Monthly Archives: September 2015
Rhode Island Fishermen Arrested for Illegal Striped Bass Fishing
Three Rhode Island men were arrested by state environmental police for activity over the past two months, according to the state Department of Environmental Management. Raymond Jobin, 72, of Charlestown, was apprehended by police and agents from the NOAA Office for Law Enforcement for possessing striped bass and trying to sell them in Massachusetts. Commercial fishermen David M. Fewster, 48, of East Providence and John E. Linton, 65 of Narragansett both face administrative penalties by DEM. Read the rest here 17:25
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 76′ Stacked Wheelhouse Stern Trawler, Permits Available – CAT 3412
Specifications, information, and 31 photo’s click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 12:01
Just two months ago – Fishing for a Future aboard the Atlantic Charger.
All Brad Watkins has ever wanted to do is fish on a longliner. He even said so in his high school yearbook. Brad is 43 now and while some may say the fishery is an industry of the past, Brad sees a future for himself and other young people on the water. He’s invested in the Atlantic Charger…a state of the art vessel with European technology. And he and his crew are steaming straight ahead. We make a trip on board the Atlantic Charger, shrimp fishing off Newfoundland’s north east coast Watch the video here 11:17
Keys commercial fishermen hurting from mahi mahi limit
Florida Keys commercial fishermen last week renewed their appeal to federal fishery managers to allow more 
harvests. The commercial fishery for dolphin, an offshore fish also known as mahi mahi, closed June 30 when the annual catch limit of 1.57 million pounds was reached. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council met all last week in South Carolina. Kelly traveled up to testify. “They’re leaving millions of pounds of a highly sustainable fishery on the table,” said Bill Kelly, director of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association. Read the rest here 10:49
Always Top Quality! Your Seafreeze Ltd. Preferred Price List for September 23, 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! 10:10
Resolution in support of Exxon Valdez “Reopener for Unknown Injury”
On Friday, the council’s board of directors unanimously passed a resolution in support of the “Reopener for Unknown Injury” from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Multiple citizens called in during the public comment period to voice their opinions about this important issue. Resolution 15-07 – “Supporting Habitat Restoration Pursuant to Damages Caused by the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill – in support of a meeting between the United States, the State of Alaska, Exxon, Inc., and the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustees Council. Read the rest here 08:59
Self-paced, basic electronics and hydraulics training available online
Many a fishing trip has been cut short by a hydraulics or electrical system break down, from a single pot hauler on a skiff to huge floating processors. That’s why in both are offered to fishermen and other mariners on line from the University of Alaska/Southeast at Sitka. The hydraulics course takes six hours to complete on average and costs just $90. The Boat Electrical course includes theory, power generation and distribution, safety and wiring. Listen, Read the rest here 08:36
The Master Lobster brand – “Every lobster fishermen in Prince Edward Island is part of this brand”
The first shipment of P.E.I.-brand processed lobster products from the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association has left the Island. The blanched frozen lobster was shipped from Royal Star Foods in Tignish Tuesday, about a year and a half after the association began working on the Master Lobster brand, which the PEIFA hopes will distinguish P.E.I. product from the competition. “Fishermen decided that we want to be a part of marketing and promotion, [to] create competition in the marketplace,” said president Craig Avery. Read the rest here 08:08
Former Wicked Tuna Fisherman Adam Moser dies from suspected drug over dose.
Adam James Moser, age 27, of Portsmouth, N.H. passed away September 19, 2015, from an apparent overdose
. He was raised in East Kingston, N.H., born on January 23, 1988 in Manchester, N.H., son of James and Jeanne (St. Pierre) Moser. Adam graduated Exeter High School in 2006 and Temple University in 2011 with a major in actuarial science. He was most recently employed by P.J. Day Masonry and formerly of the Wicked Tuna – Pinwheel adventure. He was the originator of the Harpoon Counter! Read the rest here 20:56
Congressmen Walter B. Jones, Don Young co sponsor H.R. 330 Marine Access and State Transparency (MAST) Act
Today Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) joined his colleague 
in cosponsoring H.R. 330, the Marine Access and State Transparency (MAST) Act. The bill would prevent President Barack Obama, or any future president, from unilaterally designating offshore areas as “national monuments” and restricting the public’s ability to fish there. Instead, the bill would require a president to get the approval of Congress and the legislature of each state within 100 nautical miles of the monument before any “monument” designation could take effect. Read the rest here 18:07
AESA Urges U.S. Government to Reject ESA Listing for American Eel
Following a petition from the Council for Endangered Species Act Reliability (CESAR) (click here to see petition), the U.S. government this month will once again consider calls to list the American eel as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The American Eel Sustainability Association (AESA) reiterates its position that the American eel does not require either a “threatened” or “endangered” designation. AESA cites ample scientific study from a Federal agency and strict regulations already in place as support for this stance. Substantial scientific evidence demonstrates,,, Read the rest here 16:37
