Monthly Archives: January 2016
The great lobster liberation, well almost
It all began when the Big New Supermarket advertised they would have live lobsters for sale on New Year’s Eve. Some of you were thinking, “Yum! Get out the cooking pot and melt that butter!” Others of us were thinking, “Oh, poor lobsters.” OK, one of us was thinking, “Poor lobsters.” It was a slow day, right? So I began researching “lobster rescue” on the net. Surprisingly, there were no sites devoted to lobster liberation. The PETA folks said, “Consider the plight of lobsters.” But they did not offer much advice other than meditating upon the concerns of crustaceans. Read the rest here 10:15
Cod is king — in China, Ryan Cleary, St. John’s
The king of Newfoundland and Labrador is dead, long live the codfish king. But it will take a monumental effort to elevate our iconic cod back to its historic throne of global powerhouse. Challenge appears on every front — including reintroducing cod into a world fish market dominated by cheap, Chinese product, and a potential foreign takeover of local plants and quotas. Read the letter here 08:37
Federal Fisheries Minister Hunter Tootoo meets with Dwight Ball in St. John’s
Premier Dwight Ball welcomed new Federal Fisheries Minister Hunter Tootoo to Newfoundland and Labrador on Monday, as the new federal and provincial governments continued to showcase a renewed relationship, and spoke of maintaining their pre-existing commitments. “Our overarching goal is to protect our three oceans, coasts and waterways and fisheries. We must ensure that they remain healthy for future generations, while mitigating the impact of climate change.” Read the article here 08:02
Federal Government May Offer Help To Local Crab Fishermen
Local fishermen who may have suffered economic losses due to the recent restrictions on commercial and recreational Dungeness and Rock crab fishing may receive financial help from the federal government. The Small Business Administration wants to hear from anyone who believes they suffered financial losses.,, The SBA will look at the feedback and determine if the impacts were enough to meet disaster loan criteria. If it does, any business or entity impacted by the closure could qualify for low-interest loans. SBA officials are only gathering information at this point. Read the rest here 07:38
‘Wicked Tuna’ star Paul Hebert agrees to plead guilty, sentencing deal would keep him out of jail
Wicked Tuna” cast member Paul Hebert, facing federal charges in Vermont that he illegally collected more than $44,000 in Social Security, disability and Medicaid payments for two years, is looking to make a deal that could keep him out of jail. The other two counts originally contained in the indictment, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ophardt said Monday, will be dismissed if the agreement is accepted by the court and Hebert meets all conditions. “Paul Hebert agrees to plead guilty because he is, in fact, guilty of the above crimes,” said the plea agreement, Read the rest here 06:57
“JAWS” boat restored, takes veterans fishing out of Beaufort
In the 1960s and 70s, author Peter Benchley fished for sharks aboard the Cricket II, a boat that fished out of Montauk, N.J. back then. Benchley then wrote the movie Jaws, in large part based on his experiences on the 42-foot vessel. The Cricket II is now based out of Beaufort and captained by Joe DiBella, and with its new home comes a new purpose – taking disabled veterans on fishing trips, at no cost to them. Their goal of “enriching the lives of Disabled Veterans and Wounded Warriors with fishing adventures aboard the Cricket II” has been aided by numerous sponsors and donors who helped with extensive restorations to the boat. Read the article here 14:54
On this day, January 11, 2006: Lady of Grace rescued a year before she sank
January 11, 2006: Coast Guard tows disabled Lady of Grace to port Rescued 10 miles east of Great Point, Nantucket, a year later she was sunk On this day in 2006 the Coast Guard towed a 76-foot fishing vessel to safety after the vessel became disabled near Nantucket early Monday morning. The Lady of Grace with four crew members on board, contacted the Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England Command Center at 3:34 a.m. and reported they were without power and drifting approximately 10 miles east of Great Point, Nantucket. Read the post here 14:41
From skiffman to skipper: Cox’s Cove man becomes Cold Water Cowboy
The newest skipper to join the cast of Cold Water Cowboys says Discovery Canada threw him into the deep end. Not only was this his first foray into television, but the fisherman was also asked to perform a job he’d never done. “When you shove someone out of a skiff that don’t have a clue, it’s a challenge that’s for sure,” Rick Crane told CBC Radio’s Corner Brook Morning. Crane said he was first approached by the show when it was looking to cast a young skipper. But, at that time, he had issues with his boat and wasn’t able to film. Read the article here 12:53
