Category Archives: New England
Regulators delay increase in minimum lobster size till July
Regulators formally delayed increasing the minimum size of lobsters harvested in the Gulf of Maine to July. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the regulatory body that oversees the fishing industry, voted Monday to delay the resolution by six months. The changes were previously slated to take effect in January, but opponents have argued it would give Canadian lobstermen – unimpacted by the change, though they share the waters – an unfair advantage in the market. Lobstermen also have claimed the change could practically eliminate the harvest of some of the industry’s most popular lobster sizes. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 21:06
Scalloper who was asked to take down anti-wind flag: ‘It’s wrong in so many ways’
State and federal politicians lined up along the New Bedford waterfront last week to unveil a new terminal slated for offshore wind. From the Environmental Protection Agency’s regional director to Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, each took turns touting the port’s growing role in the nation’s green energy transition. But the speeches were punctuated by a plume of smoke rising from out in the harbor. It was coming from a New Bedford scallop vessel experiencing engine troubles. The captain, who says he was unaware of the ceremony, docked at the terminal to fix the engine. The vessel, the F/V Prowess, was flying a white flag with a red circle and slash cutting through a turbine; a symbol many fishing boats hoist to demonstrate resistance to offshore wind development and its impact on the fishing industry. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:04
Biden administration races to shell out billions for clean energy as election nears
The Biden administration is shelling out billions of dollars for clean energy and approving major offshore wind projects as officials race to secure major climate initiatives before President Joe Biden’s term comes to an end. Biden wants to establish a legacy for climate action that includes locking in a trajectory for reducing the nation’s planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Former President Donald Trump has pledged to rescind unspent funds in Biden’s landmark climate and health care bill and stop offshore wind development if he returns to the White House in January. Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the Democratic nominee after Biden dropped from the race this summer, has said she will pursue a climate agenda similar to Biden’s, focused on reducing emissions, deploying renewables and creating clean energy jobs. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:46
It took a community to save boat in Menemsha
I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to the incredible community that rallied around me when my boat, Wyknott, sank at the dock in Menemsha. It all started early Thursday, Oct. 17 morning when Christopher Mayhew called me at 6:30 am to inform me that Wyknott was on her side. When I arrived, I was met by Christopher and his father, Jonathan, and Chris Stein, who were already there, working tirelessly to stabilize the boat and prevent it from rolling completely over. Christopher donned a wet suit and put a line on her. Their quick action set the tone for the day. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:19
American lobster population, habitat preferences shifting, study finds
American lobsters along Maine’s coast have relocated to new habitats, while the population simultaneously shrunk in abundance and grew older, according to a new study by University of Maine researchers. For decades, the vast majority of adult lobsters resided in majority of adult lobsters. This knowledge helped inform longtime conservation efforts and regulations within the more than $740 million fishery. A team of UMaine scientists, however, found that from 1995-2021, occupancy of boulder habitats dropped 60%. Meanwhile, the number of lobsters residing in sediment or featureless ledge habitats, both of which have little to no geological features to use as shelters, increased 633% and 280%, respectively. Lobster population density across all types of habitats declined too, meaning they are fewer in number and their populations are more spread out. more, >>CXLICK TO READ<< 16:20
Ferrante urges state officials to ‘step up’ advocacy for fishing
As the Beacon Hill political crowd munched on ceviches and chowders in the Great Hall on Wednesday, they heard a message from the seafood industry aimed more at Washington, D.C., than the halls of the State House. Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, the daughter of a fisherman and a 30-year advocate for the fishing industry, spoke at the annual Seafood Day in the state capitol about “what the federal government does to us.” The Gloucester Democrat found fault with how the feds survey fishery resources and shrink local fishing quotas, saying that the industry will perish unless a new course is charted. She wasn’t alone: Roger Berkowitz, formerly of Legal Sea Foods, told the crowd about NOAA’s past use of “boats with broken gear” to formulate their stock assessments. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:30
NH port director Geno Marconi indicted a day after his wife, a NH Supreme Court justice
New Hampshire Ports and Harbors director Geno Marconi has been indicted on felony charges announced Thursday, along with Bradley Cook, the chairman of the state Ports and Harbors Advisory Council. The news comes one day after Geno Marconi’s wife, state Supreme Court Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi, was indicted on felony charges for allegedly interfering into the investigation into his alleged crimes. She is accused of asking Gov. Chris Sununu to stop the probe. Geno Marconi, a Stratham resident, is charged with two Class B felonies – tampering with witnesses and informants and falsifying physical evidence, as well as four Class A misdemeanors: two counts of Driver Privacy Act violations and two counts of obstructing government administration. During the investigation, he has been on paid leave since April from the job overseen by the Pease Development Authority. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:57
Connecticut Fisherman Sentenced for Tax Evasion
A Connecticut man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for evading taxes on income he earned from commercial fishing in Massachusetts. According to court documents and statements made in court, Brian Kobus, of Durham, worked as a commercial fisherman and deckhand for various fishing companies in Massachusetts. After each fishing trip, the companies paid Kobus by check. Despite receiving over $1.2 million in fishing income between 2011 through 2013, and 2017 through 2021, Kobus never filed a federal income tax return or paid the taxes that he owed. To conceal the source and disposition of his income from the IRS, Kobus regularly cashed his paychecks from the fishing companies and used the cash to fund his personal lifestyle. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:58
