Category Archives: National
Shem Creek Fisheries sells 2020 calendars to support local shrimp fleet
The Shem Creek Fisheries of Mount Pleasant, a local non-profit organization dedicated to Shem Creek’s shrimping fleet, is selling 2020 calendars to help fund their mission. The nonprofit will donate all of profits from the calendar sales to support their purpose of preserving the creek’s heritage, providing education to the public, helping with financial support when needed and helping the fleet continue to bring a sustainable product to the public. >click to read< For more information about this organization and the 2020 calendars visit scfisheries.com09:42
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Fishermen participating in Alaska’s largest herring fishery have a huge quota to fill next year. But the primary customer isn’t buying.
“I’m a recovering herring fisherman,” joked Bruce Schactler. Schactler, who lives in Kodiak, has been fishing in Togiak off and on since 1985. But he won’t be returning this summer. “The market is so bad that Trident will not be buying fish this year, so we’re not going. Every ton that is frozen and shipped off to Japan is a loser. There’s no money being made,” he said. >click to read< 07:06
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The small change that meant big losses for Nova Scotia lobstermen
A sixteenth of an inch doesn’t seem like much. But it added up to a whole lot for Nova Scotia lobstermen in December 1989. A new law had been passed in the United States that increased the minimum allowable size of lobsters for import, by that seemingly insignificant margin. “That might not sound like much of a change to a non-fisherman,” he explained. “But in reality, it means as much as a quarter-pound increase in weight.” Video, >click to read< 10:37
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Wind Energy Is Not Renewable, Sustainable Or Climate-Friendly
Wind turbines continue to be the most controversial of so-called “renewable” energy sources worldwide. But, you say, wind energy is surely renewable. It blows intermittently, but it’s natural, free, renewable and climate-friendly. That’s certainly what we hear, almost constantly. However, while the wind itself may be “renewable,” the turbines, the raw materials that go into making them, and the lands they impact certainly are not. And a new report says harnessing the wind to generate electricity actually contributes to global warming! >click to read< 09:11
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Melbourne is now home to a pink Champagne and lobster bar
Upon arrival at Pinchy’s in Melbourne’s Bourke Street, you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve returned to the womb.,, Pinchy’s imports lobster from Maine and crab from Alaska, and while their website emphasises their commitment to sustainable fishing practices, it’s not clear whether they’re offsetting the carbon from flying produce halfway around the world. As the business grows, hopefully they’ll consider swapping American shellfish for some of our beautiful local crays and crabs. In the meantime though, go for a glass of bubbly and soak up the pink. >click to read< 11:55
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Our water quality problems are a tangled mess, but they can be fixed
What can we or local governments do about red tide? Another major outbreak could be disaster. But it could be necessary to forces us to address the sources of nutrient pollution. Reality is government ignores everything it can. To fix things, the sources have to be outed, and then it will take money to clean things up. But elected officials need contributions to get elected and re-elected. It’s expensive to campaign. What do those big contributions buy? >click to read< 09:04
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Offshore Wind Task Force Meets Today At UNH, livestream of the BOEM task force meeting beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday
New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts are set to begin planning how they might develop offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine. The first meeting of the tri-state task force takes place all day today at the University of New Hampshire and is open to the public. Watch a livestream of the BOEM task force meeting here beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday: >Click here to read, and watch livestream< 08:22
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Always Top Quality! Your Seafreeze Ltd. Price Sheet for December 2019
“The only thing we treat our fish with, is respect” – Contact our sales team today @ 401 295 2585 or 800 732 273. To review the complete price list from Seafreeze Ltd., >Click here< – >Click here to visit our website<-13:35
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Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 42′ High Sheer Provincial Lobster Boat, 750HP John Deere
Specifications, information and 30 photos >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 12:04
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Warren proposes ‘Blue New Deal’ to protect oceans. Where Warren’s Blue New Deal Falls Short
