Monthly Archives: August 2015
Bumble Bee Foods agrees to $6M settlement in worker oven death
Bumble Bee Foods agreed to pay $6 million to settle criminal charges Wednesday in the death of a worker who was cooked in an oven with tons of tuna. Jose Melena, 62, died three years ago in a 270-degree oven at the seafood company’s Santa Fe Springs, California, plant after a co-worker mistakenly believed he was in the bathroom and filled a pressure cooker with six tons of canned tuna. “This is the worst circumstances of death I have ever, ever witnessed,” said Deputy District Attorney Hoon Chun,,, Read the rest here 16:45
Louisiana shrimpers, fishermen rally for changes to federal seafood import regulations
Local shrimpers and fisherman say the U.S. government’s poor regulations on importing seafood has been affecting their livelihoods, and they need things to change soon before they say an industry that has thrived for generations in Louisiana is destroyed. “The saddest part that I see is that the younger generations has to go somewhere else to get a job. We have some fishing families that are six generations,” said George Barisich, a board member of the Louisiana Shrimp Association. Read the rest here 12:31
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 55′ AMT Marine Fiberglass Crabber/Seiner, 6 Cylinder Cummins N14
Specifications, information and 35 photo’s click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 12:13
Autopsy reveals “Deadliest Catch” Skipper Tony Lara suffered a heart attack in his sleep
Mead County Sherrif Ron Merwin said that the autopsy showed scar tissue on the 50-year-old reality star’s heart, which “is consistent with the effects of a heart attack.” Even though this was likely the case, they are still waiting for the toxicology report to come back. No signs of drugs or alcohol were found in his system at the time of his death, though. Lara was a veteran crab catcher and was the ship captain on the Discovery Channel show. His death comes just two weeks after the show’s producer Joe McMahon was shot and killed. Read the rest here 11:30
Video – Big boom for tiny shrimp in Petersburg, Alaska
Alaska is home to one of the most prized species of salad shrimp, Pandalus borealis. In Petersburg, Tonka Seafoods has just three boats permitted for salad shrimp fishing, but is looking for more as demand for the Alaska species soars. “We have a different species than you get in other parts of the Pacific Northwest.” Tonka Seafoods President Wendell Gilbert said. “And these are what they are looking for in Iceland, because this is exactly the same shrimp they have on the East Coast and in their area.” Read the rest here 10:44
Always Top Quality! Your Seafreeze Ltd. Preferred Price List for August 12, 2015
Contact our sales team today @ 401 295 2585 or 800 732 273 Click Here for the complete price list from Seafreeze Ltd. We are Direct to the Source-We are Fishermen-We are Seafreeze Ltd! Visit our website! 10:28
Unnatural – Eating fish that don’t eat fish? Manufacturer develops a fish food 100 per cent free of wild caught fishmeal
Dr Leo Nankervis, from 
in Norway, said the company had gradually lowered the minimum level of fishmeal from 25 per cent to 5 per cent and studies showed that could go to zero. He said no problems had yet emerged from long-term growth trials of the 100 per cent fishmeal-free fish food, but it had yet to be tested under commercial farming conditions. “At this point, taking all of the fishmeal out of the feed would actually increase the cost a little bit, so that’s a challenging thing to put to our customers,” Dr Nankervis said. Read the rest here 09:33
Terrifying Photo’s of Giant tiger shark reportedly caught off NSW North Coast
Conservationists are investigating the possibility that a gigantic, four-metre tiger shark was caught off the NSW coast this week by commercial fisherman. Byron Bay-based conservation group Positive Change for Marine Life shared two images of the dead shark on its Facebook site on Tuesday. Commercial shark fishing is not illegal in large parts of the ocean off NSW and Queensland. The frightening photos show the shark lying on what appears to be the deck of a commercial fishing vessel, with several cuts and blood seeping out of its massive jaw. Oh my! Read the rest here 08:47
Bering Sea Crabbers Release White Paper Tackling the Economic Impact of Illegal Crab Poaching in Russia on the U.S.
