Category Archives: New England
Wind turbine blade on tractor-trailer hits Maine bridge, shutting down part of Route 1 for hours
Maine State Police officials say a section of Route 1 in the Mid-Coast region has temporarily reopened after a tractor-trailer transporting a wind turbine blade struck a railroad bridge in Stockton Springs, shutting down that part of the roadway for nearly 11 hours. Police said the tractor-trailer was hauling the wind turbine blade to Columbia when the crash happened at about 5:30 a.m. Friday. According to investigators, the driver of the tractor-trailer did not position the vehicle far enough into the left lane in order to clear the lower side of the train trestle, which crosses over Route 1. The wind turbine blade, which was mounted onto the trailer with large brackets, struck the trestle. The collision caused the truck and trailer carrying the blade to roll over, police said. Video, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:41
Lobster’s nightmare: Vicious Atlantic wolffish is one scary catch in the Gulf of Maine
Atlantic wolffish are vicious looking. Their head is huge with gaping teeth that protrude from their lips both top and bottom, giving them a severe overbite. Their tail is tapered with long dorsal and anal fins, which give it a look of an eel. Beware to anyone trying to get a hook out of their mouth! These fish enjoy cold water and can be found throughout the Gulf of Maine to Labrador and down to the Great South Channel of Georges Bank in New England. Amazingly, they can survive in some of the coldest water by producing “antifreeze” proteins stored in their blood and livers. This keeps their blood from freezing under extreme conditions. Around age 5-6, they reach maturity and begin mating. It appears that wolffish are solitary animals except during the mating season, according to NOAA, which occurs in the Gulf of Maine during the fall. The wolffish find mates and remain together until the female lays her eggs. Lobsters beware! The teeth of the wolffish allow them to eat and crush almost anything they want, and what they want are lobsters. They have several rows of very sharp teeth. My husband, always a biologist, when he was fishing commercially regularly dissected the fish he caught to see what they had been eating. Twenty years ago, he opened a 20-pound wolffish and found 21 lobster tails and more body parts in its stomach! more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:20
U.S. Offshore Wind Opponents Seek to Form National Group to Fight Projects
U.S. activists opposed to offshore wind development are forming a national coalition aimed at fighting projects from California to New England, according to the effort’s founder and two other organizations. The National Offshore-wind Opposition Alliance, or NOOA, aims to bring a national profile to what is currently a fractured movement of dozens of local groups, according to its president, Mandy Davis. Offshore wind is a nascent industry in the United States and a key pillar of U.S. President Joe Biden’s plan to combat climate change. His administration’s push to install turbines along every U.S. coastline has attracted pushback, including multiple lawsuits, from residents concerned about the industry’s impact on tourism, property values, fishing and marine habitats. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:25
Steve Johnson’s Lynn Marie is Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat
Lucky Oppedisano pointed at a boat making its way to the starting line for the Gasoline Free-for-All race. The retired lobsterman identified the dark-colored boat as the type that can “roll through the water easily.” “I wouldn’t be surprised to see him win this race,” Oppedisano said. Sure enough, Steve Johnson’s Lynn Marie buzzed to a first-place finish in one of the final contests of the 32nd Harpswell Lobster Boat Races in Middle Bay. The July 28 event packed the waterfront at George J. Mitchell Field with spectators, continuing a local tradition. The Lynn Marie also took the crown as the Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat and Fastest Lobster Boat in Casco Bay, reaching a top speed of 57.7 miles per hour. Jeff Eaton’s La Bella Vita was another big winner, taking gold in the Diesel Free-for-All and the Diesel Class K race while finishing third in Fastest Lobster Boat Afloat. Photos, race results, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:55
New regulations on lobstering delayed amid pushback from Seacoast lobstermen
New federal regulations on the lobstering industry are being delayed after months of pushback from local lobstermen. The rules would increase the minimum acceptable size for lobsters that can be caught and require bigger escape vents to be added to traps. Regulators with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission told News9 the goal of the new rules, laid out in policy called Addendum 27, are aimed at protecting the population of younger lobsters and allowing them to grow to a size where they can reproduce and be suitable for harvesting. Starks said the number of those younger lobsters have declined in research counts in recent years, triggering the new regulations. However, local lobstermen have cast doubt on those studies and railed against the rules laid out in Addendum 27. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:18