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Tuesday proposed a “Blue New Deal” plan in what she calls an effort to protect oceans and rebuild the economy associated with oceans. The proposal was influenced by a question from an oyster farmer at the CNN presidential town hall on the climate crisis in September,,,“I said I would, and I meant it,,, >click to read< 11:03
An Environmental Lawyer Explains Where Elizabeth Warren’s Blue New Deal Falls Short – Warren’s plan does recommend folding the US into the United Nations Law of the Sea treaty,,,, Furthermore, the Blue New Deal aims to rebuild America’s fisheries, an effort that “would support an additional 500,000 jobs and generate an additional $31 billion in sales impacts,” >click to read< 11:09
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Measure to help protect, enhance working waterfronts passes U.S. House
The measure, introduced by Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine, D-1st District, would provide $24 million in federal grants and loans to states, which could allocate funding to municipalities, nonprofits and fishing co-ops for projects that preserve or improve working waterfront infrastructure. If approved by the Senate, it also would create a task force at the Commerce Department charged with identifying threats to working waterfronts, including climate change and marketplace pressures. >click to read< 09:02
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He sketched designs by hand and taught himself to use Adobe. Now this scalloper has a line of clothing that showcases New Bedford.
Ryan Tavares, a commercial scalloper for 13 years, understands the physical and mental demands of being on the water for a couple weeks at a time, squeezing in meals and sleep between 12-hour shifts. It means spending time away from family with no cell phone service, and potentially dangerous situations. But Tavares said it’s a calling, a lifestyle, and there’s pride in that. In 2012, the now 31-year-old of Fairhaven made his first T-shirt for what developed into Slave of the Sea, a brand that resonates with other fishermen. “I just wish we had more stuff to like express how proud we are to be fishermen,” Tavares recalled thinking at the time. >click to read< 07:32
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David Goethel dropped us a note, and we thought we’d share it with you!
I saw your recently posted article about Carlos and Bullard’s ridiculous statement. Rafael’s own fishery complaints opened door to his downfall. Coast Guard report details extensive fishing violations (click to read) I went to that meeting driving 7 hours through a blinding snowstorm to speak for three minutes under public comment with the attached statement. I asked on the record why the corrupt fish dealer in NY was not arrested. I believe you are the only person who mentioned my comment.,,, This whole thing is a very carefully choreographed ballet to get cameras, not catch crooks. >click to read<, and please leave a comment at the bottom. Thank you.18:31
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The mullet are runnin’
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Cortez. Around this time of year, the mullet run in local waters and commercial fishers give chase. “The mullet run is a term used to describe the spawning migration,”,, Like other fish from rivers, estuaries and bays, mullet congregate and then run in schools to offshore environments to complete the spawning cycle. John Banyas, owner of Swordfish Grill & Tiki Bar, N.E. Taylor Boatworks, Killer Bait and the Cortez Bait and Seafood fish house on the waterfront in Cortez, says this year’s run is “better than last year.” >click to read< 13:40
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Letter | Save the salmon through lethal means, if necessary
California sea lions, harbor seals and cormorants have never been in danger of going extinct, but 11 distinct populations of salmon and steelhead are. Common sense should tell us we need to control the number of predators through lethal means. A professed sense of helping undernourished countries tells us we should not waste the meat. Canneries for centuries have been processing all kinds of high protein meat. I am quite sure the canneries would be willing to employ additional help at a lot less than is now being spent for all of our ESA efforts. by Carlisle Harrison >click to read< 11:34
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Pete Frates, who championed and inspired the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, passed away on Monday
“Pete was an inspiration to so many people around the world who drew strength from his courage and resiliency,” his loved ones wrote. “A natural born leader and the ultimate teammate, Pete was a role model for all, especially young athletes, who looked up to him for his bravery and unwavering positive spirit in the face of adversity. He was a noble fighter who inspired us all to use our talents and strengths in the service of others.” >click to read< 09:04
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A Unique Catch! Lobsterman Charles Rossi hauled in a blue, calico and red lobster all in one day!
