Category Archives: International
New research reveals shifting identities of global fishing fleet to help bolster fisheries management
A new study published today in Science Advances combines a decade’s worth of satellite vessel tracking data with identification information from more than 40 public registries to determine where and when vessels responsible for most of the world’s industrial fishing change their country of registration, a practice known as “reflagging”, and identify hotspots of potential unauthorized fishing and activity of foreign-owned vessels. The study, “Tracking Elusive and Shifting Identities of the Global Fishing Fleet” found that close to 20 percent of high seas fishing is carried out by vessels that are either internationally unregulated or not publicly authorized, with large concentrations of these ships operating in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean and the western Indian Ocean. >click to read< 18:28
House of Lords peer calls for Holy Island fishing ban proposal to be dropped
Lord Curry of Kirkhale, who sits in the House of Lords, has written to environment secretary Thérèse Coffey to express concerns about Defra plans to designate it a Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA). There has been strong local opposition to the proposal, backed by Berwick MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan and county councillors Colin Hardy and Guy Renner-Thompson. Lord Curry, in a letter to the secretary of state, writes: “A HMPA ban on fishing would, as Holy Island’s fishermen and residents have expressed, end a thousands-of-years-old industry which still stands at the heart of their community today.” >click to read< 09:48
Why Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a national day of service
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day — a day which commemorates Civil Rights activist, Baptist preacher and Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King Jr. King was known for his activism against segregation and his advocacy for civil rights. Born on Jan. 15, 1929, King is perhaps the most influential civil rights activist in America. He delivered the famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 and was assassinated in 1968 because of his advocacy. Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a day of service is a way to commemorate and celebrate King’s influence. >click to read< 11:40
The hungover fisherman who narrowly escaped Triple Trawler Tragedy
As the 55th anniversary of the Triple Trawler Tragedy comes around this year, the 58 men who perished during the series of three disasters are remembered. Seafarers on the St Romanus, Kingston Peridot, and Ross Cleveland sadly died in the winter of 1968 between January 11 and February 5, when each of the three trawlers sank. Only one survivor- Harry Eddom – made it out of the Ross Cleveland shipwreck in the freezing Icelandic conditions and was miraculously found and saved. However, there was also another fisherman that was meant to be on that trawler, but a bad hangover prevented him from getting up on time. Walter Longden, known as Walla, visited the memorial to pay respect to his lost friends and shared how it could have also been his name on the plaque. >click to read< 08:08
Macduff’s Biggest Newbuild – So Far
This is Mark Lovie’s fourth Macduff trawler in a series that started with the wooden-hulled Venture, built as Endeavour II in 1993. Since then the steel-hulled Venture II in 2001, Venture III in 2017 and now Venture IV have each been the largest vessels built at the yard at various points. The new Venture IV is the yard’s largest newbuild in terms of both size and gross tonnage. The newbuild process began in 2020 when he went to the yard looking for options for a new vessel to replace his previous <24m registered trawler, as well as seeking improvements in fuel efficiency, speed, sea keeping, and crew comfort. The yard’s design team knew that a larger vessel would be needed to meet all these requirements and the outcome was a design for a 34.50 metre, 10.50 metre breadth trawler. Video, photos, >click to read< 17:48
Dismayed Reaction To Whitefish Scrappage Application Offers
There has been a disappointed reaction from a number of fishing vessel owners to terms offered under the Government’s latest whitefish decommissioning scheme. “We haven’t surveyed members yet as this is anecdotal, but we are hearing of dismay and disappointment,” Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) chief executive Aodh O’Donnell said. “We are calling for immediate additional engagement by and clarification from Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) on this,” O’Donnell said. “The disappointment is quite widespread among our members.” Letters of offer to 57 owners have been issued by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). It says it will ensure that over 9,000 tonnes of quota fish valued at €35 million annually will be available for remaining whitefish vessels to catch, ensuring the remaining fleet’s economic viability into the future. >click to read< 10:54
Remembering four fishermen who died near Penzance in Vierge Marie tragedy
Four fishermen who tragically lost their lives when their boat floundered onto rocks off Cornwall have been remembered by the descendants of those who tried to save them. The four fishermen from Ostend in Belgium were part of a crew of six when the motor trawler Vierge Marie hit the rocks in heavy seas, strong winds and thick fog conditions. The incident was reported at 7.40am on January 11, 1937 by a local police officer who alerted the crew of the W&S lifeboat who launched the lifeboat from Penlee Point at 8am and steamed down the coast to the site of the wreck. >click to read< 09:55
Is the freeport to blame for loss of marine life in Teesside?
