Daily Archives: September 11, 2015
VIKING’s Helpline for New US Coast Guard Coastal Safety Rules
Marine safety equipment manufacturer and servicing provider VIKING Life-Saving Equipment A/S says it’s worried that commercial vessels operating in North American coastal waters and waterways simply won’t be able to sail when new USCG safety regulations come into force on 26 February 2016. The company has released evacuation equipment packages that ensure vessel operators can reliably comply with the new regulations and it has set up a dedicated toll free 1-855 helpline number to assist them, but VIKING’s VP Americas, Al Osle, says there are still operators who haven’t realized that the time to act is now. ACT NOW! Read the rest here 18:30
Fight Back!!! Fisherman John Yates v. United States
On February 25, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that John Yates, a commercial fisherman, could not be prosecuted under a financial-fraud law [18 USC §1519] for catching undersized red grouper. 16:41
Crossing the bar – Dennis J. “Bones” Huntley, August 13, 1955 – September 9, 2015
Dennis J. Huntley “Bones”,60, died unexpectedly on Wednesday, September 9, 2015. Born in Wakefield, he was the son of the late Richard and Gertrude (Pelchat) Huntley. Dennis was a commercial fisherman for over thirty years with his brother and business partner Craig. Together they owned the F/V Catherine Louise and the F/V Miss Trudy. He also worked on tug boats before going to work at United Water in Wakefield. Read the rest here 16:16 Read Crossing the Bar
Three Men Cited For Tuna Violations in Plaquemines Parish
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) agents cited three men for alleged commercial tuna violations in Plaquemines Parish. While on a Joint Enforcement Agreement (JEA) patrol in conjunction with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, LDWF agents made contact with James A. Gerakines, 41, and Charles Updegraff, 52, both of Chalmette, and Perry Menesses, 58, of St. Bernard. The men were on the commercial fishing vessel “Jasmine” in the area of Tiger Pass located in Venice. Read the rest here 16:08
Women Fishermen in Alaska: “It’s a Small but Incredibly Strong Pocket of Amazing Women Up Here”
If you’re a fish fan, chances are you’ve eaten wild-caught Alaskan salmon. With one of the most robust (and sustainable) systems in the world, the Alaskan fishing industry is home to more than 78,000 jobs—and brings in more than $5.8 billion each year. Earlier this summer, I took a trip of a lifetime to Juneau, spending four days aboard the MV Sikumi where we (me, our group, and our hosts from Alaska Seafood) learned as much as we could about commercial fishing and even had the chance to board a tender boat (where fishermen offload their catch) and tour processing and canning plants. Read the rest here 15:44
Captain died doing the job he loved
Captain Wesley Lief Hegglund, 55, whose life-long ambition was to be a commercial fisherman, had been living the dream. “Wes graduated with an honours degree in Hard Knocks from Hecate Straight University; an institution reserved for only the toughest commercial fishermen on the West Coast,” read his obituary, written by his sister. “Through hard work and determination he attained his lifelong ambition of becoming a commercial fishing vessel captain — a career he enjoyed immensely.” Read the rest here 11:46
Warring plans delay awarding of fish aid – State to deliver a proposal to NOAA by Oct. 1
The consensus toward developing a plan to distribute the approximately $6 million remaining in federal groundfish disaster aid seems to have degenerated into a contentious melee and now local stakeholders anxiously await the decision by the state Division of Marine Fisheries on which will qualify for assistance. The process for formulating a distribution plan turned ugly at a two-hour Friday afternoon meeting in New Bedford, according to several people who participated, with different Bay State fishing regions — and fishermen of different species — pitted against each other in their respective efforts to influence DMF’s final spending plan. The meeting had been expected to end with a decision,,, Read the rest here 11:19
Sharks Numbers In East Coast At Record High Says NOAA Survey
There are now more sharks off the U.S. East Coast than there have been in a generation, new research suggests. Scientists conduct the survey by putting out baited lines at a series of locations along the East Coast. When they repeat it, every two to three years, they return to these same spots and use the same techniques, Natanson says. To catch sharks, they put out a 2-mile-longline for three hours, and reel it in. They then measure and weigh the sharks that are small enough to be brought aboard, and tag them. Larger sharks must be put into a sling alongside the boat, and then they measure or estimate its length, Natanson says. Read the rest here 10:11
Hampton Beach Seafood Festival Lobster Roll Eating Contest set for Saturday
The 6th annual Lobster Roll Eating Contest will take place this Saturday during the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival. Jude David, chairwoman of the Seafood Festival, inspired the creation of this non-standard eating contest. “(It was) really just creating an event within the festival that would draw people and be exciting,” David said. “You look at Coney Island and what they did with the hot dog competition, so we thought why not lobster rolls.” Ironically enough, it was a hot dog eating contest held in early August that qualified contenders for the lobster roll round. The contest begins at 2 p.m. at the Seashell Stage and will feature 12 competitors. The top three winners will each be awarded a cash prize. Read the rest here 08:42
David Pierce Named Director of Mass Division of Marine Fisheries
The state Marine Fisheries Commission in July rejected the candidate Fish & Game Commissioner George Peterson had put forward to replace Paul Diodati as the director of the state Division of Marine Fisheries, but on Thursday, Peterson shifted gears to give the commission what it wanted. He provided an internal candidate from the current pool of DMF senior staff and the commission gave Peterson a new DMF director to succeed the retired Diodati. The commission, in a process that required almost no comment and took about five minutes, voted unanimously to appoint longtime DMF staffer David Pierce as the agency’s new director, effective immediately. Read the rest here 08:03
