Monthly Archives: April 2016
Thursday: Challenges facing New England’s commercial fishing industry topic of public forum at RI College
A panel of government regulators, scientists, environmental advocates and fishermen will try to answer questions about the future of one of New England’s most iconic and important industries at a forum this Thursday. The event, which is free and open to the public, runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sapinsley Hall in the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts at Rhode Island College. The panel will include: John Bullard, regional administrator with NOAA’s Northeast Regional Office; Graham Forrester, professor in the Department of Natural Resources Science at the University of Rhode Island; Erica Fuller, senior associate attorney with Earth Justice; Matt Tinning, senior director, U.S. Oceans Program, Environmental Defense Fund; David Goethel, captain and owner of the Ellen Diane; Mark Phillips, captain and owner of FV Illusion; and Daniel Georgianna, Chancellor professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Read the rest here 12:40
Fishermen rescued from sinking beam trawler off the County Cork coast
Three fishermen were rescued from a sinking trawler on Sunday evening. The Kinsale RNLI lifeboat was at the scene within five minutes of the alarm being raised and the dramatic rescue was captured on video. All three men, who are Portuguese nationals, were rescued from the water and brought ashore. The Sean Anthony, which is a 20-metre beam trawler, is registered in Skibbereen. Video, read the rest here 11:57
Glasgow diner releases lobster into sea, “I couldn’t just sit there in a restaurant and watch a lobster being murdered.”
A lucky lobster has been saved from a boiling cooking pot at a Glasgow restaurant thanks to a kind-hearted diner. Iain Stewart, from Glasgow, refused to let Mercado Spanish Tapas Bar and Restaurant cook the crustacean, instead he bought it for £28 and released it back into the wild at Troon beach. The father-of-two posted a video asking viewers to save other lobsters they see awaiting their culinary deaths. He said: “I couldn’t just sit there in a restaurant and watch a lobster being murdered. (I wonder if he picked up the discarded bands!) Video, Read the foolishness here 11:26
2016 Blessing of the Fleet – Tradition in Chauvin draws crowds
Sunny skies and a light breeze greeted local fishermen and their families as they gathered Sunday morning to pray for a safe and bountiful brown-shrimp season at the annual Blessing of the Fleet in Chauvin. The Bayou Little Caillou ceremony kicks off this month’s volley of boat blessings in areas including Dulac, Pointe-aux-Chenes, Montegut and Golden Meadow. A mainstay in these traditional fishing, shrimping and crabbing communities, the Blessing of the Fleet helps ensure the safety and fortune of the fishermen who make their living on the bounties of the sea. Video, Read the rest here 10:40
Quinlan Brothers Bay de Verde fish plant is on fire, prompting evacuation
Firefighters are at a fish plant in Bay de Verde, where an evacuation is affecting half of the eastern Newfoundland fishing community as concerns mount over a large ammonia tank inside the burning building. Hundreds of people in the harbour section of the town have been forced out as of 7 a.m. ET, according to a town official. Bay de Verde Mayor Gerard Murphy told CBC’s St. John’s Morning Show that four fire departments were call in to battle the “massive” fire, which broke out around 5:30 a.m. Monday. Read the rest here 09:11
Magnuson-Stevens – Editorial: At 40, landmark fishery law needs revamping
This Wednesday is the 40th anniversary of the of 1976. Writing on behalf of the At-sea Processors Association, a columnist offers an enthusiastic opinion that the act sets the “gold standard” for U.S. and world fisheries. But it remains a disappointment in a variety of ways. This is perhaps most obvious on the East Coast, where groundfish stocks are a small fraction of what they were in 1976. Fisheries on the West Coast, and the U.S. in general, continue to struggle. Read the editorial here 08:46
Scotland Western Isles – Investigation following the worst local fishing tragedy in 50 years
A major investigation is underway after a crab boat sank off the Western Isles in what has been described as the worst local fishing tragedy for half a century. Two men died and another remains missing after the Stornoway-registered sank off the east coast of Mingulay in the early hours of Saturday. It is believed the four fishermen were asleep in their bunks at anchor, about 12 miles south of Barra, unaware that the vessel was taking on water. The crew abandoned ship onto a life raft – but there were claims last night that it had failed to properly inflate. Read the rest here 08:28
BREAKING – Fishermen rescued after boat capsized in Ventura Harbor
Three fishermen were rescued after their boat capsized in the Ventura Harbor, officials said. Their 50-foot fishing vessel capsized just before 11:00 p.m. Sunday, officials from the Ventura County Fire Department said. The boat was almost entirely submerged at the tip of the south jetty, officials said. The men were the only crew members on board, officials said. Link Will be updated photo, vcairunit 04:17
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting in Montauk April 11- April 14, 2016
The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s April meeting to be held at the Montauk Yacht Club, 21 Star Island Road, Montauk NY . Council Meeting Agenda, For online access to the meeting, enter as a guest Click here 16:36
Caterpillar – How Should I Care for my Cooling System?