Moulton unites region to reform at-sea monitoring
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton has expanded efforts to reform at-sea monitoring for groundfishing vessels, corralling a regional and bipartisan group of federal legislators to urge NOAA to accept changes already approved by the New England Fisheries Management Council and supported by NOAA Regional Administrator John Bullard. Moulton and 16 other members of Congress — totaling 12 Democrats, four Republicans and one Independent from five New England states — wrote to NOAA Administrator Kathleen D. Sullivan expressing support for the council motions approved in December and again voicing their opposition to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s plans to transfer at-sea monitoring (ASM) costs to permit holders sometime early this year. Read the article here 12:12
ITQ’s – You Thought We Canadians Controlled Our Fisheries? Think Again
Wild fisheries are humankind’s greatest single source of protein. They are fully renewable, we don’t have to till soil, plant seeds, apply fertilizer or pesticide, water them or feed them; we just have to manage the harvest. As global populations continue to grow, much is at stake as we determine who benefits from the greatest renewable food resource. At home who benefits from fish harvested in B.C.’s waters? You’d be logical in thinking the answer is mostly people who make the B.C. coast their home and who fish for a living. And you’d be wrong. Read the article here 11:02
3 Fishermen Rescued After Vessel Washes Ashore In Ventura
Three fisherman were rescued Monday after their fishing vessel washed ashore in Ventura. According to the Ventura City Fire Department, firefighters were sent just after midnight to the surf line in front of Woodstock Lane for report of a large commercial fishing vessel aground in the surf. Upon their arrival, authorities located three adult fisherman still on board as waves crashed into the boat and washed over the decks. Read the rest here 09:03
NOAA’s unlawful regulation – Lack of fairness, parity at play in at-sea monitors
It is sadly ironic that the U.S. government is likely to put the final nail in the coffin of the industry. As this column outlined in October, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s insistence that ground fishermen fund the at-sea monitoring program is likely to put many of the fishing small businesses out of business. According to NOAA’s own report, the $710 per-day fee that the fishermen would need to fund to pay for the program will make 59 percent of the fishing enterprises unprofitable. So the men and women who literally risk life and limb to bring us fresh, local, sustainable seafood not only have the physical risks associated with their profession, but also the business risk of being driven out of business by NOAA’s unlawful regulation. Read the article here 08:16
On a Survey, Somewhere in the Gulf of Maine,,,
800 lbs of cod for a 20 minute tow. Plus 2 bushel of yellowtail and 1 1/2 bushel of blackbacks. Pretty amazing- but there are supposed to be no cod……? Or yellowtails….? 20:42
Coast Guard crews tow disabled fishing boat to Point Judith, RI
Coast Guard crews towed a 52-foot disabled fishing boat safely to port in Point Judith, Rhode Island, Saturday morning. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound command center watchstanders received a call via VHF-16 radio from the captain of Mistress reporting his boat was disabled due to a main engine casualty Friday at approximately 2:30 a.m. Mistress was 70 nautical miles east of Montauk, New York at the time. Read the post here 20:02
Coast Guard seizes 3k pounds of shark, snapper from Mexican fishing boats in the Gulf
The Coast Guard seized 3,249 pounds of illegal catch from three Mexican fishing boats poaching in waters off South Padre Island early Friday morning. At approximately 12:50 a.m., Coast Guard boat crews sighted three Mexican fishing boats, two about 35 miles north of the maritime boundary line and one off the South Padre Island jetties. The lanchas/boats were stopped and the confiscated catch totaled 44 sharks and 99 red snapper. Two of the lanchas had four Mexican Nationals on each boat and the other had three. Read the rest here 14:19
Crabber’s Emergency Relief Fund
