Monthly Archives: January 2016
Sale of shell-on lobster claws bound for Mass Senate floor
Massachusetts lobstermen could get a leg-up if a Senate bill set for consideration next Thursday becomes law. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican who sponsored the bill (S 469), said it would allow for shell-on lobster claws to be processed and sold in Massachusetts. Tarr said the bill would expand on a recent law allowing for the processing and sale of shell-on lobster tail in Massachusetts. The prohibition on the sale of shell-on lobster parts stemmed from concern that lobsters that don’t meet state specifications could be split apart into tails and claws onboard a vessel to “avoid detection,” Read the article here 18:10
Brawl erupts at fisheries meeting
A brawl erupted at a discussion held under the patronage of Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera today. The discussion was held in Chilaw, Sri Lanka regarding the issues faced by the fishermen. A debate which broke out between two fishermen regarding matters concerning fishing equipment escalated to a brawl. However, the Minister had left the meeting amidst security while the clash was going on. Link 16:48
Update on the F/V Golden Nugget
We received an update from the skipper of a vessel outbound to the fishing grounds, and he sent this update. Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2016 12:48 PM – Passed Golden Nugget 25 miles from beach she is still flooded they are going to pump out inside the harbor CG escorting him. We will bring you the latest news when we get it. They’re getting close. God Speed! Standing by. 16:10 Great news! We have received word that they’re in! 17:04
Former Alaska Fish Board appointee Roland Maw charged with PFD fraud
Gov. Bill Walker’s controversial one-time appointee to the Alaska Board of Fisheries was charged Wednesday with 17 counts of theft and unsworn falsification over his applications for six years of Permanent Fund dividends and for commercial fishing permits. Roland Maw is accused of illegally collecting $7,422 in dividends between 2009 and 2014. The charging documents show he did not disclose that he left Alaska for more than 90 days during each of the qualifying calendar years, a requirement. Read the article here 15:16
Counting Fish – The full documentary can be seen here!
New England groundfishermen are in trouble. The annual catch limits are now set so low that many boats remain tied to the dock. But controversy abounds. The fishing industry has expressed no confidence in the NOAA trawl survey that provides the raw data for the stock assessment. But counting fish in the ocean is no easy task. While everyone agrees that more and better data is needed NOAA Fisheries says its resources are already overtaxed. UMass Dartmouth marine scientist Kevin Stokesbury believes he may have found a solution- using cameras to record fish passing through a net that is intentionally left open, allowing them to escape unharmed. For an unvarnished look into the world of commercial fishing and cutting-edge marine research, join the crew of the F/V Justice of New Bedford for this May 2015 research trip to the famed fishing ground of Georges Bank. Watch the full documentary here. 12:51
Battle between stone crab and shark fisherman close to breaking point
Tensions are high between stone crab fisherman and residents shark fishing along the same beaches. After a recent assault charge, the city is stepping in before emotions boil over. “My message is simple: leave my traps, leave my property alone,” says Anthony Manali, Jr., a 46-year stone crab fisherman in Anna Maria . Manali has trapped stone crabs along Anna Maria’s shores for nearly 50 years. Earlier this month, Anthony’s wife Joann was charged with battery in a confrontation with three shark fisherman. Video, read the article here 11:18
Lobster, crabs, shrimp and more are served up in this weekend’s Key West Seafood Festival
Florida Keys commercial fishermen and fans of fresh fish and seafood gather Jan. 16 and 17 to celebrate the island chain’s bountiful ocean harvest during the 11th annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival.Presented by the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association, the family-friendly feast is set for 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. the first day and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. the second at Key West’s Bayview Park at Truman Avenue and Jose Marti Drive. The menu features fresh grilled Florida spiny lobster, pick-and-peel Key West pink shrimp, stone crab claws, fried local fish,,, Read the rest here 10:55
Video: Has America lost control of its seafood?
