Daily Archives: September 16, 2013

Before You Grow Up: Be a Lobster Boat Deckhand

The Good: you’re on the open ocean, the pay’s great, and you’ll never complain about hard work again. The Bad: it’s nearly around-the-clock, demanding physical labor—hauling traps out of the water, removing the lobsters, cutting up bait fish with huge knives on rolling waves. After 20 hours there’s a four-hour break—sometimes. “If weather gets rough, I’ll keep guys on duty for up to 48 hours if I need to,” says Morgan Garrett, captain of the 64-foot Sea Star in Point Judith, Rhode Island. more@outsideonline  23:53

Newsletter of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council – Impressive publication!

Pacific Islands Fishery News Summer 2013 – Newsletter of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council  link  23:35

More than 500 turn out for memorial for “Billy Mac”

bilde billKENNEBUNK, Maine — A memorial mass to honor the life of William “Billy Mac” McIntire was held Sunday at the Franciscan Monastery, where more than 500 friends and family members gathered from near and far to say goodbye to a friend, family member and fisherman. more@bdn  Fair Winds, Billy Mac, You’ll long be remembered  22:17

UPDATED: Coast Guard suspends search at 5:28 p.m. Monday for 55-foot fishing vessel reportedly taking on water with two people aboard

uscg-logoBOSTON — The Coast Guard has suspended its active search at 5:28 p.m. Monday for a 55-foot fishing vessel reportedly taking on water with two people aboard in the vicinity of Mount Desert Rock, Maine. more@uscgnews  19:52

New longliner, Emry & Boys, built for ALS Fisheries Ltd. of Sambro, Nova Scotia.

c48607bdef8d960d0a74d428a6e8e711ddb813d6f1088d4fddbc7ddea9daeec4The vessel measures 66 feet in length, with a beam of 28 feet and a draught of 7.5 feet.  The main engine is a Caterpillar Model C-18, 485 HP @ 1800 rpm, with 6:1 reduction, with a maximum speed of 10 knots.  The propeller is a 5-blade, 60″ x 52″ manganese bronze.  The electrical system includes 2 Caterpillar C2.2, 21kw generators.  Interior layout includes accommodation for 6 persons, including a dedicated captain’s cabin. more@sou’wester   A. F. Theriault & Son Boatyard  18:28

City Hall does not like to be harsh, especially to those in the commercial shrimping industry these days. But they’re gonna be.

The individuals and families who trawl Georgia’s waters have enough problems surviving year to year with all the government regulations they must comply with and the flood of cheap imports from just about every continent on the globe they  must compete with before, during and after the legal season for fishing in Southeastern United States. (feelin’ the love?)  more@thebrunswicknews  15:14

Anglo-American pulls out of Pebble Mine project

One of the two companies seeking to build Alaska’s Pebble mine is dropping out of the project as scrutiny grows over its impact on wild salmon. British mining giant Anglo American said Monday it is withdrawing from the Pebble Partnership, a 50-50 venture with Canada’s Northern Dynasty Minerals. Anglo American will take a $300 million charge for dropping out.Anglo American CEO Mark Cutifani said the company wants to focus instead on lower risk projects. more@adn  14:47

Gloucester Harbor: Insuring The Future

Discovery Channel drops the Harris boys and F/V Cornelia Marie

One of the most enduring and popular storylines on Discovery’s crab-fishing drama “Deadliest Catch” has taken yet another turn. more@zap2it

The Fisheries Broadcast with Jamie Baker

CBC_News_logoBankruptcy proceeding for Gray Aqua is moving to New Brunswick, and a cod discussion begins @ minute 6:00 in the 30 minute broadcast. more here  12:30

NSC grateful to Gov. Patrick for certifying severe economic injury to Mass groundfish industry

966382_576848379002335_599159690_oThe Northeast Seafood Coalition (NSC) expresses sincere appreciation to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and the Governor’s office for their leadership in certifying to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that the Massachusetts groundfish industry has suffered substantial economic injury as a result of a fishery resource failure. [email protected]  12:15

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Hearing to air proposal to reduce take in scallop fishing

CONCORD — A public hearing on proposed amendments to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department marine fisheries rules, as well as proposed rule changes for several Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)-managed species, will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. at the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road in Portsmouth. Department is proposing to: Reduce the daily poundage of scallops that can be taken in a day in state waters from 200 pounds of shucked scallops to 75 pounds, and from 1,666 pounds to 625 pounds for scallops in the shell; change the open season for taking scallops with a dredge to December 1 to April 15; allow limited use of chafing gear on a scallop dredge.  more@fosterdailydemocrat 12:08

Gloucester weighs waterfront makeover – Port city’s shift toward a tourist-focused economy poses conflicts with its proud but faltering fishing industry

manatthewheelAngela Sanfilippo, president of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association and executive director of the Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership, doesn’t like what she’s seeing in Gloucester, from the new fishing restrictions to calls to change the boundaries of the designated port area. She fears the city could be eventually abandoning its commercial fishing heritage. more@bostonbizjournal 10:56

Coast Guard crews searching for 55′ fishing vessel taking on water near Mount Desert Rock, Maine

uscg-logoBOSTON — Coast Guard rescue crews are searching for two people aboard a 55-foot fishing vessel approximately nine miles northeast of Mount Desert Rock, Maine, on Sunday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Northern New England received notification at 6:41 p.m., via VHF channel 16, of a 55-foot fishing vessel taking on water with two people aboard. Coast Guard Station Southwest Harbor, Maine, launched a rescue crew on a 47-foot motor life boat. The Coast Guard Cutter Jefferson Island has been diverted to assist with the search. Air Station Cape Cod. Mass, launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and a C-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft crew. uscgnews  10:29

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Coast Guard Sector Northern New England command center at 207-767-0303.

Sea lamprey control planned for Lake Michigan tributaries

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel will apply lampricides to the Millecoquins, Cataract, and Rock rivers and Mile Creek (Mackinac and Schoolcraft counties) to kill sea lamprey larvae burrowed in the stream bottom. more@sootoday 09:00

Massachusetts AG suit vs. NOAA gets new backing from the state of New Hampshire

gdt iconNew Hampshire last week filed a motion seeking “permissive intervention” in U.S. District Court in Boston primarily to protect the interests of the state’s “unique small-boat fisheries industry that is not adequately represented by any other party or intervener.” “There could be issues that we do not have precisely in common with the commonwealth (of Massachusetts) and we want to be able to protect those interests,” Roth said. “The commonwealth has a fishery that is perhaps somewhat more diverse than New Hampshire. We have a primarily, if not completely, small-boat fishery.” more@GDT  03:08