Category Archives: International
Maine lobstermen say ‘red listing’ a threat to their livelihoods without cause
“I truly believe the lobstermen have done everything we’ve been asked by National Marine Fisheries and the DMR,” said Gerry Cushman, who has been lobstering in Port Clyde for 38 years. “We’re not the bad guys here,” he said. “You ask us to do it, we do it. So why are you putting us on the red list? “ The Seafood Watch listing is recommending consumers not buy American lobster from either the U.S. or Canada. Maine is the primary producer of that lobster for the U.S. Cushman said he believes Seafood Watch has taken the action against Maine fishermen to pressure them to stop fighting proposed regulations in court. Steve Train, a lobsterman from Long Island in Casco Bay, echoed those points, saying Maine fishermen have followed all the whale protection rules, even though they have also been challenging them in court. Video, >click to read< 19:37
Hurricane Fiona threatens severe impacts across Atlantic Canada
Hurricane Fiona is roaring through the western Atlantic Ocean as a powerful Category 4 storm. The hurricane will brush Bermuda overnight Thursday before threatening major impacts across a large portion of Atlantic Canada. This is already a deadly hurricane. Five people died after Fiona produced devastating flooding across Puerto Rico as the storm traversed the Caribbean Island. Summer’s final sunset saw a powerhouse of a storm in Hurricane Fiona. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) found the storm had maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h on Wednesday evening. Some additional strengthening is forecast through Wednesday night, with some fluctuations in intensity possible on Thursday. Forecasters are keeping a close eye on potential impacts across Atlantic Canada for this weekend. Video, images, >click to read< 10:56
Shetland fishermen on the big screen in campaign to highlight sustainable seafood
Scottish fishermen are playing a starring role in a new television advert for a nationwide campaign to support sustainable fishing practices and promote healthy seafood stocks. The commercial has been created for the Marine Stewardship Council, an international non-profit organisation which sets science-based standards for sustainable practices and runs a globally recognised ecolabel and certification program to help guide consumers. It features fishermen from Shetland who operate an acclaimed local initiative which aims to balance commercial needs with conservation of the marine environment and has been released to coincide the MSC’s annual Sustainable Seafood Week, which runs until Friday. >click to read< 09:58
Lobstermen vs Whales?
To: Scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. From: Uncle Joe. Subject: The Scientific Method. Dear scientific friends from away, I am not a scientist, although I did get pretty good grades in high school biology and chemistry. I am an old newspaper guy who learned my trade from elderly mentors who sipped cold beers at the loading dock after the giant presses rolled out the last edition. One of the questions I asked them was about verification. The other day, your public relations folks at the Sea Watch program urged the nation’s stores and restaurants to avoid Maine lobsters because they allegedly harmed right whales. Your pronouncement raised a big stink in our neighborhood as it threatens the livelihood of our lobster fishing friends who harvest lobsters in order to feed their families. >click to read< 07:48
F/V Joanna C: Fishermen deaths were accidental, inquest says
Two fisherman died accidentally when their trawler capsized and life raft failed to inflate, an inquest has concluded. The 45ft scalloping vessel capsized after getting snagged on whelk pots, the inquest at Hastings Coroner’s Court heard. Marine Accident Investigations Branch inspector Joanna Dorman told the jury: “We don’t know what would have happened had the life raft inflated. But we do know that it had an adverse effect on the chance of surviving.” Ms. Dorman also said the vessel had been modified since its last stability analysis in 1997, and that the stability was below the level it should have been. She described the vessel at the time of the accident as being “vulnerable” to capsizing. >click to read< 15:43
Fishing No Longer a Viable Career for Aran Islanders
Several leading Aran Island fishers have spoken of how impossible it is for family businesses to continue fishing due to Brexit-related quota losses and escalating fuel costs. Interviewed on RTÉ Radio 1 Countrywide, John and Mary Conneely outlined the struggle involved, and said they would be considering applying for the Government’s decommissioning scheme. A 60 million euro scrappage scheme, where vessel owners who agree to surrender their licenses and have their vessels broken up, is being rolled out by the Government with EU backing. Stevie Joyce, also an Aran islander, said he hopes to remain in the industry. Joyce, who fishes the 27-metre Oileáin an Óir,,, >click to read< 10:39
Fishermen’s deal with Swedish firm clears way for huge offshore wind farm
Fishermen have traditionally opposed offshore wind farms because of the impact on their access to their fishing grounds, but a new partnership in Donegal wants to turn that relationship on its head, potentially generating massive amounts of energy. with being. Over the next 18 months, the Kilibegs Fishermen Organisation, along with Hexicon, a Swedish firm that specializes in floating offshore wind farm technology, and Sinbad Marine Services, a company in Kilibegs that provides services to fishermen, submitted a planning application for the new marine. ready to do. regulator, for a €3 billion investment in an offshore floating wind farm off the south coast of Mara, Donegal. >click to read< 11:49