Pickup of seabed debris at Vineyard Wind broken turbine underway
Work is underway to recover debris that sank to the seafloor below Vineyard Wind’s AW-38 turbine when the blade broke apart in July, according to GE Vernova, the company that manufactures and installs the turbine parts. Efforts began on Sunday and were ongoing as of Tuesday afternoon. It’s been three months since one of the three football field-sized blades on turbine AW-38 collapsed, sending pieces of fiberglass, rigid foam and balsawood crashing into the ocean. Large pieces immediately sank, but other debris of varying sizes washed ashore on Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, parts of Cape Cod and along Narragansett Bay for weeks afterwards. Some beach walkers are still reporting finding small remnants. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:33
Lifelong Commercial Fisherman Loyd Alan “Lanny” Reposa has passed away in Maine
Loyd Alan “Lanny” Reposa, 75, passed away on October 6th, 2024 peacefully at his farm in Maine joining his heavenly family. Born in Wakefield, RI, he was the son of the late Arthur Reposa and Claire Binns, stepson of the late Ruth A Reposa. He was the loving husband of the late Sally Reposa. Lanny was a lifelong resident of South County and commercial fisherman in Point Judith, RI where he owned and operated several boats of the Point Judith fleet. He also fished in Alaska even getting the chance to pass the Titanic discovery and was one of the first captains to introduce freezer fishing to the industry. He embarked to the Grand Banks for a lot of his fishing, remarkably under some of the most brutal and treacherously dangerous conditions (including hurricane Gloria), Lanny always got his vessel and crew back to a safe port without ever losing a crew member. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:14
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 43′ Fiberglass Dragger with Permits, Detroit Diesel 8-V-71
To review specifications, information, and 10 photos’,>click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 06:50
Former North Kingstown football coach dies in water off Narragansett
A 59-year-old Narragansett man died Monday after going overboard from a boat, according to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. He was identified as Joseph Gilmartin, a longtime North Kingstown High School football coach. According to the DEM, a 911 call was received at 12:53 p.m. for a person overboard and a boat motoring in circles off Black Point in Narragansett. Environmental police officers for the DEM, the Narragansett Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard responded, the DEM said. The incident is still under investigation. Gilmartin was a history teacher, football coach and worked summers as a commercial fisherman, according to a 2019 story in The Providence Journal. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:45
Man dies after falling overboard in Narragansett
A 59-year-old man has died after falling overboard in Narragansett on Monday. The Coast Guard said they received a call reporting a man fell off of a boat shortly before 1 p.m. in Black Point. Officials said the caller reported the man was in the water, and the boat was spinning “out of control.” Police said the man was setting lobster pots when his arm got caught in a line. Crews from the Narragansett Bay Task Force, as well as the Coast Guard, were called to the scene. Video, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:12
Is New Bedford the top commercial fishing port in the United States?
New Bedford takes great pride in its port, and its scallopers account for a significant portion of its value. It’s proven that the Port of New Bedford has great value. New Bedford still ranks as the top commercial fishing port by value as recently as 2022, according to figures released by the National Marine Fisheries Service, Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, known as NOAA Fisheries. New Bedford had landed $443.2 million worth of seafood in 2022, again placing it at the top of NOAA Fisheries’ revenue list. That’s thanks in large part to all the scalloper landings in New Bedford contributing to the port’s value. Scallop landings accounted for 84 percent of the value. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:22
What Jersey Shore fishermen can learn from offshore wind farm spinning off Long Island
Only the silent hum of the ferry as it curved around the side of one of a dozen towering wind turbines could be heard Wednesday morning off Long Island. Nearby, fishing vessels were dwarfed by the 460-foot tall towers. A few boats flecked the horizon, traveling between the vast miles that stretched from Block Island to the South Fork wind farm. One of them was helmed by a local fisherman who’s been on these waters for over half a century. Nonetheless, Auteri and fishermen up and down the East Coast, including the Jersey Shore, have shared concerns over whether species they rely on will continue to frequent the areas where sweeping wind farms (taller than the Statue of Liberty) are sited or will be. And, they say, if it is proven wind farms drive fish away they should get money to make up for their economic loss. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:52
Coast Guard seeks public assistance with hoax caller in Maine
The Coast Guard is asking for the public’s help after receiving suspected search and rescue hoax distress calls over the weekend. Between late Friday morning and early Saturday afternoon, the Coast Guard’s Northern New England command center received multiple reports about a boat in distress. Officials believe the calls likely came from somewhere near Mount Desert Island or the nearby islands. In response, the Coast Guard launched several boats and worked with three local agencies to search the area for hours. However, no boats or people in distress were found. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:10
On US coast, wind power foes embrace ‘Save the Whales’ argument
Whether from real concern for marine animals or doubts about renewable energy, the anti-wind power movement has been growing along the US East Coast, with some trying to blame a surge in whale strandings on the growth of offshore energy projects. Their attempt to link the two seems to be resonating, despite what scientists say is a clear lack of evidence. When Lauren Brandkamp and her team from the nonprofit Whale and Dolphin Conservation organization in Massachusetts carry out a rescue on an area beach, one of the first questions bystanders ask is: “Was this wind?” Wind power critics have organized coastal town gatherings, posted “Save the Whales” signs and filed lawsuits in a bid to bury new wind projects under crushing litigation fees. A recent surge in whale strandings or deaths has given them added ammunition. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:41
Did New Bedford police tell a fisherman to take down his ‘anti-windmill’ flag?
