Plenty of people in Ocean City, a popular beach community south of Atlantic City, are dead-set against a project proposed by Orsted and PSEG that still needs state approval to bring a power line onshore. “We don’t want this here in any way, shape or form,” said resident Suzanne Hornick, a leader of local opposition to the plan. The U.S. has 27 wind farm projects in development, with an additional five locations up for auction in California next month, according to the Business Network for Offshore Wind, a nonprofit dedicated to helping develop the offshore wind industry. If even a small portion of them were to face protracted legal or regulatory challenges, it could pose a serious obstacle to the industry. >click to read< 11:02
Category Archives: Pacific
Fishermen ready for start of crab season amid price, start date uncertainty
“I’ve been crab fishing since I graduated from high school in 2007,” said Robert Mirante. “This is my fifth season running a boat as an owner-operator.” Robert comes from a family of fishermen; his father fished for decades, and he and all his brothers run their own boats. “That’s what we do for a living,” Robert said. Uncertainty about the start date of this year’s season, pushed back later by low crab numbers just this past Thursday, affects the entire community, said Perry Graham, captain of the Amberlynn. “It’s always stressful — it is — not knowing. It’d be nice to have your set days to know when to work,” Graham said. “You’re rushing, rushing, rushing to get ready and then you might sit there for a month or two.” Photos, >click to read< 19:00
CDFW opens commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery statewide Dec. 31, Oregon remains closed until at least Jan. 15,
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will open the commercial Dungeness crab fishery statewide on Dec. 31, 2022. Fishing Zones 3-6 (all areas south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county Line) will open under a 50 percent trap reduction on Dec. 31, 2022 at 12:01 a.m., with a 64-hour gear setting period to begin on Dec. 28, 2022 at 8:01 a.m. >click to read<
Oregon Season to remain closed until mid January – The ocean commercial Dungeness crab season remains closed until at least Jan. 15, 2023, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). Round three of pre-season testing shows crabs still remain too low in meat yield on the southern and northern coasts. Elevated domoic acid is still detected in some crab viscera (guts). >click to read< 09:30
Pioneer Seafoods forced out of Redwood City port, leaving its future on the line
The F/V Pioneer, a 76-foot-long seafaring trawler, has left its dock in Redwood City and relocated to Richmond after its permit was terminated by the Port of Redwood City. The boat was where Pioneer Seafoods’ owner, Giuseppe Pennisi, sold his fresh-caught fish directly to customers, an enterprise that is now in jeopardy, he says. Set to replace Pioneer Seafoods is a new commercial fishing tenant that will come to the port in the next few weeks to start selling fish, says Kristine Zortman, executive director of the Port of Redwood City. The reason he hasn’t been fishing, says Pennisi, is that he has been injured and is dealing with complicated hernia problems. “I was just told, basically, if you don’t get fishing, you’re going to get kicked out of here,”, >click to read< 08:26
‘It’s not ‘us versus the whales’’: Delayed crab season weighs heavily on Central Coast fishermen
It was six days before Christmas and the December sun shone brightly off the placid waters of the Santa Cruz Harbor, illuminating towers of empty crab pots stacked on the edge of the docks. Inside a nearby meeting room, more than a dozen fishermen from Santa Cruz, Moss Landing and Monterey grabbed donuts and gray plastic chairs to discuss their most urgent concern: how to deal with the economic impact of a Dungeness crab season that, now more than a month behind schedule, had yet to open. >click to read< 06:47
$300M in fisheries disaster relief makes it into federal spending bill
A massive congressional appropriations bill made public Tuesday includes $300 million in disaster assistance for fishing families and communities buffeted by downturns in Bering Sea crab as well as some Alaska and Washington salmon harvests. The full House and Senate still need to vote on the spending package. The $300 million in Alaska and Washington fisheries disaster funds is aimed at direct payments to crabbers and fishers and support for research and habitat restoration, according to Washington Democratic Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray. The Washington and Alaska congressional delegations joined together to press for a fisheries disaster declaration made last week by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.The full House and Senate still need to vote on the spending package. >click to read< 16:06
Opinion: Who owns the oceans?
