Category Archives: Mid Atlantic
Fishermen feel “railroaded” – Standoff at sea sours fishermen, US Wind relations
After an on the water standoff between commercial fisherman Jimmy Hahn and a US Wind survey boat, Rep. Andy Harris met with area fisherman to discuss encroachment into fishing areas. The closed meeting Wednesday, also attended by state Sen. Mary Beth Carozza, included more than 12 fishermen primarily from Ocean City,, “If these wind mills are allowed to be placed out here, we’re out of business. You’ll no longer see any fresh seafood coming into Ocean City,” Hahn said.,, “It means a great deal having Rep. Harris listen,” he said. “You have to have someone to speak up. We’re just getting railroaded and we don’t have any say at all.” >click to read< 14:50
Truck Beach Trespassing Cases May Head Out of Town
Attorneys for oceanfront property owners along what is popularly known as Truck Beach on Napeague have convinced a New York State Supreme Court judge to move the trespassing violations of 14 East Hampton Town residents from the town justice court to the Suffolk County Supreme Court. A hearing in justice court was to happen yesterday., “I can only describe this as the absolute height of bullying tactics,” Dan Rodgers, an attorney representing some of the fishermen,,, >click to read< 09:28
Watermen Meet Elected Reps Over Conflict – Conch Pots Destroyed By Offshore Wind Farm Survey Vessel
Last week, a US Wind vessel surveying offshore was outside the designated lease area and ran through a setup of conch pots and destroyed some of the commercial vessel’s equipment. Captain Jimmy Hahn, whose conch pots were destroyed, briefly confronted the survey boat Emma McCall,,, US Wind representatives explained how the survey vessel was out of the lease area and ran over the pots accidentally. For his part, Hahn believes the incident was a symptom of a much larger issue that is only going to get worse. Last week’s incident has captured the attention of the area’s elected officials. On Wednesday, U.S. Congressman Andy Harris and Senator Mary Beth Carozza held a closed-door meeting with local watermen.>click to read< 12:30
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 42′ OEM Lobster Boat, 500HP Lugger
To review specifications, information, with 7 photos, >click here< , To see all the boats in this series >click here< 11:05
Observations from the Albatross IV Correctional Cruise by Captain Jim Lovgren
Five New England fishermen and myself met at Woods Hole Ma. On the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2002, to board the N.O.A.A. Research Vessel Albatross IV. The other fishermen were Jim Odlin, Sam Novello, Bud Fernandes, Matt Stommel, and Steve Lee. We met with Steve Murawski, (who did not go out on the trip) and with Henry Milliken, and Russell Brown who were in charge of reviewing the fishing and filming of this short cruise. Individually we walked around the vessel and checked out the net and gear. As I was the last fisherman to arrive, the gear, (which was laying on the deck) had already been closely scrutinized by the other fishermen, and some problems had been identified. >click to read< 08:04
Jim Kendall – Finding Common Ground
With regard to the letter from Sam Novello posted on Fisherynation.com, Finding Common Ground off to a Bad Start, he very eloquently laid out some of the faults, errors, and out and out incompetence of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center with respect to their continued mismanagement of the Northeast fisheries stock assessments. I know from past work and associations with the NEFSC that this has been going on for so long that they likely now believe their own Mantra about their science being the best (and only way) in which to compile the NE groundfish stock assessment. Unfortunately groundfish is not their only problematic stock assessment. >click to read< 16:32
New Jersey: Offshore Wind Farm Project Generates Debate
An open house in Ocean City on Saturday to discuss the pros and cons of an offshore wind project, proposed for 15 miles off the South Jersey coast, evoked interest, concerns, questions, opposition and support. Concerns over how the project could affect tourism, the visual impact of the massive wind turbines offshore, and what it would do to marine life, migratory birds and the commercial fishing industry were raised by several speakers. photos, 3:25 minute video, >click to read< 12:01
Biden’s Offshore Wind Farm Target Will Increase Costs, Reduce Reliability