Canadian Fishermen Ask Federal Candidates Where They Stand on the Fishery
In a survey, distributed yesterday, the 
asked candidates in Quebec and Atlantic Canada if they are prepared to put fishery regulations rules into place that restrict the control of fishing licences in Atlantic Canada and Quebec to owner-operators. Candidates in B.C. ridings are being asked whether they support having fishing licenses and quotas held primarily by those who fish and prevent them from becoming a speculative asset. Read the rest here 15:50
“I’ll be goddamned,” – Stuart Vorpahl Reimbursed By State For Seized Fish, 17 Years Later
On a hot August afternoon 17 years ago, a state Department of Environmental Conservation officer, dressed in peat green fatigues, strode up to the side of Stuart Vorpahl’s trawler as it berthed along the bulkhead of Gann Road commercial docks in East Hampton. On the decks of his boat, the Polly & Ruth, Mr. Vorpahl had seven cartons worth of freshly caught fluke, iced and ready for market. “But to no avail,” Mr. Vorpahl would write in his captain’s log later that day, “when I got to the dock, DEC seized the fish [and] arrested me again for fishing without a license.” Read the rest here 14:43
PNA urged to respect Forum decision on fisheries
New Zealand’s Ambassador for Pacific Economic Development says the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) should respect the wishes of Pacific leaders on how to manage regional fisheries. This comes after scathing criticism from the PNA chief executive after the Pacific Island Forum leaders decision to look into the merits of replacing the PNA’s Vessel Day Scheme with a New Zealand style quota management system. New Zealand’s Shane Jones says regional leaders want a year given to look into the future of tuna fisheries management in the Pacific and,,, Read the rest here 11:55
Dwayne Samson, captain in ‘murder for lobster’ case, sentenced to 10 years
A Cape Breton lobster boat captain who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of another fisherman has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Dwayne Matthew Samson was given 103 days of credit for time served at the Supreme Court sentencing hearing in Port Hawkesbury, N.S. He was also handed a lifetime ban on owning firearms. Samson’s wife, Carla Samson, owner of the fishing boat, burst into tears as he was being led from court. The sentencing marks the final chapter of the so-called murder for lobster case. Read the rest here 11:31
Wife of Atlantic Charger crewman says husband in ‘good spirits’
Iona Young of Virgin Arm received the long-awaited call from her husband 
early Tuesday morning, confirming he was safe following the partial sinking of the Atlantic Charger.”We don’t care what they lost, as long as we got them coming home,” Iona Young told CBC News. Gerard Young was one of nine men from Newfoundland and Labrador aboard the 21-metre fishing vessel when she began taking on water early Monday morning. The turbot-laden vessel was fishing the frigid waters of Frobisher Bay near Resolution Island when they were forced,,, Read the rest here 11:04
Atlantic Charger’s crew rescued from life-raft in Frobisher Bay – Vessel still afloat
All nine crew members who were aboard a stricken fishing vessel near the mouth of Frobisher Bay in Nunavut have been rescued from a life-raft and are on board a Danish ship, the Canadian military’s Joint Task Force Atlantic said Monday evening. The rescued crew were on their way to Iqaluit, a journey of about 400 kilometres that will take several hours. The ship, the FV Paamiut, may also have to wait for high tide before the men can be brought ashore. The crew was on board the Atlantic Charger when it got into trouble earlier Monday. Read the rest here 10:54
Waste Water Pollution released by shrimp farms kills millions of Quang Tri shrimp
QUANG TRI (VNS) — Pollution from waste water 
has killed millions of farmed shrimps in central Quang Tri Province, causing huge losses for farmers. The province’s Department of Veterinary Services said 79 out of 223 hectares of shrimp farming in the locality had diseased shrimp. The figure is expected to rise as pollution spreads. Ninety-nine per cent of shrimp on 66ha on farms on Bac Phuoc islet in the province’s Trieu Phong District have died from a variety of diseases poisoning the liver and head. Read the rest here 09:20
Meager salmon catch one of worst seasons for Sonoma County fishermen
Commercial salmon fishing got off to a slow start in May due to windy weather and has stayed in a slump that local fishermen are blaming on unusually warm ocean water in one of the worst king salmon seasons in memory.Some Bodega Bay-based anglers gave up rather than scramble for meager catches of underweight and undersized salmon, despite the relatively high dockside prices of $5 to $8 a pound.On Monday, local stores had salmon on ice for $16 to $20 a pound. But for local fishermen, the season is a bust. “It’s just not worth it,” said Chris Lawson, a 40-year fishing veteran, who said he quit going out for salmon in mid-July and is now awaiting the start of Dungeness crab season this fall. Read the rest here 08:35
Makeup of N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission board invites political intrigue
State law authorizes a Marine Fisheries Commission to set policies governing the harvest of the state’s fish stock. It also says the commission is supposed to treat commercial and recreational interests fairly. But the commission was designed in such a manner that a balancing act between the two competing interests on the board is all but impossible.The board’s makeup also lends itself to political intrigue in the appointment of members by the governor. The problem lies in how the nine seats are allocated. Read the rest here 08:11
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