The deaths of thousands of crabs on the beaches of Teesside and North Yorkshire has created bitter divisions between the fishing industry and the government. With so much disagreement over the cause, the issue has “set off a row that shows little sign of dying off”, In October 2021, crabs and lobsters began washing up dead on the beaches in the region. The beaches were “piled with hundreds of thousands of dead and dying crabs and lobster” With their catches plummeting, the fishing industry has called for financial support from the government to “save” the North East fleet in the face of the huge losses. >click to read< 11:00
Cornish family business Rowse Fishing Ltd fined for illegal lobster fishing
A Cornish family business supplying crab and lobster to local and international markets and a vessel master have been fined big for illegal lobster fishing. On Wednesday (January 11) at Truro Magistrates’ Court, Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) successfully prosecuted Rowse Fishing Limited and Ben Rowse, 26, of Penzance, the respective owner and master of the vivier potting vessel Emma Louise TO60. Rowse Fishing Ltd and Ben Rowse pleaded guilty to the offences of fishing for berried, v-notched or mutilated lobsters. Magistrates sentenced the company to a fine of £20,000 and the payment of prosecution costs amounting to £6,309.90. The master was fined £2,338 plus a victim surcharge of £190. >click to read< 20:30
Hull Maritime gets £250,000 from Foyle Foundation for Arctic Corsair visitor attraction
The grant has come from The Foyle Foundation, a leading UK supporter of learning and the arts, and will help towards developing the new centre at the former North End Shipyard, the future permanent home for the Arctic Corsair. Work to transform North End Shipyard is under way and is expected to open to visitors in 2024. Hull Maritime is a major regeneration project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the city council. Five key maritime treasures will be transformed to create a new maritime experience for Hull. Elements include the restoration of two ships – Arctic Corsair and the Spurn Lightship – the regeneration of the former North End Shipyard, Dock Office Chambers and the Hull Maritime Museum will be refurbished. >click to read< 17:29
Sanford Goes for Green with Maaskant Order
New Zealand seafood company Sanford Limited has placed an order with Damen Shipbuilding Maaskant for the design and build of a new scampi vessel for operation in the Southern Ocean. This new vessel is expected to contribute to Sanford’s target of reducing the carbon footprint from its direct operations by 25% between 2020 and 2030. The construction of the diesel-electric vessel will take place at the Damen Maaskant yard in the Netherlands, with a delivery date in 2025. Images, >click to read< 20:29
Hull’s fishing community unites to remember victims of the Triple Trawler Tragedy
The fishing community gathered together on the corner of Hessle Road and Boulevard to mark the 55th anniversary of the St Romanus trawler sinking. The terrible incident in 1968 that claimed the lives of 20 men was the first in a series of three disasters at sea, known as the Triple Trawler Tragedy. Every year, former fishermen, headscarf revolutionaries and family members of the deceased gather to remember the 58 men who lost their lives on the St Romanus, Kingston Peridot and Ross Cleveland. The memorial service was an emotional one, with many mourning the loss of old colleagues and school friends. The 20 victims’ names were read out before a minute’s silence. Photos>click to read< 18:39
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 44’x20′ Fiberglass Scalloper, 400HP 3406 Cat
To review specifications, information, and 12 photos’, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here< 12:01
The moment an Ayrshire fishing crew rescue another boat off the coast of Arran in horrific conditions
The moment an Ayrshire fishing crew saved fellow fishermen in horrific conditions has been captured in dramatic footage. The F/V Spes Bona crew from Troon hauled a stricken trawler which had broken down off the coast of Arran on Monday. The failed boat, with three crew members of board, was towed nine miles through ferocious conditions as stormy weather battered the Firth of Clyde. A video showing the hair-raising rescue has gone viral, chalking up more than 4,000 views in just a matter of days, with viewers left stunned by the footage. But Spes Bona captain Donald Gibson says the scenes are a regular occurrence out in the open seas. Video, >click to read< 10:01
Brixham fish fleet smashes records with amazing £60.8m bonanza
The best ever year of trading in Brixham’s long history of fishing also means a windfall of around £1.5m to Torbay Council. Industry leaders are celebrating their success today, but also warning that the port must expand if that success is going to continue. And the new record comes as a “silver lining” after the UK fishing industry struggled to find ways to cope with the effects of a disappointing Brexit. Brixham Trawler Agents managing director Barry Young said there had been no doubt that Covid, Brexit, record fuel prices and the cost of living crisis meant 2022 would be tough to predict. But, he said, it soon became clear that the value of fish sold on Brixham Fish Market would break existing records. >click to read< 07:59
The Religion of Wokeism. A Fisherman by Any Other Name: Terminology in New Law Sparks Debate