There is a question that has been asked in our household for years. For us, it’s a personal question. Generations of family fisherman have been affected by the decisions of others, some known and many invisible. We have had to sit on the sidelines watching the demise of our industry while power brokers, politicians, and the money hungry chart the course when we are not even invited to the table. Now we find ourselves watching the final chapters play out, knowing that we don’t even have a role. The high jacking of our oceans didn’t happen overnight. The slow, methodical process has lined the pockets of the politicians at every level of government. Working in conjunction with private industry and environmentalists they have driven our beloved industry past the brink and left fisherman with no place left to fish. >click to read< 09:59
F/V Speranza Marie: Diesel Spills from Grounded Fishing Vessel at Santa Cruz Island
Diesel fuel containment from a boat carrying 16,000 pounds of squid continues off Santa Cruz Island, the Unified Command responding to the spill reported Friday night. The F/V Speranza Marie held about 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel and an unknown amount of hydraulic fuel when it hit shore at Chinese Harbor around 2 a.m. on December 15. The island is about 27 miles directly south of the City of Santa Barbara and the largest of the Channel Islands. Global Diving and Salvage is working to remove the fuel and stabilize the ship with the help of Tow Boat USA, the Unified Command reported in a press statement. >click to read< 15:29
Disaster declaration unlocks potential federal aid for Alaska crabbers
A Commerce Department disaster declaration for Bering Sea crab and some Alaska and Washington salmon fisheries sets the stage for an end-of-the-year push to secure federal funds to help fleets and communities. The declaration announced Friday covers the Bristol Bay king crab harvests suspended for the past two years, and the snow crab harvest that next year will be canceled for the first time ever. Other fisheries covered by the declaration include the 2021 western Alaska Kuskokwim River salmon harvests as well as 2019 salmon fisheries in the Puget Sound and the 2020 Washington ocean salmon fisheries. >click to read< 08:04
Photo Update: Coast Guard responds to fishing vessel aground on Santa Cruz Island
The Coast Guard, state, and local agencies are responding to a fishing vessel that ran aground on Santa Cruz Island Thursday morning. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach watchstanders received a report from Vessel Assist Ventura that the fishing vessel Speranza Marie, a 60-foot fishing vessel with six people aboard and carrying roughly 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, ran aground in Chinese Harbor on Santa Cruz Island at approximately 2 a.m. A good Samaritan fishing vessel responded to the incident and safely transferred the six crewmembers to their boat without injury and transported them to Ventura. Photos, >click to read the rest< 13:46
Lummi Nation member sold illegally taken Columbia River salmon
A member of the Lummi Nation and former owner of a wholesale fish processor was sentenced Wednesday, Dec. 14, in U.S. District Court to three years of probation for violating the Lacey Act by selling illegally caught Columbia River salmon. Scott Kinley knew the spring Chinook Columbia fishery was only open to Yakama Nation enrollees who were limited to fishing for subsistence and ceremonial purposes, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. From 2013 to 2019 Kinley operated Native American Fisheries, Inc., a seafood processing plant registered with the American Indian Food Program that was administered by the Intertribal Agricultural Council and funded through the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. >click to read< 12:31
Coast Guard Coast Guard medevacs fisherman 23 miles off the coast of San Francisco
The Coast Guard medically evacuated a 63-year-old male off the fishing vessel F/V New Huck Finn approximately 23 miles southwest of Point Reyes, Friday. (Video, click the image) Crewmembers from the fishing vessel F/V New Huck Finn contacted Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders around 10:15 a.m., reporting a crew member was in need of medical assistance due to symptoms relating to a cardiac event. Video, >click to read/watch< 21:23
California’s Dungeness crab season delayed yet again, this time until Dec. 30
California Fish and Wildlife officials on Wednesday evening announced another postponement in the commercial Dungeness crab season for the entire state coast — the third delay this season. There are two geographically based reasons behind the decision: From the Sonoma/Mendocino County line south to the Mexican border, a risk assessment undertaken Wednesday determined there is still a high concentration of migrating whales that could get tangled in fishing gear. It’s the fourth consecutive year of delays to protect the humpbacks. On the far north coast, whales have moved south from Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties, but state officials said testing of crabs caught in these waters showed low meat quality, hence the continued ban there. >click to read< 08:56
BOEM and NOAA announce joint strategy for fisheries surveys
BOEM and NOAA Fisheries are announcing a joint strategy to address potential impacts of offshore wind energy development on NOAA Fisheries’ scientific surveys. The Federal Survey Mitigation Strategy underscores the agencies’ shared commitment to the Biden-Harris Administration’s clean energy goals of responsibly advancing offshore wind energy production while protecting biodiversity and promoting ocean co-use. “This joint strategy will help ensure the quality of NOAA’s fisheries surveys and data are maintained while the nation develops offshore wind energy,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries,,, >click to read< 08:57