Vineyard Wind turbine debris makes it to Cape Cod
Debris from the failed Vineyard Wind Turbine has washed ashore in Falmouth, town officials said, weeks after a blade broke off and fell into the ocean. The turbine, manufactured by GE Vernova and part of the Vineyard Wind project, failed on July 13. The debris has scattered across nearby beaches, angering residents on Nantucket. A preliminary investigation by GE found that the failure was due to a manufacturing deviation. In a statement, Falmouth says it found what they believe to be wind turbine debris in the water and on the shoreline at Black Beach, Cahpoquoit Beach, Woodneck Beach, and Old Silver Beach. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:51
Hollywood put this New Bedford store on the map, but locals already knew this gem existed
New Bedford Ship Supply was put in the national spotlight when Tommy Lee Jones wore a blue hat with the name of the store on it in the movie The Finestkind. According to store personnel, the person in charge of props for the movie bought some hats, shirts and other merchandise at the store prior to its filming in early 2022. One of those hats ended up being worn by Jones in the movie. After the release of the movie, people came to the shop to buy the hat Jones wore. But while the buzz from the movie put the store in the national spotlight, local fishermen have been relying on the store and its products for decades. Peter Sousa, who has worked at New Bedford Ship Supply for 30 years, said they are proud to be one of the oldest businesses of its kind. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<09:48
Lobsterman Todd O. Keyes, 57, of Lewiston has passed away
Todd O. Keyes, 57, of Lewiston, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Aug. 5, 2024, after a period of declining health. Todd was born in Rockland on July 25, 1967, to Sumner and Alberta (Spear) Keyes. Todd grew up in Cushing and attended local schools, graduating from Georges Valley High School in 1986. After graduation, Todd went into the workforce and worked at North End Marine in Rockland and dug clams. He later became a lobsterman, working on the stern of the F/V Jessie Jane alongside captain Richard Olson for many years before his unfortunate accident in 2009 left him confined to a wheelchair for his remaining years. Todd was an avid outdoorsman and greatly enjoyed fishing and hunting. As a child he loved to hunt rabbits, as an adult he was always hunting deer and even once got a bear. Todd will always be remembered for his love of the great outdoors. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:36
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 57′ Aluminum Dragger with Federal & State Permits
To review specifications, information, and 25 photos’, >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 06:44
When it comes to boatbuilding, Peter Kass would rather build wooden boats by hand
There is something timeless, at least on the coast of Maine, about a boat made of wood. Crafting those boats requires skills and even tools dating back hundreds of years. In a time when most boats are built of fiberglass or other man-made materials, Peter Kass still does it the old way—building lobster boats and yachts from wood, the way he was taught when he was just 17 years old. Kass grew up in Massachusetts but said he moved to Maine after finishing high school to learn the boatbuilder’s trade. “I’ve always loved it,” he said, now in his early 60’s. “It’s challenging, very interesting…some parts dirty and unpleasant, but for the most part, it’s fun putting the parts together. I love boats,” Kass explained. Kass said he learned from the old-time wooden boatbuilders at the Gamage Shipyard in South Bristol; known at the time for building a series of wooden sailing ships, including a history of building commercial fishing vessels. He then worked at two other yards before opening his own shop, John’s Bay Boat Company, in 1983. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:07
Flying over Sears Island puts the offshore wind debate in context
A bird’s-eye view can show you a lot about a place — its size and shape, its hidden contours, and the water, forests, roads and development around it. I got this landscape-level view of part of Penobscot Bay last week. I flew in a small propeller plane between Belfast, Searsport and Stockton Springs, up to the mouth of the Penobscot River where it flows from Bucksport around Verona Island, and back again. On my Penobscot Bay flight, we flew from Belfast’s tiny airstrip out over Sears Island, which is mostly undeveloped but still accessible by road. We could see the part of the island where the state wants to build the wind port, an area about one tenth the island’s size. Mack Point is where opponents of the Sears Island project say they want the port built. It was considered by the state’s Offshore Wind Port Advisory Group over the past two years. Sprague has since proposed a new approach to using the site for the port, which groups like Friends of Sears Island are pushing for. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:53
‘Paris has the Olympics, Menemsha has scallop-shucking’
