Daily Archives: September 21, 2015
Lafitte shrimpers say they are finding it harder than ever to continue their trade
Fourth-generation shrimper Larry Alexie recently beat Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and is now fighting to remain in the business he’s been in his entire life. Alexie, whose boat is named the Billie Jo after the daughter he lost to a car accident in 1999, is determined to overcome this most recent adversity as well. Today, Alexie is forced to retail his own shrimp, something the shrimpers refer to as peddling, in order to make a profit. For most of the season, prices at the dock hovered around $1.25 to $1.40 for 16/20 count shrimp. “That’s not enough to cover my expenses. Read the rest here 17:39
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for September 21, 2015
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here 17:15
FBI, Coast Guard investigate disappearance of American Fisheries Observer off coast of Peru – “He’s just gone,”
Keith Davis, 41, was aboard the Panamanian flagged Victoria No. 168 to collect data and ensure the crew was adhering to international fishing guidelines. He was reported missing Sept. 10 when the boat was about 500 miles offshore. Davis had been aboard the Victoria 168 for about three weeks, his family said. The Victoria is a transshipment vessel, which collects the catches of smaller deep sea fishing boats operating in the area, then hauls them to shore. Read the rest here 16:51
Friends and loved ones to gather, celebrate the life of Fisherman Douglas William Thomas in Port Alberni September 26th
Doug passed away suddenly as a result of a marine accident off the coast of Vancouver Island. He was a fisherman, gardener, and cook. His hands were in the earth and his heart was in the ocean. From a young age he valued his friends and could not refuse when asked to help. He had an amazing sense of humour and his laugh was contagious. Doug’s last years were spent happily with his Genny rebuilding a home around them and enjoying his life with her. Many are mourning his sudden and tragic passing. Details can be found here 15:47
Important South Atlantic Fishery Council actions last week
Last week, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council at its meeting in Hilton Head, SC disappointingly moved forward with more no-fishing zones and effectively deferred action on the snapper-grouper Vision Project until next month. The fishery council approved the following no-fishing spawning Special Management Zones as the preferred alternatives in proposed Snapper-Grouper Amendment 36. It was also a disappointment that the SAFMC did not remove job-killing catch shares, more closed fishing areas, and expensive and intrusive electronic vessel,,, Read the rest here 15:24
VIMs Study shows Blue crabs more tolerant of low oxygen than previously thought
Results of a new study led by researchers at William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science show that adult blue crabs are much more tolerant of low-oxygen, “hypoxic” conditions than previously thought. Lead author Rich Brill, a fishery biologist with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and adjunct faculty at VIMS, says “The notion that blue crabs are relatively intolerant of oxygen-poor waters was counterintuitive, because this species often occupies estuarine environments that can become hypoxic even in the absence of human activities.” Read the rest here 12:13
Massachusetts Lawmakers to help small-boat fishermen qualify for third round of federal disaster aid
This is for the third installment of 
designed in 2012 to help fishermen catch some of the dollars they lost under significant cuts to groundfish catch allocations. The initial proposal limited recipients to only those fishermen who caught at least 20,000 pounds of fish each year for the last three years, said Rep. Jim Cantwell, the Democrat who represents two fishing communities in Marshfield and Scituate. National Marine Fisheries Service allocated in February $8.3 million of a $32.8 million federal groundfish disaster aid package to,,, Read the rest here 10:13
PRESS RELEASE: Mulcair commitments to benefit members of FFAW-Unifor – Will Fix LIFO
If elected Prime Minister, Mr. Mulcair committed to fixing the controversial LIFO (Last-In First-Out) policy applied with respect to shrimp quota allocations. The policy, if not fixed, will cost nearly 3,000 direct jobs in coastal communities throughout the province. The NDP leader said he would ensure fairness and take into consideration the thousands of people who rely on this resource for their livelihood. In addition, Mr. Mulcair also reiterated his party’s commitment to restore critical Coast Guard services that were cut under the federal Conservative government,,, Read the rest here 09:46
Dwayne Samson to be sentenced in ‘murder for lobster’ death of Philip Boudreau
Two days in Supreme Court in Port Hawkesbury, N.S., have been set aside for the sentencing hearing of Dwayne Samson, the captain of the Twin Maggies, for his part in the disappearance and presumed drowning of Philip Boudreau, 43, in 2013. Samson, 45, was at the helm of the lobster boat on June 1, 2013, the night Boudreau died. Samson was originally charged with second-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter in May. Read the rest here 09:16