‘Looking at the years to come’: Pacific Seafood strategizes for the future
After coming off a remarkably successful year in 2021, Oregon’s commercial fishing industry is working through new challenges in 2022 and preparing for what’s ahead in 2023. In 2021, Oregon experienced its best crab year since 2013. Commercial fishing revenues jumped by 29% to $206 million, according to the Oregon Employment Department. In recent years, total fishing harvests have averaged about $165 million, making 2021 a year that stands out among the rest. Tyson Yeck, vice president for corporate key accounts with Pacific Seafood, said it was a phenomenal year for commercial fishing due to record-breaking prices and strong landings – meaning excellent catches. >click to read< 08:11
Latest round of Dungeness crab testing to conclude Tuesday
The second round of domoic acid and meat-quality testing for Dungeness crabs in Oregon, Washington and California is scheduled to conclude Tuesday as the commercial crabbing industry waits for an opening date. The results, which Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials say are likely to be published by Wednesday, will determine if the coast’s commercial Dungeness crab season will open, or if the industry can expect more delays. >click to read< 09:58
Fisherman Seriously Injured as Boat Runs Aground in Santa Barbara
A fisherman who suffered a serious head laceration was taken to the hospital Wednesday evening after his lobster fishing boat ran aground below the Mesa in Santa Barbara, according to the Santa Barbara City Fire Department. Only one person was aboard the 25- to 30-foot Martha Jane, which ended up on the shoreline below Mesa Lane. A witness, who asked not to be identified, said he found the boat on the sand being battered by the surf, with the prop still running. >click to read< —>updated story< 14:56
North Coast Fisherman Fear for the Future of Commercial Fisheries as Offshore Wind Efforts Advance
As plans to bring offshore wind to the North Coast move steadily ahead, commercial fishermen are urging federal and state regulatory agencies to pump the brakes. “I want to make one thing clear: Fishermen are not opposing [renewable] projects up here, we’re opposing the loss of thousands of miles of fishing grounds,” If the offshore wind development moves forward as planned, many local fishermen, particularly the trawl and ground fishing fleets, would lose access to grounds they’ve fished for decades. >click to read< 11:29
Northline Seafoods Bringing New Innovations to Fishing Industry
Greater Commercial Lending (GCL), which provides loans to businesses and organizations in under-served and rural communities, has completed $40 million in financing for an innovative salmon processing barge in Bristol Bay, Alaska, that will flash-freeze whole salmon right at the fishing grounds. The loan is guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program. Northline Seafoods’ proprietary system for just-caught whole salmon will eliminate multiple days of transport, fuel usage, excess waste and lost product quality, as compared to traditional processing. Bristol Bay is home to the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world. With the “Hannah,” Northline Seafoods’ processing barge, local fishing vessels will deliver their salmon harvest directly to the processing facility. >click to read< 20:11
Port Orford has $2.3-million for dock cranes upgrades project
Port Orford’s port is looking for a new dock crane or two, and it’s planning to spend more than $2,000,000 for upgrades. The Port says its crane replacement project involves two 50-ton cranes used to launch vessels going to sea and retrieve them when they return. The project also includes new product handling hoists and other seafood product handling equipment. The Port says it, “lands an average $5,000,000 in ex-vessel value seafood each year, contributing an average of $7,000,000 to Oregon’s economy, and employing approximately 30% of the local workforce in commercial fishing, processing, and related jobs.” >click to read< 08:05
Maritime apprenticeship program seeks to fill labor gap
The students began training with the Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship, a four-year program that will arm them with skills and experience and provide desperately needed labor to the maritime industry in the county, said Deb Granger, apprenticeship training coordinator. Students in the program attend one night class a week and one Saturday workshop per month, from October through May, to learn about 12 marine-specific technical training subjects, including equipment and gear installations, boat design, electronics, building materials, rigging and safety. At the Landings at Colony Wharf in Bellingham on Nov. 12, students learned about “docking, hauling and blocking” with one of the boatyard’s owners. Photos, >click to read< 12:43
Here’s why the West Coast Dungeness crab season has been delayed
Oregon’s most valuable commercial fishery, Dungeness crab, will have its season delayed from its traditional Dec. 1 start date because of low meat yields. Testing shows the crabs in some ocean areas off the West Coast don’t have enough meat in them to satisfy the commercial market. In some areas, testing also showed elevated levels of the naturally occurring toxin domoic acid, which can make the crabs unsafe to eat. ODFW conducts tests out of six major crabbing ports in partnership with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission and the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Oregon, California and Washington coordinate on commercial season opening dates, and the other states will also be delaying their crab season until at least Dec. 16. >click to read< 12:10
SF fishermen say Bay Area crab season may never again start before Thanksgiving
