Category Archives: International
Canadian Wildfire Season Is Upon Us (A Few Engineering Notes on the Season)
In case you haven’t noticed the smell of burnt flannel and soft wood in the air, it is definitely Canadian fire season. This French fried time of year is accompanied by acrid smoke, heavy fog like conditions, and a feeling of having smoked a pack of non-filtered camels without actually being a smoker. With the ocean looking like the backstage of a Snoop Dogg concert it is time to take stock of a few issues that may occur. By JJ Johnson, photos, >click to read< 18:44
Cork fishermen find what they believe to be failed Virgin rocket ship motor
While fishing for monkfish, the group of fishermen from Keelbeg, Union Hall hauled what they now believe is a part of the Virgin rocket ship. Virgin Orbit, a company created by business tycoon Richard Branson, made their debut launch of the LauncherOne rocket off the coast of Cornwall in January. The launch was the first of its kind off of UK soil. However, just two hours after the first rocket launch, it was revealed that the Virgin Orbit ship had suffered an anomaly and had crashed into the sea following an engine failure. >click to read< 07:50
Sunken Brixham boat raised in remarkable harbour rescue
A fishing boat which sank in Brixham harbour last week has already been salvaged and is treading water for repairs. Bleary-eyed Brixham residents were in shock when they saw the half-submerged boat taking on water when they woke up on Wednesday morning and the council has released a statement explaining how it happened and was cleared up. It sparked quite the reaction online with lots of pictures of the scene floating around. One involved in the chatter was John Pepper, who lives right above the harbour and saw it all happen from his window. >click to read< 10:52
Dave Marciano Illness: What Happened To His Health?
Dave Marciano is one of the most well-known stars of Wicked Tuna. There are some whispers going around that he is sick at this time. These rumors are unconfirmed and appear to be hoaxes. Despite these rumors, Marciano seems healthy and is regularly engaging with admirers on social media. Commercial fisherman Dave Marciano, who stars in “Wicked Tuna,” is selling fresh tuna. Angelica’s Seafoods, Marciano’s new company, sells tuna and other seafood directly to consumers. Marciano’s kid was born during the filming “Wicked Tuna.” Marciano’s Hard Merchandise and other local boats will supply Angelica’s seafood with tuna. The company will sell lobster, scallops, crab, and sushi-grade tuna. Online seafood orders will be delivered to customers. >click to read< 09:37
Greymouth fishing company Westfleet loses multi-million dollar trawler for coral weighing ‘less than half a pound of butter’
A deep sea fishing company has lost its multi-million dollar trawler to the Crown in a case described by a judge as a “cavalier approach to the whole area of compliance”. Greymouth-based Westfleet Fishing Limited was sentenced in the Nelson District Court today on a charge of breaching a condition of a high seas permit and a representative charge of failing to provide a Non-Fish Protected Species (NFPS) Report. Along with losing its trawler Westfleet was also convicted and fined $56,250. Former skipper Stephen John Smith was separately convicted and fined $7500 for contravening a condition of a high seas permit, while first mate Nicholas Taikato was convicted and fined $6000 on a representative charge of failing to provide an NFPS report. >click to read< 09:10
Versatile Trawler Stodig Heads North
Outfitted for shrimp trawling, seine netting and crabbing, F/V Stødig packs a lot of technology and smart thinking into its 39.30 metre LOA, 11.50 metre breadth hull, which is designed by Karstensen and built with a price tag of around NoK200 million. ‘We have been waiting for the yard in Denmark for nine months, and now we’re ready to get started,’ said Asbjørn Selsbane’s manager Andreas Hansen as he and his son Erlend, who sails as mate, brought the new vessel home to Eidkjosen in the north of Norway, with a call in Ålesund on the way to pick up gear. 8 Photos, >click to read< 16:17
Hero skipper who saved his crew when their boat was blown up killed himself after his rescue left him suffering with PTSD
A heroic fisherman who saved his crew when his boat was blown up by an unexploded Second World War bomb killed himself after suffering from PTSD, an inquest has heard. Lewis Mulhearn, 39, was horrifically injured by the blast as his vessel sailed over a German-made Luftwaffe bomb on the seabed in the North Sea. A crab pot being dragged by the fishing vessel disturbed the deadly 290lb device, triggering a huge underwater explosion that threw the 42ft boat Galwad-Y-Mor into the air. The blast left Mr Mulhearn with head injuries, three broken vertebrae, a broken sternum, knee damage, a broken orbital bone and multiple facial lacerations. Photos, >click to read< 11:06
Next Level Plotter
