Category Archives: Mid Atlantic
New York fishes for information in offshore wind research
NYSERDA President and CEO Alicia Barton said: “As New York becomes the national epicentre for the US offshore wind industry, we continue to undertake evidence-based environmental and commercial fishing related research to help us advance offshore wind development in a way that is sensitive to the environment, ocean and the economy.,,, The state intends to use evidence-based environmental and commercial fishing related research to help advance offshore wind development. In other words, bend over! >click to read<12:34
New York picks five projects to advance responsible development of offshore wind – The selected projects include, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) and others, Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), Biodiversity Research Institute, Ecology and Environment, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Approximately $2 million was made available as part of this competitive solicitation for projects in one of five categories: >click to read<
New England/Mid Atlantic: Public Scoping Meetings for Modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan
We will be conducting eight scoping meetings this month in anticipation of preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. We are requesting comments on management options particularly including information about operational challenges, time, and costs required to modify gear by changing configurations such as traps per trawl to reduce endline numbers, installing new line or sleeves and by expanding gear marking requirements. Thursday, August 8, 2019 – Narragansett, RI, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday, August 12, 2019 – Machias, ME, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. >click to read< 19:37
FISH & MEN: A film on the High Cost of Cheap Fish
We hope the fishing families and pioneers featured in this film will inspire a movement,,, For centuries, cod fed the world and helped build a nation. Nowhere was that more so than in Gloucester, Massachusetts – America’s oldest fishing port. But, today all that has changed… From California to Maine, small fishing communities struggle to survive. The iconic American fisherman is in a perfect storm of foreign competition, erratic regulations and rising costs. Trailer, photo’s, of some of the best people on the planet. Please support this effort. >click to read< 14:51
73% Of Sea Turtles Killed In 2019 Died From Vessel Strikes: AMCS
A startling number of sea turtle deaths in local waters have been attributed to vessel strikes, a new report says. The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society said, so far in 2019, the organization has responded to 168 marine mammals, including whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea turtles that have stranded on New York shores. Sea turtles specifically, which share area waters in the warmer months, have been significantly impacted by humans, with 73% having been struck and killed by marine vessels from the East End of Long Island into New York City,,, >click to read< 13:00
2018 Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries
Number of US fish stocks at sustainable levels remains near record high – Today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released the Status of U.S. Fisheries Annual Report to Congress, which details the status of 479 federally-managed stocks or stock complexes in the U.S. to identify which stocks are subject to overfishing, are overfished, or are rebuilt to sustainable levels. >click here to read a rundown of the report< To read the report, 2018 Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries >click here< 15:26
New England: Public Scoping Meetings for Modifications to Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan
We will be conducting eight scoping meetings this month in anticipation of preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. We are requesting comments on management options particularly including information about operational challenges, time, and costs required to modify gear by changing configurations such as traps per trawl to reduce endline numbers, installing new line or sleeves and by expanding gear marking requirements. >click for time and location details< 12:46
R.I. delegation raises concerns with speed of offshore wind review
Why the rush? Avangrid CEO Jim Torgerson spelled it out to investors on a call last week: To take advantage of an expiring federal tax credit, Vineyard Wind needs to be operational in 2021. If the nation’s first major offshore wind farm doesn’t get off the ground, there will be plenty of finger-pointing to go around. Some may be pointed at Rhode Island’s congressional delegation. The state’s two senators and two representatives sent a letter on July 12 to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, expressing concerns about how the federal agency has handled the review of offshore wind development. In particular, they want BOEM to be more sensitive to potential conflicts with fishermen and marine life. (They also want the agency to open a regional office in Rhode Island.) >click to read< 10:43
