Monthly Archives: May 2017
Hybrid green crab species threatens N.L. lobster – also eat clams, scallops and even each other
They’re fearless. They can live for weeks out of the water. They will eat anything, even each other. “They were born ferocious,” said Cynthia McKenzie, a scientist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans based in St. John’s. McKenzie is one of a group of researchers who have identified a species of green crab that is ravaging parts of Newfoundland’s south coast. Fishermen in Placentia Bay, on the southeast coast, first noticed green crab in 2007. “When a lobster spawns … the green crab is there to eat it,” said Clarence Marsh. “I think the green crab got a big effect on the lobsters, and that’s why there’s none here in this bay now.” The green crab are “numerous,” said Marsh, and they don’t stop at eating lobster. He has also found tiny green crabs inside scallop shells. Click here to read the story 10:42
Crew held against their will? U.S. Coast Guard investigating commercial fishing trip.
One captain, three crewmen with little experience, and two very different stories about what happened on a fishing trip that ended with a U.S. Coast Guard escort back to land. Bill Owen, one of the crew members, said he felt held against his will while working on a commercial fishing boat that left out of Ft. Pierce on May 11. Owen said he responded to an online job posting looking to hire fishing hands. He said the trip was to last six days but on the fifth day, things turned combative. “Tuesday came and we were told we’re not going in [to land], [the captain said] I’m not going to tell you when we’re going in, I’m not going to tell you where we are,” said Owen. “It got progressively worse [going] from just aggressive talk to aggressive actions. That’s when it went from being not fun to this is a serious issue.” Saved by the Phone,,, Click here to read the story 09:38
Pacific Seafood/Trident deal back in the barrel? Suit against the sale alleges violation of monopoly laws.
A lawsuit has been filed against Pacific Seafood and Trident Seafood Corporation for allegedly violating federal anti-trust laws by Trident earlier ignoring a $1.8 million offer to buy Trident – nearly $800,000 less than an offer made earlier by Innovation Marine and Front Street Marine. Attorneys for Innovation Marine and Front Street Marine contend the move was to solidify a fish processing monopoly along the Oregon Coast. Here’s a reaction by Pacific Seafood’s attorney Dan Occhipinti: Click here to read the story 08:25
Maine lobstermen worry about possible closure to protect coral
Charles Kelley began fishing for lobster on Outer Schoodic Ridge about 20 years ago, preferring the solitude of deep waters to the crowded inshore fishery.,, Kelley is worried that he could lose his winter fishing territory if interstate regulators decide to ban all fishing in a 31-square-mile area at the ridge and an 18-square-mile area southwest of Mount Desert Rock to protect deep-water coral gardens found in those waters.,,, Some environmental groups have banded together to oppose the lobster exemption, among other aspects of the proposal, including the Conservation Law Foundation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Oceana and The Pew Charitable Trusts. “Heavy offshore trap gear … poses a threat to long-lived and vulnerable deep-sea coral communities,” they wrote in an April 11 letter. “Trap fisheries directly damage corals.” Click here to read the story 07:58
‘High-level alarm’ could have alerted three fishermen on board ill-fated FV Jubilee
The deaths of three men on board fishing trawler FV Jubilee could have been prevented if not for “missing checks in the system”, a report has found. Terry Donald Booth, 55, of the Nelson area, Paul Russell Bennett, 35, of Motueka, and Jared Reese Husband, 47, of Timaru, died on the Ocean Fisheries trawler when it sank off the Canterbury coast on October 18, 2015. The fishermen issued a mayday at 4.20am, when they were about 22 kilometres from the Rakaia River mouth. They never made it to their liferaft. A Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) report, published on Thursday, found it was likely that flooding of the fish hold was the main factor contributing to the vessel’s sinking. It was possible the cause of the flooding was water from a deck wash hose that had been left running through an open hatch. click here to read the story 21:46
Court challenge of test turbine could cost fishermen’s association
