Monthly Archives: June 2017
Think you’ve seen it all? Trudeau government proposes opening St. Lawrence marine protected area to oil exploration
The Liberal government is proposing to allow oil and gas exploration in a new marine protected area that it plans to establish where the Gulf of St. Lawrence meets the Atlantic Ocean. Ottawa released an impact statement Friday on its Laurentian Channel protected area, a 11,619-square-kilometre stretch of ocean in which commercial activity would be limited in order to protect vulnerable marine life. The establishment of the marine protected area (MPA) is part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s promise to set aside 10 per cent of Canada’s coastal waters by 2020. But some environmental groups and ocean scientists argue Ottawa is undermining the effort by allowing future oil and gas exploration in the zone. click here to read the story 19:57
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for June 23, 2017
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates, Click here We were saddened to hear of the passing of James Berrie Gaskill of Ocracoke. He died on Wednesday while tending his nets. NCFA Board, Members and Staff offer our most sincere condolences and prayers to his family. 17:54
Trump Gave A Speech That Has The Wind Industry Terrified
Wind industry officials scrambled to fend off President Donald Trump’s criticism of wind turbines during his speech Wednesday night. “I don’t want to just hope the wind blows to light up your homes and your factories,” Trump told supporters at a rally in Iowa. “As the birds fall to the ground.” Trump’s comments triggered a response from the CEO of the country’s largest wind energy lobbying group, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). CEO Tom Kiernan published a series of tweets to push back against Trump’s critiques of wind power. ( of course, we will never see the carnage at offshore wind farms, as sea birds will simply disappear into the ocean. What a scam!) click here to read the story 17:34
Canadians are contesting New Hampshire’s supposedly record-breaking lobster roll
Perhaps not since the Pork and Beans War has New England been engaged in such an inconsequential food-related dispute with its northern neighbors. But here we are. Last weekend, the Portsmouth, New Hampshire location of the local pub chain British Beer Company set out to break the record for the world’s longest lobster roll, previously set last September by the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association. And according to the Portsmouth restaurant, they did it — beating the Canadians’ 120-foot-long roll with a heaping creation just shy of 160 feet. click here to read the story 16:57
‘We voted to leave..now we want our fishing grounds!’ British MEP blasts Eurocrats in rant
David Coburn, a Scottish MEP raged at Spanish fishermen for using UK waters to fish, demanding the grounds are returned to the. Speaking at the Committee on Fisheries, Mr Corbun targeted Spanish fishermen for wanting to use UK waters, before he took a swipe at the nation over Gibraltar. He said: “You say that Spanish fishermen may have acquired over periods of time, fishing rights in UK waters. “That’s very funny and dare I say very Spanish. “The fish are not going to go away. All that Scotland and Great Britain as a whole want, are the rights to fish our own fish, and sell them to you and why not? video, read the story here 13:22
Prince William Sound harvest tops one million fish
Commercial harvests of red salmon reached 378,000 fish in the Copper River drift district through June 20, as the run and harvest continued to be below forecast, while Chinook catches were above expected. The commercial harvest of sockeyes is still trending consistently below forecast, noted Jeremy Botz, who manages the state’s gillnet salmon fishery from the Cordova office of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The good news is that both reds and kings appear to be in great condition and larger than average, Botz said. Sockeyes are weighing 5.6 pounds to 5.7 pounds, and the kings on average have weighed in at about 21 pounds, compared to about 18 pounds in recent years. “They are larger than we have seen in quite a while, by close to three pounds, he said. click here to read the story 13:07
The PenAir terminal in King Salmon: where the world meets to fish
The Bristol Bay Borough swells from a year round population of about 1,000 to closer to 10,000 for the summer fishery. Almost all of the fishermen, seafood processors, and thousands of sport fishing and wildlife viewing visitors on the east side of Bristol Bay pass through one very busy small terminal in King Salmon. In the winter this airport only has two flights per day, but during the peak of the summer it serves up to 14 flights daily. The human traffic into Bristol Bay mirrors the sockeye run, but the people aim to be here a few weeks earlier than the fish. Richberg said the PenAir terminal in King Salmon will see 600 to 800 customers pass through in a day. click here to read the story 12:43
Coast Guard, good Samaritans assist vessel taking on water in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Coast Guard and good Samaritan crews assisted the crew of the fishing vessel Kodiak Sockeye after the vessel began taking on water near Knowles Bay, Prince William Sound, Alaska, Thursday. Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received a report from the vessel’s crew that the engine compartment was flooding. Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast, requested the launch of the Jayhawk and RB-M crews and requested the diversion of the Sycamore crew. Two good Samaritan vessels, the Rocky B and the Remedy, responded to the UMIB. click here to read the story, more images, video 10:07
