Category Archives: National
Cape May County Ends Litigation Over Failed Wind Energy Project
Cape May County has ended its legal battle against a proposed offshore wind energy farm after the state and federal agencies that had supported the project admitted it is “dead and will not be coming back to life.” The county had filed state and federal lawsuits to block the wind farm proposed by the Danish energy company Orsted 15 miles off the coast between Atlantic City and Stone Harbor. In the suits, the county alleged that the project would have caused far-reaching economic and environmental harm to the tourism industry, commercial fishing, migratory birds and marine life such as dolphins and whales. “By Orsted’s own calculation, Cape May County was facing a loss of over $1 billion in tourism revenue. Our fisheries industry was facing millions of dollars in losses. Marine mammals and other sea life were threatened with injury and harassment,” Cape May County Board of Commissioners Director Leonard Desiderio said in a news release Monday announcing the end of the ligation. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< Congratulations! 13:12
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources lobbying for state to put labels on Gulf shrimp
Mississippi’s seafood industry is pushing for legislation to require labeling for Gulf shrimp and seafood, following recent fines for mislabeling. Joe Spragin, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, emphasized that while some businesses do mislabel, many seafood providers strive to offer fresh, locally sourced products. Proposed legislation would mirror the catfish labeling law, ensuring consumers can identify domestic versus imported seafood. Spragin noted the importance of promoting locally sourced seafood, especially to tourists. Initiatives also include enhancing oyster aquaculture and monitoring environmental factors affecting seafood quality, aiming to support both consumers and local businesses. Video, >>CLICK TO WATCH<< 12:02
Midcoast Maine organization awarded grant to tackle abandoned fishing gear cleanup
It’s a mission for cleaner oceans- a large grant awarded to one midcoast organization in Maine, will go towards the cleanup of lost fishing gear in Maine waters. The president of OceansWide, Buzz Scott, says this cleanup is a step in the right direction in clearing the state’s ocean floors. “We want to make it possible for the fisherman to continue fishing for generations to come,” said Scott. The Newcastle non-profit is taking on a 5-week mission to clean up abandoned fishing gear around Vinalhaven island. OceansWide is one of 11 organizations awarded a grant for the project through the National Fishing Trap Removal Program. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:39
Frankenfish ‘culled’ – Financial collapse kills AquaBounty salmon plans
Score one for Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. AquaBounty Technologies, the Massachusetts-based company that claimed to have found “a better way to feed the world” with a genetically modified, faster-growing salmon, has gone bust. Always a faithful booster of Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, which saw genetically engineered (GE) fish yet another threat in market that has been running away from Alaska for a couple decades, Murkowski had branded the company’s salmon “Frankenfish” and spent years trying to get the federal government to ban it. She never succeeded in the regulatory arena, but victory appears to now have come thanks to in part to the public relations war she waged. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:52
BOEM admits potentially irreversible harm to whales, fisheries, and seabirds
A government regulator recognizing offshore wind’s destructive environmental effects is as rare as a North Atlantic right whale. But a recent, 600-plus page report from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) admits that the offshore wind development planned for the New York Bight, the triangular area bordered by the New Jersey and Long Island coastlines may irreversibly harm whales, commercial and recreational fisheries, and seabirds. The BOEM report is the agency’s first to evaluate the cumulative impacts of offshore wind development. Its authors cite a wide range of potential effects, from negligible (or even beneficial) to major. Acknowledging potentially “major” harms is a radical departure from the agency’s previously accepted Environmental Impact Statements for offshore wind projects, which have always focused on the impacts of individual projects, rather than the cumulative impacts of multiple projects. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:28
NJ Offshore Wind Monopiles Are Being Scrapped At Port
Several massive offshore wind monopiles, manufactured at New Jersey’s cutting-edge Wind Port, are being scrapped instead of heading out to sea to become wind turbines. New Jersey’s Wind Port, located in Lower Alloways Creek was designed to be a hub for offshore wind construction, supporting the state’s ambitious clean energy goals. However, recent reports and photos indicate that monopiles at the facility are being scrapped so the material can be used for other projects. The dismantling comes in the wake of a major setback for NJ Offshore Wind. About a year ago, Ørsted, a leading wind energy developer, abruptly canceled two offshore wind projects planned for the state. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:14