Frequentz and the Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers’ is pleased to announce the release of a white paper shedding light on the estimated $600 million lost in U.S. tax revenue and commercial fishing profits since 2000 as a result of competition with illegal Russian crab. In addition to the significant economic impact and threat to the livelihoods of small, independently owned family businesses, the paper explains how consumers are being duped by illegally harvested crab entering the global supply chain, often under the guise of being sustainably sourced. Read the rest here 08:35
NC seafood processor fined $100,000 for mislabeling shrimp
A Harnett County seafood processor faces a $100,000 fine and three years of probation for labeling farm-raised, imported shrimp as wild shrimp caught in the United States. According to court documents, an employee of Alphin Brothers Inc. encouraged others at the Dunn seafood processing facility to falsely label approximately 25,000 pounds of shrimp later sold to customers in Louisiana. Read the rest here 23:25
Cattle Call! Commercial fishing families sought for potential series
A Los Angeles-based production company is finalizing a list of families it plans to feature in a documentary series for a major cable network that is tentatively titled Born on the Water. The documentary series will explore the challenges and achievements of commercial fishing families from a multigenerational perspective. The documentary series will explore the challenges and achievements of commercial fishing families from a multigenerational perspective. Read the rest here 19:47
Washington and Oregon States adopt lower Columbia seine salmon fisheries
Washington and Oregon officials on Tuesday adopted commercial salmon fishing seasons in late August and September for six beach seiners and four purse seiners in selected portions of the lower Columbia River. Eight commercial fishermen applied for seine permits in June and all were awarded a permit, said Robin Ehlke, assistant Columbia River policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Only six of the eight permits (four beach and two purse) were purchased. The states are accepting applications in order Read the rest here 19:16
O’Hara Corporation christens F/V Araho
The O’Hara Corporation 
the first new vessel to join Alaska’s flatfish sector in nearly three decades this summer, marking a major milestone for the aging fleet and sending waves of excitement through the industry. A video posted on the company’s Facebook page shows the vessel’s hull being launched into the water, in time for completion by the Alaska Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands flatfish fishing season’s start in late January. In a rare move, the company had it built on US soil. Eastern Shipbuilding Group constructed the 194-foot freezer trawler at its home-base in Panama City, Florida. Read the rest here 14:14
Electronic Monitoring versus At Sea Observers – Technology buoys fishermen devastated by cod’s collapse
By the end of this year, NMFS wants groundfish fishermen to pay for their own “at-sea monitors,” the independent observers who collect data on bycatch and ensure fishermen follow the rules..”It’s the people that we’re dealing with that we trust,” said . “I know that John is trying to do the best he can, and I know the people he’s got working for him are trying to do the best they can.” As for the rest of NOAA? “Would you trust someone who has screwed you nonstop your whole life?” he said. “Thirty-five years ago, I thought it was different. I don’t anymore.” Read the rest here 12:09
Simple solution could save whales from fishing nets
The number of massive whales dangerously caught up in fishing gear could be reduced by three quarters if the industry would agree to use slightly weaker ropes. The calculations and recommendations have been published in the journal Conservation Biology, following a string of whale entanglements reported over June and July; from June, one humpback whale was inadvertently caught up off the British Columbia coast every week for six weeks. Read the rest here 10:49
Overwaitea Food Group dropped by sustainable seafood program SeaChoice
SeaChoice, a national sustainable seafood program, has dropped one of its most prominent partners, the Overwaitea Food Group, due in part to ongoing problems with getting information about where the fish sold in stores was caught. “It was disappointing,” said Jay Ritchlin, a director-general for the David Suzuki Foundation which overseas SeaChoice. Where seafood comes from — and how it was caught — are both important pieces of information in deciding whether that stock can be considered sustainable. For example, SeaChoice tells consumers to avoid farmed shrimp from the U.S. and choose instead trap-caught shrimp from Nova Scotia. Read the rest here 10:00
Lobster season opens on Northumberland Strait – Processors scramble to find plant workers
The lobster fishery opening on the Northumberland Strait Tuesday as lobster processors deal with new federal regulations which limit how many temporary foreign workers can be hired. The new regulations could create problems processing this season’s catch. “Let’s face it — it’s tough work, not everybody’s cut out for it,” said Nat Richard. “And certainly a lot of our older workers are retiring and younger people today aren’t looking to work in fish plants.” Read the rest here 09:34
‘Wicked Tuna’ fisherman Paul Hebert pleads not guilty to fraud
A Gloucester fisherman featured on the reality show “Wicked Tuna” pleaded not guilty Monday in Vermont to federal fraud charges that he collected government benefits while claiming to be disabled. Prosecutors say while Hebert was seen manning big fishing rods and harpooning huge fish on the National Geographic Channel reality show, he was at the same time claiming he was unable to work, with no income, no vehicle and no assets. They say during that period he was actually living with a woman and his child, owned a vehicle, and, at one point, a home. Read the rest here 09:05
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update August 10, 2015
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here 08:30
Commercial fishing industry reeling from mental health crisis
Led by Deakin University maritime anthropologist, Dr Tanya King, the report ‘A Different Kettle of Fish: Mental health strategies for Australian fishers and farmers’ reveals a community under stress and struggling under the weight of government policy around fishing licences. “This would allow the specific issues facing the fishing industry to be addressed, rather than assuming that policies good for farmers will necessarily work for fishers. “It’s not just people’s livelihoods, or even consumer access to fresh, sustainable local seafood – people’s lives are on the line,” she said. Read the rest here 08:16
With Crab and Salmon Booming, NSEDC Board Considers Residency Requirements for Commercial Salmon
It’s been a good summer for commercial fishing in the Norton Sound—and at the latest meeting of the Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation Board, a strong crab and an ongoing salmon season means its not over. “We paid out over $2,047,000 to our local crab fleet, which is just amazing,” said NSEDC Board chair Dan Harrelson of White Mountain. The salmon, he stressed, are still running: Read the rest here 22:02
Sustainability: Don’t waste seafood waste
Every year, some 6 million to 8 million tonnes of waste crab, shrimp and lobster shells are produced globally — about 1.5 million tonnes in southeast Asia alone1. Whereas 75% of the weight of a tuna fish can be extracted as fillets, meat accounts for only around 40% of a crab’s mass. Yet shells harbour useful chemicals —protein, calcium carbonate and chitin, a polymer similar to cellulose, but which contains nitrogen (see ‘Shell biorefinery’). The potential value of such shells for the chemical industry is being ignored. Read the rest here 21:16
More NOAA Over Reach: Proposed Rule to Protect Marine Mammals in International Fisheries
NOAA released a proposed rule designed to implement sections of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) that aims to reduce marine mammal bycatch associated with foreign commercial fishing operations, ensuring that those fisheries support a healthy and diverse marine ecosystem. Under the proposed rule, nations wishing to export fish and fish products to the United States would be required to demonstrate that they have a regulatory program for reducing marine mammal incidental mortality and serious injury that is comparable in effectiveness to the U.S. program. Read the rest here 20:07
EPA causes a major environmental disaster, the question is: will it fine itself and fire those involved?
