Category Archives: National
USCG Safety Alert: Mind Your Lifesaving Equipment Stowage
Two recent marine casualties on commercial fishing vessels (CFVs) highlighted hazardous stowage conditions that rendered onboard lifesaving equipment ineffective. During the first incident, a 41-foot CFV capsized and sank within two minutes after taking on water. The personal flotation devices (PFDs) were not stored in an easily accessible location, preventing the crew from retrieving them before exiting the vessel. For the second incident, a 60-foot CFV caught fire, forcing the crew to rapidly evacuate. Although the crew retrieved PFDs before abandoning the vessel, they were not readily accessible. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:45
Worcester hiring PR firm to fight offshore wind
Sometimes, even David needs a public relations firm in his corner to take on Goliath. In the face of what they described as an apathetic response to Worcester County’s offshore wind concerns, the county’s Board of Commissioners on Dec. 17 voted unanimously to contract with Bedrock Advocacy Communications, a public relations firm based in Virginia. The agency will help with grassroots mobilization, strategic communications, and online engagement for a 2025 campaign to oppose ongoing wind farm development off the Atlantic Coast, according to Worcester County Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young. Young said when it comes to protesting the planned 114-turbine wind farm by developer US Wind, there have been a lot of grassroots efforts, but none that were coordinated. He said Bedrock will serve as the campaign developer and manager, working collaboratively with representatives from Worcester County, Ocean City, and the local business community. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:53
Scientists set the record straight on rumors surrounding wind turbines: ‘I want to be unambiguous’
An Australian scientist is debunking some of the more absurd myths concerning wind turbines and their environmental impact, most notably around whales. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald broke down the claims that have been put forth in opposition to offshore wind turbine farms, which include suggestions turbines pose a danger to the lives of whales feeding, migrating, or spawning in the regions where the wind farms are being built. However, Dr. Olaf Meynecke, a research fellow at the Coastal and Marine Research Centre at Griffith University in Australia, was quick to point out these theories have no basis in fact. “The claims that are made by some members of the public or some politicians that it is going to kill whales are absolutely incorrect,” he said. Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:16
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 68′ Raised Wheelhouse Longliner, Cummins KT1150, Tripack permit available
To review specifications, information, and 50 photos’, >click here<. To see all the boats in this series >click here< 07:03
The Dark Side “Green” Energy Make Nuclear Power the Obvious Choice for Maine’s Future
Maine has been treated to a near non-stop barrage of demands that we acquiesce to the lucrative demands of the Nuclear Power and solar panel lobbies for the sake of saving the environment. As the 132nd Legislature begins to consider the likely slew of proposals related to industrialized Nuclear Power and a further expansion of the farm-land devouring solar subsidy program, we must keep in mind the health implications as well as the theoretical benefits. As a member of the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee, I am compelled to highlight the potential risks these technologies pose to our environment and public health, risks that demand a serious reconsideration of Maine’s current energy policies. Offshore wind turbines, often hailed as a green solution, are shedding microplastics into our marine environments. In some cases, such as with the recent 300-foot Vineyard Wind turbine blade that exploded near Cape Cod, the pollution is obvious. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< by Reagan Paul 10:27
Vineyard Wind and DOJ dispute ACK For Whales Supreme Court case
ACK For Whales is steadfast in their belief that their case against Vineyard Wind and federal agencies should be heard by the Supreme Court. Judges at the state and federal level have already dismissed their arguments in court twice the last two years, but that doesn’t mean their case doesn’t deserve to be heard by the highest court in the land, according to court filings from the local opposition group filed earlier this month. “That this petition focuses on only one aspect of the agency’s shortcomings . . . its failure to consider the cumulative impacts of other known, authorized, planned, and soon-to-be-approved projects—does not render this petition unworthy of review by (the Supreme Court). And that the First Circuit gave short shrift to (ACK For Whales’) arguments, including this one, equally does not render this petition unworthy of review,” reads a reply to critiques from federal agencies and Vineyard Wind filed Dec. 20. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:22
Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100
Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, roughly 22 months after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:46
2024 in review: Major milestones and epic failures mark offshore wind industry
Offshore wind did reach major milestones in 2024, with “steel in the water” at four projects. But due to an unexpected failure at sea off the Massachusetts coast, the country remains under one gigawatt of operating offshore wind power — a long way from its 2030 goal. The expected 800-megawatt contribution from Vineyard Wind 1 didn’t happen, in large part due to a catastrophic blade failure over the summer that made headlines and brought the 62-turbine project and its partial power generation to a halt. Despite this incident — and the re-election of Donald Trump, a vocal critic of offshore wind — the industry celebrated breakthroughs and earned significant investments this year, both locally and nationally. In Massachusetts, officials remain bullish. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:31