![caterpillar-3208-diesel-engine[1]](https://fisherynation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/caterpillar-3208-diesel-engine1-e1460313599613.jpg)
The first step for cooling system care is making sure you’re using the proper fluids. Either distilled or deionized water should be used with an approved antifreeze and an approved supplemental coolant additive or rust inhibitor. (Fishermen in warmer climates don’t need to use antifreeze but must still use the coolant conditioners.) Use a low-silicate antifreeze that meets one of the following specifications: GM 6038-M or ASTM #D4985. The fluid in the jacket water cooling system should not consist of plain tap water or water which has been “softened” by a domestic water softener. Tap water is not recommended for engine cooling systems because of additives, contaminants and other chemicals (such as salt, chlorides, sulfates, etc.) found in the water. Read the rest here 15:03
Lobster fisherman rescued by helicopter after becoming caught in ropes
A man out fishing for lobsters was dramatically rescued yesterday evening after becoming entangled in his own ropes. This happened on Inishinny, a tiny island near to Arranmore Island off the coast of Donegal. A rescue call went out for the man – who was believed to be lobster fishing – just before 6pm. This was picked up by Malin Head rescue coordination centre and a Sligo-based Coast Guard helicopter was notified and arrived at the scene at around 6.30pm. Speaking about the incident, a Coast Guard spokesperson said the fact the man was wearing his lifejacket had been crucial in saving his life. Read the rest here 12:14
The UN starts toward new control over the world’s oceans
The United Nations has launched a far-reaching initiative that could give U.N.-sponsored authorities sway over the biological resources of the high seas—all the waters that lie outside national territories and economic zones. The rationale behind the discussions: easing the rising pressure on the world’s undersea biodiversity wrought by over-fishing, pollution, the drainage of nutrients and other substances from surrounding lands, disturbance of underwater seabeds, and fears of even greater threats from underwater industrial technology, including underwater exploration for hydrocarbons. One of the biggest backers of the preliminary talks is the Obama Administration. Even though the U.S. has never ratified the 1982 U.N. Law of the Sea Convention—the new talks are aimed at creating an “implementing agreement” under the Law of the Sea umbrella—the Administration is deeply involved in the negotiations, as are some of the world’s most powerful environmental organizations. Read the rest here 17:09 Development of an international binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Treaty on the Conservation and Sustainable use of Marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction Click here Who is the High Seas Alliance? Click here 10:52
Newfoundland and Labrador Groundfish Industry Development Council launches with recognition of challenges ahead
Five years down the road, members of the new Newfoundland and Labrador Groundfish Industry Development Council plan to handle more groundfish catch, processing it in-province, providing the best possible product to the international marketplace as shellfish work drops off. It’s their identified road to sustainability. It means lots of new training, fishermen gearing up for groundfish, more plant workers ready to punch hours handling that groundfish year-round, fish plants with the right machinery and environments to do the required processing and attract younger workers. Read the article here 10:31
CCCFA Small-boat fishermen seek to protect fishery
Ron Smolowitz accuses small-boat scallopers of “gaming the system” to access the Nantucket Lightship fishing area (“Working the system makes the system unworkable,” My View, April 2). As Smolowitz knows, in December New England Fishery Management Council scientists sent a memo saying there weren’t any conservation concerns with limited fishing there. The proposed access was so small it wouldn’t make sense for Smolowitz’s big-boat fishermen, catching 17,000 pounds per trip, to fish there. But small-boat fishermen can catch only 600 pounds a day, so the proposed access gives us 500 trips — which makes a huge difference for our families and community. Read the rest here 09:27