From salt cod to silver darlings, how Shetland became a fishing powerhouse
It was Monday, 16 July, 1832, and for the fishermen on the east side of Shetland, the idyllic summer scene, one of the most beautiful mornings of the summer so far meant conditions were perfect for heading for the open sea, on the hunt for cod. Barely eaten by Scots today, dried, salted fish was once a staple part of the national diet and a massive export business, demand was at a peak from Spain and Portugal. What the fishermen on Shetland’s east coast did not realise on that July day, however, was a heavy Atlantic swell had formed to the west – often an ominous sign of a severe storm on the way. The storm raged for five days, putting the entire fleet in jeopardy and picking off one sixern after the next. >click to read< 10:33
Provincial Government Condemns Addition of Snow Crab and Lobster to Seafood Watch ‘Avoid’ List
The Provincial Government has said a decision by the organization Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch that adds snow crab and lobster harvested in Newfoundland and Labrador to the group’s “avoid’ list is unwarranted and irresponsible. The US-based organization recently released an updated seafood rating that placed North American lobster and Canadian snow crab in the ’avoid’ category. Some retailers and consumers in North America and worldwide use these rankings to help make seafood buying decisions. The listing is based on the potential impact for North Atlantic Right Whales to become entangled in fishing gear. >click to read< 10:01
East Coast lobster harvest sustainable, according to non-profit’s criteria — but a Seafood Watch report advises consumers to avoid it
A recent report by a California-based seafood assessment group has the East Coast lobster industry seeing red. While Seafood Watch has put lobster on its “red list” and recommend consumers avoid it, lobster fisheries in most areas of Atlantic Canada have been certified sustainable by another group that has significant credentials in the business of seafood accreditation. In existence for about 25 years, the Marine Stewardship Council is a global non-profit organization that works to end overfishing around the world. Catherine Pigeon-Dubeau, fisheries and commercial manager for MSC in Eastern Canada, said the last review of the East Coast lobster fishery was in July of this year, and the Blue Label certification remains in place. >click to read< 14:10
Berried lobster catches could force ban on fishermen
Shetland will enforce Scotland’s first ban on landing egg-bearing lobsters in a conservation move driven by local fishermen. The new regulation agreed by the Shetland Shellfish Management Organisation outlaws the practice of boats keeping so-called berried lobsters, which carry many thousands of eggs. SSMO say that preventing the removal of these lobsters will help protect the spawning stock needed for a sustainable fishery. SSMO inshore co-ordinator John Robertson said: “This ban is seen by many fishermen as a positive way they can boost stocks in the absence of a lobster hatchery in Shetland. “It was the fishermen who called for the ban and they backed it in a vote conducted last year by the SSMO. >click to read< 13:10
Spanish mackerel catch quota reduction ‘catastrophic’ for north Queensland fishers, industry says
New quotas that will dramatically reduce the number of Spanish mackerel commercial fishers can catch will “devastate” the industry, according to north Queensland fishers. The Queensland government has unveiled a suite of changes that slash the total catch quota for the state from 570 tonnes to 165 tonnes for commercial fishers. Chloe Bauer’s family business, Bowen Fisherman Seafood Company, has been supplying Spanish mackerel to restaurants up and down the Queensland coast for 40 years. She said the new quotas would “devastate” the industry. >click to read< 11:22
Naming ceremony for new fishing vessels held at Macduff
A special naming ceremony took place on the quays of Macduff Harbour celebrating the building of two new fishing trawlers – Endeavour V and Venture IV. Owned and operated by Whitehills-based brothers Peter and Mark Lovie and partners, these trawlers have the distinction of being the largest produced by Macduff Shipyards to date. The memorable day was organised by the Lovie family and included a large group of guests including many of the businesses involved in both the building and operation of the vessels. Photos, >click to read< 10:03
Fisherman forfeits boat after entering guilty pleas
A fishing company and its director will forfeit a fishing boat after entering guilty pleas in court on Tuesday. A lawyer acting for Cando Fishing Ltd. and its director Campbell McManaway entered guilty pleas to Fisheries Act and Fisheries Regulations charges in the Invercargill District Court on Tuesday. The company admitted 11 charges related to exceedingly long set nets, selling fish contrary to law, and record keeping. McManaway pleaded guilty to five charges related to failing to provide reports and omitting information from reports. >click to read< 13:48
Biologist’s concern as lobster eggs ‘turn to slime’ off Yorkshire coast
