Category Archives: South Atlantic
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for February 19, 2021
Legislative updates, Bill updates, Calendar, >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here<The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of NC has filed a lawsuit against the State of North Carolina that could severely restrict the rights of fishermen and consumers to access local wild caught North Carolina seafood! See Documents at the bottom of this update for detailed information about the lawsuit. 20:10
The Coronavirus pandemic could change U.S. fisheries forever. Will it be for better or for worse?!
The first symptoms appeared long before Covid-19 gained a stronghold on U.S. shores, as China went into its first lockdown and a critical export market disappeared overnight,,, Then as social distancing rules kicked in here, another major organ of the U.S. supply chain, restaurants, where most seafood purchases are made, fell limp. Many fishermen across the country have pivoted to direct-marketing models by selling their catch off their boats,,, To many in the food industry, the pandemic’s impact has exposed the fundamental vulnerabilities of a system that has long favored efficiency over resilience. >click to read< 09:48
Mass, R.I. Public Hearing: Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment
Might want to get this out there- it’s going to be important the industry get involved. Tell the Council status quo! Comments may be submitted at any of five virtual public hearings to be held between February 17 and March 2, 2021 or via written comment until March 16, 2021. Wednesday, February 17, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Thursday, February 18, New Jersey, Wednesday, February 24, Delaware and Maryland, Monday, March 1, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Virginia and North Carolina, Tuesday, March 2, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Connecticut and New York >click to read< 16:10
‘Mask police’: Commercial fishermen, watermen required to wear masks on boats via Biden, Coast Guard COVID orders
The U.S. Coast Guard is requiring masks be worn on commercial fishing boats and other vessels as part of President Joe Biden’s executive orders mandating face coverings on federally regulated transportation vehicles.,, Now, they are also going to be enforced on watermen and those working on fishing boats, according to the Coast Guard. U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.-1st, said mandating the mask on watermen and fishermen working outdoors is burdensome, goes against the science of how of and where COVID is spread and could require masks to be worn at all times on boats, including while sleeping. >click to read< 19:10
Congressman Harris Asks for Clarification on Mask Mandate for Small Craft Fishing Vessels – The Coast Guard has issued guidance that all commercial fishing vessel occupants will be required to wear masks, and that they will enforce this mandate. >click to read<
Sources: Body found in St. Johns River near Buckman Bridge is missing crabber
According to a spokesperson for the FWC, the lead agency in the search, FWC and Clay County personnel recovered the body and took it to the Mulberry Cove Boat Ramp at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Authorities have not yet said if the body found in the river Thursday is 20-year-old Michael Vaughn III, of St. Augustine, who disappeared on the river last week. But a family friend told News4Jax it’s him. Vaughn had worked with his dad on a crab boat since he was 8 years old and took the lead role in the family business when his dad had to deal with medical issues. >click to read< 11:53
Mount Pleasant honors late iconic shrimper Capt. Wayne Magwood, with commemorative plaque
The Town of Mount Pleasant will commemorate the life of iconic Shem Creek shrimp boat captain, Wayne Magwood, with a special plaque on Thursday. Captain Magwood was struck and killed by a passing truck while crossing Mill Street at Coleman Boulevard in September 2020. His boat, Winds of Fortune, was a familiar sight on Shem Creek, according to the town. They say he was a passionate advocate for the local shrimping industry and a “great town partner at the Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival for the past 33 years.” Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie and members of town council joined the Magwood family on Thursday afternoon to unveil a commemorative plaque on the new Shem Creek pedestrian bridge. video, >click to read< 18:45
NC Fisheries Association seeks to intervene in civil suit against state
The N.C. Fisheries Association, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the state seafood industry, filed Jan. 28 in Wake County Superior Court a motion to intervene in the civil complaint filed Nov. 10, 2020, by the Coastal Conservation Association’s North Carolina branch against the state. CCANC, a recreational fishing and conservation nonprofit, alleges state officials have mismanaged coastal fisheries resources. “Along with our motion to intervene, we have filed a proposed motion requesting the dismissal of the CCA lawsuit against the state,” the association said. >click to read< 07:02
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for February 5, 2021
Legislative updates, Bill updates, Calendar, >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< On Thursday, January 28, 2021 the North Carolina Fisheries Association filed amotion to intervene as a party-defendant in the lawsuit filed against the State of N.C by the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of North Carolina. If you would like to contribute/donate to NCFA to help with this lawsuit, click! 10:00
Jacksonville: Coast Guard suspends search for missing crab fisherman near Buckman Bridge, Man identified
The Coast Guard suspended the search Friday for a man who went missing after reportedly falling overboard a 30-foot fishing vessel near Buckman Bridge south of Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Thursday. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office received a report at 7:57 a.m. of a 30-foot commercial fishing vessel unmanned and running in circles near the southside of the Buckman Bridge. >click to read< 19:31