Around 20 commercial fishing vessels pulled up to the docks stern in. They were supposed to be in by 2 pm but most of them were in by noon, Edmundson said, alluding to an eagerness amongst participants. They had more boats actually than they’d anticipated, both from the Island and mainland. The docks and surrounding area were crowded from 3 pm to 7 pm Thursday with roughly 200 people in attendance. Some gathered to check out the fishing fleet and others stood in line at the raw bar, manned by Quinn and Grady Keefe of Outkast Oyster Company. The brothers, who grew up shucking at the Homeport Restaurant, served Menemsha Creek Oysters for a suggested $3 donation. 7 photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:37
Captain John Ernest Tarasevich has passed away
Captain John Ernest Tarasevich passed away peacefully at home on North Padre Island, Corpus Christi, Friday, July 26, 2024. John graduated with a Bachelor of Science in accounting in 1971. Instead of pursuing a career in business. John chose a different path and began working as a commercial fisherman in Pt. Judith, RI. Over his 21 colorful years on the water John made many lifelong friends, starting as a deckhand and eventually buying and captaining his own vessels, F/V Mary Cay, F/V St. Jude. His voice was recognizable to captains of fishing vessels up and down the East Coast. He also served for 8 years as secretary and treasurer for the Pt. Judith Fishermen’s Cooperative, at the time a leading economic and political force in the Northeast fisheries. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:32
Opinion: Rhode Island needs to call a hiatus on offshore wind projects amid blade failures
The recent spate of offshore wind turbine blade failures should be a wake-up call for both the industry and our policymakers. Recently, a Vineyard Wind turbine off Nantucket suffered a catastrophic failure of a 350-foot-long fiberglass turbine blade that dumped 110,000 pounds of fiberglass, epoxy and foam into the ocean. The Vineyard Wind project has been ordered by the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to cease operation and halt further construction activities pending an investigation. Public support for these projects has collapsed. A flash poll conducted by a Providence television station showed 85% of respondents do not support building these turbines. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<, by Martin Kits van Heyningen 06:58
Grand jury looking into questions around NH Ports head Marconi
Prosecutors from the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office have convened a grand jury and are subpoenaing witnesses as part of an investigation into Geno Marconi, director of the New Hampshire Division of Ports and Harbors, according to multiple sources who have testified before the jury. Marconi has not been charged with any crimes, and the exact nature of the Attorney General’s investigation isn’t clear. Marconi, a longtime fixture on the Seacoast who was first hired as operations manager of the ports in 1995, was placed on administrative leave by the Pease Development Authority in April. A spokesperson for the Authority said it could not comment on the action due to confidentiality rules. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:50
Cocaine sharks: The hidden drug problem in the Gulf of Maine and oceans
An article on the BBC and subsequently picked up by the New York Times just reinforced what I have been teaching for a long time. The article reports on a finding from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, which found high levels of cocaine in 13 Brazilian sharp-nosed sharks tested near Rio de Janeiro. So, how did the drugs get into the livers and muscles of the sharks? I can think of three possibilities. First, illegal drug labs might be discharging wastewater into the harbor. Second, sharks could have ingested floating cocaine packets dumped to evade authorities. Lastly, and most likely, local sewage discharge might be releasing large quantities of urine from drug users. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:12
The fallout from Vineyard Wind’s broken turbine blade
When Nantucket residents began posting photos of the fiberglass and foam littering their beaches on the morning of July 16, everyone in the offshore wind world — proponents and opponents, alike — knew the industry was about to face a very public test in confidence. The debris had fallen from a damaged turbine blade at the nearby Vineyard Wind project. The part, made and installed by GE Vernova, had broken three days earlier, and no one really knew why. The project’s developer, also called Vineyard Wind, scrambled to clean up the mess and assure the public that the material all over their pristine beaches was “non-toxic.” But more and more photos of the bright green debris washed up on social media, many carrying captions like “It’s everywhere” and “STOP #Bigwind!” Soon, a picture of the broken turbine itself surfaced. The 351-foot blade had snapped about 65 feet from the base and what remained of it hung slackly, dangling over the ocean. photos, links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:48
Letter: I have never been so disappointed in our local Senators, Elizabeth Warren, and Ed Markey.