The market for marine electronics isn’t short of chart plotters, but Håvard Holm at Norwegian company SailorsMate is certain that he and his team have come up with a set of new approaches that brings a new level of integration to plotting specifically for fishing. SailorsMate is now in use on around 700 Norwegian vessels, plus there are some Faroese users, and the company feels it’s time to branch out and expand its user base to other areas. ‘We’re getting enquiries from Denmark, Canada and the UK. We’re able to offer SailorsMate at an attractive price that currently includes all of the modules that are expensive add-ons with other systems. >click to read< 16:05
Pipe Dream: The wind and solar power myth has finally been exposed
Many governments in the Western world have committed to “net zero” emissions of carbon in the near future. The US and UK both say they will deliver by 2050. It’s widely believed that wind and solar power can achieve this. This belief has led the US and British governments, among others, to promote and heavily subsidize wind and solar. These plans have a single, fatal flaw: they are reliant on the pipe dream that there is some affordable way to store surplus electricity at scale. Wind and solar need to be backed up, close to 100 per cent, by some other means of power generation. If that backup is provided by open-cycle gas or worse, coal, net zero will never be achieved: nor anything very close to it. >click to read< 09:02
The man who changed Canada’s lobster industry and his $1B deal to sell Clearwater
In Nova Scotia, John Risley is arguably a household name, synonymous with the seafood industry and his many conspicuous possessions. On both fronts, his reputation is well earned. In 1976, he and his brother-in-law Colin MacDonald started Clearwater, a dumpy retail lobster shop on the side of a suburban Halifax highway. From that simple start, Risley fundamentally changed the Atlantic Canadian lobster industry — transforming it from a seasonal, afterthought business to a year-round, $3-billion sector where lobsters are shipped overnight by air to customers in Europe and Asia, a premise unheard of before Risley entered the industry. Along the way, Clearwater matured into a global seafood company. >click to read< 07:43
New Twin-Rigger’s Efficiency and Comfort
Looking for a modern trawler with more comfort for the crew, as well as better steaming speed and fuel efficiency when towing, while staying largely with the successful and familiar layout of their previous vessel, Derek Watt and his son Philip went back to Macduff for their new Excel BF-100. Designed to operate from Fraserburgh, fishing primarily for nephrops in the North Sea, the new F/V Excel replaces vessel of the same name that Macduff delivered to the family in 2010 and which has served them well since. Staying with the general internal layout and working arrangement that has shown itself to work well over the years was a key factor in the design, developed by the owners with the yard and Macduff Ship Design, which would make the transition to the new vessel a painless process. Photos, >click to read< 13:23
Fisheries scientist fears fish and chip prices will increase following gillnet fishing ban
For decades, fishers in Queensland have used large rectangular gillnets in creek mouths to catch barramundi, threadfin, and other popular table fish. But this week the Queensland and federal governments announced a ban on the practice by 2027, after conservationists raised concerns about the impact of the nets on dugongs, turtles, and sharks. The move has infuriated the fishing industry, which warns fresh Australian fish will be taken off the market and replaced with overseas farmed products. Fisheries scientist and commercial fisher Andrew Tobin said the industry was “completely blindsided” by the ban. >click to read< 08:14
Devon man forced to drive 1,000 miles a week to deliver fish
A Devon fisherman is calling on the King to resolve his predicament as he launches a petition against bylaws that prevent him from selling fish directly from his boat at Brixham harbour. Tristan Northway used to be able to do this from his boat ADELA MB79 due to a relaxation in these bylaws during the pandemic where he sold fish caught just half an hour from the harbour. Now the pandemic allowances are over and he is not allowed to sell at the harbour he has to drive 1,000 miles a week, he said, in order to deliver his fish nationwide. He said he goes as far as Stoke-On-Trent and Birmingham meaning sometimes he only just covers his costs. Photos, >click to read< 13:23
Give a Man a Fish – Taking stock of Icelands coastal fishing system
The tiny harbour has four wharves and enough room to comfortably hold around 15 boats. Today, about 50 of them are packed into tight rows and there are grizzled sailors everywhere, checking the oil, fiddling about with ropes and containers, and drinking jet-black coffee strong enough to add a few grey hairs to their chest. By the time the clock strikes 6:30 AM, each sailor boards their boat, and, one by one, they sail out to the fishing grounds. It’s the first day of the coastal fishing season, and for the next three months, these independent fishermen on their small boats will let their lines out each morning, each bringing back just about 774 kilos [1,706 lbs] of sparkling fresh cod each afternoon. Photos, >click to read< 12:05
Seafood firm fined over Thurso fisherman’s death
