Category Archives: International
Belgian fishing industry flounders
Between May and June this year, the Belgian fishing industry saw a drop in seasonal catches. In June, just 675 tonnes of fish was landed by Belgian vessels and sold in Belgian ports, according to data published by Statbel, the Belgian statistics agency. This fall has been partially blamed on the rising cost of fuel and expenses. According to forecasts from the National Bank of Belgium, the fishing industry is set to be one of the biggest losers of the year. With fuel prices accounting for around 38% of inputs for the industry, the sector could finish with big losses. >click to read< 10:11
Podcast: The mystery of Teesside’s dead crabs
In the autumn of 2021, the beaches of Teesside, in north-east England, were transformed. Along the sands lay hundreds of thousands of dead and dying crabs and lobsters. It was, in the words of a parliamentary committee, a “disaster” that had had a “profound effect”. Fishers who had relied on the catches in the cold North Sea waters suddenly saw their livelihoods drop off a cliff. Many could not believe what they were seeing. They wanted answers. Podcast, >click to listen/read< 09:14
A Tribute to the Coast Guard
The F/V Atlantic Destiny, a 143-foot offshore scallop trawler, was 130 nautical miles south of Nova Scotia in March of 2021 when fire broke out on board. As a Mayday call went out just after 7 p.m., 30-knot winds and freezing spray made conditions unforgiving. Even after the fire was out, the vessel was in grave danger. It had lost power while adrift in 15-foot seas and was taking on water. The 31 crew members on the ship were at the mercy of the violent ocean. In Halifax, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center immediately sent help. Fortunately, Canadian forces had some back up: the U.S. Coast Guard. >click to read< 08:31
Is Juneau running out of diesel?
Juneau, Alaska is one of two capitals that is only accessible by water or air (the other is Honolulu, Hawaii. Like New England, almost every home in Juneau is heated by diesel oil. This small city of 30,000 souls has two rather large tank farms that store millions of gallons of fuel barged up from Seattle. Diesel is the lifeblood of Juneau. It has three harbors packed with fishing vessels that run on diesel. Two mines outside the city use diesel. The city’s backup power generators run on diesel. If this town ran out of diesel, it would be an economic catastrophe if not a humanitarian crisis. Some buildings only use diesel heat. If heat was shut down, the water supply would also have to be shut down (frozen lines). It would mean the closure of schools and, possibly, health facilities. So, the first step is to see if there is data on Alaska’s inventory. Video, >click to read< 10:56
Fishing vessel sinks off Lizard Point
A fishing vessel sank off the coast of Lizard Point yesterday (Saturday, October 12) – and two people had to be rescued. On social media, the Lizard Lifeboat reported the request to launch was called-in at 12:33PM after hearing distress calls from the “Crig A Tana” fishing boat. At the scene, there was no sign of the stricken “Crig A Tana” vessel, but the crew were safe, despite having been forced to abandon the vessel after it started to suddenly sink. The two people who were rescued are also members of the lifeboat crew themselves. >click to read< 08:45
Crayfisherman looks back on life and death at sea on Tasmania’s rugged west coast
Sitting on the deck of the Erin K in peaceful Mill Bay, David “Charlie” Kiely remembers that his mum didn’t want him to be a fisherman on the west coast of Tasmania. Forty years after he began, Mr Kiely is now retiring from crayfishing on one of the wildest and most dangerous coastlines in the world. He has lost friends and fellow fishermen to the ferocious mood swings of the Southern Ocean. But he has also experienced raw, powerful nature and wildly beautiful coastlines that few others ever see. On balance, he wouldn’t change a thing. Photos, Video, >click to read< 07:21
Turning a Profit During Tough Times
Despite very high fuel prices, it’s possible to trawl for shrimp and make a profit, according to Agnar Langtveit. 2022 has been an exceptionally tough year, but he’s managed to run the 42-year-old Astrid Ann at a modest profit. ‘The problem for many trawlers is the combination of high fuel costs and heavy debts. I am fortunate in not having any big debts. I could choose to build a new vessel, but then I’d have to buy more quota. So as long as Astrid Ann is profitable, I don’t see any reason to buy a new boat,’ he said. On the other hand, older trawlers come with higher maintenance costs and older engines bur more fuel. Fishing between 200 and 500 metres, Astrid Ann needs reliable towing power, so last year a new 1044hp CAT 3508C main engine was fitted, along with a Mekanord 500 HS gear and a CAT C44 harbour set. Photos, >click to read< 12:47
Repeated Failures: DFO ship woes hampering East Coast science surveys
DFO has missed multiple surveys as it struggles to bring new offshore fishery science vessels into service, and aging ships near retirement. Sailing restrictions imposed early in the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the problem, but so too have breakdowns on older ships and part replacements needed on the two new ships stationed on the East Coast. The science surveys are used to assess the health of major fish stocks and are critical in determining quotas for commercial fisheries worth hundreds of millions of dollars in Atlantic Canada. “There’s huge consequences. We want to know what’s going on. We need the data,” said Carey Bonnell, vice-president of sustainability and engagement at St. John’s-based Ocean Choice International, which is a seafood company. >click to read< 08:13