No, the red lobster pictured above is not already cooked. It’s rare. Dorr Lobster Company, Inc. fisherman Charles Rossi hauled in a blue, calico and red lobster all in one day while fishing in Milbridge, according to Dorr Lobster’s Facebook post, >click here<. Store owner Chad Dorr said he handles nearly a million pounds of lobster a year but is amazed by Rossi’s unique catch. >click to read< 07:31
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Rafael’s misreported fish ‘disappeared’ at Whaling City auction
A NOAA official has charged that if federal officials were not watching when Carlos Rafael offloaded fish at the Whaling City Display Auction, the catch simply “disappeared.” “If there was no observer on the boat, no dockside monitor, no state environmental police, no NOAA law enforcement officer, the fish would just simply disappear,” NOAA Special Agent Troy Audyatis said, “Thousands upon thousands of fish would simply disappear.” >click to read< 18:23
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Two New York companies and owners plead guilty to seafood sales fraud
In a plea agreement with the government, Roy Tuccillo Sr, and his son, Roy Tuccillo Jr and two of their food processing and distribution companies, Anchor Frozen Foods Inc, and Advanced Frozen Foods Inc pleaded to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They admitted to importing giant squid from Peru, marketing it as octopus, and using email and wire transactions to sell it to grocery stores in interstate commerce. >click to read< 13:39
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F/V Leonardo found off Martha’s Vineyard
Fishing vessel Leonardo that capsized and sank with four fishermen aboard on Nov. 24 has been found, according to the Massachusetts Environmental Police. “We located and identified the sunken fishing vessel on Sunday morning,” Major Patrick Moran said Monday. The Leonardo is a 57-foot scalloper, based out of New Bedford. The vessel sank in choppy seas some 24 miles southwest off Martha’s Vineyard. Major Moran said the boat was found 140 feet down near where it was reported missing and was “sitting perfectly upright.” >click to read< 10:55
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Skipper says cartel loaded drugs for his ill-fated voyage
B.C. skipper John Stirling, who has a long history of international drug smuggling, provided the details of the journey that landed him in a U.S. prison to investigators after his April 2019 arrest. Now he is trying to get the candid statements made to U.S. authorities thrown out of court. And he is also alleging in motions filed in U.S. District Court in Portland that the Americans had no right to arrest him as a Canadian sailing in international waters at the time.,,Stirling’s drug-trade history dates to 1990, In 2001, he was arrested on his boat, the Western Wind, in the Strait of Juan de Fuca with 2.5 tonnes of cocaine aboard. American authorities turned him over to the RCMP but he was never charged. >click to read< 10:16
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Facing a declining lobster industry, whale rules, Blue Hill lobsterman has a Plan B
For a 48-year-old lobsterman, Jeremy Tyler considers himself lucky. Aside from shoulder pain and arm numbness that awakens him five or six times a night, the beefy captain and owner of the All-In,,, “I’ve done progressively worse these last three years,” Tyler said. “I was there for the first thousand-pound day in the Blue Hill area. So he and his wife, Megan Tyler, are starting a new business in the first floor of a former floral shop off Route 172 that will combine his lobstering with her experience at restaurants. >click to read< 07:49
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Its going to be up to people in the fishing industry to save our fishing industry by Sam Parisi
We ALL need to step up to the plate before this industry goes under because of absurd regulations, pandering politicians, and environmental groups. I have reached out to my Senators and Congressman, whom have actually responded after utilizing Fisherynation to get their attention, for which I am grateful, with little success from those elected officials regarding the issues I have continuously contacted them about. As usual, they disappoint with no action. Senator Markey did support an issue I asked him to, which was about supporting Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan’s S-K bill, which he did, and I thank him for that. >click to read< 16:50
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Instead of throwing their catch overboard, fishermen are feeding the hungry in N.J.
