Daily Archives: August 23, 2016
New Bedford: John Linehan, synonymous with the fishing industry, dies at 94
If any one person would be the face of the fishing industry during the last half century or more, it could well be John F. Linehan, who died Aug. 14 at the age of 94. Not a fisherman himself, the Lewiston, Maine native arrived in New Bedford in 1951 after serving in the military and graduating from Bates College, class of 1953. Linehan wore many hats in his long career, first as general manager of the New Bedford Seafood Producers Association, a fisheries adviser in Korea, and the first director of the Harbor Development Commission. He was later operations manager at Frionor Corp., vice president and general manager of Maritime Terminal, Inc., and 12 years as the industry liaison officer for the National Marine Fisheries Service. His friends, who visited him regularly until the end of his life, say they admired Linehan for being not only intelligent but funny, always ready with a wisecrack. Read the story here 22:05
Virginia Marine Resources Commission hits fisherman with new maximum punishment
Last year, state lawmakers answered a plea from Virginia’s commercial fishing industry to toughen the penalties for watermen who repeatedly break the law. On Tuesday, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission brought down that bigger hammer for the first time – yanking the licenses of a Hampton fisherman for five years and slapping him with a $10,000 civil penalty. It took the commission’s law enforcement staff 50 pages to document David A. Turner’s history of fisheries violations – nearly two dozen in state courts since 2001, including 10 this year. Among the latest were convictions for harvesting oysters from creeks that had been condemned because of pollution. An undercover sting by Virginia Marine Police led to those charges. “I haven’t seen anything this bad,” Marine Resources Commission chief John Bull told fellow commissioners after listening to a police officer’s rundown. It was a “laundry list … of some of the most serious oyster violations that I can imagine.” Read the story here 21:35
Letter: Atlantic Marine Monument Area Vital To Fishermen – Jon Williams, Westport Island, Maine
I was disappointed with The Courant’s Aug. 18 editorial “Atlantic Marine Preserve Would Be Victory For Environment” endorsing a plan for President Obama to designate a marine national monument off the New England coast. Contrary to what the editorial stated, a monument would profoundly impact commercial fishermen. The editorial cited the Natural Resources Defense Council’s claim that the “vast majority of red crab landings” along the Eastern Seaboard are outside the proposed protection area. But take it from a crab fisherman: That area is vital to our livelihoods. Read the letter here 17:01
National Fisherman Magazine and Support for Marine Monuments
Fishing Vessel ILA goes aground off Westport
The commercial fishing vessel ILA, a long liner, was discovered aground, listing on a sand bar at the high tide line about a half mile north of W. Ocean Avenue at approximately 3 a.m. Saturday morning. Coast Guard vessel registration records show that the hailing port for the vessel is Ketchikan, Alaska, but local fishermen say the boat has been moored at the Westport Marina for several years. Responders from U.S. Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor boarded the vessel and made contact with the sole occupant, boat owner/skipper Ken Earnst, who was still asleep below decks. He was safely escorted off the vessel and spent the remainder of night in Westport. Earnst, a Sedro Woolley resident, said that he was about seven miles offshore and preparing to set his lines when he opted instead to go below and sleep. 2 more images, Read the story here 14:19
Tropical Storm Gaston expected to become hurricane by Wednesday
Tropical Storm Gaston is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday, forecasters said in a Tuesday morning (Aug. 23) update. The storm currently is in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean and poses no threat to land. In addition to Gaston, the National Hurricane Center is tracking Tropical Depression Fiona in the Atlantic and another system that could pose a threat to the Caribbean. According to the National Hurricane Center, Gaston is about 545 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands and is moving west-northwest at 20 mph. It’s expected to slow down slightly in the next couple days, but still maintain its path. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is forecast, and Gaston is expected to reach hurricane status by Wednesday. Read the rest here 14:04
Wicked Tuna Outer Banks: Tyler says screw you as tension mount!
As the Doghouse’s First Mate Caine Livesay says: “Any time you catch a fish it gives you a boost to confidence. This fish really means a lot to us, you know it’s gonna put us in the right direction.” Meantime, Reels of Fortune and Pin Wheel get into some less than friendly rivalry. Pinwheel catch a mako shark and lose the hook and bait as they let it go, but they don’t call in the bite right away. Reels of Fortune Captain Charlie “Griff” Griffin is not happy that Pin Wheel is not reporting when they get a bite. Pin Wheels’ skipper Tyler is not impressed. Mocking Griff, he says: “You didn’t radio in your bite. Oh that’s not how we operate here in the Outer Banks. Read the rest here, and watch 2 videos. 12:38
Fishermen slap down Sturgeon over EU crusade and say she’s ignoring Brexit’s GRAND PRIZE
Ms Sturgeon and her SNP party have consistently warned leaving the EU would be devastating for Scotland’s fishing industry, with “thousands” of jobs at risk. However, the industry experts themselves have dismissed this and accused the First Minister of ignoring the huge benefit of Brexit – reclaiming Scottish fishing waters. The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation said the result of this summer’s EU referendum would end the Common Fisheries Policy, which imposes quotas and allows fishermen from other member states to access Scottish fishing water – which they described as the “best fishing grounds in the world”. Read the rest here 12:07
North American-wide lobby fighting to save live lobster exports to Europe
Groups lobbying to protect North America’s live lobster shipments to Europe have been having weekly phone calls and strategy sessions, says the Lobster Council of Canada. “We have been advocating with governments. We’ve been encouraging Canadian exporters to advocate with their national governments,” said executive director Geoff Irvine. The groups include federal and provincial officials and key lobster industry players from the United States and Canada. Five months ago, Sweden called for a ban on all live lobster imports from North America after 32 American lobsters were captured in Swedish waters between 2008 and 2015. Irvine said there are several theories as to how they got there. The argues the American lobsters pose a risk as an invasive species, so as a precautionary measure it’s calling for the ban, but Irvine said science doesn’t back that up. Read the story here 09:48
Summer 2016 edition – WPFMC Pacific Islands Fishery News! Marine Monument Edition
Welcome to the Summer 2016 edition of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s Pacific Islands Fishery News! Click here to download the complete PDF and be sure to allow a few extra seconds for the file to upload. Featured are various Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument posts. Elected officials on every coast, being lobbied by every environmental non government organization, are pushing for the final Obama Administration assault on fishing, utilizing the Antiquities Act via Executive Order. This is also happening on the East Coast, the West Coast, and in the Gulf of Mexico. Lots of info. Click here to review! 09:00