Congress passed the first temporary production tax credit for wind in 1992 and extended it 13 times since then. The Democrat’s reconciliation package contains about $235 billion in incentives for wind and solar,,, The reconciliation package Build Back Better would make the PTC and investment tax credit direct payments, instead of a tax credit against any taxes owed. That is, renewable energy developers would receive a check from the government for the subsidy. Further, solar, which has long qualified for an investment tax credit but not the production tax credit available to wind, would now qualify for both. The legislation would also restore the PTC and ITC to their original values as follows: >click to read< 14:41
The U.S. is hungry for seafood, but more industrial aquaculture is not the answer
An often cited statistic to prove the need for industrial aquaculture is that as a country, we import as much as 90% of the seafood we consume. A lesser-known fact is that U.S. seafood exports have grown to record levels over the past decade. Rather than allowing destructive fish farming practices that can pollute our environment and displace commercial fishing in our markets, we should support our domestic fishing communities, so they can sell more of the higher-quality wild-caught seafood we produce here at home. Right now, megacorporation’s are pushing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies to gut existing regulations and fast-track permit approvals to build new floating factory fish farms and control even more of the seafood market. >click to read< 14:11
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 42′ H&H Lobster Boat, 750HP John Deere
To review specifications, information, with 62 photos, >click here< , To see all the boats in this series >click here< 11:00
Coast Guard medevacs a crewmember from a fishing vessel near Manasquan, New Jersey
The Coast Guard medevaced a fisherman Monday morning approximately 46 miles east of Manasquan. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received a call from the captain of a fishing vessel that a crewmember was losing and regaining consciousness while having difficulty breathing. A Coast Guard Air Station MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew was launched to medevac the crewmember after it was determined that weather conditions would not allow for a boatcrew to safely transfer him ashore. The aircrew arrived on scene, hoisted the crewmember, and transported him to Atlantic Care Hospital in Atlantic City. The vessel has been identified as F/V John and Nicholas. USCG 5th District, Mid-Atlantic, 14:03
In a bayman’s death is a lesson
On a summer day in August, a memorial was held at Green River Cemetery in Springs for a man named Dan King, who had died in North Carolina in April 2020. Dan grew up in the Springs section of East Hampton, where his family had roots going back three centuries to the first European settlers. Dan was a fisherman, specifically a member of the haul-seining community. That’s a method of fishing in which dories are launched from the beach into the surf and nets are spread out to encircle schools of striped bass that are then winched onto the shore. The Kings had done it for generations, as had members of the Lester family. >click to read< 13:09
Amid Hamptons Mansions, East End Fishermen Beat On Against The Tide
On Gosman’s dock in Montauk, seagulls hovering above, I was greeted by the smells of gasoline and fish as I walked on the worn, white-speckled planks. The water looked invitingly blue, and a group of fishermen were readying their vessel for a day’s work. One of the fishermen and I exchanged nods. A cigarette hung from his lips and he wore heavy work gloves, thick orange waders with suspenders and a greasy baseball cap. The romanticized life of Montauk fisherman seeped into my head,,, >click to read< 10:48
Blown Away: Tucker Carlson Exposes How Wind Energy Is Destroying Landscapes, Jobs
In the episode, “Blown Away: The People Vs Wind Power,” Carlson and his production crew uncover the human cost of wind energy, traveling across the country to find out how turbines have the capability to decimate wildlife and, in turn, peoples livelihood. Three months into his presidency, Joe Biden issued permits to foreign companies for a massive 160,000-acre wind farm, known as Vineyard Wind 1, off the coast of Rhode Island. Rather than tinker with Barack Obama’s scenic view in Martha’s Vineyard, the government decided to place the wind farm 15 miles off the coast. The area is home to one of the most productive fisheries in the country. video, >click to read<. a little more >here<15:01
Opinion: Federal rules are sinking Maine’s lobster industry
As a lifelong Maine lobsterman, I understand the inherent dangers of my job. I keep watch on the forecast knowing that sudden weather changes can make the difference between a successful day at work and putting my crew’s life at risk. These days, however, the hazard posed by Mother Nature does not compare with the perfect storm of regulations coming out of Washington that threaten my job, our way of life and may eventually sink a fishery that has supported communities and generations of families here in Maine. By Kristan Porter >click to read< 15:18
