishing, migratory birds and marine life such as whales and dolphins. The developer, the Danish energy company Orsted, scrapped the project last year, blaming inflation, rising interest rates and supply-chain disruptions. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:42
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 70′ Williams Shrimp Trawler
To review specifications, information, and 46 photos’,>click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 06:24
Feds deny Maine’s request for $456M to help build offshore wind port
The federal government turned down Maine’s request for a $456 million grant that would cover most of the cost of building an offshore wind port on Sears Island, officials confirmed Tuesday. The Maine Department of Transportation had applied in May for $456 million from a competitive federal fund focused on multimodal transportation. Following protests from environmentalists, tribes and Republicans, the state picked Sears Island over nearby Mack Point earlier this year for the staging area of the offshore wind port and said the project will cost $760 million. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:05
147-year-old NI lugger facing destruction
Built in 1877 by William Paynter of Kilkeel, the Mary Joseph is set for her final journey after a Declaration of Intent to deconstruct the vessel by current owner National Museums NI (NMNI) was approved by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. Described by NMNI as representing ‘a way of life of the region and the importance of the fishing industry to the people that lived there’, the Mary Joseph was the first in the Kilkeel fleet to be equipped for 
prawn fishing in 1954, and is one of the last original vessels from the east coast of Northern Ireland. Anyone wishing to make an offer for the vessel, explore taking a section or fittings for reuse or display, propose a new use or location, or provide further evidence, should contact: [email protected] as soon as possible, and no later than 9 December. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:17
Another festival caught selling imported shrimp as ‘Gulf’ shrimp
The Morgan City Shrimp and Petroleum Festival was recently in the spotlight for selling imported shrimp. The same consultant group who genetically tested the shrimp continued their investigation at the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores and found the same situation. SeaD Consulting tested five vendors at the National Shrimp Festival that advertised to have Gulf shrimp. Of the five, only one had authentic Gulf shrimp: Rouse’s Supermarket. SeaD Consulting recently found similar results for the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City, with only one of the five vendors sampled actually serving shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico. Video, links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:39
Regulators delay increase in minimum lobster size till July
Regulators formally delayed increasing the minimum size of lobsters harvested in the Gulf of Maine to July. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the regulatory body that oversees the fishing industry, voted Monday to delay the resolution by six months. The changes were previously slated to take effect in January, but opponents have argued it would give Canadian lobstermen – unimpacted by the change, though they share the waters – an unfair advantage in the market. Lobstermen also have claimed the change could practically eliminate the harvest of some of the industry’s most popular lobster sizes. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 21:06
Photos: Louisiana Shrimp Fest/ Shrimp Aid brings attention to the struggling local shrimp industry
The Louisiana Shrimp Fest/ Shrimp Aid was held at the Broadside in New Orleans on Sunday. Local chefs and coastal organizations put on the new festival to bring attention to the struggling local shrimp industry and the people effected. Dishes with local caught shrimp were served by a variety vendors as musician performed on the stage. Panel discussions with shrimpers and people involved in the industry stressed the need for consumers to ask where their shrimp comes from and to demand locally caught shrimp. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<<08:39
Dieppe yard shuts down
The activities of the Manche Industrie Marine (MIM) shipyard in Dieppe have come to an end as a commercial court has ruled the company is to be wound up. The state of MIM’s finances are such that it owes €647,000 in unpaid rent to Ports de Normandie, in addition to other debts. The yard has claimed that despite numerous requests, the owners of the site failed to carry out essential repairs to the yard’s slipway and the roof of its fabrication hall. Although the company had initially stated that the shutdown at the Dieppe site would be temporary, the compulsory winding-up order appears to have ended any such ideas. The company has stated that its activities will continue at its locations in Fécamp and Rouen that are part of the FIPAM Group. This hasn’t gone down well with the Dieppe yard’s thirty staff, who are now out of a job. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:36
NEIFCA lobster fine reduced by £30k on appeal