F/V Skar Senior – Norwegian Seafood Company’s New Locally Built 48M Seiner/Trawler
The seiner/trawler, which is also named Skar Senior, was delivered by the local partnership of naval architecture firm Marin Teknikk and shipyard Maloy Verft. It has an LOA of 48.3 metres, a moulded beam of 12 metres, and accommodations for a crew of 10. The vessel was designed according to the owner’s specifications, which called for advanced purse seining and trawling equipment, 500-cubic-metre RSW tanks, and a vacuum system so that fish is gently hauled on board to ensure the best possible catch quality. The hull was built to DNV light ice class to allow operations even during days of mild winter. Photos, >click to read< 09:39
Nordic islands face pressure to end decades-old fishing deal with Russia
“There has to be consequences when a country attacks another country. So said the Faroese Social Democratic opposition party Javnaðarflokkurin in a statement to Courthouse News amid heated political debates on the Faroe Islands’ 45-year-old trade deal with Russia on mutual fishing quotas in the Nordic seas. The agreement allows Russian vessels to capture 100,000 tons of herring, mackerel and blue whiting close to Faroese shores in the Norwegian Sea annually, while Faroese fishermen get access to 25,000 tons of cod further north in the Barents Sea. >click to read< 08:04
The Hansen Legacy On Deadliest Catch All Started With The Opilio Crab
The latest spinoff of Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch,” titled “Deadliest Catch: The Viking Returns,” heavily emphasizes the family and history of series regular Sig Hansen. Fans of the series will know him best as the longtime captain of the F/V Northwestern, and “The Viking Returns” follows Hansen as his journey across the globe comes full circle, returning him to his family’s homeland in Norway in an attempt to establish his own crab-fishing empire. >click to read< 10:53
Poll shows overwhelming numbers of the public support local fishing
Overwhelming numbers of the public believe the government should not be allowed to squeeze fishing communities out of our seas, a fishing body has said. In polling carried out for the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) by JL Partners, 78 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement: “governments should ensure that fishing communities are not squeezed out of our increasingly crowded seas”, with only four per cent disagreeing. The survey follows a report for the SFF and National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), published this year, which showed that more than half of Scottish waters could be closed to trawling by 2050. >click to read< 10:14
St. Paul government declares emergency in attempt to get ahead of looming crab crash
The Pribilof Island of St. Paul runs on snow crab — also known as opilio crab. The community’s Trident Seafoods is one of the largest crab processing plants in the world. So when fisheries management officials announced the species “overfished” and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game shut down snow crab for the first time in the fishery’s history in October, City Manager Phillip Zavadil knew the community needed to act fast. “We’re trying to get creative and have people understand that this is going to happen more and more, and that we need to address it,” Zavadil said. “We can do something now, instead of waiting for next year, when we don’t have any funding or we can’t provide services.” About two weeks after ADF&G’s closure announcement, the city declared a cultural, economic and social emergency. >click to read< 10:51
Joyce Murray Brings Opening Remarks to Seal Summit
Every major player in the seal industry gathered in one large room at the Delta Hotel yesterday to brainstorm their way to new products and markets. Ministers, senators, scientists, business, FFAW, Indigenous leaders and MPs took part in the session. Media, however, were not allowed to cover it, and were told to leave the room following opening remarks by Fisheries and Oceans Minister Joyce Murray. While media were barred from yesterday’s seal summit discussions, Murray will take reporters’ questions when the two-day event wraps up this afternoon. >click to read< 07:04 Newfoundland and Labrador,
Latest LNG Powered Pelagic Catcher
Designed by Salt Ship Design, F/V Sunny Lady follows Libas, built for Lie Gruppen at the same yard as the first fishing vessels to run on LNG as fuel. Cemre has another such innovative vessel under construction, the Skipsteknisk-designed Selvåg Senior, which has been launched for outfitting – cementing Cemre’s reputation for building highly sophisticated fishing vessels. F/V Sunny Lady – the name is a historical one for owners Teige Rederi and came from a merchant vessel that was once part of the family company – is arranged for pelagic trawling and purse seining. Photos, >click to read< 14:46
I rescued a bird at sea and now I’m getting called the Owl Whisperer