A new law regarding ships’ crews that went into effect at the beginning of the month is sparking considerable debate throughout Iceland, but not because of the content of the law. Rather, critics have taken issue with the choice of wording in it, namely the use of the word fiskari, most easily translatable as ‘fisher,’ in lieu of the term fiskimaður, which literally means ‘fisher+man.’Critics, including some in the industry and current or former politicians, have called the word choice an example of the sterilization of Icelandic, or even an example of the language’s slide into nýlenska, or Orwellian Newspeak. >click to read< 14:41
South Devon College launches fishing apprenticeship
Working alongside regional employers, apprentices on the scheme will learn how to sustainably harvest fish and shellfish as well as learn about fishing methods. Laurence Gilson, who has been working as a fisherman for 16 years, like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather before him is undertaking the apprenticeship. He is one of around 11,000 fishers in the UK. “I work 12 hours a day in the wheelhouse on six hour shifts,” he said. “I spend my life chasing something just like a video game and I know what I’m chasing is worth money and what I’ve chased I’ve done it all myself.” He added: “If you’ve got the drive to make you want to go into the industry there’s no ends to what you can do in this job. Set a goal and achieve the goal. The sky’s the limit.” >click to read< 11:28
Trawler operators fear they will lose out to offshore windfarms
Shudders went through the fishing industry just before Christmas with the announcement of Maritime Area Consents for seven offshore windfarms. Environment Minister Eamon Ryan trumpeted the allocation of the seven seabed leases as “a significant milestone on the pathway to decarbonising energy supply”. However, to the fishing industry, the first step of a process to get planning permission to build the windfarms brings their fears closer. Fishers are not just worried they will lose fishing waters, there are also concerns about how the construction and operation of windfarms might scare fish away from some traditional fishing grounds. “This is because areas targeted for windfarms are the main spawning and catching areas.” >click to read< 08:52
From facing off with the Russian navy, to giving up a five-generation fishing tradition
For a brief moment, Alan Carleton was at the centre of a bizarre stand-off between Irish fishermen and the Russian navy. Back in January 2022, he and other fishermen had threatened to peacefully disrupt Russia’s naval plans to hold live firing exercises 240 km off the Cork coast. Himself and the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation CEO Patrick Murphy even met the Russian ambassador to demand the exercises be called off. Fast forward a year and a man who was prepared to stand up to the Russian navy is on the verge of giving up his own fight to stay in the Irish fishing industry. >click to read< 07:41
In Connecticut, frustration grows over lack of access to Canadian hydropower
State Sen. Norm Needleman, co-chair of the legislative Energy and Technology Committee, recently said in a radio interview that efforts to diversify the regional grid’s energy supply by importing more hydropower from Canada have been scuttled by New Hampshire and Maine, which turned down plans for more transmission lines through their states. Needleman said his comments about the northern states were made in the context of his general frustration with energy policy, which he finds “mind-numbingly complicated” and frequently contentious. “People are going to find fault with solar on farmland; there is consternation around offshore wind because it may impact the fisheries,” he said. >click to read< 10:16
‘Another nail in the coffin of Ireland’s indigenous fishing industry’
That Norway wants more access to Ireland’s fish than it already has is something that has probably passed most people by. So too the fact that this became a red-line issue for the Irish fishing industry. At stake is the future of thousands of jobs in fishing villages and towns across the country. Also at stake is ultimately the chance of the average punter getting fresh Irish fish with their chips. Why? Because if the Norwegians succeed in their bid, it will cement a perception in the industry that Ireland cannot protect its own waters at EU level and the current exodus from the industry will, according to industry chiefs, continue as a consequence. >click to read< 09:32
Dongara Blessing of the Fleet festival marks 50 years of celebrating the community’s fishing industry
The Blessing of the Fleet tradition has evolved over time and was first introduced in Western Australia at Fremantle in 1948. Decades later, the local chamber of commerce and industry hosted Dongara’s first Blessing of the Fleet in 1973 on the Denison foreshore. But blessing is a centuries-old tradition, with roots in southern Europe. Saturday marked 50 years since the event started in the Midwest coastal town, with about a dozen decorated vessels parading the Port Denison marina in front of hundreds of people. photos, >click to read< 09:05
Whitehall’s eco-zealots are threatening the livelihoods of families who have fished off Holy Island for 1,000 years
Defra, the Whitehall department responsible for fishing, proposes to create a Highly Protected Marine Area of 50 square miles covering the island and parts of the nearby Farne Islands that will have the effect of banning fishing. ‘It will wipe us out and destroy Holy Island as a living and working community,’ says Shaun Brigham, 55, who has been fishing these waters since leaving school at the age of 15. ‘All that’s here is tourism and fishing – so take the fishing away and what would be left? Defra talks about ‘rewilding the sea’ but has produced no evidence that anything here needs rewilding.’ On the contrary, stocks of lobster and brown and velvet crab – which are the only sea-life that can be fished in what is already a highly regulated industry – are greater than they have been for decades, not least because it’s in the long-term interests of the fishermen to abide by strict sustainability rules. >click to read< 13:58