Fishermen in Western Isles fishing vessel “Louisa” tragedy tried to swim to shore
Two of the men stranded in the sea after a fishing vessel sank off Mingulay in the Western Isles in the early hours of Saturday morning left their life raft to swim for shore. Finlay Macleod of the Fishermen’s Mission said all four reported missing had made it to their life raft. But two of them tried to swim for the shore, which was in sight. One of the four was found safe, while another is still missing. Two of the four men on the raft were later found to have died, whilst another is still missing. Read the article here 08:17
Emmonak Fisheries Fire: Request for emergency funding to rebuild commercial fishery quickly
On Wednesday, Emmonak City Manager Martin Moore asked the state legislature for emergency funding after a fire destroyed five commercial fishing buildings last month and prompted the City of Emmonak to declare a disaster. If Emmonak is granted or loaned the requested three-quarters of a million dollars, Moore said the city will rebuild critical infrastructure before the upcoming fishing season. As commercial fishing is the primary source of income and employment in the Kusilvak Census District, Moore said Emmonak needs to rebuild soon — before people around the Yukon Delta miss out on their main economic opportunity. Read the article here 19:25
Commercial Fisherman sues Nat Geo and Katie’s Seafood after losing fingers on reality show
A local man is suing after he says he nearly lost his hands while filming a reality TV show in the Gulf of Mexico. He’s blaming the show for putting the “drama” ahead of his medical needs. From the basketball court where he bonded with his three kids, to the job on oil rigs and shrimping boats, Eddy McHenry has always counted on his hands. “If I had my hands, I can do anything and I never thought I would lose my hands.” he said. He lost his most valuable tool out in the Gulf of Mexico, filming the National Geographic reality TV show “Big Fish, Texas”. Video, Read the article here 18:43
Two bodies recovered, one missing, one airlifted, after fishing vessel sinks off the Western Isles of Scotland
Two bodies have been found after a fishing boat sank off the Western Isles of Scotland. One fisherman remains missing, while another was airlifted to hospital. The coastguard received a distress alert just before 3.45am on Saturday, and the vessel’s emergency positioning beacon was activated near Mingulay. Read the rest here The fishing vessel which sank off Mingulay this morning has been named locally as the ‘Louisa’, a 16-metre vivier crabber owned by Duncan and Murdo Kennedy, from Marvig, South Lochs. One crew member has been rescued and taken to hospital, but three remain missing. Read the rest here 12:36
Slow start to west coast coldwater shrimp fishing as price disputes erupt in Oregon, Quebec
The US west coast coldwater pink shrimp (pandalus jordani) season that should have started April 1 has been held up by price negotiations between fishermen and processors. Meanwhile, on the east of Canada in Quebec, shrimp fishing also is being held up due to price issues between harvesters and processors. In Oregon, price negotiations between the two have been traditionally overseen by the state, much as the Dungeness crab price talks have been, but this year the industry opted out of the state process. Now it’s up to shrimp associations to negotiate directly with processors. “Processors put out a price structure that does not reflect the market, in our opinion,” said pink shrimp fisherman Nick Edwards. “[The] Shrimp Producers Marketing Cooperative hopes to work collectively with the processors to get the fleet on the water.” Read the rest here 07:57
FFAW, fish processors come together to revitalize groundfishery
As shellfish stocks decline in Newfoundland and Labrador, members of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union and a number of fish processors are putting aside age-old differences to help rebuild the groundfishery. Harvesting and plant worker representatives from the FFAW and officials from various fish processing companies — including Beothic Fish Processors, Codroy Seafood, Atlantic Ocean Products and Allans Fisheries — announced the formation of the Newfoundland and Labrador Groundfish Industry Development Council on Friday in St. John’s. FFAW president Keith Sullivan said that working together is a necessity for the future. “As the fishery begins another transition period, stakeholders must work together to develop a strategic vision for the future of the groundfish industry,” he said. Read the rest here 07:37