Bridlington fisherman Sam Laws has successfully appealed parts of his conviction, and a huge fine imposed by the Magistrates’ Court in Scarborough, after proceedings brought by the North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NEIFCA). His original conviction related to the landing of two berried lobsters, one undersized lobster, 11 soft-shelled lobsters and three mutilated lobsters. He was prosecuted in his personal capacity as skipper of the vessel Our Helena R 51. For reasons that are unclear, NEIFCA took no action against the owner of the vessel, which was a limited company – a factor that was to become important down the line. “In court, the NEIFCA lawyer clearly knew nothing about the issue or fishing. Then I was fined over £30,000! It wasn’t just that; I was made out to be a real criminal when the case was reported. My phone was red hot afterwards, with fishermen from all over saying it was outrageous, and to appeal.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:01
RWE and National Grid Propose New York’s Largest Offshore Wind Project
German utility RWE and New York power company National Grid have announced a proposal to build a 2.8 GW wind park off Long Island, the largest offshore wind power plan yet submitted to New York state energy regulator NYSERDA. It is the second time that it has submitted its Community Offshore Wind project for NYSERDA’s approval: the previous bid was awarded, then canceled when the economic viability of first-generation U.S. offshore wind projects soured. RWE and National Grid won a lease area in the New York Bight at auction in 2022, one of several awarded that year. The site has the potential for up to 3 GW of nameplate capacity, about a third of New York’s 2030 target of 9 GW. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:56
How fishing rights could prove key to the UK’s new negotiations with the EU
Over eight years after the Brexit referendum, crucial decisions about the UK’s future relationship with the bloc are about to be made. Decisions over softened immigration rules, the future of Gibraltar and wider economic access are all likely to be discussed as Labour prepares to negotiate in earnest for the first time with the EU as the Trade and Cooperation Agreement reaches its five-year renegotiation mark. Sir Keir Starmer, whose political career was catapulted into the limelight by his prominent support for a 2nd referendum on Brexit and an overall closer relationship with Europe, has sought to reset relations with the EU since becoming Prime Minister and will be scrutinized heavily over his choices in the negotiations. The discussions over fishing have seemingly jumped to the top of the EU’s priority list, following a number of disputes since the Trade and Co-operation Agreement. Despite relatively cordial relations between the UK and EU over the past few years, fishing has remained controversial. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:47
Federal court denies FFAW request for injunction against reopening of northern cod fishery
Federal court denies FFAW request for injunction against reopening of northern cod fishery. In July 2024, the FFAW requested a judicial review of the federal fisheries departments’ decision to reopen the northern cod fishery with a total allowable catch of 18,000 tonnes. Later, the FFAW requested an injunction against federal Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier’s decision, made in June, to allocate 18,000 tonnes of cod for Canadian harvesters, and 1,080 tonnes for the offshore sector. Yesterday, the court denied the request for an injunction, stating that FFAW failed to demonstrate that irreparable harm. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:25
Fishermen say future of boatyard under threat
A fishing community say its future is being threatened by new rules. Cullercoats Fishermens Association fears its members are being prevented from carrying out maintenance of their vessels at the boat park in the village. North Tyneside Council said it has responded to local complaints about the yard’s appearance and has updated its regulations, meaning boat repairs must be completed off site. But the fishermen say there is nowhere else for the work to be done. Paul Robinson, from the association, said: “The earliest record of fishing here is 1279 but this could end it. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:37
Fishermen greet DFO baby eel licence plan with uncertainty
The department is offering 120 fishermen currently employed by the eight commercial groups their own small licences for next year’s season, in what the letters say is a bid to “broaden the distribution of benefits” of the fishery. It is also offering elver licences to 30 fishermen currently licensed to catch adult eels. Austin Townsend, a 26-year-old elver fisherman from Lockeport, N.S., said while the proposal looks good for him on paper, he’s suspicious of the “Robin Hood” tactic where quota is simply plucked from the commercial groups, and worries he could be worse off financially. He said in a good season, he will make between $40,000 and $90,000 working for Shelburne Elver, which has the equipment to hold elvers and the networks to export them. But Townsend said if he goes it alone, he will still likely have to sell to a middleman who will take a cut. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:23
Has wave energy finally found its golden buoy?
