Daily Archives: May 12, 2015
Settlement reached in fishing boat sinking that claimed two lives
Paperwork was filed Tuesday in Knox County Unified Court on behalf of the estate of 27-year-old Thomas Hammond of Rockland, who was one of two crewmembers lost when the fishing vessel No Limits sank off Matinicus Island on Nov. 1 during a storm. Also lost in the tragedy was 15-year-old Tyler Sawyer, who lived in St. George and Waldoboro. The boat was owned by captain Christopher Hutchinson, who survived the sinking. Read the rest here 19:51
North Carolina Wildlife Federation Proposes Drastic Policies to Protect Coastal Habitats
MOREHEAD CITY – A wildlife conservation nonprofit is looking to make some changes to the way our state cares for its coastal ecosystem. The new policies would promote oyster restoration, habitat protection and stricter fishing gear regulations. “If we keep going the same direction, then our coast will be in peril,” said David Knight, policy advisor with the North Carolina Wildlife Federation. “Large mesh gill nets, small mesh gill nets, shrimp trolling in inland waters, but all of these issues,,, Read the rest here 18:14
Alaska’s salmon season officially starts tomorrow, May 14!
Alaska’s 2015 salmon season officially gets underway tomorrow, May 14th. Trollers in Southeast Alaska fish for king salmon nearly all year long, but the official start is 
near Cordova. The 500-plus fleet is set for the first 12 hour opener on Thursday amid the usual media hoopla. The harvest at Copper River this year is set at 2.2 million sockeye salmon and a conservative six thousand kings. In following weeks, various salmon openers will kick off all over Alaska,,, Read the rest here 17:51
South Shore lobstermen design gear to both protect whales, ‘get our lobstering back’
Some lobstermen plowed snow and worked side jobs during the three-month closure that ended May 1. Others repaired their equipment and puttered around, living off their savings. South Shore lobstermen John Haviland and Mike Lane spent the downtime poring over more than 1,000 pages of data and methodology from the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. The new plan bans the use of lobstering equipment from Feb. 1 to April 30 off Cape Cod Bay and beyond, shutting down the local industry for the winter. Video, Read the rest here 16:59
New classification rules for U.S. fishing vessels – DNV GL Tackles Safety through Standards
New classification rules for U.S. fishing vessels address safety issues through collaboration, new rules and an eye towards economy. With this in view, U.S. legislation requires that all new fishing vessels of at least 50 feet overall in length are to be built and maintained to classification rules. Read the rest here. For an excellent breakdown of this, (it’s expensive!) Read SAFE-BOAT SMART-BOAT: Time to grasp an understanding of new USCG safety requirements Click here photo 15:56
Blessing of the Nets – Ceremony at Port Dover Harbour Museum honours commercial fishermen
PORT DOVER – We can all taste the results of the commercial fishing industry – delicious meals a plenty in towns like Port Dover. What the general public doesn’t witness is the risk each fisherman encounters on Lake Erie for weeks at a time. During those moments, it doesn’t hurt to have someone watching over you, which is where the annual Blessing of the Nets and Fishermen’s Memorial Service comes into play. Read the rest here (photo) 12:44
New Tool Aims To Help Scallop Fishery Adapt To Climate Change
Researchers with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy that analyzes data on changes in the ocean, the scallop population, and the economy. The tool is unique, according to Jon Hare, director of the NOAA fisheries lab in Narragansett. He said the goal is to give scallop fisheries the chance to prepare for climate change, and “use this model to evaluate how the population would respond to ocean acidification and changes in management.” Read the rest here 12:05
Lobster season begins on the North Shore and in Cape Breton
Traps are being prepared and loaded onto boats by fisherman in northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton for the first day of their lobster season. “Feels great to get back at ‘er,” says Colin MacDonald. At Ballantynes Cove, 20 minutes north of Antigonish, around a dozen fishermen like MacDonald were up before 5 a.m. getting ready. Read the rest here 11:55
Lightening Raid! Lobsters liberated in Dublin
Members of the National Animal Rights Association (NARA), Direct Action For Animals, and Alliance For Animal Rights swooped on the Ka Shing Chinese restaurant as busy Friday trade got under way about 7.30pm. A number of the activists fished the lobsters out of the tank at the entrance to the Wicklow St premises before putting them into bags and quickly exiting the restaurant. Video, Read the rest here 09:05
NOAA out of touch with scallop grounds, Fred Crabtree, New Bedford
NOAA is proposing more regulations on the scallop industry, to justify its existence (“Council expected to vote on scallop grounds,” April 23). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has regulated the finfish industry to almost non-existence. The draggers that are still fishing have to buy fishing time from the draggers that stay tied to the dock. The scallop fishery would also be in the same shape were it not for UMass Dartmouth. Read the rest here 08:25
Times are tough – Rockland refuses to waive fees for Maine Lobster Festival
The Maine Lobster Festival will have to shell out money to the city for the annual summer waterfront celebration. The council voted 4-1 Monday night to reject fee waivers. The rejection means the organization will have to pay $14,250 to use the downtown city-owned waterfront parks this year. “We know these are difficult times for taxpayers and the council,” Plourde said. Read the rest here 08:03
Dead fin whale arrives in Vancouver on bow of cruise ship
Department of Fisheries and Oceans officials are trying to figure out how a fin whale died and arrived in the city’s harbour Sunday on the bow of a cruise ship. The whale, spotted at the port near the Clarke Drive access point, has since been towed away so a necropsy can be performed. He said the ship operator immediately notified authorities after noticing the whale and crew members have been interviewed. The mammal was brought into to the port so a team of experts could examine it. Read the rest here 07:47