Some in seafood industry see Trump as fishermen’s friend, but tariffs could make for pricier fish
The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes for one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy, seafood, and some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs. Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive to consumers. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on government deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks that are already in peril. But many in the commercial fishing and seafood processing industries said they are excited for Trump’s second presidency. They said they expect he’ll allow fishing in protected areas as he did in his first presidency, crack down on offshore wind expansion and cut back regulations they describe as burdensome. And they expect a marked shift from the administration of President Joe Biden, who prioritized ocean conservation and championed wind power from the start. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:26
A Rebuttal to a Recent Commentary: Alaska trawl fisheries are vital and under attack by those using myths
This campaign to ban trawling – a sustainable fishing method responsible for a substantial majority of fishery landings in the Alaska Region and nationally – poses a direct threat to Alaska’s coastal economy, seafood sector and way of life. If you enjoy wild seafood – fish sandwiches or shrimp; fish sticks or scallops; fish tacos or rockfish – you are enjoying seafood caught by “trawl” or “dredge” fishing gears that touch the seafloor. It’s true that these fishing methods, like every farm, aquaculture facility and fishing operation on the planet, impact the environment. But, what’s also true is that the impacts of trawl fishing in Alaska are continually monitored to ensure long-term ecosystem health. The recent commentary authored for the Alaska Beacon by Heather Sauyaq Jean Gordon and David Bayes is the latest effort to demonize sustainable trawl fisheries. Like other attacks on our sector, the commentary comes from a vocal few that play fast and loose with the facts. By Sam Wright, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:43
Capping marine mammal harassment constrains offshore wind
Prior to approving offshore wind development NOAA routinely authorized the loud noise harassment of large numbers of whales under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). New research by Professor Apostolos Gerasoulis shows that this harassment is causing a lot of whale deaths. For example, it is known to cause deafness which can easily be deadly. But harassment need not cause deafness to cause death. Offshore wind arrays that occupy a hundred square miles or more are typically built in low ship traffic areas with high traffic nearby. Harassment can simply cause the whales to avoid the low traffic area and spend more time in heavy ship traffic leading to an increase in deadly collisions. The same is true for lightly versus heavily used fishing areas where avoidance leads to increased entanglement. Ship strikes and entanglement are the two leading causes of whale deaths. Ironically the wind defenders say that increased ship strikes and entanglements show that wind is not causing increased death rates when they are actually strong evidence against wind. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:14
Body of missing Coos Bay fisherman recovered in Alaska
The body of a missing fisherman whose boat capsized off the Alaskan coast has been found, according to his family. Jake Hannah, 22, was one of five men aboard the “Wind Walker” fishing vessel when it went down in stormy conditions near Juneau a week and a half ago. Earlier this week, Alaska authorities found remains and debris on a remote beach near Hoonah. Jake’s mom, Carol, confirmed that one of the bodies recovered has since been positively identified as Jake “I’m happy and sad at the same time. I’m happy my Jake has been found. I’m sad because the others are still out there,” Carol said. A GoFundMe page to help Jake’s family, including a young daughter, has been established. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:33
BOEM releases potential impacts from offshore wind farm in draft environmental impact statement
The area proposed for the Morro Bay Wind Energy Project is located 20 miles offshore and encompasses around 376 square miles. It lists air pollution from boats, construction, and equipment as one potential impact of the development. That’s a concern for the Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization. “There will be little left for the fishing industry and also all of the ships’ traffic and debris,” said Jeremiah O’Brien, Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization Vice President. O’Brien has other concerns with the report also citing an increased risk of injury or death to marine mammals due to vessel strikes and disturbances from underwater noise during construction. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:31
‘On pins and needles”: Family members wait for identification of bodies connected to capsized fishing vessel