I have supported both in the past. As a retired fisherman, I am still trying to help those stay afloat. I sent a letter to both asking them to update The Magnuson Act and add wording that NOAA must compare their science, and survey to other independent science and survey before placing restrictions on fish. Under law NOAA does not have to compare them. We have many problems, monitoring cost, lost fishing grounds of Cape Cod called the canyons, and now wind farms off our coast. We need help to overcome these problems, we need our senators to step to the plate now, before it’s too late. Let’s save what is left. Thank you, Sam Parisi 17:02New commercial fishing pier to be built in Boothbay Harbor
The Boothbay Region Maritime Foundation has recently signed a contract with Fuller Marine to build a new pier and seawall at Carter’s Wharf, 87 Atlantic Avenue, the former site of the Sea Pier. The seawall will be constructed from granite and will be raised to meet current FEMA flood zone height requirements. The pier will have a poured-in -place concrete deck. The site plan has been engineered by Gartley and Dorsky Engineering & Surveying, the seawall has been engineered by Summit Geoengineering Services with Gartley and Dorsky and the pier has been engineered by GEI Consultants, Inc. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:50
Federal regulators issue revised suspension order for Vineyard Wind as more debris falls from damaged turbine
“This maintenance work has already begun, reinforcing the stability and security of the turbines,” Nantucket officials said in an update on the town’s website. The BSEE said it will publicly release the findings of its investigation when it is complete. Fiberglass debris from the damaged turbine has continued to fall into the ocean in recent days. Nantucket officials said “several sections” of the damaged blade detached from the hub and sank to the ocean floor on Monday. Town officials said the debris “primarily consists of small, popcorn-sized pieces of foam, with some larger pieces and limited fiberglass fragments possibly mixed in.” Vineyard Wind crews were collecting debris from the water on Tuesday but warned that some debris may wash onto Nantucket’s southern beaches Wednesday and Thursday, town officials said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:24
One in 100 million cotton candy lobster caught in New Hampshire
A rare cotton candy lobster was the catch of the day recently off the coast of New Castle, New Hampshire. This candy-colored crustaceans was caught by a local lobsterman and donated to the Seacoast Science Center, a marine science education organization in Rye, New Hampshire’s Odiorne Point State Park. The wild color does not mean that it actually tastes sweet or like candy. It’s the result of a very rare genetic mutation. In May, a fisherman off the coast of England found a blue lobster in one of its traps. Rather than risk the lobster ending up on a dinner plate, the specimen was donated to a local aquarium, similar to what happened with New Hampshire’s cotton candy lobster. Blue lobsters have also been spotted in Marblehead, Massachusetts and France. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:53
Vineyard Wind Resumes Some Construction During Investigation
Though pieces of the broken Vineyard Wind turbine continued to fall into the ocean south of the Island this week, federal regulators have approved the wind farm to restart some construction work. On Monday, several sections of the malfunctioning turbine blade that were still attached to the turbine split off and sunk to the ocean floor. Boats were dispatched to the area and both GE Vernova, the turbine manufacturer, and Vineyard Wind were working to clean up the blade pieces and popcorn-sized chunks of styrofoam that had spread into the water. While Vineyard Wind cannot generate any power from the turbines, the company has turned to other work around the rest of the planned 62-turbine wind farm with the blessing of the federal government. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, which oversees offshore wind projects in the U.S., had previously said operations at the wind farm 14 miles south of the Vineyard had shut down until further notice after the 107-meter turbine blade broke. On Saturday, the federal agency clarified that Vineyard Wind could do some work not directly connected to the turbines, such as installing cables in the sea floor. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:05
Massachusetts political contributions from Nantucket wind farm developer scrutinized
As Nantucket continues to reel from the Vineyard Wind turbine blade failure, critics are raising concerns around how the project’s parent company, Avangrid, has donated thousands of dollars in campaign money to state elected officials. A Herald analysis found that employees who list Avangrid as their employer have made 217 donations totaling $57,677 to dozens of state and local campaigns since March 2018, two months before the Baker administration selected a Vineyard Wind bid for contract negotiation. Notable figures include project supporters Gov. Maura Healey receiving 38 donations totaling $16,425 since 2018, and state Sen. Julian Cyr, a Democrat whose district represents the Cape and Islands, collecting 17 contributions for $3,036 since 2021, according to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:29
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 60′ Steel Scalloper, 425HP, Cummins KT19-M Diesel
To review specifications, information, and 26 photos’, >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 06:30
Broken Turbine Blade Near Nantucket Prompts a ‘Told You So!’