The 
often justifies its own existence by noting that corporations, who see profit as their goal rather than environmental protection, are ill-equipped (or at least, ill-prioritized) to care for America’s natural resources. It turns out that, perhaps, the EPA might also be ill-equipped to handle toxic waste when it comes to preventing large-scale pollution of our nation’s waterways. In fact, they may have caused, on its own, one of our nation’s greatest environmental disasters. Read the rest here 17:45
Fulcher family-owned processor ‘may be beneficial’ in future
Greg Fulcher hit US scallop sector headlines recently by paying $7 million to secure the fishing vessel Alaska, complete with permit, from New Bedford, Massachusetts-based Oceans Fleet Fisheries. However, he is far from the only Fulcher in the seafood business. “In the future, depending on consolidation in the sector and what happens with permits on boats, it might be beneficial to go into processing, with all of us owning one plant, with our raw materials going into it,” he suggested. Fulcher believes changes are coming to the US scallop sector, which will allow a company to stack more than one permits on a vessel. Read the rest here 16:26
Emergency action needed on at-sea monitoring – Jackie Odell, Northeast Seafood Coalition
NOAA Fisheries announced last week that funding for the at-sea monitoring program for groundfish fishermen operating under sectors will now extend through Oct. 31. This announcement was made less than a week after NOAA Fisheries denied the New England Fishery Management Council’s request to initiate an emergency action to suspend the program temporarily until a full evaluation, including a cost-benefit analysis, of the program is conducted. Read the rest here 15:51
2016 U.S. treaty deal underlines value of Pacific fishery
The one-year transitional arrangement for United States vessels for 2016 is a “positive development reflecting the value of rights-based fisheries management” for the Pacific islands, said the CEO of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) today. The islands will receive higher fees for fewer fishing days than in the current agreement for 2015. The total package, including both U.S. industry payments and the U.S. government fisheries subsidy comes to US$89,271,350 for 2016. Read the rest here 11:25
The Unsexy Mullet – Time for a “Mullet Makeover” ?
It usually happens Christmas week. Near the fishing village of Cortez, the gray striped mullet move off the flats, balling up by the thousands for their annual spawning, the water rolling in black waves of fish frenzy. The frenzy echoed by the commercial fishermen, nearly 150 boats surround the school and throw cast nets in what restaurateur-activist Ed Chiles calls “a killing field.” Chiles and a group of like-minded scientists and entrepreneurs don’t want to do away with the annual harvest of this native species off their coast. He thinks part of the answer is giving the unsexy mullet — what he calls “the ultimate sustainable seafood” — a makeover. Read the rest here 09:25
It was only a matter of time before the state of Texas got in on the fight over STORM
For months private oyster lease holders in Texas have been fighting over whether a navigation district had the right to issue a lease to Sustainable Texas Oyster Resource Management (aka STORM) — ceding control of a large portion of oyster reefs in Galveston Bay to just one family — and now the state has finally waded into the fight by filing a lawsuit against STORM and everybody else who helped the company obtain a lease of land that the state says is and always has been under state control. Read the rest here 08:33
Former ‘Deadliest Catch’ Cornelia Marie Captain Tony Lara passes away in Sturgis
Tony Lara passed away in his sleep in Sturgis, South Dakota. Tony was a captain that Josh and Jake leaned on, after their father Phil Harris passed away. Captain Lara was only 56 years old. So far, there is no word on the cause of death, but the story is still developing. Tony Lara was a crabbing veteran, who had his own freighting business. For 10 years, he worked on the Cornelia Marie in the 1990s. He ran the boat for salmon tendering. Tony was a good friend to Phil Harris. He and Phil built the Cornelia Marie into being the crabbing boat that fans came to know on the “Deadliest Catch” series. Read the rest here 12:29
