Daily Archives: March 11, 2017

An Interview with Captain Dave Marciano: Gloucester fishing comes into focus on new season of ‘Wicked Tuna’

The captains of Wicked Tuna, Nat Geo’s top-rated reality series, return for a sixth season Sunday, March 12 at 9 p.m. The cutthroat show about angling off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, pits captains and their boats against each other in a no-holds-barred search for the largest tuna. And that’s largest in terms of size and profits. Among the returning captains are Tyler McLaughlin of the Pinwheel, Dave Marciano of the Hard Merchandise, TJ Ott of the Hot Tuna, Paul Hebert of the Wicked Pissah and Dave Carraro of the FV-Tuna.com. They might be friendly on land, but in the open, choppy waters, they are competitors with the final prize in mind. Recently, Hollywood Soapbox spoke with Marciano about the upcoming season and the bounty of fish that actually changed the angling for everyone. Answers have been edited for style and brevity. Read the interview here 14:02

Coast Guard medevacs fisherman near Cold Bay, Alaska

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew medevaced a man from the 252-foot fishing vessel Kodiak Enterprise approximately 40 miles north of Cold Bay, Alaska, Friday afternoon. The rescue helicopter crew transported the 55-year-old fisherman to Cold Bay and were met by LifeMed Alaska personnel who transferred the patient to Anchorage for further medical care. Watchstanders at Coast Guard 17th District in Juneau received notification from Health Force Partners requesting a medevac for a crewmember who was reportedly suffering from an abdominal medical condition.  The duty flight surgeon recommended the medevac and the helicopter crew was dispatched from Dutch Harbor. Weather on scene during the time of the medevac was reported as 15-mph winds with 3-foot seas and 10 miles of visibility. Link 13:14

Coast Guard medevacs skipper from fishing boat in the Gulf

The Coast Guard medevacked a 29-year-old man Friday from a 72-foot commercial fishing vessel 23 miles southwest of Sanibel. At 4:30 a.m. watch standers from Sector St. Petersburg received a VHF-FM marine band radio call from the captain of the commercial fishing vessel Sea Explorer, stating he was experiencing chest pains and was in need of emergency medical attention. A flight surgeon was notified and recommended the man be medevacked. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Clearwater and a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew from Station Fort Myers Beach were launched and the area’s Marine Emergency Response Team was activated. At 5:31 a.m. the Coast Guard boat crew arrived on scene with Lee County EMS aboard. The man was transported to Station Fort Myers Beach in stable condition where EMS awaited to transport him for further medical assistance. Link 13:03

Maine Fisherman details nearly losing his hand, amazing recovery

Nearly two months ago, a scallop fisherman got his lower arm caught in a hydraulic winch. It nearly took his hand off. Doctors were able to re-attach it, in one of the most difficult surgeries they’d ever performed. In 35 years of fishing off the coast of Maine, Rick Callow says he’s been injured many times, but nothing like what happened to him seven weeks ago on his fishing boat, the E Cosi. He and his crew were using a winch to haul in a catch of scallops when his glove got caught in the capstan, the revolving cylinder used to wind the cable. “It jerked my hand towards the capstan,” Callow said. “Pinched my glove in there, just the tip of my index finger.” Seconds later, the machine was ripping through his lower arm and hand. Video, read the rest of the story here 11:05

There is a GoFundMe page set up to help with the medical costs. Some of the pictures on that site are graphic.

Labour Relations Board orders release of FFAW/ASP lists of inshore harvesters

The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) is pleased with the latest order of the province’s Labour Relations Board regarding the release of membership lists of commercial inshore harvesters. After hearing arguments on Friday morning, by late Friday afternoon the board ordered the FFAW to turn over its list of commercial inshore harvesters who were members of the FFAW between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 30, 2016 to its investigating officer. The Board also ordered ASP (the Association of Seafood Producers) to hand over its list of inshore harvesters on whose behalf members of the association collected and remitted FFAW union dues between Jan. 1, 2015 to Dec. 30, 2016 to its investigating officer. Read the press release here 10:22

NOAA tests camera systems to monitor fish catch

When we think of technological innovators, most picture daring entrepreneurs and venture capitalists who make clever devices for their investors. However, in the Bering Sea and other waters off the coast of Alaska, NOAA Fisheries scientists are testing innovative technologies, tools and methods to keep U.S. fisheries strong and profitable. Together with the fishing industry, we have made real progress advancing the use of camera systems to monitor fish catch and identify the best ways to safely release unwanted species. These systems help us count fish both in the net and when it is hauled onto the deck of a fishing vessel. Our scientists have designed software applications to automate the process of identifying fish species and measure fish length. Until recently, obtaining this critical information for fisheries stock assessments was only possible with the help of a human observer. continue reading the story here 09:40

Canada’s trade minister promises Brits cut-price lobster and maple syrup if free trade deal follows Brexit

Francois Philippe Champagne said he hoped the UK copied the free trade deal agreed between his country and the EU when it strikes out alone. And he revealed he had met Trade Secretary Liam Fox three times to discuss future relationships. He said a deal would mean “more and better choice for consumers”. He said: “A company in Wales is importing maple syrup from Canada and paying an 8 per cent import duty.” “That duty would go down to 0 per cent if there is a free trade deal. “If you’re in the UK and love Canadian lobster, you have an import duty of up to 25 percent today. “On day one that would go down to zero.” Link 09:06

Livelihoods Threatened, Angry fishermen in Sonora attack federal officials

Angry fishermen in Sonora attacked environmental officials Wednesday night and torched 15 vehicles, including trucks, boats, and ATVs. Worried that their livelihoods were being threatened by federal environmental and health assessment programs, the fishermen, from Golfo de Santa Clara, physically attacked 28 officials from the federal environmental agency Profepa, the National Protected Areas Commission and the National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission. The fishermen’s beef is that they want to be able to fish corvina, but the issuing of a permit by the National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission has been delayed. New regulations require that an environmental impact statement must be approved by the Environmental Secretariat before the fishing vessels sail. Read the rest here 08:38

German company eyes wind farm project off Fire Island  

“The idea that you can just show up and stick a flag in the ocean floor and say it’s mine without regard to the fishing community it will displace is unconscionable and un-American,” said Bonnie Brady, executive director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association.A German renewable-energy company has submitted an unsolicited bid for more than 40,000 acres of water rights due south of Fire Island for the first phase of a wind-turbine array of up to 400 megawatts. Maps submitted with the project indicate it would place 30 to 50 turbines around 600 feet tall in an area that extends from Bayport to Moriches, starting around 12 miles from shore. The project would be east of another wind-energy area that was federally auctioned in December to Norway-based Statoil for $42 million. Both projects, which would require numerous state and federal permits, are in areas considered vital to fishing interests; the Statoil project is already the subject of a federal lawsuit seeking to block it and preserve squid, scallop and bottom-fishing grounds. Called the NY4 Excelsior Wind Park, the latest project is being proposed by PNE Wind, a German developer of onshore and offshore wind projects with a U.S. base in Chicago. (we are opposed) Read the story here 07:54