Fishermen who took the government to court may have to pay for it. Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy wants their legal costs to be paid by the Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen’s Association after a judge dismissed a judicial review the company was involved in. The review was requested after environment minister Margaret Miller’s decision last June to greenlight Cape Sharp’s turbine deployment in the Bay of Fundy. So far FORCE is the only respondent to follow Justice Robertson’s invitation to file for costs, made when she was making her ruling in early April after a full-day hearing in February. “We’ve been advised that Cape Sharp is not seeking its costs,” said the fishermen’s association’s lawyer, David Coles, in an interview Wednesday. But the provincial government is still unsure of what its position will be, he said. Click here to read the story 20:33
Area of Interest – Canada Identifies Large Ocean Area off the Coast of British Columbia for Protection
The Government of Canada is moving forward on its plan to reach its domestic and international targets of protecting 5% of Canada’s marine and coastal areas by 2017 and 10% by 2020 to ensure a healthy environment and economy for current and future generations. Today, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Burnaby North – Seymour, Terry Beech, on the behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced a new Area of Interest (AOI) off the coast of British Columbia, with the intention of making it one of Canada’s largest Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2020. click here to read the press release 17:09
Coast Guard rescues 4 Fishermen from disabled Fishing Vessel 2 miles east of Pritchards Island
The Coast Guard rescued four Fishermen Wednesday after their vessel became disabled two miles east of Pritchards Island. Coast Guard Sector Charleston Command Center watch standers were notified via VHF Channel 16 at 2:45 a.m., by the crew of the Gracie Bell, an 80-foot fishing vessel, stating they had become disabled due to a broken mast. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston was diverted to assist at 3:11 a.m. The helicopter crew arrived on scene at 3:16 a.m., lowered a rescue swimmer and hoisted two crew members. The rescue swimmer and the remaining two crew members stayed aboard the vessel. The first two crew members were transported to Coast Guard Air Station Savannah at 3:30 a.m. The helicopter crew, after refueling, hoisted the remaining crew members and the rescue swimmer at 5:21 a.m., and landed at the air station at 5:36 a.m., where EMS were waiting. There were no reported injuries. USCG 16:22
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 35′ Duffy Fiberglass Lobster Boat, CAT 3208T, Permits, 400 +/- 3′ Lobster traps available
Specifications, information and 13 photo’s click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here 14:10
Coast Guard searches for missing Fishermen from Capsized Fishing Vessel 1 mile northeast of Tybee Island
The Coast Guard is searching Wednesday for missing boaters approximately one mile northeast of Tybee Island, Georgia. Coast Guard Sector Charleston Command Center watchstanders were notified by the District 7 Command Center at 6:22 p.m., Tuesday, of an emergency position indicating radio beacon activation registered to the 47-foot fishing vessel Miss Debbie. A Coast Guard Station Tybee Island 45-foot Response Boat – Medium boatcrew launched at 7:35 p.m. The RB-M boatcrew arrived on scene at 7:48 and discovered the Miss Debbie capsized and began a search for crew members. A Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew launched to assist in the search. Georgia and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources are also assisting search efforts. USCG 11:44
Cape Sharp Turbine blamed for fish gouges in the Minas Basin
Fishermen have been finding sliced up or gouged gaspereaux and herring in their nets and fear the run of mackerel swimming up the bay is next. “I’m just starting to get some mackerel now,” Parrsboro fisherman Gerry Taylor said in an interview, adding there is also concern around the June herring run. “Then (Cape Sharp) will show up again and mess that up, too.” Cape Sharp, a company testing tidal power possibilities in the Bay of Fundy, has deployed several tugs and vessels in the Minas Basin to assist in the recovery of their turbine since mid-April, much to the frustration of fishermen who say the activity is disruptive to their season and their catches.,, Meanwhile, the turbine’s blades are still turning with the force of the tides, even though it has no power flowing to it. Fishermen are finding evidence of what they feared with the catches they’re getting in their nets: what’s being described as an unprecedented number of damaged fish —currently gaspereaux and herring — in the Minas Basin. Click here to read the story 11:21
The $75 king fillet: Copper River salmon fetch big money at market