Massachusetts: Time to lift restrictions on state’s lobster processing industry
State lawmakers have a rare chance to give a sector of the state’s beleaguered fishing industry a boost and create a few jobs along the way. Tucked into the Senate version of the budget now being negotiated on Beacon Hill is an amendment that would allow state seafood wholesalers to expand their processing of raw and frozen lobsters, putting Bay State companies on par with their counterparts in other New England states and Canada’s Maritime provinces. Massachusetts firms operate under a confusing mishmash of lobster-processing regulations. A proposal by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, would allow for the processing of all manner of lobster tails and other parts in Massachusetts. click here to read the story. 09:16
Nova Scotia lobster fishermen reject idea of surveillance cameras on boats
The global demand by consumers (enviro’s) that seafood be harvested sustainably made its way into a firehall in Lockeport Thursday. More than a hundred fishermen from southwest Nova Scotia showed up at an information session on the use of video cameras on fishing boats to monitor catch. The session was hosted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and organized by the Ecology Action Centre. A fisherman from British Columbia and a program manager from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute both spoke about the use of camera monitoring in those regions. At issue is the bycatch of endangered or threatened species. In Nova Scotia’s lobster fishery, the Atlantic cod and cusk are among fish stocks to watch as they get trapped along with the crustaceans. Many of the fishermen who attended the workshop were upset about the perceived need for cameras, and suspicious about an invasion of privacy. click here to read the story 08:10
Before You Eat That Red Snapper: The Fish Is Basically Plagued by Endless Fraud
Welcome to Before You Eat That, which broaches all the annoying food subjects that make you highly uncomfortable. This is for all you schadenfreude-obsessed killjoys out there. So far, we’ve covered the continuing saga of all things seafood: The is-it-too-smart-to-eat octopus, the oyster and its massive gonad, the sad plight of the disappearing freshwater eel, and now onward to the magnet for all things fraud, Red Snapper. Red snapper is one hell of a divisive fish. Among Texas anglers, big-time regulations make it a contentious subject between recreational and commercial factions. Among restaurants in America, the Congressional Research Service reported in 2015, 77 percent of red snapper being served in the country was not actually red snapper at all,,, Click here to read the article 21:11
Senator Ken LaValle And Assemblyman Fred Thiele Pass Legislation To Create New York Seafood Marketing Task Force
“I am proud of the work Senator LaValle and I have done to push this legislation forward,” said Assemblyman Thiele, prime sponsor of the bill. “The creation of a seafood marketing task force will ultimately help increase demand for the product, stimulating the economy and creating jobs for our coastal communities. Massachusetts and Rhode Island have already established such measures with great success.”,,, The New York Seafood Marketing Task Force would support and collaborate with the State’s vast fishing community to promote the marketing and sustainability of New York seafood. The task force would provide the Governor and Legislature with a report of its progress and findings. These reports would address the research, marketing, and funding opportunities. click here to read the story 20:16
NEFMC Postpones Coral Action for Continental Slope/Canyons, adopts GoM Coral Protection Zones
The New England Fishery Management Council today adopted coral pretection zones for the Gulf of Maine as part of its Omnibus Deep-Sea Coral Amendment. However, it postponed action for the Continental Slope south of Georges Bank in order to further develop an additional alternative. The councils Plan Development Team (PDT) will work with the Habitat Advisory Panel to further refine this new alternative. The councils Habitat Committee will then review the results and develop a recommendation to the full council to consider. The timing of the action is uncertain. Click here to read the press release 17:43
The Launching of the Victory Rose
A storm delay wasn’t enough to steal Victory Rose’s thunder as the mammoth Parkol Marine-built boat took to the water for the first time. The 37th build has been constructed for Whitby company Lockers Trawlers and is hoped to be ready for action by the end of July. click here to see the images, and read the rest 15:41
Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Recommend Reducing 2017 Catch Limits for Three Species
HONOLULU (21 June 2017) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council today concluded the second of its three-day meeting in Honolulu with a recommendation that the annual catch limits (ACLs) for three species in the US Pacific Islands be reduced in 2017. The reductions are recommended because the average commercial catches of these species have exceeded the ACLs over the past three years or more. click here to read the press release 15:10
FISH-NL says FFAW no longer entitled to represent inshore harvesters; urges Labour Board to order immediate vote