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 65′ Fiberglass Longliner, with Federal Permits
To review specifications, information, with 8 photos, >click here< , To see all the boats in this series >click here< 12:35
Fishermen cited for trespassing at Amagansett’s Truck Beach
Fourteen East Hampton Town fishermen were cited for trespassing on an Amagansett beach on Sunday during an act of civil disobedience they hope will serve as a test case for beach access rights. Attorney Dan Rodgers said he will represent those who were issued summonses when they return to town justice court on Oct. 27 and will argue they were allowed to be there. “I can tell you this, the baymen and women that I represent are going to fight like hell,,, >click to read< 08:51
Experts Slam Biden’s Plan To Build Taxpayer-Funded Offshore Wind Farms
Energy experts criticized President Joe Biden’s plan to prioritize wind farms, arguing wind power is costly, inefficient, and indirectly produces greenhouse gas emissions.,, On average, however, offshore wind produces just 45% of its energy capacity,,, “It is amazing that they’re touting wind at the very time when the EU is going through an energy crisis, in which they’re shutting down factories, fertilizer production, agricultural processing because their wind isn’t working,” ,,,“That the Biden administration is out there touting it and we want to go in the same direction they’ve gone in, I don’t know, you can’t make this stuff up,” >click to read< 21:08 Britain to Downgrade Renewables, Embrace Nuclear Power – In the wake of Britain’s recent catastrophic wind drought, the Boris Johnson administration appears set to embrace nuclear power as their main strategy for achieving net zero. >click to read<
How Valuable Is FishNet-USA?
The question should actually be “how much is FishNet USA worth to you?” I’ve been writing stuff for the commercial fishing industry for over three decades. That’s a lot of words, and I suspect that no one who is on the present distribution list, who has read my columns in National Fishermen or on Saving Seafood, or has FishNet issues forwarded to them from someone on the list has not benefitted from some of them. Thanks to the Covid mess, and also thanks to what seemed to me to be some philosophical differences between me and some prior sponsors who were part of a commercial fishing consortium that was trying to get into the windmill business, my industry support has dwindled down to the point where the funds coming in just about cover my internet/telecommunications costs. Unlike just about all of our domestic fisheries, this is not sustainable. >click to read< By Nils Stolpe 16:26
East Hampton Town Baymen Will Resume Truck Beach Civil Disobedience
East Hampton Town baymen are planning a second act of civil disobedience on Sunday morning at a stretch of ocean beach on Napeague commonly known as Truck Beach,,, “The baymen are planning an event,” Daniel Rodgers, an attorney representing several of them, told The Star. “Going forward, they have alerted all interested parties to continue to use the beach as normal, on a daily basis as well as weekends. They intend to make their point until someone is arrested.” >click to read< 12:26
F/V Bear still stuck in the sand at Island Beach State Park
A 68-foot fishing boat named Bear was (remains) stuck in the sand Thursday morning after it ran aground at the southern end of Island Beach State Park overnight, according to the Coast Guard. Sometime Wednesday night, watchstanders at the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received a report through VHF Channel 16 of a grounded fishing boat in the sand with three people aboard, officials said. Video, 20 photos, >click to read< 09:42
Offshore Wind Farms: As turbines rise, small-scale fishermen have the most to lose
David Aripotch is 65, a weathered man with gray hair, just tall enough to see over the helm. He has been fishing for almost a half-century, but he still gets excited every time the net is lifted from the ocean. It’s all the other things that eat at him. The federal fishing quotas that sometimes make him steam as far south as North Carolina to catch fish he can find off Long Island. The mind-boggling expenses of running a fishing boat: $5,000 a month for insurance, $30,000 for a new net, $60,000 for a paint job. Worst of all are the wind farms. “There’s so many things going against you as a commercial fisherman in the United States,” he said. “And now these wind farms, it’s almost like that’s the final nail in the coffin.” >click to read< (2nd article of 2 parts, >part 1<) 09:20
Biden plans to expand offshore wind farms to all US coasts