Maine finalizes deal to preserve Tenants Harbor Working Waterfront
The Maine Department of Marine Resources obtained a working waterfront covenant March 11 on the wharf owned by the four Miller brothers — Hale, Ira, Dan and Peter — at 12 Commercial St. in Tenants Harbor. The covenant means that the pier must be used for commercial fishing. The wharf is used by more than 100 lobstermen, scallopers, urchin fishermen and seaweed harvesters. Over the years, landings have included shrimp and groundfish. In exchange for the working waterfront covenant, which ensures the wharf owners cannot develop or use the property for anything other than commercial working waterfront activities, the state will pay $250,000, an amount determined by a standardized working waterfront property appraisal, according to the news release. Read the article here 07:03
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
U.S. Labor Department: Two Gloucester Fish companies on hook for not paying overtime
The U.S. Labor Department has filed suit against two Gloucester waterfront businesses and their owner, seeking more than $200,000 in damages after the company failed to pay overtime to its workers over a three-year period. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston and announced this morning, targets Zeus Packing Inc. and Cape Ann Seafood Exchange, both based at 27 Harbor Loop, and their owner, Kristian Kristensen, is seeking $203,998 in liquidated damages for 132 workers, designed to compensate them for hardship they sustained by not having received the money they should have been paid, said Carlos Matos, the Labor Department’s wage and hour division’s Massachusetts district director this morning. Read the article here 22:28
Maine Marine Patrol charges two men for elver violations
Dana Wayne-Holmes, 61, of Gardiner was arrested on Saturday in Waldoboro after an investigation by the Maine Marine Patrol indicated that he was attempting to purchase and sell elvers without a license. Wayne-Holmes held an elver dealer license in 2015 but did not hold a dealer license for this year, Nichols said. The Maine Marine Patrol allegedly seized 13½ pounds of elvers from Wayne-Holmes worth more than $18,000 based on per pound value at the time of the violation. Also charged in the investigation was licensed harvester Irving Banks, 47 of Jefferson, who was accused of exceeding his individual elver quota, which is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Read the article here 20:23
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Announces Funded Collaborative Research Projects
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council announces that four research projects have been selected to receive a total of approximately $610,000 in funding as part of the Council’s 2016-2017 Collaborative Fisheries Research Program. The four projects each address research priorities identified by the Mid-Atlantic Council in a Request for Proposals distributed in December 2015. “Accurate information is the foundation of effective fisheries management,” said Council Chairman Rick Robins. “These research projects will help fill critical gaps in our understanding of Mid-Atlantic fisheries and ensure their continued sustainability.” Details on the selected projects are provided below. Click here for the details 18:36
The Cover Up Of The Texas American Eel – Part Three
While helping Texas Parks and Wildlife (TP&WD) with the Southern Flounder brood stock collection for restocking of Sabine Lake for 8 years, I have been researching the Texas American Eels. I had many questions in regards with the species and its regulations pertaining to catching. Thus to be safe, I got permission from TP&WD to do research on the American Eel in Texas. In addition, I would ask about the Texas American Eel research every few years to cover myself in case of any changes in Texas Parks and Wild Code. by Jason Fregia Part 3 Read the article here The Cover Up Of The Texas American Eel – Part Two Click here Part One Click here 17:44