Despite having some of the longest coastlines of any country in the world, the United States imports 90% of the fish and seafood it eats. Watch the video here 10:36
Local Crabbers React to Possible SBA Loan Help
The federal Small Business Administration is trying to find out if California crab fishermen have suffered significant financial losses by a delay in the start of the annual Dungeness and rock crab fishing season. If the losses are substantial enough a could be declared and low-interest loans would be available to crab fishermen who need them. “We’d rather go fishing we don’t want SBA loans, I can’t make that more clear”, Lori French says, “we’d rather go fishing, we’ve been self-supporting for a lot of years and we want to keep it that way, we’ve never asked for a handout and we don’t want a handout now.” Read the article here 09:04
Our view: Finding common ground on monitors
It takes a lot to bring Democrats and Republicans together on any issue in these days of heightened, highly partisan politics. It seems, however, that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has done the trick. Sixth District U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton and 16 of his fellow New England congressmen — 12 Democrats, four Republicans and an independent — united last week to call on the agency to delay or call off its plans to force fishing vessel permit holders to pay to have someone looking over their shoulder as they work. Read the op-ed here 08:00
Regulations bar three boats from unloading catch in New Bedford
Three New Bedford-based fishing boats were barred from unloading their catch in the city Wednesday because the fish were caught on North Carolina quota that cannot be transferred to New Bedford. Two boats owned by Carlos Rafael and one owned by Mark Bergeron of Bergie’s Seafood Inc. of New Bedford idled at the dock while they tried to budge state environmental police, who are following the regulations that say only a vessel breakdown or crew injury qualify a boat to go to an alternative harbor and unload. Read the article here 07:34
42nd East Coast Commercial Fishermen’s & Aquaculture Trade Exposition January 15 – 17, 2016
January 15 – 17 – Ocean City Convention Center, Ocean City, Maryland – 2016 is shaping up to be a great year for our trade show. We have a couple of big work boats that are going to be in the show with many new vendors to add to our amazing veteran vendors. Check out below for some of the great things you will get to see at the trade show. Aquaculture and commercial fishing seminars, Charter boat and sports fishermen gear, equipment, Chef cooking demonstrations, Watermen of the year annual competition with a cash prize, and more. Click here for details, and enjoy the show! 20:31Always Top Quality! Your Seafreeze Ltd. Preferred Price List for January 13, 2016
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! 15:46
Coast Guard assisting fishing crew 80 miles off Cape May, NJ
The Coast Guard assisted the crew of a fishing boat taking on water Wednesday 80 miles east of Cape May, New Jersey. Watchstanders from the Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay command center received notification Wednesday at 5:35 a.m. by a good Samaritan that the 77-foot fishing vessel Golden Nugget, homeported in Cape May, was taking on water. Read the post here, 5 images 15:17
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for January 11, 2016
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here 14:09
Fishermen pack first meeting on Mississippi DMR emergency oyster program
Dozens of oyster fishermen packed the room at the Bolton Building in Biloxi on Wednesday morning for the first of two meetings on the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources’ emergency oyster recovery program. DMR officials made the announcement about the program Monday, just one day after the Army Corps of Engineers opened the in Louisiana. The program will put Mississippi oyster fishermen to work relocating live oysters from the west side of the Mississippi Sound to the east side and Biloxi Back Bay. Read the article here 13:45
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 38′ Fiberglass Lobster/Herring CAT 3126B
Specifications, information and 25 photo’s click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 12:30
Benefits of fish farms in Gulf debated
Fish farming is contentious, with fishermen and environmentalists warning that new rules supporting it could harm the marine environment and put fishermen out of work. Federal regulations were issued this week, allowing the farming of fish in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Kathryn Sullivan, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the Gulf rules could spur similar rules in other U.S. waters and help the U.S. meet its seafood demands. Glen Brooks, president of the Gulf Fishermen’s Association, a group of commercial fishermen, said his group fought against fish farming. Read the article here 10:56
Board of Fish considers commercial Yukon pink salmon fishery
A proposal laying the groundwork for a pink salmon commercial fishery near the mouth of the Yukon is on the agenda of this week’s Board of Fisheries meeting in Fairbanks. The proposal would formalize a fishery that has been taking shape by accident over the past few years, but there are concerns about how it would affect the struggling Yukon king salmon population. The proposal was submitted by Kwik’pak Fisheries – the major fish buyer on the lower Yukon. It would allow the Department of Fish and Game to open commercial fishing with 4-inch mesh nets to target pink salmon at a time fishermen are using other gear types to harvest the tail end of the summer chum run. Read the article here 10:34
Murkowski to place hold on FDA commissioner nominee
A Senate panel on Tuesday approved Dr. Robert Califf to be commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, but President Barack Obama’s nominee may face trouble. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she will hold up a vote on the Senate floor until she has reassurances from the agency that genetically modified salmon will be labeled. The Alaska Republican has said the engineered salmon approved by the agency last year could be harmful to her state’s wild salmon industry. Read the article here 09:51
P.E.I. fishing industry wants more temporary foreign workers to fill vacant processing jobs