Mark Elder, 26, from Thurso, was working on the creel boat North Star off Cape Wrath on 5 February 2018. He was helping to deploy creels when he became entangled in a coil of rope and was dragged overboard and into the sea. Thurso-based Scrabster Seafoods Ltd was fined after pleading guilty to health and safety breaches. On Wednesday, Tain Sheriff Court heard Mr Elder’s crew-mates tried to stop him from going into the water. It took about 10 minutes for him to be brought back on board. Efforts to resuscitate Mr Elder continued for more than an hour but were unsuccessful. >click to read< 09:59
Port Stephens Maritime Community Rallies Around Milanja Family
The maritime and greater community Port Stephens have rallied around the Milanja family as their much-loved fishing trawler and livelihood, the Kendon B, had to be recovered from D’Albora Marina last Tuesday. The vessel sank on its mooring on Friday 19 May which came as a double blow to the Milanja’s as Miro, owner and operator of the Kendon B, has recently been discharged from hospital battling serious health issues. Mark Milanja, eldest son of Miro, has been on hand with his brothers Mitch and Matt assisting local authorities and salvage teams around the clock since the trawler first sank. >click to read< 07:52
Contrary to mainstream belief, wind turbines are neither effective nor, in many cases, good for the environment
Claims of wind power being pro-environment often do not consider the damaging effects these projects can have on wildlife and ecosystems, thus hiding the “true cost” of such initiatives. Wind power projects can threaten birds that fly within their vicinity and trigger a decline in their population; it can harm marine life due to noise pollution and affect the growth of plants in the region where it is located. Driven by subsidies granted by the federal government, the growth of wind projects has triggered concerns about the cumulative impacts they have on the environment. There have been growing protests against wind power projects across the world. In the United States, people have opposed setting up wind turbines in Lake Erie due to concerns about the environmental impact of the project. In New Jersey, protestors have asked to pause the development of an offshore wind farm which they claim has led to dolphins and whales washing ashore. >click to read< 12:38
Scottish fishermen say marine protection plans will wreck coastal communities
“It’s about justice,” says Angus MacPhail, a creel fisher off Barra, in the Outer Hebrides, about the marine protection plans that he believes will devastate island cultures like his own. The outcry over these highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) – a key part of the Bute House agreement that brought the Scottish Greens into government with the SNP in 2021 – has been heartfelt, with accusations that the policy is poorly evidenced, weakly consulted and dismissive of local experience. He insists the historic comparison to the Highland clearances is “no exaggeration” – he says closing these inshore fishing grounds won’t just destroy the fleet but the already fragile island infrastructure that relies on it, from net makers to schools bolstered by fishers’ offspring. >click to read< 09:12
Shipwreck discovered off Newfoundland coast believed to be missing Galician vessel F/V Villa de Pitanxo
A shipwreck located off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada is believed to be that of the Galician vessel F/V Villa de Pitanxo. This news was relayed today by the underwater robot that had been submerged into the Atlantic Ocean yesterday, Saturday 4, from the ship ‘Ártabro’, which has been leading the search operation since departing Vigo last May 17. The Galician fishing boat sank on February 22, 2022, with the loss of 21 out of its 24-man crew. Only three of the crew members survived: the skipper, his nephew, and a sailor of Ghanaian origin. >click to read< 17:15
Will American fish save our chippies? Massive rise in the cost of cod and haddock is forcing firms to look for cheaper alternatives
A huge rise in the cost of cod and haddock, alongside a tariff on Russian white fish, is forcing firms to look for cheaper alternatives, including rockfish, also known as Pacific perch, and hake, which the US west coast has in abundance. They both taste similar to cod. Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, visited Oregon last month as part of a delegation from the UK seafood industry. He said the huge surplus of fish in the US could ‘take the pressure off’ needing to find expensive supplies closer to home. >click to read< 12:01
Fabled 1930s Arctic fur-trading ship, built for Inuvialuit trappers, needs a new home
It’s a piece of Canadian Indigenous history, and an effort is underway to ensure the 88-year-old Arctic fur-trading ship, called the North Star of Herschel Island, stays in Canada. The 24-metre ship has a storied history, dating from a time when the Arctic fur trade was still thriving, and northern communities were reaping the rewards. The North Star of Herschel Island was built in 1935 in San Francisco, for two Inuvialuit trappers: Fred Carpenter and Jim Wolki. The two had a lucrative business in the Western Arctic and they designed a vessel that would serve as an essential tool of their trade. >click to read< 10:51
Deadliest Catch: What Happened to the F/V Northwestern?