Humpback Whale Washes Up on Boston’s South Shore, Sparking Further Alarm Over Rising Whale Deaths
A young female humpback whale was found stranded and deceased on Rexhame Beach in Marshfield, MA the day after Christmas, raising concerns over a surge in whale deaths along the Atlantic coastline. The Christmas stranding marks the sixth large whale death in WDC’s response zone since July. This alarming streak began with a humpback whale carcass floating off the Massachusetts coast and continued with three minke whale strandings in August and September. December alone has seen two other young humpback whales stranded in the area. These strandings are part of a larger crisis. Since 2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been investigating what it calls an “unusual mortality event” impacting humpbacks, minkes, and endangered right whales along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:52
Biden’s missed chance to safeguard America’s oceans
Among President Biden’s many laudable environmental accomplishments, one of his historic failures is that he declined to protect America’s ocean ecosystems. Despite the president’s professed goal to protect 30 percent of America’s oceans by 2030, he did virtually none of this. Perhaps he was planning on a second term (obviously a bad gamble), or perhaps he never really intended to do any of this. Regardless, the hope and optimism for ocean protection at the beginning of the Biden administration has, in the end, turned to profound disappointment. On this issue, the administration prioritized local politics over science, need and national interest. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:29
What Happened To Todd Kochutin? The Deadliest Catch Star’s Tragic Death Explained
Todd Kochutin was a crab fisherman occasionally featured on Deadliest Catch, but suddenly, he stopped appearing, which had some fans wondering where he went. These are real, employed men, who are going out into the violent and unpredictable Bering Strait, and there have been plenty of close calls on the show and even a few deaths. Todd Kochutin was a crab fisherman who appeared in a handful of episodes. A capable and dependable crabber, Todd first appeared in season 16 then off and on throughout the seasons, first on F/V Tempo Sea and then on F/V Patricia Lee. Todd Kochutin passed away in February 2021, at the age of 30, on-board the F/V Patricia Lee, in the middle of filming for Deadliest Catch. Links, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:36
Crab pot retrieval concept crashes
Norwegian company Resqunit, with Deadliest Catch star Sig Hansen as global brand ambassador for its ingenious trap retrieval concept, has crashed into bankruptcy with debts of NoK13.5 million – equivalent to over a million euros. The bankruptcy was announced in August, in contrast to the initial fanfare of publicity and optimism as the company’s owners expected the world to embrace its product. A holding company was registered in Sweden in 2021. Soon afterwards the holding company was listed on the US Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Things happened fast for Resqunit and the next step was company was set up in Canada as the concept seemed to be something that couldn’t go wrong as governments, researchers and environmental organisations had ghost fishing high up on the agenda. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:15
Offshore Wind is no breeze
This may just be a tad too radical for some, but I believe there’s a chance the great offshore wind boom is in serious danger of coming to a screaming halt and for the consumer, this may not be a bad thing. In fact, the more I think about it the more I believe that it may be a very good thing. Why? Well, let’s do the easy bit first. For Scotland, the industrial benefit of offshore wind is extremely limited and if the offshore wind industry disappeared overnight, it wouldn’t be as huge a loss to us as it would to countries such as Denmark, Germany and of course, China. You can argue about that amongst yourselves but anyway what’s much more likely to put the brakes on offshore wind is that the cost of offshore wind projects has increased dramatically and it’s increasingly difficult to see how to make money out of it without huge government guarantees and yet the minimum strike price being offered by governments under contracts for difference deals hasn’t been high enough to deal with that. It’s the reason the Danish Energy Agency didn’t receive a single bid for any of the three offshore wind farms last month. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:25 By Dick Winchester
This New Discovery Reality Show Will Be a Must-Watch for ‘Deadliest Catch’ Fans
A new Discovery Channel reality series that’s sure to appeal to fans of gritty shows like Deadliest Catch will set sail in 2025. Harpoon Hunters follows a group of tough-as-nails New England fishermen who navigate the high seas in search of valuable Atlantic bluefin tuna. Harpoon Hunters premieres Friday, Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery Channel. It highlights the multi-generational fishing families of Cape Cod, who race against the clock each summer to catch bluefin tuna using only 10-foot electrified spears. The paydays can be large – as much as $10,000 for a single fish. But the window to catch their valuable prey is short. Photos, video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:05
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 42′ x 17′ Dixon Lobster Boat, New 800HP Scania D113 Diesel
To review specifications, information, and 26 photos’, >click here<. To see all the boats in this series >click here< 06:22
VIEWPOINT: Offshore Wind Turbines – Trouble on the Horizon?