Joe Redfern, manager of Whitby Lobster Hatchery, said stress may have caused the lobsters to release eggs prematurely but “but nobody seems to really have a definite answer”. “It’s not something I’ve seen before. It’s not like anything any of the fishermen have seen before, which is concerning,” he said. Samples have been sent to the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture for analysis, after the eggs were found in Whitby and Hartlepool. It comes almost a year after dead lobsters and crabs began washing ashore in Yorkshire and the North East, but Mr Redfern said he does not want to jump to conclusions and claim there is any link to the mass die off until the analysis has been completed. >click to read< 10:27
Fishing Fleet Brexit Voluntary Permanent Cessation Scheme Open for Applications
The purpose of the scheme is to restore balance between the fishing fleet capacity and available quotas following quota reductions arising from the Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the EU and the UK. The scheme follows from a recommendation of the Seafood Task Force, established by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue TD, in 2021. The scheme will support vessels in the polyvalent and beam trawl segments to permanently cease all fishing activity, increasing the quota available for remaining vessels, and thereby ensuring the sustainable profitability of the Irish fishing fleet. >click to read< 08:34
Maine’s lobster industry and its supporters are fighting back after Seafood Watch placed lobster on a list
Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch on Sept. 5 added the U.S. lobster fishery to a “red list” of seafood to avoid because it’s harvested in ways that are likely to harm wildlife or the environment. American lobster was included because of the risk that endangered North Atlantic right whales can become entangled in vertical lobstering lines. Fourteen types of seafood were added to the list. Members and supporters of the Maine lobster industry, which landed 108 million pounds of lobster in 2021 at a value of $735 million, immediately denounced the listing as unfair. No right whale deaths can be attributed to Maine gear, the industry backers said, and there have been no documented entanglements in Maine gear since 2004. >click to read< 19:17
Fishermen Unable to Sustain Rocketing Fuel Costs
The Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO) has called for immediate political action to alleviate the soaring cost of fuel which has many fishermen on the brink and is causing untold hardship and anxiety for the industry. Chief Executive, Seán O’Donoghue said that the Irish Government has been given approval for such a support scheme for the sector, which is already in place in many other EU member states. Governments in those countries have acted swiftly to provide a beleaguered industry with financial support to offset the huge spike in fuel costs. >click to read< 13:14
The day the Queen came to Hull’s Fish Dock
As the Royal train steamed slowly into the station, the sun shone suddenly through the grey clouds and misty rain that had darkened the day. The Queen’s first visit to Hull was made on Saturday May 18, 1957, and accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, she was cheered every step of the way. The city was the departure point for the Royal Yacht Britannia for the couple’s state visit to Denmark, but before that they spent a total of seven hours in the city. A highlight of the tour was a trip to the (St Andrew’s) Fish Dock. Bobbers were discharging the catch of the trawler Princess Elizabeth, and Prince Philip jumped from the dock on to the deck of the vessel to watch the fish being hauled out of the hold. >click to read< 21:11
Greenpeace UK blocked in Poole Harbour ahead of protest
Greenpeace UK has been thwarted in their attempts to extend its boulder barrier in the South West Deeps to block industrial fishing, which it says damages marine habitats by dragging heavy nets across the seafloor. On Thursday, September 8, activists and crew members attempting to load eight more boulders onto the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise while docked at Poole Quay were blocked after threats of legal action were allegedly made by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). It is understood, after the MMO liaised with Poole Harbour Commissioners, the gates to Bulwark Quay where the ship is berthed were locked. >click to read< 09:00
FFAW Responds to Seafood Watch “Avoid” Placement of Snow Crab, Norther American Lobster
The FFAW is responding to the US-based Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch which has placed North American lobster and Canadian snow crab among seafood species to “avoid.” The reason is based on the potential impact of gear on the North Atlantic right whale which is prone to entanglements with surface gear. The Fisheries Union says the North Atlantic right whale is not commonly found in waters around Newfoundland and Labrador. According to the union, there have only been three sightings of North Atlantic right whales in waters around this province in the last number of years, and no reports of entanglements. >click to read< 07:59
Despite Crisis, Argentinian Yard Delivers Three Artisanal Boats
Astillero Vanoli Aloncar, a shipyard based in the Argentinian port of Necochea that resumed operations a couple of years ago after a long period of inactivity, is about to launch three new boats, despite the country’s economic challenges. The three new boats have a 9.90-metre length, which is the maximum length for artisanal boats in Rawson. Don Matute and Nuestra Señora de Itatí 2 have exactly the same design. Natanael has a few differences in the arrangement of the wheelhouse and has an open bow section. Photos, >click to read< 18:37
Atlantic Canada snow crab sales slowed to a crawl in 2022 according to latest export data