The first Copper River salmon of the year are fetching a hefty price on some market shelves in Alaska and Outside, thanks in part to what’s expected to be a weak run of the prized fish. At Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market, which draws tourists in droves to watch its famed fish-tossers, fillets of Copper River kings sold for $75 per pound this week. Jason Scott, a manager at the Pike Place Fish Market, said that whopping price tag on a king fillet is a little higher than it was last year, when it was around $60 to $70 per pound. That number drops as the season goes on and more salmon flow into the market. “Everything is crazy,” he said. “All of our orders are people who have been buying fish from us for a long time. They don’t bat an eye at the price. I’m not saying we know that and take advantage of it, but each of us has a customer here who wants the biggest one.” click here to read the story 10:26
A favorable forecast offered for 2017 South Carolina shrimp season
Commercial shrimp trawling will open in all legal South Carolina waters at 8 a.m. on May 24 and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) biologists are optimistic about the coming season. “So far we’ve seen indications that it should be a good year,” said Mel Bell, director of SCDNR’s Office of Fisheries Management. “Of course, after establishing the opening date, based on the condition of the resource, we have no control over how things will go. The success of the season will be up to the hard work of the fishermen and the environmental conditions they encounter throughout the year.” The present season comes on the heels of an unusual year. click here to read the story 09:47
Plansea casts off; Marilyn J to be painted
Two old boats are being upgraded and improved to provide many more years’ worth of service. Craftsmen United at the Port of Port Townsend boatyard is working on the 78-foot FV Plansea tender and 62-foot Marilyn J fishing boat. “It’s a thing of beauty,” said Dan Wiggins, president of Craftsmen United, of the bright blue Plansea, which was on blocks near Building 21 at the yard last Wednesday, May 17. Several workers scurried in and around the ship to get it ready for a haulout that was scheduled later in the week. Wiggins said Plansea was built in 1954 in New Orleans by Higgins Industries as a military landing craft. Wiggins’ work on the ship has improved it tremendously since he acquired it in 2014, he said. Back then, the boat was on the verge of sinking in Port Orchard, he noted. He had the boat towed to Port Townsend and inspected the hull. click here to read the story 08:36
Donated, discounted traps going to lobster fishermen whose gear was destroyed
People in Cape Breton are rallying to help lobster fishermen after stormy seas drove traps onto the rocks over the weekend, destroying expensive gear and killing crustaceans. The weather station on St. Paul Island reported a northwest peak wind gust of 93 km/h. Bay St. Lawrence and Smelt Brook were especially hard hit. Stephen Bornais, a spokesperson for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said the number of destroyed lobster traps is in the thousands. He expected to have more concrete numbers later this week. Osborne Burke, manager of Victoria Co-operative Fisheries in New Haven, said some fishermen lost as many as 150 of their 275 traps. Burke spent Tuesday trying to round up replacement traps. click here to read the story 08:00
Rough seas destroy traps, kill lobster in Cape Breton
The lobster season along some parts of the eastern shore of Cape Breton has taken a devastating turn after getting off to a good start last week. Rough seas caused by heavy north winds damaged hundreds of traps, washing many ashore, according to people in the industry. “It was unreal,” said Glace Bay fisherman Herb Nash, who described it as the worst destruction of fishing gear he has witnessed since the 1970s. He was particularly upset by what he saw along the shoreline between Donkin and Port Morien. “When we walked the beach there were all kinds of spawning lobsters dead on the beach, lobsters broke apart,” he said. click here to read the story 21:34
Sad news: Barnegat Light Scalloper ‘Apparently Fell Overboard’ and Dies in Massachusetts
The Fishermen’s Story Memorial at the tip of Barnegat Light will have another name engraved in memory of commercial fishermen who died in their line of work, this one Pete Benya. “Barnegat Light is again mourning the loss of one of our own,” says the Facebook page of the Fishermen’s Story Memorial Fund. Capt. Pete Benya, 59, died the weekend of Sunday, May 14, when his body was found floating in Saquatucket Harbor, Mass., and later identified, according to the Cape and Islands district attorney’s office. Benya owned the Resolute and had been scalloping out of Barnegat Light for several years.“Pete was making a few trips out of Harwich, Mass., and apparently fell overboard while at the dock,” said representatives from Lighthouse Marina, his home port in Barnegat Light. “He will be sorely missed.” Click here to read the story. 19:33 We extend our deepest condolences to Captain Peter Benya’s loved ones, and his community. Rest in Peace, Captain.