A broken turbine blade in the Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm led federal officials to suspend its operations in Nantucket. The incident resulted in large and small fiberglass and foam pieces from the turbine blade washing ashore on Nantucket’s southern beaches, more than 15 miles away. On Thursday, July 25, Cape May County released a statement by Commissioner Director Leonard Desiderio calling the incident in Massachusetts “an environmental catastrophe akin to an oil spill.” Desiderio said that “we were right to oppose offshore wind,” referencing the county’s strong opposition to the Danish firm Orsted’s plans for Ocean Wind I and II off the southern New Jersey coast. He added, “We will continue our opposition moving forward.” Desiderio’s statement recapped the county’s actions in opposition to the Orsted wind farm projects. He took pains to say that opposition by the county government was never based on a denial of climate change or incentivized by the oil industry. “Our opposition to offshore wind was always about protecting our local economy, our fishing industry and our way of life,” he said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:08
Conservationists seek permanent marine protection for Cashes Ledge off Cape Ann
The Conservation Law Foundation, based in Boston, submitted a nomination to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today to designate Cashes Ledge as a sanctuary. National marine sanctuaries are permanently protected from fishing, shipping and ocean dumping and offer a haven for marine life and an undisturbed ecological site for scientific research. The nomination triggers a yearslong review process that could lead to the 766-square mile site being formally designated. The area is currently under fishing restrictions set by the New England Fisheries Management Council, but the conservation foundation said those limits are always subject to change and leave this habitat vulnerable. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:05
Fisherman illegally catches more than a dozen oversized stripers off New England coast
A Massachusetts fisherman is under arrest after investigators announced that he illegally caught 14 oversized striped bass off the New Hampshire coast last week. New Hampshire Fish and Game reported that they had received reports that a boater had been fishing in the Atlantic Ocean off New Castle and Rye with no lights on at night. Officers from the Maine Marine Patrol and Massachusetts Environmental Police began their lookout for the boater in question alongside local police. The Portsmouth Police Department eventually located him after he had loaded his boat onto a trailer and “was in the act of ditching the fish.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
Scallopers assail continued closure of Northern Edge
Fisheries regulators voted this month to “discontinue” development of a plan to reopen the Northern Edge of Georges Bank — a lucrative scallop ground that has long been closed to commercial fishing. In April, the New England Fishery Management Council agreed to consider requests to reopen the fishing grounds at the urging of both the scallop industry and Mayor Jon Mitchell. He and industry representatives cited significant headwinds for the region’s top fishery, including a slump in prices and fewer days at sea for fishermen. They added that opening the Northern Edge would benefit the whole port economy and surrounding businesses. But in the midst of a four-day meeting in Freeport, Maine, the Council voted not to continue discussing plans to reopen the area in order to focus on the “long-term productivity of the Georges Bank scallop resource.” For regulators, it’s a balancing act to weigh sustainability and the economic pressures on fishermen to sustain their livelihoods. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:43
Vineyard Wind Installed the Largest Offshore Turbines in the World. Were They Ready for Primetime?
When Vineyard Wind completed the installation of the first GE Vernova Haliade-X 13-megawatt wind turbine in the waters southwest of Nantucket in October 2023, the company trumpeted it as “the largest turbine in the western world.” It was supposed to be one of the 62 turbines that would make up the first large-scale, commercial offshore wind farm in the United States. But just nine months later, the project has been suspended by the federal government after the now infamous turbine blade failure on July 13th that left Nantucket’s beaches and the waters surrounding the island littered with fiberglass and styrofoam debris that is still being recovered. While offshore wind energy production has a decades-long track record in Europe and Asia, the Vineyard Wind project was the first of its kind in the United States, and the turbines Vineyard Wind is installing are larger and more powerful than any that have come before it. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:55
‘So-called expert bureaucrats’: Fishermen rip Sen Warren’s new plan to ‘silence’ them
America’s seafood leaders are pushing back on new plans from Democrats on Capitol Hill to revive a legal doctrine that fishermen say threatens to “silence” them. On Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., led several of her Democrat colleagues in introducing the Stop Corporate Capture Act (SCCA), which she says is aimed at stopping corporations from “hijacking” the government. With the new threat of the Chevron doctrine finding permanence in federal law, New England fishermen are crying foul and pointing to the recent offshore wind disaster wreaking havoc on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket as a prime example of why lawmakers should not give “expert bureaucrats” power over their industry. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:45