In 2021 crab fishing crews landed just over 39,000 metric tonnes. With an average price of $7.36 per pound the landed value that season was $623 million. There were expectations that N.L. harvesters might land a billion dollars’ worth of crab in 2022, thanks to record high prices of $7.60 at the start of the season, and DFO’s decision to increase the overall quota by 32 percent. However, global financial uncertainty precipitated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the end of virus economic stimulus packages in the United States and rising interest rates, lead to consumers scratching high priced seafood from their grocery lists. Just over a month into the season snow crab prices plummeted. >click to read< 12:37
Lobster prices up slightly 3 weeks after protest
Lobster prices have rebounded a bit as the fishing season nears the halfway point in the Northumberland Strait area. Fishermen are now getting about $6/pound for their catches, said Luc LeBlanc of the Maritime Fishermen’s Union. That’s up from about $4.50 a few weeks ago, when hundreds of fishermen from along the east coast of New Brunswick protested in Shediac. Some of them said they would not be going out fishing because it would cost them more than they would get paid to do so. Most are fishing, however, because they need the cash flow. >click to read< 07:49
Seafaring Community Mourns Death of Queen Elizabeth II
MARITIME charities and the shipping community are mourning the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday. Queen Elizabeth II was the patron of more than 500 charitable organisations including Mission to Seafarers, The Seafarers’ Charity and the Sailor’s Society. She is today being remembered for her service to the maritime community and to the welfare of seafarers. The Merchant Navy Welfare Board paid tribute with a message highlighting the Queen’s work as Master of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets. >click to read< 06:59
Seafood more nutritious, produces fewer greenhouse gases than beef or pork, study finds
There is more evidence that seafood is a healthier and more environmentally friendly option than beef, pork and chicken, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Communications Earth and Environment. The authors assessed the nutritional content in dozens of globally important seafood species and the carbon emissions produced to harvest them and compared the results to the big three land-based proteins. The study developed a “nutrient density” score for 41 seafood species by measuring 21 beneficial nutrients like vitamins, fatty acids and protein in the edible portion of the species. It also measured less desirable contents like saturated fats and sodium. For 34 of those species, the authors were able to quantify carbon emissions per kilogram. >click to read< 15:20
New Build: Raising the Bar with Space and Comfort
The first impression is that there’s plenty of space on board, and Winter of Ladram really does have far more room to work and carry gear than any conventional crabber in the UK fleet. The working deck forward is enclosed under a shelterdeck that feels like a ballroom, with room to stack pots six high and a surprising amount of overhead height. Nobody’s going to have to worry about banging their head here. ‘This is a unique design and a new take on the south-west crabber, with much more security and comfort for the crew. This is a new generation of vessel. It also has ten berths on board so there’s space for researchers and others.’ Photos, >click to read< 13:21
Yorkshire fisherman says his livelihood is being ‘devastated’ by mass deaths
James Cole, Chair of Whitby Commercial Fishing Association, has been talking about the serious impact the crisis has had on the fishing industry. He said: “It has had a devastating effect on the turnover of shellfish from Whitby and Hartlepool as well.” One particular feature of the crisis has been the lack of brown crabs which have been “absolutely devastated” in number. Velvet Crabs, which Mr Cole says are a food source for many animals which live close to the shore have been “more or less wiped out on the shore grounds”. The government has said the mass deaths were caused by a “naturally occurring harmful algal bloom”,,, >click to read< 10:35
“I don’t think they understand that we’re being mislabeled. We are sustainable.”
The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California has a Seafood Watch program that rates U.S. and Canadian fisheries on their sustainability. The watchdog group just red listed American lobster fisheries in Maine, advising consumers, retailers and restaurants to avoid purchasing lobster from Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. The report claims that lobster gear poses a risk to the endangered North Atlantic right whale. It’s an assessment that lobstermen say is unfair and inaccurate. “We’re marking our gear different from everybody else,” said lobsterman Steve Train. “So you can tell it’s not happening. We are meeting the goal.” Video, >click to read< 07:45
Fishing boat erupted into fiery blaze as Navy step in to rescue crew
Extraordinary footage shows the Colombian Navy rescuing 29 crew members from a burning Venezuelan-flagged fishing boat. The tuna vessel was being held in the Port of Buenaventura, in Colombia, when the fire broke out on Monday night (September 5), days after allegedly being caught illegally fishing in a protected area. It is suspected an electrical short circuit in the kitchen caused the blaze. The navy sent two rapid response teams to evacuate the crew of 14 Venezuelans, five Mexicans, five Colombians, two Ecuadorians, and one Costa Rican. Photos, video, >click to read< 17:24