The state’s actions to facilitate a project that will provide no electricity to Delaware and makes one wonder how disruption to our fragile offshore and onshore ecosystem will benefit the citizens of Delaware. As in the contract, US Wind will “monitor” the damage to the fragile ecosystem of the Inland Bays. This in itself is an admission to damage such as changes to nutrient levels, pollutants from construction degrading water quality, damage to fish, shellfish, bay grasses, and other marine life that most believe will not help heal the fragile ecosystem of the Inland Bays but further add to the detrimental changes for minimal actual benefit to Delawareans. Additionally, wind turbines broadcast underwater low-frequency vibrations and create large electromagnetic fields around the miles-long high-voltage transmission lines. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< Representative Jeff Hilovsky 10:41
Baton Rouge restaurants found serving mislabeled imported shrimp — and charging more
Following a pattern of mislabeling seafood, new genetic testing found that nearly a third of randomly selected Baton Rouge restaurants were advertising imported shrimp as Gulf of Mexico catch. For years, shrimpers and advocates have been raising alarm over cheap imports straining the declining industry. Around 90 percent of shrimp sold in the United States is farm-raised and imported, according to the Louisiana Shrimp Association. SeaD Consulting, a company that has been using rapid genetic testing across the region, sampled menu items from 24 restaurants around Baton Rouge and found that seven were promoting imported shrimp as local. “This genetic testing is a good sign to back up what we’ve been saying all this time,” Acy Cooper, the president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association, said. “They’re selling this stuff off the backs of Louisiana fishermen.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:44
A Holiday Message from Captain David Goethel
As you sit down to enjoy your holiday traditions, please give a thought or prayer for those men and women braving extreme conditions this holiday season keeping you fed and warm.
“There is always someone out there”, was a headline in a fishing paper many years ago reminding readers that while most people spend the holidays with friends and family, there are still fishermen plying our waters to feed us, in extreme conditions. Some are fishing because of economic misfortune hoping for a comeback by landing high priced fish when little product is available to consumers. Others are fishing because of social misfortune, a community of fishermen out on the water is better than being alone. They are joined by merchant mariners on large ships and tugboat crews that guide them in and out of harbors bringing oil and gas to keep us warm. All of this is overseen by the Coast Guard boat crews who respond in moment’s notice, no matter what the weather, to mariners in distress.
So, as you enjoy this holiday season remember there is always someone out there catching food to feed the world. 13:41
Happy Holidays, Captain David Goethel
From fish traps to factory trawlers — A ‘back to the future’ look at Seattle’s fishing industry
An advertiser-sponsored article in the Seattle Times gushed “Wild Alaska pollock’s fishing fleet is based right here in Seattle although all of the fish are caught in U.S. waters off of the coast of Alaska. This fishery benefits the economic growth of the entire region, including the North Pacific Fishing Fleet.” That includes 300 commercial fishing vessels of which 226 fish in Alaska. Many of the boats are huge catcher-processors — factory trawlers — that target pollock, cod, rockfish, flounders and other “groundfish” species. Alaska pollock alone is a 3 billion-pound fishery worth roughly $2 billion. And every year, the Seattle trawlers take home up to 76% of the value of ALL groundfish caught in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. It’s not a new scenario. Starting in 1885 and until Alaska became a state in 1959, Seattle companies used big traps to catch salmon throughout the territory. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:55 By Laine Welch
Fishing advocates alarmed at offshore wind development
The Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership is urging lawmakers to reconsider the Gulf of Maine Offshore Wind Lease because of its effect on marine life, ecosystems and fishing communities. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management held a lease sale in the fall and selected nearly $22 million in winning bids from two businesses to develop wind power in four lease areas off the coast of New England. Gloucester’s Angela Sanfilippo, executive director of the Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership and president of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association, wants to sound the alarm not only among lawmakers but the public as well, questioning who really benefits from this move. “It is with a broken heart that I am sending this message,” she said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:49
With right-wing backing, New England offshore wind opponents gain strength