It’s going to be harder to find local crab this Thanksgiving, and possibly for many Thanksgivings to come. For the fourth year in a row, the start of San Francisco’s Dungeness crab season has been delayed, and local fishermen say a later crab season may now have shifted for good. “I think it is the new normal,” Max Boland, the vice president of sales at Safecoast Seafoods, a wholesale fishing company on Fisherman’s Wharf, John Barnett, a commercial crab fisherman and the president of the San Francisco Boat Owners Association, agrees. Video, >click to read<16:39
How Much Does a Crab Boat Cost? – Average Price
So how much does a crab boat cost nowadays? To begin with, you’ve got to have loads of dough if you’re aiming for the best crabbing boat. We’re talking about ceilings of $2,500,000, which can reach a little less than $3,000,000 or even $5,000,000. Even so, you can still bag a small crab boat for $10,000. Expect seesawing prices because of various factors. The cost of a crab boat can be as fickle as the sea because there are many factors that affect cost. Average-sized commercial crab boats (those that span at least 39 feet) start at $185,000. A large crab boat built for the same purpose is, of course, a different beast. These are the ones that fetch millions of dollars, especially if they reach sizes of 100 to 200 feet. Video, >click to read< 13:14
Fine quadrupled for repeat offender “paper captain” violation
Further investigation after a vessel operator declined an October notice of violation issued by the Coast Guard uncovered the operator in question had previous violations of the Jones Act. The initial fine of $3,000 has been increased to $12,968.50, the calculated average penalty for a repeat violator, said Lt. Cmdr. Colin Fogarty. “The violator, John D. Gibbs, declined it,” Fogarty said in a phone interview. “When the (notice of violation) is declined, it becomes a civil penalty.” Fogarty said enforcement elements targeted the vessel, the F/V Southern Horizon, because of information gathered. We went onboard, and the captain admitted to being a paper captain.” >click to read< 09:50
Dungeness Crab Fishery Delay to Protect Whales from Entanglement and Due to Low Crab Quality
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is continuing the temporary recreational crab trap restriction in Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6 due to presence of humpback whales and the potential for entanglement from trap gear. The commercial Dungeness crab fishery in Fishing Zones 3-6 will also remain delayed due to presence of high numbers of humpback whales and the potential for entanglement with lines and traps in this fishery. CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place on or before Dec. 7, 2022, at which time CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham will re-evaluate the temporary recreational crab trap restriction and commercial fishery delay in Fishing Zones 3-6. >click to read< 07:42
Did climate change really kill billions of snow crabs in Alaska? Here’s what experts say
Some fishers and crab experts have put forward a different idea: They’ve suggested that fishing, particularly the unintentional capture of crabs in fishing gear known as trawls, also contributed to the loss of the snow crab, or at the very least, impeded the species’ recovery from low population levels. The snow crab fishing season closure has amplified a chorus of concerns around Alaska’s trawling industry — mainly from within the fishery sector itself — and the knowledge gaps around its potential impact on fisheries. >click to read< 08:29
Oregon: Ocean commercial Dungeness crab season delayed
The ocean commercial Dungeness crab season opener is delayed until at least Dec. 16 for the entire Oregon coast. Pre-season testing shows crabs are too low in meat yield in some areas. Elevated domoic acid also was detected in some crab viscera (guts). Targeted to open Dec. 1, Oregon’s ocean commercial Dungeness crab season can be delayed so consumers get a high-quality product and crabs are not wasted. The next round of crab meat yield and biotoxin testing will occur in the coming weeks. Results help determine if the season opens Dec. 16 or is further delayed or split into areas with different opening dates. >click to read< 11:41
Alaska, Washington senators team up to seek disaster declaration for closed crab harvests
Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington sent the request to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The senators asked the secretary to act “as quickly as possible” to invoke the disaster declaration provision of the primary law governing marine fisheries, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. “Many of these fishermen and businesses hail from both Alaska and Washington, and the impacts of these fishery disasters extend far beyond our states to consumers across the United States and the world,” the senators’ letter said. The State of Alaska puts the estimated loss of ex-vessel value – the amount paid directly to fishers for their catches – at $287.7 million,,, >click to read< 09:16
US regulators to vote on removal of four dams on lower Klamath River
The largest dam demolition and river restoration plan in the world could be close to reality Thursday as U.S. regulators vote on a plan to remove four aging hydro-electric structures, reopening hundreds of miles of California river habitat to imperiled salmon. The vote by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the lower Klamath River dams is the last major regulatory hurdle and the biggest milestone facing a $500 million demolition proposal championed by Native American tribes and environmentalists for years. But plans to remove the dams have been controversial. “The whole question is, will this add to the increased production of salmon? It has everything to do with what’s going on in the ocean (and) we think this will turn out to be a futile effort,” >click to read< 11:10