The California Dungeness Crab season has been closed indefinitely by the Fish and Wildlife on the recommendation by the Dept. of Public Health due to a naturally occurring algae bloom. Dungeness crabbers have been hit hard financially as they make the majority of their incomes between Thanksgiving and New Years. This crab season closure is directly following one of the worst salmon seasons on record. Many commercial fishermen and their crews have run through their savings while the boats remain tied up. The expenses still continue. Central Coast Women for Fisheries has set up this site to collect grocery money for those hit hardest by this closure. Yes, it’s that bad. At this time, there are no funds for emergency help from the government. Most commercial fishermen do not qualify for unemployment. Read the rest here, and donate if you can! 11:59
Kasich calls fishing regulations ‘ridiculous’ – says it’s rampant environmentalism
Kasich told a group of fishermen and fishing industry members at the Yankee Fisherman’s Cooperative in Seabrook that he would do what he could to limit bureaucracy and deregulate industries like their own. This year, half of the commercial fishing fleet went inactive in New Hampshire because regulations were too strict, leaving just nine to harvest groundfish in the Gulf of Maine. On Friday, he told fishermen he was previously unaware of their plight, as well as other obstacles in their way. When one fisherman told Kasich that approximately 90 percent of all seafood is imported, he said soberly, “I did not know that.” Read the article here 09:32
The sinking of New Hope: A wooden trawler, a Vietnamese fisherman, and a cleanup job
Worms opened the wooden hull and in washed the green water and silver minnows. The fishermen spoke less of salvaging the 63-foot trawler left in the harbor of West Ocean City. The New Hope slouched to starboard, then sagged against the bottom sand. Five years went by; the trawler settled in. The shipworms ate away, until all that remained were bones. Bones and questions. The notorious trawler was entangled in a divorce — was the wedding really a wedding? — and a mistake at a Pennsylvania prison, a judge said. The case of the New Hope reached the top of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. Read the article here 08:57
‘Wicked Tuna’ Star To Plead Guilty To Fraud Charges
Law360, New York (January 8, 2016, 3:19 PM ET) — A fisherman accused of falsely collecting over $44,000 in Social Security and Medicaid benefits by claiming he was unemployed while actually starring in the National Geographic Channel reality TV series “Wicked Tuna” will plead guilty to the charges after reaching a plea agreement on Thursday. Paul Hebert, a fisherman who has appeared on four seasons of “Wicked Tuna,” will change his plea on January 20 and has reached a plea agreement with the government on charges he fraudulently applied for Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid benefits… This will be updated, link 18:13
Investment company Brimstone adds offshore fishing deal to its food basket
EMPOWERMENT investment company Brimstone
, which has in recent years shown a growing appetite for food investments, has landed an offshore fishing deal. On Thursday, Brimstone’s 58% controlled hake-fishing specialist, Sea Harvest, confirmed netting a 19.9% stake in Perth-based Mareterram, which was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange last week. Newly formed Mareterram comprises Western Australian-based Norwest Seafoods, which harvests and processes wild-caught king and tiger prawns, as well as scallops. Read the rest here 13:51
Federal and state fishery managers busy with half a dozen hearings, meetings in the Keys in February
A frenetic February features several fishery forums in the . The status of mutton snapper, barracuda, hogfish, mackerel and sea anemones will be reviewed for public comment at a slate of six Keys sessions hosted by state and federal fish-management agencies. A recommended reduction in mutton snapper harvests will be a prime topic at two sessions, held jointly by the federal South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Rule changes may affect both state and federal waters. Read the article here 13:06
Lobster license bill hearing is scheduled with the legislature’s Marine Resources Committee Feb. 3
A bill that would tweak the state’s commercial lobster license system is scheduled for a public hearing with the legislature’s Marine Resources Committee Feb. 3. LD 1503, “An Act to Create a Class II Limited Lobster and Crab Fishing License and Improve the Limited-entry System,” was sponsored by and drafted in consultation with Department of Marine Resources staff. The bill makes some changes to entry into the lobster fishery and other changes to address latent effort (traps and licenses not being actively fished). Read the article here 11:14
Protection of marine areas to be based on science, Hunter Tootoo says
Federal Fisheries Minister Hunter Tootoo says science will determine not only which areas of Canada’s oceans the government will designate for protection, but also what development, if any, will be permitted in those areas. “In the meetings I’ve had with the environmental groups, the only way we’re going to be able to accomplish this is all of us working together. Basically all hands on deck,” Tootoo added. Read the article here 09:54