The Biden administration has unveiled plans to expand offshore wind energy farms in a move that could see turbines built along much of the US coastline.,,, The plan is expected to meet a backlash from some coastal and fishing communities, and it needs approval from state, local and environmental groups before any construction begins. Commercial fishing companies have argued such offshore wind projects would make it difficult to harvest valuable seafood species, like lobsters. Some conservation groups also fear the large turbines will kill thousands of birds and affect marine life. >click to read< 08:31
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 50′ Duffy Scalloper with limited access – part time small dredge
To review specifications, information, with 31 photos, >click here< , To see all the boats in this series >click here< 11:32
F/V Bear Update: Drone Footage Shows Grounded Boat Taking a Beating
A bird’s-eye view of the the fishing vessel F/V Bear, a 68-foot scallop boat that became grounded at Island Beach State Park over the weekend, spent another day at the mercy of the waves as crews have yet to be able to free her. In the meantime, new drone footage posted by a YouTuber known as SuazOnn shows the sheer scale of the weight that must be hauled in order to refloat the vessel, which was built in 1984. Video, photos, >click to read< 09:38
New Jersey: Grounded Fishing Boat Still on the Beach
The fishing vessel F/V Bear, a 68-foot boat built in 1984, according to a federal registration database, remained in the surf zone and led to the closure of an area of the park to vehicles and anglers Sunday. State officials closed Area 23 of the park due to concerns over high tides and strong winds Sunday into Monday. “If the boat shifts position, it may create safety and access issues if the boat turns perpendicular to shore,” an announcement said. Video, >click to read< 08:03
Fishing Vessel: Engine Room Only Shutoff Valve Let Fire Spread
Fuel shutoff valves outside the engine room might have stopped a fire that destroyed a shrimp boat after an explosion off Louisiana last year, federal investigators say. Other shrimpers saw the smoke and rescued all four people from the F/V Master Dylan. But the $300,000 boat was a total loss, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a report issued Tuesday. The report said one of the boat’s two generators exploded while the crew was shrimping off Port Fourchon about 7:45 a.m. on Dec. 1. The boat was registered in Louisiana but had left Port Arthur, Texas on Nov. 29. The captain emptied a fire extinguisher into the engine room without diminishing the blaze. >click to read< 15:14
Tanker/Whale Strike Update: ENGO says number of whales killed by ships each year in the 1000s
We posted a story about a 32-foot whale carcass was found wedged on the bow of a Japanese tanker as it pulled into harbour. Shocking images, wasn’t much there. The article today has information that is useful to commercial fishermen trying to survive the ridiculous, engo inspired rules regarding fishery restrictions, and rule changes. Ship strikes are known to be one of the leading causes of death for endangered and vulnerable whale populations, according to WWF. Michael Fishbach, executive director and co-founder of the Great Whale Conservancy, an environmental NGO based in North Carolina, told Insider that a dozen whales are killed by a ship for each one that is recorded. >click to read< 10:46
Commercial Fishing Vessel Aground on New Jersey Beach
A 10:00 p.m. a witness noticed a fishing vessel run aground on Island Beach State Park in Area 23. The witness stated that is appeared the the vessel lost power and drifted onto shore. According to other sources there were three aboard and no injuries reported. The vessel is marked “Bear” and home port appears to be Barnegat Light, NJ, photos, video, >click to read< 07:27
Another Stab in the Back
Reinstatement of excluding commercial fishing in Obama’s Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument by Joe Biden is another stab in our backs. It will hurt fishermen from Maine to Rhode Island. As if we don’t have enough problems with losing ground. Lobstermen and crab fishermen will also be excluded in 2023. A huge mistake has been made, based on the lack of evidence that fishermen have damaged reefs, corals, or hurt any whales. I fished those waters for twenty years, and never saw a piece of coral. The depth is 2.000 feet, but we’d set our nets at 600 feet, never touching bottom. This situation is not good, and will put more fishermen out of business. I don’t know what can be done to overturn this, but something needs to be done. Sam Parisi, Gloucester, Mass. 16:17
A Proclamation on Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. >click to read<