Michael Clark, 55, saved the struggling animal after he spotted it being terrorised by gulls. He took it onboard trawler Benarkle II, which is registered in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, where it was spoiled. After two days it was eating steak out of his hand but it caused an unexpected problem when it pooped all over the wheelhouse. Cook and deckhand MIchael, from Buckie, Moray, said: “Everyone is calling me the Owl Whisperer now. He was the best looked after member of the crew. 4 Photos, >click to read< 10:18
New Zealand: Abandoned shipwreck finally removed from East Coast beach
An abandoned boat that proved a thorn in the side of both Gisborne District Council and the police has finally been removed from a remote East Coast beach – six months after it washed ashore. However the owner remained elusive, meaning the council has been left with an invoice of over $10,000 for the clean-up. On 9 April, the former fishing trawler San Rosa was abandoned at sea after its three crew members were winched to safety by helicopter. The boat was recently purchased in Tauranga and was just two days into its maiden voyage with its new owners when it ran into difficulty. Photos, >click to read< 09:14
Canceled crab season could devastate Unalaska
As the top fishing port by volume in the nation, fishing runs in the veins of Unalaska. Officials say that nearly everyone in the city relies on the robust seafood industry. “Our only industry is our fishing industry. So everything that goes on in communities are related,” said Frank Kelty, the Fishery consultant for the City of Unalaska. “In 2019, we had the quota of 45 million pounds. Then last year, we were down to 25 million pounds,” Kelty said. This year, that industry came to a drastic halt. “You know 60, 70 boats not buying fuel. Not buying groceries. It adds up pretty quick,” Kelty said. “Those boats aren’t fishing, they are not buying groceries every five days when they come in for a trip, Video, >click to read< 13:42
Skipper fined after boat collides with 266m container ship
The 19.5-metre-long vessel collided with the Kota Lembah container ship in July 2021. Skipper Mike Te Pou was on board with two crew members and an MPI observer at around 3.15am when he saw the Kota Lembah on his radar. The crew were setting out longlines for fishing and Te Pou decided to help them, despite seeing the container ship on his radar. Investigations Manager Pete Dwen said: “He remained away from the wheelhouse for 40 minutes. Didn’t check on the location of the Kota Lembah and at 3.55am; the two vessels collided. >click to read< 11:15
Coast Guard halts illegal use of “paper captains” in WA-based tuna fishing operation
The Coast Guard said in a statement last week that it intervened Oct. 19 to stop the use of illegal foreign nationals on a commercial fishing vessel that operated out of the state of Washington. A Coast Guard Sector Columbia River law enforcement team inspected an 89-foot fishing vessel and determined that the vessel was in violation of the Jones Act — specifically, they were in violation for utilizing a “paper captain.” Paper captain is a term applied to an individual listed on documents as a U.S.-flagged vessel’s captain but in actuality serves as a deckhand or in a similar lower-level capacity. It is federal law that a documented vessel be under the command of a U.S. citizen. In addition to violating the Jones Act, the vessel had several safety violations, including: Degraded immersion suits; an inoperable Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) hydrostatic release; and failure to conduct safety drills. >click to read< 18:00
Quick Action of Crew Member Saved Fishing Skipper’s Life
The quick action of a crew member on a Donegal fishing vessel probably saved the life of his skipper when his arm was trapped by a trawl door, an investigation has found. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) report into the incident involving the whitefish trawler F/V Marliona has noted that the trawl door was not secured adequately and that it was in the wrong position. This made it prone to movement from side to side. At the time of the incident, the vessel was taking a slight roll,,, >click to read< 08:51
Size of fishing fleet cut as Isle of Man king scallop season opens
Fewer boats will take to Manx waters for the start of the Isle of Man king scallop season as part of efforts to protect the fishery’s future. Sixty vessels have been authorised to fish by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA), which is down from 75 last year. The cut in the fleet’s size is part of a plan to make the fishery sustainable. DEFA member Michelle Haywood said boat numbers had to be limited or there would “not be enough to go round”. The king scallop fishery, which runs each year from November to May, has opened with an allowable catch of 2,049 tonnes, mirroring the previous season’s total. >click to read< 07:10
Facts About Wicked Tuna’s Dave Marciano You Won’t Have to Fish For