Trial begins to settle $2.8M fishing tourney prize
It started in the open ocean off Maryland last summer and it’s likely to conclude in a federal courtroom in Baltimore. The battle over $2.8 million in prize money from the White Marlin Open fishing tournament went to trial Monday in U.S. District Court. On the line for three New Jersey men is $2.3 million of the pot.Trenton police officer Brian Suschke, Trenton firefighter Rich Kosztyu and Ocean County boat owner Damien Romeo were ecstatic after winning $767,091 for catching a 236.5-pound tuna at the August competition in Ocean City, Md. Then, the friends and fishing partners found out their catch might actually be worth millions. Click here to read the story 17:44
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission rejects NJ’s proposed flounder regulations
The drama surrounding New Jersey’s summer flounder regulations continued Monday, as a regional fisheries management board rejected the state’s adopted regulations for the popular marine catch just days before the fishing season is scheduled to start. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, a regional agency that helps set fishing quotas for the 15 East Coast states, found New Jersey’s regulations for the upcoming season were not sufficiently strict to reduce the catches needed to keep the stock healthy and compensate for past years of overfishing. New Jersey’s Marine Fisheries Council adopted those regulations last week, in anticipation that they might be an acceptable compromise. The commission’s rejection means the state is “out of compliance,” a designation that could prompt federal regulators to shut down the entire flounder fishery for recreational and commercial anglers. click here to read the story 15:14
Coast Guard medevacs Fisherman 60 miles east of Atlantic City, NJ
A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Station Atlantic City medevaced a man from a fishing vessel 60 miles east of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Monday. Sector Delaware Bay watchstanders in Philadelphia received notification from the 90-foot fishing vessel Settler that a 51-year-old male crewmember was experiencing chest pains at about 8:38 p.m. A helicopter crew launched from Air Station Atlantic City and arrived on scene at approximately 11:45 p.m. The helicopter crew hoisted the man into the helicopter and transported him to Air Station Atlantic City, where EMS personnel transferred him to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for treatment. USCG Click for video 14:40
Limited-entry waiting list shortens
Fishermen on the Zone B commercial lobster and crab license waiting list have been bumped up several slots following last year’s council decision to amend the exit ratio for its limited-entry system. The Lobster Zone B Management Council heard that good news last Tuesday during a regular council meeting. Council members last year amended the exit ratio from one license issued for every five licenses retired to one license issued for every three licenses retired to help speed up the licensing process. Zone B is one of the most restrictive zones. Some people have been on the list for more than 10 years. Currently, there are 37 names on the list. click here to read the story 13:05
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument under review, Beaton hoping for modifications
The state’s top environmental official hopes the Trump administration modifies President Barack Obama’s 2016 designation of a marine monument area off the Massachusetts coast, which is on the Trump administration’s list of areas under review. Environmental protection activists last year applauded Obama’s decision, made under powers granted through the Antiquities Act, to create the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument covering a more than 4,900 square mile area southeast of Cape Cod. The designation came with strict limits on fishing that were greeted with pushback from port communities and some elected officials, including Gov. Charlie Baker, whose administration knocked an alleged lack of public process, potential negative impacts on commercial fishing, and conflicts with existing marine fisheries planning processes. click here to read the story 12:11
Celebrity trawlerman enjoys new lease of life on dry land
While the fall in the pound since the Brexit vote has provided a boost for exporters a veteran of the fishing business sees opportunities to grow UK sales of a Scots product that does well in Europe. Name: Jimmy Buchan. Age: 56. What is your business called? Amity Fish Co Limited. Where is it based? Peterhead, in wonderful Aberdeenshire. What does it produce? We are a fish trading company focused on sourcing wild-caught Scottish seafood for distribution throughout the UK.,, Why did you take the plunge? Amity came about because of my passion for seafood. Being a fisherman all my life, I met a lot of people in the industry and I felt I had a platform to start a brand from sea to plate. I realised I wasn’t just catching fish but catching fish with a story of provenance and sustainability which gave me the inspiration to get into the seafood supply chain. click here to read the story 10:53
A Fire Bug? Prince of Wales Island fires damage three commercial boats and a building
Fires on Prince of Wales Island over the weekend, but as of Sunday afternoon there were no reports of injuries related to the incidents. The first was at about 6 p.m. Saturday in Naukati. According to the Alaska State Troopers, a community-owned building was destroyed by a suspicious fire. Then early Sunday morning, three commercial fishing vessels burned while docked at a marina in North Cove in Craig (click here) .,,The Naukati fire follows another suspected arson case last week on Prince of Wales. On Tuesday night, someone set fire to a car parked at a boat launch near Klawock. click here to read the story 08:51
The story behind an alleged fraud worth millions in Nova Scotia’s lobster industry