Despite its health benefits, fresh seafood has been a rarity at soup kitchens and food pantries up to now,, Though gleaning of meats and fresh vegetables has been happening for centuries — Hunters for the Hungry has provided 2 million pounds of venison in New Jersey — the aptly named Seafood Gleaning Program is the brainchild of longtime Jersey Shore fisherman Brick Wenzel,, It includes the Fisherman’s Dock Cooperative in Point Pleasant Beach, the Trinity Seafood processing plant in Lakewood, and the nonprofit Fulfill food pantry,, A $50,000 grant from the Tyson Foods Protein Innovation Fund pays for boxing and labeling. >click to read< 11:56
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On the 78th Anniversary, Pearl Harbor Veteran to Be Interred on Sunken Ship
It was an attack that shaped history, leaving more than 2,400 Americans dead and forcing the United States to enter a war it had been reluctant to join. On Saturday, the 78th anniversary of the 1941 sneak attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor, the remains of one of the survivors of the assault will be interred on his sunken ship, the USS Arizona. Lauren Bruner, who was among the last sailors rescued from the Arizona as it exploded into flames and sank, died in September at age 98. >click to read< 07:06
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Sea-Level Rise? Obama Finalizes Purchase Of $11.75M Shoreline Mansion
Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have purchased a nearly 7,000-square-foot home on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts for $11.75 million, according to a report.The purchase price was recorded Wednesday with the local Registry of Deeds, the Vineyard Gazette reported.The Obamas paid about half the original asking price for the property when it first became available in 2015, >click to read< 12:13
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Randy Babich has been fishing Puget Sound and southeast Alaska for 54 years. A lot has changed in that time.
The Paragon is a 56-foot commercial purse seiner moored at Longbranch Marina, a seagoing workhorse that dwarfs the pleasure boats around it. “I was going to be a dentist,” said the owner, Randy Babich, who just turned 70. “I went through pre-med, pre-dent. My dad always said, ‘Get into a profession.’ ” Babich grew up in Gig Harbor and “got into fishing because my family was into fishing,” >click to read< 07:16
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Researchers, marine pilots work to prevent vessel strikes from killing Alaska whales
Over the past decade, federal officials have logged 77 incidents of vessels hitting whales in Alaska waters. About three-quarters of those, were endangered humpbacks. But, it’s not clear why those strikes keep happening. A group of federal researchers and marine pilots have teamed up to combine what scientists know about whale behavior with what marine pilots know about ships.,,, That’s important as NOAA has logged 182 whale strikes in U.S. waters over the last decade. But that’s an undercount: ships aren’t legally required to report when they hit whale. And sometimes they don’t even know it’s happened. >click to read< 12:18
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Vineyard Wind: delayed project reveals bluster in US’s offshore wind ambitions
The recent decision by the Interior Department to hit the pause button on plans to build the first major US offshore windfarm off the Massachusetts coast means the project now hangs in the balance. Amid federal agency infighting, does the country risk squandering a vital resource of clean energy? We investigate. The waiting game: could Vineyard Wind be the new Cape Wind? >click to read< 16:09
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Most likely Carnival Cruise Lines is responsible for 18+ Right Whale deaths in the past 3 year, at which rate they would soon be extinct.
Human caused Right whale deaths have suddenly, in sync with a plummeting whale birthrate, put the right whale on the path to extinction.,,, There is the simple answer, to halt the march towards extinction. There is an easy way to prevent those 18 deaths and at least bring that -18 up to 0. We can stop the majority of the anthropogenic Whale deaths with a simple Cruise Ship lane modification between PEI and the tip of the Gaspe Peninsula. Prior to 2007 ships were almost solely responsible for Right whale deaths, but since 2008 fishing line entanglement deaths have increased and fishermen have become the main target. However data from the past 3 years indicate many more ship strike deaths than entanglement deaths. >click to read< 12:41