The only boat to appear in all 19 seasons of the show, the F/V Northwestern is owned by the Hansen family and skippered by Sig Hansen, according to the Discovery Channel’s F/V Northwestern origin story, posted on Youtube. Surely the 124-foot-long fishing boat built in 1977 has weathered some rough seas, but so has the family that owns her. Despite lawsuits, a sexual assault conviction, and more accusations, the Northwestern has remained integral to the livelihood of the family. >click to read< 09:50
Fishing Vessel Which Ran Aground off Dursey Island Yesterday Refloated and Drydocked in Casteltownbere
A fishing vessel which ran aground off Dursey Island yesterday has been refloated and towed to Casteltownbere for drydocking and inspection. A major rescue operation was needed when the 33m French-flagged trawler, the F/V Grand St Bernard, hit rock 12 nautical miles from Castletownbere. Two local boats, the Girl Jane and Celtic Dawn, Castletownbere RNLI and the Irish Coast Guard Rescue 115 helicopter came to the rescue of the 14-strong crew. 10 crew were airlifted from the boat, while 4 remained on board to help with efforts to free the boat from the rock. Following a successful winching operation, the trawler eventually came off the rocks and a tow line to keep the casualty vessel away from the shore. >click to read< 12:42
Fisherman John ‘Jack’ Hale, of Lowestoft,102, has passed away
Born John Federick, the respected fisherman only ever wanted to sail and he became the proud owner of a boat aged just 10. An independent soul, he would go on to run a successful business in Lowestoft which would see him work alongside both his son and grandsons. He was also proud to have broken an inshore fishing record in October 1968 with a herring catch in his boat the Seafarer. “He also fished with his son, Mike, who fished with him from about the age of 12, and they went on to own boats together. “It became a real family business when two of his grandsons began their working lives fishing with them.” Photos, >click to read< 10:32
Trawler refloated after major rescue operation off Dursey Island
The French registered trawler, which had been sailing with 14 crew on board, is understood to have run aground on rocks off the southern tip of Dursey Island at around 2pm on Friday. A coast guard helicopter and the Castletownbere lifeboat crew were called to the scene as part of a major emergency response which was coordinated by the Valentia Marine Rescue Coordination Centre. At least nine crew members were airlifted to safety from the boat before it was refloated. Thankfully, the vessel was able to move off the rocks before 5pm and made its way slowly back to Castletownbere to check and repair its damaged hull. >click to read< 12:50
First #FishyFriday in June and so much fish!
Earlier in the week the market was bust enough with the F/V St Georges taking full advantage of the big tide, as did Tom on the F/V Guardian. Friday morning saw a market packed end-to-end with fish from five boats landing their trips of white fish – just as well all the prawns the Scottish boats landed went into the back of their refrigerated transport yesterday. The range and quality of fish was up to its usual high standard with cracking examples of tub gurnard, witch soles, big haddock, and really big monk. Lots of photos of fish and boats! Click on the images to enlarge them. >click to read< 11:53
How Commercial Fisherman Corey Arnold Got Hooked On Fishing
Chris Arnold was an avocado grower and nurseryman, in Southern California, who bought a fishing boat when Corey was a toddler. He was reeling in baby sharks while still in diapers. “My dad was obviously busy with work and running a business, so fishing was a hobby for him,” says Arnold. “But I was 100 percent on fishing.” It was on a summer fishing trip to Alaska with his dad that Arnold first observed a commercial fishing operation — by 19, he had his first fishing job. He went on to work for seven years as a crab fisherman in Seattle, and eventually made his way to Alaska fishing for king crab on the F/V Rollo (featured on Season 2 of the Deadliest Catch) in the depths of winter, on the Bering Sea. Photos, >click to read< 11:15
Teenage fisherman from Looe livid after crab pot thefts
Will Jaycock has his own 10-metre Fowey-registered fishing boat which he uses in Looe Bay to catch crab and lobsters. However, the 18-year-old discovered that some of his pots had been cut and raided for their content, annihilating days of work and hard toil in the process. He said it was impossible to prove who had done it but insisted it was unlikely to be other fishermen in the town. “It seems opportunistic perhaps from people on day boats or in their own little pleasure boats or kayaks or divers out spearfishing. It’s not other fishermen. It’s people with recreational boats.” >click to read< 10:10
AWARDS 2022 | BEST CRABBER – UGJIT MIJUA’JI’JG – NAVANEX & CHANTIER NAVAL FORILLON
Here is a comparatively simple but truly multi-purpose fishing vessel that can readily adapt from trawling to potting for crabs. Obviously, its primary target will be high-value crabs, but given the vessel’s ownership, it will be very useful for it to be able to change its target. The designer added that the fishing deck can be converted as a small trawler and the hull can be easily lengthened from 65 to 72 feet (19.8 to 21.9 metres) to keep the gross tonnage below 150 tonnes as per Transport Canada regulations. This modification can increase the capacity of the cargo to hold up to 90 cubic metres. >click to read<. and >read more here<, 08:51