The P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association wants changes made to the temporary foreign workers program to allow seafood processing plants to hire more workers. Executive Director Ian MacPherson said there needs to be enough workers to process the catch from the lobster season that is only a few months away. PEIFA is asking the federal government to loosen up the restrictions brought in by the previous government. Those restrictions limit the number of foreign workers entering the country. Read the article here 09:28
Fishermen fight for lucrative, volatile portion of New River
Sneads Ferry – A small ad in The Daily News was the first official notice of proposed restrictions to a popular New River fishery the Marine Corps considers unsafe due to the possible presence of old, but volatile, munitions. Local fishermen have harvested shrimp, crabs, clams and oysters from the area safely for generations. They said the new restrictions would disrupt a seafood market already strained by limited ocean access amid shoaling at New River Inlet. Fishermen also question the possibility that they could lose access because of a mess that isn’t theirs. Read the article here 08:40
Fishermen welcome call to lift Cove harbour blockade
A plastic surgeon embroiled in a long-running land dispute with fishermen has been ordered to remove a harbour blockade. Pralhad Kolhe, who owns part of the bay at Cove on the outskirts of Aberdeen, provoked outrage when he ordered fishermen to remove their boats from the site more than a year ago. The surgeon is currently locked in legal proceedings with the Cove Fishermen’s Association, which represents around ten boat owners, in an attempt to force them to remove their vessels from the site. However, residents have fished out of Cove harbour since the 1790s. Read the article here 21:39
Friend Don Cuddy joins WBSM’s Phil Paleologos at 10am to discuss AS Monitor law suit and bad science
Don and John Haran will join Phil in the studio. David Goethel, and Richie Canastra, will join in over the phone. As Phil writes in Government Using Bad Science, “On Wednesday, the spotlight is on the fishermen paying for monitors that could likely put the fishermen out of business. There is a lawsuit challenging the government’s authority to impose that requirement. On January 13, at 10 am, four experts will join me to discuss topics that apply to the fishing industry in 2016. This program promises to shed sunlight on problems that are drowning the fishing industry”. Call-in number for listeners is 508-996-0500. Click here@ 10:00 and click Listen Live 18:46
Fairhaven Firefighters Battle Extremely Smoky Fire on Fishing Boat
Fairhaven firefighters battled a smoky blaze onboard a fishing boat today. Firefighter Wayne Oliveira says the fire was reported late Tuesday morning aboard the 75-foot fishing vessel “Thor” which is docked in the Fairhaven Shipyard for repairs. The fire was contained to the crew quarters below deck. Oliveira tells WBSM News fighting a fire inside of a boat is already a difficult task. “It’s even worse under extremely heavy smoke conditions when you really can’t see anything,,, Three photos, Read the article here 17:38
N.S. committee to work on system for tracking escaped farmed salmon
Nova Scotia now has a committee to develop a system to track escaped farmed salmon. “This is a first step where government, industry and wild Atlantic salmon conservation groups are working together to develop a system to trace the paths of escaped farmed salmon from the cage to the river. “Escapees are a worldwide concern wherever there are marine salmon farms,” chair Carl Purcell of the Nova Scotia Salmon Association, said in a news release issued Tuesday. “Nova Scotia can become a world leader in this field and develop a tracing system that could be used globally.” Read the article here 15:54
Nova Scotia cautions Trudeau government over marine protection goal
Nova Scotia used its first meeting with Canada’s new fisheries minister to express caution over the Trudeau government’s plan to greatly expand 
, a move that could close designated ocean and coastal areas to economic activities like offshore energy development and fishing. The province’s energy minister, Michel Samson, delivered the message Tuesday during a Halifax stop by federal Fisheries Minister Hunter Tootoo. The first item in the mandate letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instructs Tootoo to work to increase the proportion of Canada’s marine and coastal areas that are protected to five per cent by 2017 and 10 per cent by 2020. Read the article here 15:26
Last Week’s Biggest Sales: Deadliest Catch Captain Gets $3.65M For Sammamish Home
Listed for: $4.1M Received: $3.65M Size: 5-BR, 5.25-bath, 5,435 sf. Location: 3113 E Lake Sammamish Pkwy, Sammamish, WA The Skinny: The seller of this nautical-themed lakeside home is Bing Henkel, owner and former captain of the Erla-N, which was featured on the TV show ‘Deadliest Catch.’ Designed by Henkel and wife Betsy, the 5,435 square-foot home has seafaring touches throughout, including the living room’s inlaid-tile mariner’s compass mosaic and the office’s antique ship wheel. They came down a bit on the asking price before they got their pending offer. Read the rest here. 14:14
NMFS – Gulf of Mexico rule opens the door for seafood farming in the open ocean
Plenty of feel good NOAA propaganda! – .jpg)
NOAA filed a final rule today implementing the nation’s first comprehensive regulatory program for aquaculture in federal waters. The groundbreaking rule creates a coordinated permitting system for the Gulf of Mexico, opening the door for the region to expand seafood production and create new jobs in an environmentally sustainable manner. “As demand for seafood continues to rise, aquaculture presents a tremendous opportunity not only to meet this demand, but also to increase opportunities for the seafood industry and job creation,” said Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. Read the rest here 13:30
Petersburg harbor board balks at use of fish tax for police station
Petersburg’s harbor board is not excited about one part of the borough’s plan to fund a 10 million dollar remodel of the police station and municipal building. Some of the cost of the project could be repaid with raw fish tax revenue that the borough gets from the state and passes on to the harbor department. Board chair Mike Bangs also was not a fan of using that money. “What it amounts to is the people that are going to be paying for this are just commercial fishermen,” Bangs said. “Cause it’s raw fish tax that they paid to the state that’s coming back and that’s what that money’s coming from. It’s not coming from yachts, it’s not coming from boats like the RB, it’s coming strictly from commercial fishermen.” Read the article here 11:01