The bodies that were found on Monday among the debris of a fishing vessel that capsized over the weekend have yet to be identified. It might make it all the more difficult for the loved ones of those five men who went missing in Southeast Alaska. “That confirmation is going to be the hardest day of our lives,” Carol Hannah, the mother of Jacob Hannah, one of the crew members aboard the vessel, said. “We’re all on edge right now waiting to see if one of them is our Jake.” On Monday, Alaska Wildlife Troopers reported that human remains were found on a beach near Hoonah. The remains, troopers stated, were discovered among the debris of the fishing vessel Wind Walker, which capsized early in the morning of Dec. 1 near Point Couverden. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:45
Newfoundland towns light up harbours to honour fishers and pray for their safety
On a twinkling wharf in a small Newfoundland town, a crowd of about 100 people stopped singing and chatting on Friday night to bow their heads in a moment of silence for local fish harvesters. Now in its 26th year, the boat lighting in Port de Grave, N.L., draws visitors from all over the province, but organizers have kept the town’s fishers at the heart of the ceremony. Port de Grave’s event began with a single fisherman, Eric Lear, deciding to light up his boat on Christmas. It has since grown and now requires volunteers to direct cars from out of town into designated parking areas. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:10
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 44’11” Provincial Longliner Rod & Reel
To review specifications, information, and 37 photos’, >click here<. To see all the boats in this series >click here< 06:21
Vineyard Wind Withstands Another Legal Challenge
Another attempt to halt Vineyard Wind through the courts fell short last week when a federal court dismissed an appeal by a fishermen’s organization and a Rhode Island seafood dealer. A panel of judges with the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision on Dec. 5, saying the group’s claims that the federal government mishandled the approval process for the wind farm were unfounded. The decision is one of several that Vineyard Wind, which aims to build 62 turbines to the south of the Island, has weathered in recent years, keeping the project’s approvals from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management intact. Seafreeze Shoreside, a Rhode Island-based seafood dealer, the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance and other groups filed the appeal after their claims were rejected by the U.S. District Court in Boston in 2023. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:47
New study uncovers fishy business with way feed is provided to major aquaculture operations: ‘The industry destroys food’
The fish farming industry has been using inaccurate data to downplay its role in the overfishing problem, a new report says. The fish farming industry has been drastically underreporting the amount of fish it pulls from the ocean each year to feed its carnivorous fish populations, according to Brigitte Wear of DeSmog. Salmon and trout subsist entirely on other fish and are also two of the most valuable farmed species in the world. However, according to a study by Science Advances, the industry is pulling 307% more fish from the ocean than previously reported. “What we understand about carnivorous fish farming has relied on the most optimistic data,” said Jennifer Jacquet, an environmental scientist at the University of Miami and co-author of the study. “The picture is not as rosy as previous studies led us to believe.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:20
Maine startup turns invasive green crabs into popular restaurant fare
In his days as a York High School marine science teacher, Mike Masi would educate his students about green crabs and other invasive species in the Gulf of Maine. Nowadays, Masi and a former student catch green crabs and sell them as food to high end restaurants and bait to commercial fishermen. Masi, a diver, fisherman and member of the York Shellfish Commission, and Sam Sewall, an eighth-generation lobsterman and Masi’s old student, are the co-founders of York-based Shell + Claw, a business devoted to the study and commercial harvesting of green crabs. The two founded the business in 2020 and have sold green crabs for the last three years, putting in long hours of work to further their knowledge of the crustacean’s impact on local marine life. photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:49
“THE FISH THIEF: A Great Lakes Mystery”
“THE FISH THIEF,” narrated by Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons, delves into the extraordinary effort to uncover the cause of a devastating environmental crisis. Was it overfishing, pollutants, or something else? Scientists on both sides of the border worked tirelessly to solve the mystery. In a dramatic eleventh-hour breakthrough, they discovered the true culprit: the invasive sea lamprey. This notorious predator arrived in the Great Lakes in the early twentieth century, triggering an ecological crisis and nearly wiping out populations of lake trout, whitefish, and other cornerstone species. The impact reverberated across the region, ruining local industries, damaging small town economies and indigenous communities, and destroying the livelihoods of people on both sides of the U.S. and Canadian border. A dedicated group of international scientists, policymakers, and conservationists banded together in a race against time to address this ecological invasion. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:42
