Daily Archives: February 1, 2017
2 Plead Guilty to Sinking 54-Foot Fishing Boat to Collect Insurance
Two men pleaded guilty in San Diego Wednesday to conspiring to destroy their own vessel, a 57-foot boat used for charter sport-fishing trips, in order to fraudulently collect an insurance payout. Christopher Switzer, 39, and Mark Gillette, 37, each face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when they are sentenced March 6 in U.S. District Court. They are required to reimburse the U.S. Coast Guard more than $15,000 for the price of launching a rescue helicopter and other costs. Last Oct. 11, the defendants headed out to sea on their boat, the Commander, from its homeport in Mission Bay and went toward Long Beach. Switzer and Gillette had planned to intentionally sink the Commander and submit a claim to their insurance company, according to Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari D. Fitzwater. The defendants admitted they attempted to sink their boat by destroying plastic PVC piping in the engine room, which caused sea water to flood into the vessel. They also pumped sea water onto the vessel and punctured its bulkhead to let sea water spread faster throughout the boat. Read the full story here 20:08
Baltimore Canyon “Urban” Marine Sanctuary Proposal Withdrawn
A prized fishing area off Maryland’s coast has been pulled from consideration as the nation’s first “urban” marine sanctuary. The National Aquarium in Baltimore petitioned the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last fall to designate the Baltimore Canyon as a sanctuary. Advocates said the sanctuary status would protect the sea floor and surrounding waters from oil and gas exploration and military activities, as well as create new opportunities for marine researchers and educators. The Aquarium’s CEO, John Racanelli, has withdrawn the nomination, writing in a letter to NOAA that “we have determined that the timing is not right for this nomination.” That decision came after strong opposition to the proposal from Ocean City fishermen and several Lower Shore lawmakers. They raised concerns that the designation might scuttle the area’s $100 million offshore fishing industry and prompt the resort’s 12 annual fishing tournaments to pull up anchor. Read the story here 18:54
Fishermen’s Benefit Fund holds crab feed fundraiser – Proceeds help fishermen and their families
The 29th annual Deep Sea Fishermen’s Benefit Fund Crab Feed is being held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Warrenton Community Center, 170 S.W. Third St. Fresh Dungeness crab, cole slaw, garlic bread, drink, dessert, and all the trimmings are being served. The cost is $17 for adults, $15 for seniors and those younger than 12, or $10 for a half crab dinner. This event is sponsored by the Deep Sea Fishermen’s Benefit Fund, a nonprofit which maintains an emergency fund to help fishermen and their families. Link 14:53
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 44ft. Blue Water Marine Lobster,Longliner, 230HP, 6 Cylinder Daewoo
Specifications, information and 9 photo’s click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 14:26
Washington Rep. Liz Pike Slams Oregon Gov. Kate Brown – Oregon’s decision compromises salmon and integrity
I applaud our own Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission for its 7-2 vote on Jan. 14 to reach a compromise that has our state moving in the right direction for conservation of endangered salmon and steelhead. This recent decision removes all commercial gill nets from the lower Columbia River during the spring and summer runs and allows commercial nets in the fall in selected areas — but only through 2019 with the commitment to remove all gill nets completely after that time. This two-year extension of fall gill netting is a compromise to the original plan in favor of the gillnetters, to allow more time to develop selective commercial fishing methods and help the commercial fishery achieve financial goals. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced to the entire Pacific Northwest that her environmental conscience is for sale to the highest bidder when she recently appointed former gill net industry lobbyist Bruce Buckmaster to Oregon’s commission. His deciding vote is a slap in the face to tens of thousands of recreational anglers in Oregon and Washington who agreed to pay a new salmon endorsement tax each season over the past three years in order to fund the promised Columbia River reforms agreed to in 2012. Read the op-ed here 12:21
New rules for commercial spiny lobster bully-netting get final vote
If given final approval by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, bully-netting would become a more regulated sector within the state season on spiny lobster but would remain open to new commercial fishers. The bully-netting issue now is included on the consent agenda for the FWC’s Feb. 8 and 9 meeting in Crystal River, following preliminary approval at a November meeting.The eight-month lobster season runs Aug. 6 through March 31. No new permits, if approved, would be issued for the season now under way. “Bully-netting would stay open-access, meaning it’s not limited just to people doing it now,” said Amanda Nalley, spokeswoman for FWC’s Marine Fisheries office. The night-fishing technique, using a spotlight and long-handled net to catch lobster on the bottom, “has a history of allowing people to enter the fishery at a low cost, and the commission wants to keep that,” Read the story here 11:11
Newburyport, Massachusetts – Family, friends recall crew of Lucky Lady, 10 years later
Friends and family members took part in a Mass last weekend to honor the memory of the two young men who died in the sinking of the dragger Lucky Lady 10 years ago today. Capt. Sean Cone, 24, a North Andover native, and crewman Dan Miller, 21, of North Hampton, N.H., were lost when their 52-foot vessel capsized and sank rapidly about 30 miles southeast of Portland, Maine, while returning to Newburyport, according to a Coast Guard investigation. A Mass was held on Saturday at St. Michael’s in North Andover, attended by Cone’s mother Leslie Arnold Cone, who flew up from Florida, according to the Remember Sean Cone Facebook page. The Coast Guard report was issued about a year after the sinking, concluding that it happened so quickly, neither man had time to access lifesaving equipment. Read the story here 10:27
Sandy Semans Ross – My view: N.C. Wildlife Federation petition is short on science and facts
The Outer Banks Catch is a nonprofit focused on providing fact-based education to consumers about the commercial fishing industry and communities, and the habitat and water quality needed to maintain a robust fishery. With that mission comes a responsibility to correct erroneous statements whether made in the press or, such as in this case, in petitions for rule-making before the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission. The petition filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) is based on the work of Jack Travelstead, an employee of the Coastal Conservation Association, and former Division of Marine Fisheries director, Louis Daniel, now contracted with NCWF. The document, amendment and submitted public comments contain few statements that Outer Banks Catch could provide to the public and stand behind their legitimacy. It requests designating all inland waters and three miles out into the ocean as a huge special secondary nursery area, thus prohibiting almost all shrimp trawling. Read the op-ed here 09:19
Southern New England Lobstermen question need for restrictions to help species
Some lobster fishermen expressed skepticism Tuesday about a plan to try to revive the dwindling southern New England lobster stock through 
. Lobster fishing in the U.S. is experiencing a boom that has lasted several years, and prices have also been high. But the population of the species has diminished in the waters off southern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Long Island, New York, where it was once plentiful. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is considering a host of options to try to rejuvenate the region’s lobster stock, which scientists have said is falling victim to rising ocean temperatures. An arm of the commission voted Tuesday to send the options out for public comment. Read the story here 08:31