ASMFC: New England/Mid Atlantic – Lobster Trap Transfer Program for Fishing Year 2020
We are considering future changes to the federal lobster regulations as recommended by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. These changes include the use of a control date to limit the number of traps or lobster permits a federal permit holder can have in Areas 2 and 3. Any new measures could impact your trap allocations as early as fishing year 2021. We are also discussing potential measures that would minimize threats to North Atlantic right whales. You should stay informed of potential changes, and know that you transfer traps at your own risk and subject to these new potential regulations. >click to read< 10:14
Entangled Whale Prompts Criticism Of Gill Nets
The small whale that was freed from a commercial fishing net after becoming entangled off Sagaponack last week has prompted community concern about the safety of the type of fishing nets it had encountered. “Whales and dolphins get caught in these nets all the time,” said George Mittendorf, a Wainscott resident and amateur sporting fisherman. (expert witness?) >click to read< 09:28
Offshore Wind: Cuomo’s incredible wind-power pander
Flanked by former veep and climate-crusader Al Gore, Gov. Andrew Cuomo last week signed a wide-ranging “climate-action” bill. He also announced that New Yorkers would subsidize construction of more than 200 wind turbines off New York City and Long Island — one of the biggest efforts of its kind in the United States — all in the name of reducing the state’s carbon emissions to “net zero” in about 30 years. Amid what he described as the “chaos of political pandering and hyperbole” surrounding the issue of climate change, Cuomo portrayed his plan as grounded in “facts, data and evidence.” >click to read<09:14
Coast Guard medevacs man from fishing vessel north of Montauk Point, N.Y.
A Coast Guard boatcrew medically evacuated a 50-year old man from a fishing boat near Montauk Point, New York, Sunday afternoon. At approximately 4:10 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound command center received notification stating a crewmember aboard fishing boat Blackhawk was experiencing chest pains and in and out of consciousness. >click to read< 20:39
America’s got scallops: Catch is up, consumers shelling out
America’s harvest of scallops is increasing to near-record levels at a time when the shellfish are in high demand and the value of the fishery has surged in recent years. Sea scallops, harvested mostly by boats from the cold Atlantic Ocean, are the target of one of the most valuable fisheries in America. New data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the harvest topped 58.2 million pounds last year, the highest total since 2011 and the fifth-highest in history according to federal statistics going back to 1945. >click to read< 15:30
Inside Montauk’s commercial fishing industry
Montauk is not only the biggest commercial fishing hub in New York, it’s one of the largest in the Northeast.,,, Unlike Gurneys’ or the iconic Shagwong Tavern, Montauk’s commercial fishing boats don’t attract investors eager to keep their businesses afloat, and their property (boats, gear and permits) is not easily transferable from one person to another.,,, John Nolan, his wife, Laurie, and their son John Nolan III are owner-operators of the F/V Seacapture,,, >click to read< 07:35
To the Gloucester Fish Commission, I propose that you request Markey and Warren vote in favor of this new bill
MSA Reauthorization: To the Gloucester Fish Commission, I am asking you to vote in favor of H.R. 3697, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, co-sponsored by Congressman Don Young, and Congressman Jeff Van Drew.,,, I propose to you that you request that Senator Ed Markey, and Senator Liz Warren vote in favor of this new bill, and that they recognize the importance that the agency they fund, use other credible science from other sources, such as SMAST, and fisherman funded science. The agency holds all the cards, and by law does not have to consider any other science at all, let alone the what really could be the best available that is excluded by NOAA, by default. This is unacceptable moving forward. By Sam Parisi >click to read< 14:35
Bend Over! – Critics Say Wind Farm Rates Constitute Price Gouging
There are a lot of ways to deflect the criticism, but really none to refute it: The South Fork Wind Farm will charge higher rates for the power it generates — three to five times more than its parent company, Ørsted/Deepwater, will charge in nearby markets. Despite complaints from all sides, freedom of information requests, and now a lawsuit, neither the Long Island Power Authority nor Ørsted have shed any light on the matter. East Hampton Town doesn’t even know the cost per kilowatt-hour ratepayers will be charged. In fact, though, every ratepayer in the PSEG/LIPA system will pay for the wind power generated, and the power will not be earmarked for East Hampton, as many at first believed, but for the entire grid. >click to read< 19:40