In November 2023, violent Atlantic storm “Domingos” struck the northern coast of Portugal, generating record-high waves and leaving a path of destruction across much of Western Europe. People on land were grappling with flooded homes, closed roads, and landslides. But just offshore, a potentially game-changing wave energy device was happily bobbing up and down, side to side — seemingly, in its element. Built by Swedish startup CorPower, the giant golden buoy turns the raw power of the ocean into a clean, reliable electricity source. CorPower claims its tech is at least five times more efficient than the previous state-of-the-art. In an industry haunted by the ghosts of failed projects, wasted ideas, and bankrupt ventures, has wave energy finally found its golden buoy? more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:38
50 years plus: Village Belle IV
This 1970 Noble’s vessel – the last of the series of Village Maids and Village Belles, built for the Jackson family of Tarbert – is still going strong. Over the years, the family owned two Village Maids and four Village Belles. The survivor – yard number 65 from Alexander Noble & Sons of Girvan – is the canoe-sterned Village Belle IV, built in 1970 and registered as TT 
74. At 60ft in overall length, she was built as a ringer/trawler with a 240-cran capacity in her hold and a T8 Kelvin 240hp in her engineroom. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:14
Pickup of seabed debris at Vineyard Wind broken turbine underway
Work is underway to recover debris that sank to the seafloor below Vineyard Wind’s AW-38 turbine when the blade broke apart in July, according to GE Vernova, the company that manufactures and installs the turbine parts. Efforts began on Sunday and were ongoing as of Tuesday afternoon. It’s been three months since one of the three football field-sized blades on turbine AW-38 collapsed, sending pieces of fiberglass, rigid foam and balsawood crashing into the ocean. Large pieces immediately sank, but other debris of varying sizes washed ashore on Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, parts of Cape Cod and along Narragansett Bay for weeks afterwards. Some beach walkers are still reporting finding small remnants. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:33
Decorated former lifeboat coxswain nominated for Pride of Britain award
Hewitt Clark, one of only three living recipients of the RNLI’s highest recognition for bravery, has been nominated for a This Morning Pride of Britain award for his work in the emergency services. He was put forward on behalf of the RNLI, in recognition of the charity’s 200th anniversary. During his 35 years of service as a mechanic and coxswain he was awarded both a gold, silver and three bronze medals for gallantry. Overall Clark took part in 423 rescues, helping to save 319 lives. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:41
Lifelong Commercial Fisherman Loyd Alan “Lanny” Reposa has passed away in Maine
Loyd Alan “Lanny” Reposa, 75, passed away on October 6th, 2024 peacefully at his farm in Maine joining his heavenly family. Born in Wakefield, RI, he was the son of the late Arthur Reposa and Claire Binns, stepson of the late Ruth A Reposa. He was the loving husband of the late Sally Reposa. Lanny was a lifelong resident of South County and commercial fisherman in Point Judith, RI where he owned and operated several boats of the Point Judith fleet. He also fished in Alaska even getting the chance to pass the Titanic discovery and was one of the first captains to introduce freezer fishing to the industry. He embarked to the Grand Banks for a lot of his fishing, remarkably under some of the most brutal and treacherously dangerous conditions (including hurricane Gloria), Lanny always got his vessel and crew back to a safe port without ever losing a crew member. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:14
Deep-felt’ grief as crew of L’Ecume II are remembered
The ambassador of the Philippines to the UK attended a memorial service in Jersey yesterday for the three fishermen who died in the L’Ecume II sinking. His Excellency, Teodoro Locsin Jr, spoke of the “deep-felt” grief stemming from the loss of skipper Michael Michieli and Filipino crew members Jervis Ramirez Baligat and Larry Simyunn as a result of the maritime tragedy in December 2022. All three men died following a collision between their fishing boat – L’Ecume II – and Condor’s Commodore Goodwill freight ship off Jersey’s west coast. Two men have been charged with the unlawful killing of the fishermen and have both pleaded not guilty. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:53
Russian rescued after 67 days adrift in waters fringing Pacific
Russian authorities said on Tuesday they had rescued a man whose tiny boat drifted for 67 days since August in waters edging the northwestern Pacific, but his brother and nephew died during the ordeal. Social media images showed a thin, bearded man wearing a hooded jacket and orange emergency vest in a catamaran-like sailboat flying a red flag from a small pole. “On October 14 a vessel was discovered in the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk,” legal authorities in Russia’s Far East said on the Telegram messaging app, referring to waters that sprawl over 1.58-million km². “Two people died, one survived,” said the regional prosecutor’s office charged with handling transport issues. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:15