The largest offshore wind energy farm causes shock: The strange effect caused by one of its turbines
The Dogger Bank Wind Farm, planned to be the largest offshore wind farm worldwide, recently became the news headline, but not in the way expected. Notably, a recent major failure of turbines has caused people to pay attention to the project and ask questions. On August 22, a catastrophic blade failure was experienced on one of the turbines at the Dogger Bank A section, which is still under construction. GE Vernova, the manufacturer of the turbines, said that this failure was not due to installation or manufacturing defects but occurred during the commissioning process. The Dogger Bank incident is similar to a blade problem in the year at a turbine owned by GE Vernova in the United States. These recurrent problems indicate that manufacturers and engineers must enhance the installation procedure and working standards to achieve turbine durability. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:445
‘Radio went dead as he was giving the mayday’: witness recalls hearing moments fishing boat sank
A tugboat crew member who was on a vessel near where the F/V Wind Walker capsized described the mayday call that came over the radio around 12:09 a.m. Sunday. “The radio went dead as he was giving the mayday,” Paradigm Marine first mate Glenn Jahnke said, describing the voice over the radio attempting to answer the Coast Guard’s questions, such as a description of the boat and the number of crew on board, suddenly go silent. “His mayday consisted of ‘mayday, mayday,’ then a pause and then another three maydays, Coast Guard responded. As I recall, ‘We’re on our side, taking in water and I have two people in the water,’” Jahnke added. Jahnke said after reporting the survival suit to the Coast Guard, he observed crews locating something else in the water. “They did find something that appeared to be an un-inflated raft kind of caught up in a jumble of flotsam,” Jahnke said. Video, links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:42
Capsized fishing boat off Alaska coast included Oregon crew member
Before Jake Hannah, 22, left for his commercial fishing trip on Saturday night, he called his mother, who lives in his hometown of Coos Bay. “He said, ‘Hey mom, we’re getting ready to go out, I love you,’” That was our promise, “You always call me before you leave, and you always call me when you get home.” But the second call never came, she said. Instead, she learned her son’s boat, the F/V Wind Walker, had capsized in the stormy waters off the coast of Sitka, Alaska, with four other people on board. “I thought, ‘God please no, let these boys be safe,’” Carol Hannah said. “It wasn’t just Jake that I was worried about; it was the whole crew.” In his home state of Oregon, Jake Hannah continues to inspire people to remember who he was before he left for Alaska. “He was an all-around awesome guy; you couldn’t ask for a better friend,” Carol Hannah said. “He was the best son a mom could ever want.” Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:18
A Fundraiser in Support of F/V Wind Walker Capt. Travis Kapp’s family after tragedy
Missing crew from Alaska fishing boat identified
The U.S. Coast Guard has released the names of the five fishermen who went missing off the southeast Alaska coast. This comes two days after the search for their bodies and the boat has been called off. Early Sunday morning, a few miles off the coast of Juneau, Alaska, the F/V Wind Walker crew came over the radio. Just twelve miles away on a tugboat, Glenn Jahnke was serving as a mate on watch overnight. He said he heard the fear and urgency in the crew’s voice. “He said they rolled on their side, were taking on water, two people were in the water. Then the Coast Guard asked a question and there was no response after that,” Jahnke said. That was the last time the five Sitka-based crew members were heard from. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:54
F/V Wind Walker: Utah man, 4 others missing after fishing boat capsizes off Alaska coast
A Utah man and four others are missing after their fishing boat capsized early Sunday morning off Couverden Point, Alaska, about 24 miles southwest of Juneau. According to a press release by the U.S. Coast Guard, the search for the missing fishermen was suspended Monday morning, one day after they received a Mayday call that the vessel was overturning. Among those aboard the commercial fishing vessel Wind Walker was Alex Zamantakis, 28, who grew up in Magna. A GoFundMe account set up by family members said funds will go Zamantakis’ girlfriend, and their six-month-old son, Alex. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:33
Ocean City continues with lawsuit following US Wind receiving final approval