Missing boater identified -The missing boater in a multi-agency search has been identified as 20-year-old Michael Vaughn III, who disappeared after falling overboard from a 30-foot commercial fishing vessel near the Buckman Bridge Thursday morning. >click to read<
Crab boat gets stuck near Buckman Bridge Thursday, 19-year-old fisherman still missing
The U.S. Coast Guard is now the lead agency in the search for a missing teenage boater fisherman who disappeared after falling overboard from a 30-foot commercial fishing vessel near the Buckman Bridge Thursday morning. Other crab boat captains searched along the southern span of the Buckman Bridge throughout the day. The Coast Guard received notification at 8 a.m. after the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office received a report from an off-duty police officer who said a vessel was unmanned and running in circles near the bridge. >click to read< 08:39
Developing: Shrimp boat stuck near Buckman Bridge, captain nowhere to be found
A shrimp boat without a captain is stuck near the Buckman Bridge Thursday morning, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. JFRD originally tweeted that they were responding to a “marine incident” at 8:53 a.m. Rescue crews say the boat is somehow connected to the bridge, either by water current or just stuck. JFRD says it has also received reports of someone in the water. To be updated, >click to read< 10:42
Boat stuck near Buckman Bridge, captain nowhere to be found – Fire officials say the boat capsized, and they also received reports of “someone seen treading water” near it fire department spokesman Eric Prosswimmer said. “It is a commercial boat,” >click to read<
34th Annual Blessing of the Fleet will be April 25th, craft show applications available
The Town of Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival craft show applications are now available. The 34th annual festival will be April 25 at Memorial Waterfront Park. The Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival aims to promote local fishermen and the town’s seafood legacy, educate the public on the importance of supporting local fishermen and shrimpers by buying wild-caught and local seafood, and to give back to the community by giving proceeds to a nonprofit that supports Mount Pleasant residents as well as the event. >click to read< 14:44
Shipwreck off coast of Hilton Head caused $60K in damage to shrimp boat
After leaving the docks at Hudson’s Seafood at 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 19, 2019, the captain of the “Miss Annie” was on his way to catch shrimp on Hilton Head Island’s south end. At 7 a.m., the boat came to an abrupt stop. It began flooding and tipping onto its starboard side. The captain told federal investigators he felt like he “hit a rock,”,,, The shrimp boat did not hit a rock, like the captain thought. Instead, it hit a moving shipwreck. >click to read< 08:49
Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival set for April 25
The 34th annual Town of Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival is slated to be held on April 25. After 2020’s event was canceled due to COVID-19, organizers are hoping to hold the yearly ceremony this time around. Applications are now open for the event’s craft show, with the deadline set for Feb. 26. “The Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival aims to promote local fishermen and the town’s seafood legacy, educate the public on the importance of supporting local fishermen and shrimpers by buying wild-caught and local seafood,,, >click to read< 13:04
6 Ocean Priorities for the Biden Administration from the Environmentalist
Since President-elect Biden was voted into office last November, he and his team have been sharing what they want to accomplish in their first 100 days in office.,, In the midst of any political transition, it is easy for environmental issues to be pushed aside in the name of more “urgent” issues. Fortunately, the new administration has given us promising signals that environmental action is high on their to-do list. Here are six things that must be prioritized in the coming weeks and months,,, >click to read< 09:48
As Commerce Secretary, Raimondo to play key role in offshore wind.
In the selection of Gina Raimondo as the next U.S. Secretary of Commerce, the offshore wind industry would get a champion in Washington. What influence she could bring to bear for the emerging energy sector remains to be seen, but if confirmed to her new position in the Biden cabinet, Raimondo would oversee federal fisheries regulators who have raised some of the concerns about potential negative impacts of erecting what could be many hundreds of wind turbines in the ocean waters off southern New England. >click to read<09:45
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for January 15, 2021
Legislative updates, Bill updates, Calendar, >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here<15:15
Stocks head for weekly loss as economy’s coronavirus pain deepens – Seafood industry hit hard
A federal report says the coronavirus pandemic has taken away about a third of the commercial fishing industry’s revenue. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says revenues from catch brought to the docks by commercial fishermen fell 29% over the course of the first seven months of the year. The report says revenues declined every month from March to July, including a 45% decrease in July. The NOAA report says the seafood industry at large has been hit hard by restaurant closures, social distancing protocols and the need for safety measures. >click to read< 09:15
Three fishermen saved after shrimp boat sinks off North Topsail Beach
On Dec. 30, Lawrence Hansley and two others headed out to sea with Hansley’s shrimp boat, Salty Boy. It’d been six or seven months since he was on the inlet. While out on the water, the team entered a channel not far off NTB. “We went through a set of buoys, and I know we had to line up for the red buoys, but we didn’t see the red buoy,” said Hansley. That’s when they were caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. The boat touched the bottom of the seafloor, coming up onto a sand bar, and ran aground. >video, click to read< 08:10
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 88′ Master Marine Steel Scalloper, Cat 3412, Kort nozzle, 2 Detroit gensets
To review specifications, and information, and 16 photos, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here<11:39