In June of 2015, three men stepped out of a summer day thick with flies and into the Beaverdam Lake, N.S., cottage of lobster dealer Wayne Banks. It wasn’t a casual visit. They had arrived unannounced at his doorstep, claiming that in the space of about 10 days someone had ripped them off to the tune of $1.6 million. “Have a seat, you fellas,” said Banks. “I think I know why you’re here. But there ain’t nothing I can tell you.” The secret recording of that conversation, later provided to CBC News by one of the men, offers a glimpse into a large alleged fraud case, one that reveals the money and high stakes at play in Canada’s most lucrative lobster industry. Only later would local RCMP team up with the federal serious and organized crime unit to launch a joint investigation into what they called a complex criminal operation, one some feared could have broader ramifications to the industry. But on that June day two years ago, one name threaded its way through the conversation — Wayne Banks’s younger brother, convicted fraudster Terry Banks.”How many families get destroyed because of Terry f–king Banks again?” said one of the visiting men in exasperation. “I don’t understand why Terry’s still alive. I don’t.” Big Story. Click here to read it 08:06
Lobster thefts: Three facing charges in $3M international fraud and theft case – click here Charges laid after lobster theft investigation – click here RCMP concludes investigation into local and international lobster theft and fraud – RCMP click here
Fishermen Protest Against Kyaukphyu Seaport
Fishermen aboard 120 boats protested along the Thanzit River against the Maday Island deep seaport in Arakan State on Monday, as authorities have banned them from fishing in a stretch of water now reserved for international cargo ships docking at the port.,, Chinese-owned oil tankers began docking at the seaport in early May to transport the oil through Maday terminal to the China-Burma border. Authorities told locals that the oil tankers would dock at the port three times each week, according to Aung Naing Win. But residents of Maday Island said at least six or seven ships arrived within one week, and another five shops are waiting to dock. Local fishermen have been restricted from catching fish near the mouth of the river where the ships dock. “As villagers are finding it harder to earn a living by fishing, they are seeking to earn money by cutting mangroves. Click here to read the story 18:49
Recreational Fishermen caught with nearly 300 more black sea bass than allowed
On just the second day of the black sea bass fishing season, two boats of fishermen were caught by harbormasters with nearly 300 more of the black sea bass than allowed in the recreational limit. The Wareham Harbormaster Department alerted the Massachusetts Environmental Police to the two boats on Sunday at the Tempest Knob Public boat ramp. When officers inspected the first boat, which had four people aboard, they found multiple coolers that contained 225 more black sea bass than the recreational limit allows, Environmental Police said. Fifty-nine of those fish were smaller than the 15-inch limit. That boat also had 98 more scup than legal possession limit, as well as two undersized tautog and one 17-inch striped bass. Click here to read the story 17:25
Offshore Wind Turbines Blamed For Killing Family Of Whales
Marine environmental experts blame offshore wind turbines for the deaths of three minke whales that washed up on British beaches, The Times reported Monday. Wildlife experts claim that the noise generated by wind turbines affected the sonar that whales use to navigate, causing them to beach themselves. There are several commercial offshore wind farms close to where the whales beached themselves.“My personal opinion is that it could be a consequence of wind farms and the amount of sand in the water,” John Cresswell, chairman of the Felixstowe Volunteer Coast Patrol Rescue Service, told The Times. “If you stop the boat off the coast you can feel the vibrations and hear the noise.” The U.K. coastguard received reports of a minke whale calf that had become separated from its mother Friday evening. By the next afternoon, it had been found dead at the mouth of the River Ore, and its mother washed up near Felixstowe. On Sunday, another dead adult whale surfaced, indicating that an entire family could have been killed. Click here to read the story 16:52
Halibut fishery kicks off in Bristol Bay
Last week the F/V Eagle Two was sitting alone in the Dillingham harbor, getting ready to fish halibut. The harbor has not been dredged yet, and the floats and arms are not installed for ease of use. Halibut fishing normally happens after Togiak herring, but about a month before any salmon openers in the Bay. “We’re always anxious to get started, but we’re waiting on ice,” said skipper William Johnson, whose crew was preparing the vessel for departure to the far side of the Nushagak Peninsula. “Heading west to go get bait and do a little fishing out there, and then come back and then finish out the season down here,” said Johnson. He noted they pack extra fuel for the long distance trip out in the quiet Bay. click here for audio, read the story 16:33
How Maine came to play a central role in an international eel smuggling scheme
Years after officials launched an investigation into baby eel poaching on the East Coast, the first of several men to plead guilty to participating in the wildlife trafficking ring was sentenced last week in a federal courtroom in Maine. Michael Bryant, 40, a former Baileyville resident who now lives in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, is one of more than a dozen men who the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says poached thousands of pounds of the baby eels, also known as elvers or “glass” eels, from 2011 through 2014. Since 2011, elvers on average have fetched around $1,500 per pound for fishermen, and netted more than $4 million total for the 12 convicted poachers who have pleaded guilty to federal charges in South Carolina, Virginia and Maine. Maine found itself at the center of a criminal enterprise that illegally netted elvers along the Atlantic seaboard, where most states ban their harvesting, and then shipped the eels overseas to feed East Asia’s voracious seafood appetite, according to investigators. click here to read the story 14:43