Jerry Leeman III is a fifth generation Maine fisherman and looks the part: broad shoulders, muscular hands, scraggly black beard with streaks of gray. Sitting at the head of an empty boardroom table in his South Portland office, he rails against the buildout of offshore wind currently getting underway in the Northeast. Leeman has read the government’s environmental assessments, and he’s heard scientific experts say turbines won’t destroy the marine ecosystem — but he doesn’t trust them. Plenty of fishermen in the Northeast feel they’re being squeezed out of existence by federal regulations and offshore wind development. But Leeman has a bigger platform than most. He founded and now leads the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association, better known as NEFSA. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:18
Endangered whales found entangled in fishing gear off Massachusetts coast
Two endangered whales have been discovered entangled in fishing line off the coast of Massachusetts, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday, as biologists warned one of the whales is “likely to die.” NOAA said the pair of North Atlantic right whales was found during an aerial survey on Dec. 9, approximately 50 miles southeast of Nantucket. NOAA Fisheries biologists said a juvenile male, #5110, has a thick line that passes across his head and once across his back, leaving him “seriously injured” and likely to die. NOAA said it is currently monitoring the federally protected whales and will determine “if entanglement responses will be possible.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:11
One Morro Bay Wind Energy project leaseholder to pause surveying
Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization Vice President Jeremiah O’Brien says his organization recently received a call from a liaison to the Atlas Wind project by Equinor. “They’re pulling back on the whole operation, and they said they might be here in 2026 or 2027,” O’Brien said. Equinor told KSBY a decision was made this summer to prioritize more advanced projects along the East Coast and for the time being, they are pausing surveying of the project. “It’s the best news we’ve had in the last few years,” O’Brien said. “Fishermen can’t fish in an area that’s been occupied by wind,” O’Brien said. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:20
Worcester launches plan to buy Ocean City fishing harbor seafood businesses, block US Wind
The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday launched what they’re hailing as “efforts to purchase two properties located in the West Ocean City (WOC) commercial maritime harbor to protect the county’s historic commercial and sport fishing industries.” Here’s what to know. These sites, which Commissioners said house the only two commercial seafood wholesalers where watermen can offload and sell their catches, are the Southern Connection Seafood and the Martin Fish Company properties. Plans for the two properties include developing a long-term lease with the existing owners to allow them to continue serving the needs of the commercial fishing industry, according to a commissioner’s release. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:28
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 62′ Steel Longliner with Permit, 400HP Cummins
To review specifications, information, and 47 photos’, >click here<. To see all the boats in this series >click here< 06:00
Vineyard Wind Restarts Installing Turbine Blades
Vineyard Wind began reinstalling turbine blades on its turbines over the weekend for the first time since one blade broke off into the ocean earlier this year. Vineyard Wind and its turbine manufacturer GE Vernova resumed the blade installation on Saturday, installing three blades, according to Vineyard Wind and government officials. The construction marks the first blade work in five months after one doubled over and scattered thousands of pieces of debris into the water in July. Nantucket town officials, who have been closely following the development of offshore wind to the island’s south, notified residents Friday that construction would be starting the following day. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:57
Worcester County to Use Eminent Domain on Seafood Properties Tapped by US Wind
Worcester County Commissioners have announced plans to use eminent domain to prevent US Wind from purchasing two seafood wholesale properties in West Ocean City’s commercial maritime harbor. The move comes as US Wind’s parent company, Renexia SpA, looked to demolish the harbor’s only commercial seafood wholesalers, Southern Connection Seafood and the Martin Fish Company, according to a press release. Commissioners cited several reasons for taking action, including the commercial fishing industry’s impact on the regional economy and federal fishery catch quotas which require unloading in a Maryland port. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:24
California expands test of traps to help delayed Bay Area crabbing season: What this means for crabbers
For fisherman Brand Little, the specialized ropes connecting his crab traps are a financial lifeline. The experimental “pop-up” system is designed to prevent whales from getting entangled, by keeping lines on the ocean floor until a crew launches them by remote control to reel in the traps. And thanks to a special testing permit, he’s been able to fish into the spring crabbing season, which was cut-short several years ago to protect the migrating whales. “This is a tipping point, and I can’t stress this enough. This is a tipping point at getting our spring fishery back. It’s been six years. You know, you got to look at where we came from, where we’re at and where we’re headed,” said Brand Little. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:57