New England Joins Mid-Atlantic to Require eVTRs for Vessels with Federal Commercial Permits for Council-Managed Species
The New England Fishery Management Council is taking steps to bring all commercial fishermen who hold federal permits for Council-managed species into the digital age by requiring vessel trip reports (VTRs) to be submitted electronically instead of on paper. These electronic reports are known as eVTRs, and this proposed action will apply to all of the Council’s fishery management plans. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) has been working since December of 2018 on a Commercial eVTR Omnibus Framework Actionthat would apply to all vessels with federal commercial permits for MAFMC-managed species, which include,,, >click to read< 17:41
Developer: We won’t pursue wind farm in waters off Hamptons
The developer of one of the largest of three proposed wind farms contemplated for the waters off the Hamptons has withdrawn its tentative plan in favor of sites to the west, and is urging the federal government to restrict turbines from East End waters, according to the Germany-based developer’s top U.S. official.,, Bill White, managing director of East Wind LLC, a subsidiary of EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, said Friday the decision to withdraw and recommend against development off the Hamptons was primarily related to concerns about impacts on fishing. >click to read<10:08
Vinnie Grimes Is Montauk’s Fishing Legend of the Year – 90-year-old started Blessing of the Fleet in 1955
In 1951 when Vincent Grimes witnessed a ceremonial blessing of various boats while serving in the Navy at Port Hueneme in Southern California, it made a lasting impression. “During the Korean War, I was stationed out there and I thought it was a very touching moment to see the boats blessed by members of the clergy,” said the 90-year-old Montauker, who is known as Vinnie. He stored that emotional memory for future use. “Given how well it was done, I thought it would be nice if we did something similar here in Montauk,” he said last week, and so, thanks to Mr. Grimes, the annual Montauk Blessing of the Fleet was born in 1955. >click to read< 16:49
Consultant: State should not renew licenses if commercial fishermen can’t show minimum income
New York commercial fishermen would be barred from renewing their licences if they could not prove three years income at $15,000 a year under a recommendation by a state consultant. About three dozen fishermen attended the meeting at Stoney Brook University Tuesday night, where response to the recommendations, one of a series of proposals by consultant George Lapointe, was mixed and sometimes heated,,, >click to read<
Todays Offshore Wind Farm Propaganda (from a real pro) – NOIA: VA Offshore Wind is a Win for Americans
NOIA President Randall Luthi issued the following statement after Dominion Energy and its partner Ørsted began construction of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) Project: “This research project will also help all regulators and other ocean users understand,,, >click to read< Its sickening, but, who is this guy? Well connected, and we’ll see a lot of present and former insiders drifting in for the big feed at the Wind Farm Trough. >click to read<11:51
Chesapeake crab count up, but fewer watermen catching them
Stocks of blue crab in the Chesapeake Bay are up from last year by an estimated 60 percent, the best it’s been in six years, according to a group of experts from state and federal agencies and academic institutions. “The winter dredge survey results indicate a strong year ahead for blue crab,”,,, And while that’s good news for watermen, there are fewer of them actually out fishing for crabs in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. >click to read< 18:48
Fight Against Atlantic Menhaden Certification Moves to Next Round
The objections raised by sportfishing groups in opposition to certification of the industrial Atlantic menhaden fishery as a “sustainable fishery” are scheduled to be heard by an independent adjudicator on July 8 and 9. In March, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) and American Sportfishing Association (ASA) filed an objection—which was later combined with a similar objection raised by The Nature Conservancy and Chesapeake Bay Foundation—to the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) recommendation that Omega Protein should receive a certification of sustainability for its U.S. Atlantic menhaden purse-seining operations. >click to read<13:53
Groundfish Catch Share Program Review: Public Meetings Scheduled for July/August in Ports From Maine to New York