When selecting captains for the reality series “Wicked Tuna,” National Geographic definitely made a great choice with veteran seaman commercial fisherman Dave Marciano. Ever since he was a young boy, the fisherman has spent so much of his life at sea that it became a fundamental part of his identity long ago. It would be foolish to think that Marciano’s life hadn’t changed dramatically since the show premiered in 2012, but deep down, it really seems like the captain has remained the same devoted and incredibly hard-working individual he always has been, and its those qualities that make his such a relatable personality on that show that many audience members cannot help but root for. His fascinating past has made him the man he is today and here are the pivotal aspects of that journey leading to reality stardom. Photos, >click to read< 14:14
Great Yarmouth fisherman swaps shrimp for offshore wind
From inshore shrimper to head skipper on offshore wind crew transfer vessels, Wally Saunders turned generations of his family’s love and living from the sea to a future in the industry harvesting wind to power the UK’s future. For generations, the Saunders family looked to the sea off Great Yarmouth and Gorleston for their living. In all weathers, great grandfather, grandfather, father and sons hauled shrimp, herring, cod and Dover sole onto boats owned by the family through the decades, and on to the deep-sea trawlers, fishing smacks and herring drifters where the older generations worked as deckhands and mates. >click to read< 10:16
SFA: No evidence that a fishing vessel caused telecom cable damage
Shetland suffered a major blackout last Thursday when the Faroese owned subsea cable, which already was damaged halfway between Faroe and Shetland, got another hit just east of the Shetland mainland – cutting off most mobile and internet based services. While cable owner Faroese Telecom has always said the damage was likely to have been caused by a fishing vessel, a large section of the national media preferred the notion that it could have easily been an example of low-level terrorism by Russia. As repairs are likely to last into the weekend due to poor weather conditions, no-one has so far published any evidence that would support one option or the other. >click to read< 12:21
Owl rescued by fishing crew 100 miles out to sea
A long-eared owl shocked crew on board a fishing boat over 100 miles off the north coast of Scotland. The bird was rescued by a crew member who spotted it being attacked by seagulls. It suffered minor injuries but was cared for by the team on board Peterhead-registered Benarkle II for the rest of their trip. It is believed the owl had been blown off its normal course before landing on the boat. The Benarkle II crew said the poorly creature perked up a great deal after being “beefed up” with some chopped steak. Photos, >click to read< 21:51
Cemre delivers Norwegian LNG-powered fishing vessel
Turkish shipbuilder Cemre has handed over an LNG-powered vessel to Norwegian fishing company Teige Rederi. Cemre said in a statement on Friday it had delivered the purse seiner/pelagic trawler, Sunny Lady. Designed by Salt Ship Design and classed by DNV, the 86.5 meters long purse seiner/pelagic trawler is the second in the world to feature LNG-powered propulsion and a battery pack, after Libas, Cemre claims. >click to read< 19:01
‘This is the death rattle for Irish fishing’: dozens of trawlers to be decommissioned in State scheme
Up to 80 trawlers from the country’s 180-strong offshore fishing fleet could be destroyed if all their owners are accepted onto the Brexit Voluntary Decommissioning Scheme. “People don’t seem to realise what is happening here. “This is the death rattle of the Irish fishing industry. “If all those 82 ships are taken out of the fleet, that will leave just 78. Alan Carleton, who has applied to decommission his family’s trawler Syracuse, said he could no longer afford to be a fisherman.“Two years ago, I would spend around €2,360 for fuel for an eight-day fishing trip. “That cost is now €13,200 for the same trip.” >click to read< 17:54
Government Report Fails to Acknowledge True Implications of Foreign Control
Today, the provincial government released a report entitled, “A Review of Foreign Investment in the Newfoundland and Labrador Fishery.” While FFAW-Unifor is hopeful that the report’s recommendations will limit further foreign-control of our province’s resources, it fails to acknowledge or address the existing challenges hurting fish harvesters, plant workers, and coastal communities. “The entire processing industry is controlled by a handful of large companies – companies that continue to eat up smaller companies, continually growing their share and reducing competition in the industry. This situation is hurting inshore fish harvesters and plant workers, and it’s hurting the economic sustainability for coastal communities,” says FFAW-Unifor President Keith Sullivan. >click to read< 10:44
SEA-NL on foreign investment
Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) says a provincial government review of foreign investment in the fish processing sector misses the boat entirely in terms of addressing the extent of foreign control and corporate concentration. “The report certainly has nice pictures,” says Ryan Cleary, SEA-NL’s Executive Director. “Beyond that the takeaway about foreign control and corporate concentration in the fishing industry is that Minister Derrick Bragg missed his calling as a window-dresser.” The report of foreign investment in the processing sector comes more than two years after the province approved Royal Greenland’s takeover of Quinlan Brothers and St. Anthony Seafoods in September 2020 upon recommendation of the Fish Processing Licensing Board earlier that month. >click to read< 10:11