According to local scalloper Russell Isabel, captain of the F/V Prowess, the Prowess started showing signs of an engine problem in the area of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge on Tuesday, leading to a decision to dock nearby at New Bedford’s North Terminal. The fact that his vessel was displaying an “anti-windmill” flag at the time was purely coincidental, Isabel says. “I didn’t know anything about a ribbon-cutting meeting going on or any of that,” Isabel said, noting he also had no knowledge of the protest going on just outside of the event near the street. As the crew docked, authorities noticed the flag flying off the stern of F/V Prowess, leading to a verbal conflict with NBPD members, Isabel said. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
NEFSA Petition Urging Janet Mills to Halt Development of Offshore Wind in Gulf of Maine Receives Over 2,500 Signatures
The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) will be sending Gov. Janet Mills a petition with over 2,500 signatures urging her to halt the development of offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Maine, according to a source close to the matter. NEFSA is a bipartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to helping save the region’s commercial fishing industry and preserving it for future generations. Signatories on the petition include commercial fishermen, as well as residents of New England maritime communities. In a copy of the petition’s letter obtained by the Maine Wire, NEFSA CEO Jerry Leeman urged Gov. Mills to follow in the footsteps of Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) by asking the Bureau of Ocean Management (BOEM) to halt its efforts to lease property off the coast. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:52
Offshore wind’s bogus benefits bragged on
Resources for the Future (RFF) has produced a combined cost benefit analysis for 32 U.S. offshore wind projects now in development. They proudly point to the benefits outweighing the costs by a whopping 14 times. But these supposed benefits are not just exaggerated; they are fabricated. They simply do not exist. Their lengthy title is “Offshore Wind Power Examined: Effects, Benefits, and Costs of Offshore Wind Farms along the US Atlantic and Gulf Coasts”. The analysis is fairly simple which makes it easy to see the fallacies. There are just four basic benefit claims. And of course it is all based on highly questionable modeling. Before looking at each of these benefit claims it is worth noting a pervasive misconception. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:18
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 49′ Fiberglass Gillnetter, Lobster w/ Permits, CAT 3406B
To review specifications, information, and 10 photos’,>click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 06:21
$42M New Bedford waterfront port project could attract commercial fishing, offshore wind
There’s a maritime version of the old Mark Twain adage to buy land because they’re not making any more of it. New Bedford Port Authority Executive Director Gordon Carr said it goes something like this: “Waterfront industrial property needs to be preserved at all costs because they’re not making any more of it.” He added with a smile, “And while I tend to agree with that, today, welcome to New Bedford — because we did make more of it.” The remark drew applause from the crowd gathered under a tent at 242 Herman Melville Blvd. on the New Bedford waterfront Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the North Terminal Extension Project. Among the celebrants were Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Edward Markey, and U.S. Rep. William Keating, D-9th District. Keating said, “You know those people who say the private sector can do things better than the government can do? I can say in this instance, with 100% certainty, that’s just not true. The private sector, if tasked with this achievement we’re celebrating today, would fail because it wouldn’t even try. No one in the private sector would have taken on the risk of putting together such a complicated project.” Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:14
Retired Commercial Fisherman Reginald Carl Knowles of Winter Harbor, Maine, has passed away
Reginald Carl Knowles entered eternity and found the peace he had longed for on Sept. 28, 2024. His last week was spent surrounded by family and goodbyes after having a stroke. He was born in Machiasport, Maine, as the firstborn son of Carl and Grace Knowles on “6/22/42” — the one thing he always remembered despite the vascular dementia. During his grade school years, Carl Bryant had given Regie a handful of traps that he hauled from a punt. He had been bitten by the lobster fishing bug in those early years! So, after returning from Germany and a short stint driving a truck for McQuinn’s, he set out be a successful lobsterman. He also went scalloping, shrimping and fish dragging, but lobstering was always his passion. It was a trade he took pride in teaching his sons. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:14
Invasive blob-like creatures are clogging Maine fishing gear – “They’re a pain in the ass.”