Fishermen never wanted a big brother – John Gillett, inshore fisherman, Twillingate
Our fishing and sealing industries mean a lot to us. We never looked to government or wanted the Canadian government to be a big brother to us. Mother Nature was our enforcer until the Department of Fisheries came along with its heavy hand that sent our culture in a downward spin. They gave permits to offshore draggers foreign and domestic to reap the spawning grounds in winter while the majority of fish harvesters were onshore in the winter mending gear and repairing or building boats to catch the returning fish coming from the offshore in the spring and summer. They put in place licence conditions that only a Philadelphia lawyer could understand. Read the letter here 08:46
On the Stump: Kasich vows to help fishermen
It’s been tough going for fishermen in recent years, but yesterday the local fishermen’s co-op managed to reel in a big catch — a candidate for president swung by to listen to their concerns and offer help. Ohio Gov. John Kasich spent about an hour talking with members of the Yankee Fishermans Co-op. For fishermen, the predominant issue is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA for short. The agency regulates the fishing industry, and fishermen have long complained that it uses bad science and a heavy hand to enforce regulations that are putting many of them out of business. Read the article here 08:19
Struggling Fukushima fishermen hold 1st New Year’s ceremony in 5 years – “All the fishermen looked happy.”
IWAKI, Fukushima Prefecture–Fishermen held a traditional New Year’s ceremony here on Jan. 8 for the first time since the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster killed their colleagues and ruined their livelihoods. With their vessels flying colorful banners, the fishermen gathered at Hisanohama fishing port in the northern part of Iwaki in the morning to pray for a safe and bountiful harvest. After traditional Shinto rituals were performed, the fishermen set off from the port to cleanse their 30 or so boats with seawater and sake. Read the rest here 19:41
Coast Guard terminates two fishing trips for safety violations
The U.S. Coast Guard halted the voyages of two commercial fishing boats Thursday after multiple safety violations were found on each. The Coast Guard Cutter Spencer crew terminated the voyage of the , an 83-foot dredger homeported in New Bedford, after the Spencer’s crew discovered the boat had three serious safety deficiencies. The violations included having no life raft, improperly marked survival suits, and no record of performing mandatory monthly drills. The Amber Nicole was operating approximately 44 nautical miles off Nantucket,,, Read the article here 17:31
Rare deep-sea fish washes ashore in Gustavus
A ragfish, measuring 65 inches long, was spotted near the dock in 
, the town that serves as the headquarters for Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, officials said. The discovery was made by a state transportation worker, said Craig Murdoch, a Park Service fisheries biologist. “He was checking the dock and he noticed what he thought was a halibut,” Murdoch said. “He went and checked it out, and it was a fish he had never seen before.” Thursday’s sighting followed one in the same area in July, when a 78-inch ragfish turned up on the shore of Bartlett Cove, Read the article here 16:31
RECREATIONAL DATA TAKEN HOSTAGE BY GULF SNAPPER ANGLERS
If you pay any attention to fishery management issues (and if you’re reading this blog, it’s pretty clear that you do), you know that one of the most contentious issues, which comes up year after year, is the estimate of recreational landings. Commercial landings are pretty easy to measure, because commercial fishermen, as well as the processors and packing houses that purchase their products, are generally required to report such landings on a timely basis. To be sure, there are holes in the process. But when it comes to recreational landings, it’s not that easy. There are thousands of commercial fishermen on the coast; there are millions of anglers. Read the post here 14:10
Video – Coast Guard medevacs fisherman near Winchester Bay, Ore.
A Coast Guard aircrew medevaced a fisherman who had reportedly suffered a seizure aboard the fishing vessel Hecate, about 9 miles west of Winchester Bay, Thursday morning. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station North Bend safely hoisted the man at about 11 a.m. and transferred him to waiting EMS at Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in stable condition. Watchstanders at Sector North Bend were notified of the man’s condition at about 1 a.m., Watch the video here 12:42
