Daily Archives: April 8, 2016
Looking to unseat Rep Walter Jones, Hurst wants to unsnag over-regulated fishermen
Coastal North Carolina needs a representative in Congress who will champion job-creating regulatory reforms and tell Washington lawmakers to stop childish partisan bickering, Carteret County Democrat David Hurst says. Hurst, a 48-year-old retired chef and restaurateur, is running for the 3rd Congressional District seat held by longtime U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., who’s seeking a 12th term. Hurst also said the 3rd District needs a representative in Congress who will support local industries. For example, Hurst claims state officials are trying to regulate small-boat fishermen out of business so that wealthy developers can seize waterfront access. Read the rest here 20:13
N.L.’s fishing industry featured in Irish documentary
A new documentary that tells of Ireland’s troubled fishing industry, Newfoundland’s cod moratorium and Norway’s oil industry is getting some attention on the other side of the pond. “Atlantic,” by Irish director Risteard Ó Domhnaill (Richie O’Donnell), won the Best Irish Documentary award at the Dublin International Film Festival, according to The Southern Star, a publication in southern Ireland. The crowd-funded documentary was pitched on fundit.ie as a documentary that “follows the fortunes of three fishing communities united and divided by the Atlantic ocean, as they struggle to maintain their way of life despite mounting challenges within their own industry and environment, and an increase of oil exploration activities in their fishing grounds. Read the rest here 15:05
Gulf of Alaska fishermen wary of Congressional intrusion into council process
Editor’s note: Stephen Taufen of Groundswell Fisheries Movement did not write the petition distributed by AMCC. This article refers to a separate memo of his own distributed to interested parties in which he alludes to Rep. Beutler. Gulf of Alaska fishermen suspect that Washington, D.C., politics might come into play for fisheries regulations they want left to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. A letter circulated by the Alaska Marine Conservation Council and signed by 250 Gulf of Alaska fishermen and residents was sent to each of Alaska’s three congressional delegation members. The letter asks that the Alaska’s representatives in the nation’s capital oppose any legislation intended to press Gulf of Alaska fisheries regulations. “Specifically, we request our Alaska delegation to support development of a Gulf of Alaska Trawl Bycatch Management Program (aka catch share) in the Council process so all stakeholders may contribute to a transparent process,” the letter asks. Read the rest here12:05 Additional information by scrolling to the comment section.
Owner and Captain indicted on conspiracy charges for dumping oil, pollutants into Blaine Harbor
Bingham Fox, owner of the fishing vessel Native Sun, and his son Randall Fox, the boat’s captain, first dumped the waste in 2011 and continued to do so into 2013, according to DOJ. The alleged discharges also were violations of the Clean Water Act and the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. The Thursday, April 7, indictment comes after an investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard. The indictment alleges that the Foxes purchased the Native Sun without a functioning bilge system to separate waste from water to be appropriately discarded later. Instead of repairing the system the Foxes installed a series of hoses and pumps, and ran the hoses out of the engine room and over the side of the boat. Read the rest here 09:28 photo shipspotting.com
The lobster fishery drives a boat building ‘boom’ in the Canadian Maritimes
Boat builders are benefiting from a steady upward rise in the lobster fishery, which has had everything go right in the past year. The cost of fuel to drive their boats has dropped, while lobster prices are up and catches strong. A lower Canadian dollar has made selling in the U.S. more lucrative. “The combination of those things means lobster fishermen are making more money. The sales we are seeing are the best we have [had] since our organization started recording them and that is 19 years,” said Tim Edwards of the Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association. Maritime boat yards are operating at full capacity to meet demand for new lobster fishing boats — costing upwards of $1 million each — which has wait times for those new vessels stretching years into the future. Read the article here 08:04