‘There are only so many last straws a man can take — but going home wasn’t an option’
“Would you like some bacon and spuds?” asked the skipper cheerily. Not having dared move around the boat since the Atlantic storm began, let alone attempt the perilous expedition to the galley below, I reluctantly accepted his offer. I was reluctant because, since the storm began, I had only found safety when sitting with my back to a cupboard on the floor of the bridge. Just standing up, I had quickly discovered, was a tortuous endeavour. I quietly gulped at what I had just agreed to do. As he bolted out the door of the bridge and stepped lightly down the wrought-iron staircase through the hatch to the lower deck, my hands shook uncontrollably as I tried to lock the two buckles of my life jacket. >click to read< 08:34
Simple solution found to reduce number of whales getting caught in fishing gear
A working group has come up with a simple solution to use heavier sinking rope connecting fishing creels, which will in turn reduce entanglements. At the moment, creel fishermen often use rope that floats, in which whales, dolphins and other marine animals can become entangled in. Creels, also known as pots, are connected by ropes, which are set around Scotland’s coasts to catch prawns, crabs and lobsters. During the project, commercial creel fishermen from all around the Scottish coast were interviewed and their contribution allowed the researchers to better understand the nature and extent of entanglements in Scotland’s waters. The findings have been published in the journal Endangered Species Research. >click to read< 12:11
Angry and frustrated
‘What was delivered in terms of additional fishing opportunities and control over access was very far from what any self-respecting coastal state might expect,’ an NFFO representative commented. All the same, the NFFO remains certain that ‘escaping the dead clutches of the overcentralised and cumbersome Common Fisheries Policy’ is regarded by many as a major positive – ‘although a huge amount of work remains to be done to realise the benefit of this new framework, especially through the development and implementation of fisheries management plans, it is a huge opportunity.’ The NFFO states that against this background, it is disappointing that the promised agility of the new framework to deliver effective and timely outcomes has been thwarted by the UK’s own legislative systems. >click to read< 10:14
Daniel Rigolet: the inventor of the survival suit
Although he was not well known, it is interesting to look back at the life of this man who saved many lives at sea. Born in the Paris region in 1930, Daniel Rigolet was already a seasoned sailor and oil tanker captain in 1971 when he came up with the idea of the survival suit. After starting out as a midshipman in sardine fishing, he trained until he reached the position of captain. That year, the tragic sinking of the cargo ship Maori in the Bay of Biscay occurred. Out of a total of 39 sailors, only one survived. He was saved from the cold November waters by the idea of putting on his diving suit. By keeping him warm, it saved his life. photos, >click to read< 07:55
Police investigation into sunken L’Ecume II trawler launched
An independent investigation into the sunken L’Ecume II trawler has been launched by the States police to establish any criminal culpability. Andy Shearwood, a former detective chief inspector with Thames Valley Police, has been appointed as the senior investigating officer for ‘Operation Nectar’ and will work alongside Detective Inspector Christina Maclennan, former head of the Criminal Investigation Department at the States police. The States police will also be supported by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The L’Ecume II, skippered by Michael Michieli, sank after colliding with Condor’s Commodore Goodwill freight ship off Jersey’s west coast at about 5.30am on Thursday 8 December. >click to read< 09:45
Canada, U.S. fail to reach agreement on quota for shared haddock stock in 2023
Canada and the United States have, for the first time, failed to agree on a shared quota for the transboundary haddock stock on the Georges Bank fishing grounds off southern Nova Scotia. The two countries have jointly managed the haddock fishery and two other straddling stocks, since 2000, but were unable to reach a consensus for the 2023 haddock quota. “While Canada and the U.S. tried to negotiate a shared haddock total allowable catch … our countries will be setting our own total allowable catch independently of the other,” The disagreement centred on the size of the quota cut. >click to read< 07:25
The Hairy Bikers hailed as ‘brilliant’ as they visit family-run fishing business in Ayrshire
A sixth generation fishing family from Ayrshire will shine a spotlight on Scottish seafood as they share the screen with celebrity chef collective The Hairy Bikers in a new series. Troon’s Spes Bona Superior Seafood, run by brothers Donald and Robin Gibson, will feature alongside Si King and Dave Myers in their new BBC Two series. The fishing firm have waited patiently for over a year and a half to see what Si and Dave create with their catch as filming took place in May 2021. Dad-of-three skipper Donald, who has worked in the industry for over 30 years, said: “We got a phone call out of the blue and I thought it was a customer so I was asking them what they wanted. “They said ‘no it’s for a TV show, we’re looking to get some guys out on your boat’. >click to read< 09:26