The New England Fishery Management Council is conducting a review of the groundfish sector system, which is a catch share program under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The public is encouraged to provide comments during an upcoming series of port meetings or in writing until August 19, 2019. The review focuses on the first six years of the catch share program under Amendment 16 to the FMP, covering fishing years 2010 to 2015, which span from May 1, 2010 through April 30, 2016. Information prior to the program’s implementation also will be included for fishing years 2007 to 2009. This period covers May 1, 2007 through April 30, 2010. The Council contracted with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) to conduct the port meetings. All nine meetings, which extend from Maine to New York, will run from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Here are the dates and locations. >click to read< 16:25
Mid-Atlantic Council to Hold Public Hearings for Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Excessive Shares Amendment
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold four public hearings in August and September 2019 to solicit public input on the Draft Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Excessive Shares Amendment. The Council is also soliciting written comments on the amendment through September 14, 2019. The Excessive Shares Amendment considers a variety of approaches to ensure that no individual, corporation, or other entity acquires an excessive share of the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog individual transferrable quota (ITQ) privileges. >click to read< 14:42
County Transfers Ownership Of Shinnecock Fishing Dock To Town
Elected officials and community members gathered for a ceremony last week to celebrate Suffolk County transferring ownership of the Shinnecock commercial fishing dock to Southampton Town.,, The county transfer includes the 2-acre dock and 11 acres of beachfront along Shinnecock Bay to the west of the dock that stretches to almost Road I, town officials said. Shinnecock Dock is home to two dozen commercial fishing boats, one of the largest commercial fishing fleets in New York State. >click to read< 09:16
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Silly War on Natural Gas
Thanks to the shale revolution, the United States is awash in natural gas. Since 2005, domestic gasproduction has nearly doubled, and American companies are now sending liquefied natural gas all over the world, including Chile and China. And pretty soon, U.S. liquid natural gas will be on its way to, of all places, Saudi Arabia. The pandering environmentalist groups demand off shore wind.,, offshore wind projects are being vigorously fought by the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association and commercial fishing groups from New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. The fishermen believe the offshore wind projects will lock them out of some of their most productive fisheries. >click to read<10:50
Queens DA candidate pledged to crack down on live lobster boiling, campaign walks it back.
In May, the left-wing candidate (Tiffany Caban) filled out a questionnaire from the Brooklyn-based group Voters for Animal Rights which included a checklist of activities the organization believes “may be considered unlawful under New York’s animal cruelty laws.” The survey asked Queens district attorney aspirants whether they would investigate or even prosecute such offenses. The list included “Castration of pigs, cows, and other mammals without painkillers,” “Force-feeding of ducks or geese for foie gras production” and “Boiling lobsters and other crustaceans while alive.” >click to read<12:32
N.J. just gave the green light to build the nation’s largest offshore wind farm
The nation’s largest offshore wind farm is one step closer to reality off the Jersey Shore. On Friday, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities granted the state’s first award for offshore wind to the Danish energy company Ørsted and Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) for the proposed 1,100-megawatt Ocean Wind project. Gov. Phil Murphy declared this will “revolutionize” the offshore wind industry along the East Coast. >click to read< 11:32
‘Do I need life insurance?’ A morning as a Peconic fisherman
Rain is the forecast as Tom Gariepy arrives at the Peconic River just before 5 a.m. for one of the last bunker hauls of the season. He backs his trailered sharpie bait boat into the still, 68-degree water, parks his pickup on the road and waits for veteran fishermen Lenny Nilson and Kenny Anderson before the three push off in two boats for the waters around Indian Island, in Riverhead. On the way out, Gariepy sees a giant school of bunker just beyond the launch point, but Nilson has a feeling about the waters to the north and east. >click to read<14:17
Temporary reprieve for fishing boat washed up on Jones Beach
An old and battered 40-foot-long wooden fishing boat that washed up on Jones Beach State Park last week and was abandoned by its owner has won a temporary last-minute reprieve, officials said. Instead of being broken up and hauled off as initially planned, the Roger Ventures will be inspected to see if it might be reused by a state agency, said George Gorman, Long Island regional director, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. On June 9, “the Captain Leroy III was towing the Roger Ventures, and they had to drop the tow;,, >click to read<18:56