The small invertebrates, several species of which are invasive, are attaching themselves in large numbers to lobster traps and aquaculture equipment, at times creating a major hassle for harvesters as they try to tend to their gear. “The month of September, they come on like gangbusters,” Hilton Turner, a lobsterman and chair of Stonington’s harbor committee, said about the tunicates, which are better known as sea squirts. “Every year gets a little worse,” he said. Lobstermen use different techniques to try to remove the squirts. Some set the traps in boiling hot water tanks on their boats, some try immersing them in salt-saturated water, and still others blast them with a power washer, which can be time-consuming, Turner said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:25
Save the Dates for the 2025 U.S. – Canada Lobster Town Meeting!
The Lobster Institute’s 20th annual U.S. – Canada Lobster Town Meeting will be held January 29-30 at the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel in Bar Harbor, ME. Registration is open exclusively to commercial fishermen until October 20, after which registration will open to the public. A complete program will be shared next month, but preliminary agenda items include: Industry Sector Updates, Ecosystem change – What is going on in the ocean? Comparing assessment and management approaches in Canada and the US and how they relate to the US gauge increase. Market impacts of the gauge increase: short and long-term. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:32
Lobster Legend William V. (Billy) Wyss, of South Kingstown, RI has passed away
William V. (Billy) Wyss, 69, of South Kingstown RI passed away on Sunday, September 29, 2024 with his family lovingly by his side. As with everything in his life, he put his all into his fight for life during which time he did his very best to hold onto his infectious sense of humor and will be remembered for his amazing example of courage and hope. William, who spent his life providing and caring for the ones he loved will be remembered for his love of lobstering of which he was a legend spanning some 60 years and his ability to plan and create anything he put his mind to, including the majority of his 10 lobster boats and numerous construction projects which will stand as a testament to his many talents. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:14
‘Maine Labor Climate Council’ Pushing Offshore Wind is Front Group for Dark Money Progressive Activist Org
The Maine Labor Climate Council, a purported coalition of labor unions pushing for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine, is actually a front organization of the Maine People’s Alliance, a progressive activist and lobbying organization, records show. According to a filing with the Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions, the nonprofit Maine People’s Alliance has registered to operate under the “assumed” name of the Maine Labor Climate Council. The Maine People’s Alliance network has received millions of dollars in funding from the progressive dark-money network run by the Washington, D.C.-based company Arabella Advisors. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:49
Bottom Trawl Survey of the Maine Research Array Wind Energy Area Postponed to Allow for Testing of Survey Method
This notice is to inform you that the bottom trawl survey of the Maine Research Array Wind Energy (MeRA) Area previously scheduled to begin on October 15, 2024, has been postponed until a date to be determined in early 2025. DMR will use this additional time to continue to test and refine our survey methodology. Between October 15 and November 27, DMR will spend 2-5 days testing the trawl vessel’s gear configuration and performance. This will include a one-day test cruise to the MeRA area and an additional one to four days of test tows as needed to assess and optimize the survey’s gear performance. Any additional testing will occur in federal waters outside of the proposed MeRA sampling area. Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:16
Gov. Mills to lead trip to Norway and Denmark to talk offshore wind
Gov. Janet Mills and a group of state officials will travel to Norway and Denmark next week to learn more about offshore wind development in those two countries. During the six-day trip, Mills and her delegation plan to visit floating offshore wind turbines in the North Sea and meet with Norwegian and Danish government officials as well as energy industry representatives. The group plans to speak with Denmark’s top minister for climate initiatives and representatives for the operator of that country’s electricity grid. Mills has said the Gulf of Maine’s abundant wind resources offer a “historic opportunity” to generate more electricity from renewable sources while creating good-paying jobs. But her efforts to jumpstart an offshore wind industry face stiff opposition from some groups, most notably Maine’s powerful lobster industry. Fishermen contend that the floating platforms could bar them from important lobstering grounds. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:26
Rare whale died of chronic entanglement in Maine fishing gear
The North Atlantic right whale was found dead off Martha’s Vineyard in January. The whales are declining in population and are at the center of efforts to more tightly regulate shipping and commercial fishing off the East Coast. “The fact is we know that entanglement in Maine gear is extremely rare. This is the first reported entanglement of a right whale in Maine lobster gear in 20 years and the first death attributed to the fishery,” the Maine Lobstermen’s Association said in a statement. “Maine lobstermen have made significant changes to how they fish over the last 25 years to avoid entanglement.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:55