US Wind, Inc. announced Tuesday that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has granted final approval for the company’s Construction and Operations Plan, completing the federal permitting process for its offshore wind project. However, the project has faced significant opposition from the Ocean City community and other local organizations. The Town of Ocean City, joined by groups such as the Worcester County Commissioners, Coastal Association of Realtors and the Commercial and Recreational Fishing Industry, say they will continue to move forward with a lawsuit against BOEM to challenge its approval of US Wind’s project. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:41
Families of 5 missing crew members worried after Coast Guard suspends search for capsized fishing boat
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Monday after the fishing vessel F/V Wind Walker capsized early Sunday near Point Couverden, the southern tip of a small island in Southeast Alaska. Coast Guard officials confirmed Tuesday the names of the five crew members of the ship who are missing after the boat capsized: Travis Kapp, Jacob Hannah, Alex Ireland, Emilio Celaya-Talamanter, Michael Brown. Family members of Alex Ireland said Alex preferred to use the last name Zamantakis. His father Mike Zamantakis said they are struggling with the news that the search was suspended. “My hope is that last radio communication from the captain of the ship saying that the men were capsized but they were trying to get in the lifeboat,” Zamantakis said. “They haven’t found the lifeboat either, so that’s my glimmer, that’s my sliver of hope that Alex and his buds will be sitting under some logs or some leaves on a beach someplace trying to stay warm till they’re rescued.”Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:24
Offshore industry hails LED scallop fishing drive
The Offshore Wind Industry Council has welcomed plans to fund a new environmentally friendly method of catching scallops – using underwater LED lights. It is one of five projects announced by the Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Programme (OWEC) as part of its 2024 funding round, and the aim is to enable more diversified fishing around offshore wind farms. The 18-month project will explore ways to co-locate scallop fisheries and offshore wind farms together, using alternative fishing methods to the traditional practice of dredging along the seabed which disturbs marine habitats and species. These will now be rolled out at a regional level by fishing crews in Scarborough, Bridlington and Whitby who fish around and within offshore windfarms. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:20
With Trump, New Bedford’s fishermen hope for better times
A cold wind cut across New Bedford harbor as Jim Kendall, a retired scallop boat captain, surveyed the city’s main fishing pier. Many of the boats sat idle, while a few crew members cleaned their decks and repaired equipment. Kendall remembers how busy these docks used to be years ago, when there were fewer regulations and closures, and fishermen could head out most days of the year. Now, “if you can fish, say, 60 days a year, you’re doing pretty damn good,” he said. New Bedford is the most valuable commercial fishing port in the country, landing hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of seafood every year. But Kendall said bringing in that haul is getting harder, and the margins tighter. He blames Washington, and specifically the Democratic party, for the change in fortunes. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:14
US Coast Guard launches search operation for missing fishermen after vessel capsizes in Alaska
F/V Wind Walker, a vessel approximately 50-foot (15-metre) in length, transmitted a distress signal indicating the boat was overturning at approximately 12.10 am. The Coast Guard’s subsequent communication attempts received no response. Search teams located seven cold-water immersion suits and two strobe lights floating in the search zone. The rescue operation encountered severe weather conditions, including heavy snowfall, winds reaching 60 mph (96 kph), and 6-foot (1.8-metre) seas. The Gulf of Alaska region was under an active winter storm warning during this period. According to people aware of the vessel, which departed from Icy Strait just south of Point Couverden, five people were aboard. However, the Coast Guard has yet to verify this number officially. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:14
How Jake Anderson Lost the F/V Saga on ‘Deadliest Catch’
As proven in the 20 seasons of Deadliest Catch, nothing is for certain. Things can change on a whim, and security is something not to take for granted. Fan-favorite Jake Anderson has learned this the hard way. After putting everything into the F/V Saga, Jake suddenly lost control of the boat he part-owned when he was served a repossession note. With the timing coinciding with the Red King Crab fishery reopening and a derby-style race underway, Jake was essentially lost at sea. Captain Jake Anderson has been a staple on the Discovery Channel series Deadliest Catch since 2007. When he started in the industry nearly 18 years ago, he began working as a greenhorn on the F/V Northwestern. Through his time in the industry, Jake has tried his hand at every job in his career, ranging from deckhand, deck boss, engineer, captain, and vessel owner. With his focus mainly on the operations side at the helm of F/V Saga, Jake’s world was turned upside down. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:18