Deadline to Apply for Seafood Trade Relief Program Coming Up
“U.S. fishermen affected by retaliatory tariffs need to file an application for this program by Friday, Jan. 15,” said Richard Fordyce, Administrator for USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). “We still have funding available, and these direct payments will help them recover from the effects of retaliatory tariffs on their ability to make a living.” STRP is available for the following types of seafood: Atka mackerel, Crab (Dungeness, King, Snow, Southern Tanner, Flounder, Geoduck, Goosefish, Herrings, Lobster, Pacific Cod, Pacific Ocean Perch, Pollock, Sablefish, Salmon, Sole, Squid, Tuna, Turbot. To apply, visit farmers.gov/seafood or call 877-508-8364. >click to read< 12:20
Coronavirus: Coast Guard offers extension on credentials, medical certificates, and course approvals
Coast Guard officials have announced an extension of merchant marine credential endorsements, medical certificates and course approvals to meet challenges caused by the global novel coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, the Coast Guard advised that due to these changes there may be a backlog in the processing of credentials and course approvals, especially near the end of the extension dates.,, Under the Coast Guard’s current statutory authority, the expiration dates of merchant mariner credentials may be extended for no more than one year. >click to read< 14:34
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for January 01, 2021
Sadly, former Senator Marc Basnight passed away this week at the age of 73. More about that elsewhere in this update. I have written a personal note about our relationship as it was one that had spanned quite a few years. The NCFA Board, Members and Staff offer our most sincere condolences and prayers to the Basnight family. Senator Marc Basnight had a close relationship with the North Carolina Fisheries Association. He was a good friend to 
commercial fishing families, although there were times when we differed. ,, Legislative updates, Bill updates, Calendar, >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here<10:38
Looks like it could be Happy New Year, Shrimpers! Georgia Shrimp Season Extended Into 2021
Georgia’s commercial and recreational shrimpers will have more time this season to harvest food shrimp after the state Department of Natural Resources extended the shrimping season Monday. State law normally closes the shrimp fishery Dec. 31, but the Commissioner of Natural Resources can lengthen the season if data show shrimp are abundant and likely to rebound the following year, explained Eddie Leonard, a biologist with DNR’s Coastal Resources Division, which manages marine fisheries in Georgia. This season in Georgia, there are 213 licensed commercial shrimp trawlers and 15 licensed commercial cast-net shrimpers. >click to read< 07:13
Legislation to help next generation of young fishermen passes in Congress
Congress passed bipartisan legislation on Dec. 20 that would establish a national program to train and educate the next generation of commercial fishermen. It must be signed by President Donald Trump before becoming law. The Young Fishermen’s Development Act, H.R. 1240, would create $2,000,000 in yearly grant funding, which would be dispensed to various organizations to provide mentorship and learning opportunities to fishermen just starting in the industry. >click to read< 12:19
As the New Year is on the horizon, please consider implementation of a U.S. Fish Bill
Greetings to all commercial fishermen, fish processors, equipment suppliers, politicians, and citizens, that are interested and supportive of creation of a U.S. Fish Bill. I mentioned it in a letter to the editor, Letter: Can a fish bill, like Farm Bill, aid fishermen? on I have tried to get our local politicians to help me draft a U.S Fish Bill, which would serve the U.S Fishing Industry, like the U.S. Farm Bill does for the agriculture industry. >click to read< Sam Parisi, Gloucester 09:11
European Union is dropping tariffs on American lobster
President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation that finalizes an agreement with the European Union to eliminate tariffs on live and frozen lobster from the United States. In 2017, a trade agreement eliminated tariffs on live lobsters from Canada and slowly reduced and eliminated tariffs of frozen and processed Canadian lobster. At the same time, American lobster exports faced tariffs as high as 30% in the European Union. The new agreement will reduce tariffs on live and frozen U.S. lobsters to 0%, retroactive to Aug. 1. Video, >click to read< 11:24
Report on Fishery Failures: Urgently Needed Disaster Declarations Act, S. 2346
Purpose of the Bill: The purpose of S. 2346, the Fishery Failures: Urgently Needed Disaster Declarations Act, is to clarify and expedite the disaster declaration process, establish certain deadlines for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), reduce delays, and clarify eligibility for assistance to ensure that charter, recreational, and Tribal fishers have access to disaster funds. Additionally, the bill would provide employment opportunities for fishery employees displaced by a fishery disaster by prioritizing their hiring to undertake restoration, conservation, and other fishery rebuilding activities funded by disaster relief funds. >click to read< 09:22
The rise of the land salmon
Damien Claire stands inside an industrial complex on the outskirts of Miami, watching thousands of salmon fry dart this way and that in a circular tank. At nine weeks old, the youngsters are the size of paperclips and learning to feed. Instinctively, they school, turning into a swirling dark ball in the lime green light. Claire wears a bright safety vest and a white hardhat stamped with the logo of the company he works for, Atlantic Sapphire. It’s a brand that pops up frequently these days in seafood industry publications with names like Salmon Business and Intrafish. >click to read< 08:55
Public Hearings for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) are seeking public comment on the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment. Comments may be submitted at any of five virtual public hearings to be held between February 17 and March 2, 2021 or via written comment until March 16, 2021. >click to read, click for links< 12:41
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