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) says the province’s Labour Relations Board should proceed immediately to a vote of inshore harvesters to decide which union would best represent them. While FISH-NL’s application for certification remains before the Board, other factors necessitate a vote as soon as possible: the Supreme Court of NL, Court of Appeal, recently upheld an earlier court decision that the FFAW deceived its members; and the FFAW’s failure to reveal how much money oil companies pump into the union. “The FFAW is beyond salvation,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL. “The FFAW no longer deserves the right to represent inshore harvesters, who have lost all faith and respect for their union. The only recourse is to allow them to vote on their future.” click here to read the press release 13:49
Wendell’s Boy joins Tremont fleet
Wayne Seavey of Tremont started his fishing career when he was just 5 years old aboard his father Wendell’s lobster boat. Now 48, the lobsterman has made a name for himself, but there’s just one moniker he can’t escape: “Wendell’s boy.” So when it was time for Seavey to upgrade from his 37-foot Repco to a David Schlaefer-built lobster boat, the name just had to be Wendell’s Boy. click here to read the story 12:11
New Bedford Mayor Mitchell sends NOAA letter requesting Rafael permits stay in New Bedford
Mayor Jon Mitchell penned a letter to NOAA regarding Carlos Rafael’s permits, (click here to read the letter) a day after Maine’s congressional delegation signed a letter regarding the permits. In an argument consisting of four pages, Mitchell provided legal precedent for the Department of Justice and NOAA to punish Rafael, while also keeping the 13 fishing permits in question in New Bedford. He likens Rafael’s case to those cases involving wrongdoing by the head of a large business. He states, “It is common for the government to tailor punishment so as to avoid harm to others who were not involved.” Rafael’s business employ 285 fishermen. Mitchell suggested Rafael sell his entire business to other New Bedford companies, forfeiting the proceeds to the government. It would entirely exclude Rafael from fishing despite possessing more permits than the 13 in question. click here to read the story 11:33
Fishermen gear up for Southeast Dungeness crab season opening
19 year-old Jordan Lapeyri is busy pushing wheelbarrows piled high with little plastic bait jars up and down the South Harbor dock ramp. Lapeyri’s been fishing since the tender age of six. He’s done plenty of seining and gillnetting – but crabbing is something new. And he is in high spirits. “I’m feeling great! It’s gonna be fun. Good experience. I’ve never been crabbing before,” said Lapeyri. The captain of the Nolan Michael, a family friend, needed a deckhand. And Lapeyri needed a job. It was an easy match. “I wanted just to go seining but then he said he wanted to go try Dungy crabbing first before, for about 10 days, a couple weeks or so, and see how many crabs show up. If none show up, we’ll just leave. Get ready to go seining, put the seine net on,” Lapeyri said. click here to read the story 10:05
Chinese vessels fined $825,000 and deregistered for tuna offences off NZ coast
Chinese authorities have deregistered and fined a Chinese commercial fishing company about $825,000 for misreporting blue fin tuna catches and fishing without a licence adjacent to New Zealand waters. Offending by the vessels, the Da Yang 15 and Da Yang 16, was detected during Operation Zodiac, a joint Ministry for Primary Industries and New Zealand Defence Force high seas patrol in July last year.,,, Under international law, the state to which vessels are flagged is ultimately responsible for taking action against any of its vessels that violate laws. Chinese authorities have now concluded their investigation and found that the two vessels were not only unlicensed but that they misreported over 100 tonnes of high value southern blue fin tuna as another lower value species. click here to read the story 09:17
Limited salmon numbers, sea lion population making tough season for fishermen
Governor Brown, along with Governor Jerry Brown of California, recently submitted a request to U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for a declaration of a “catastrophic regional fishery disaster,” and a commercial fishery failure. The request comes after the National Marine Fisheries Service closed the southern half of the Oregon coast to commercial salmon fishing to protect dwindling stocks of Chinook salmon on the Klamath River. “When you look at the Klamath situation, it affects fisheries all up and down the coast,” said Steve Fick, who owns Fishhawk Fisheries in Astoria. Executive Director of the Port of Astoria Jim Knight said the south coast closure will likely mean more fishing boats competing for limited numbers of salmon on the north coast. click here to read the story 08:09
Can cod comeback keep a Canadian fishery afloat?
A generation after Canada declared a moratorium on northern cod fishing off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, the species is making a comeback. But can the province’s troubled fishery survive to take advantage of cod’s resurgence? The wharf in Petty Harbour is quiet, and Todd Chafe, a 46-year-old fisherman, is slicing up cod for a nearby family restaurant in a shack near the water. “Some fellas like to point fingers: ‘Ah, this done it, foreigners done it’,” he says. Chafe is talking about the collapse of northern cod off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador 25 years ago. “We all done it, every single person that went fishing done it. Everybody fished for it so everybody had a hand in destroying it.”,,, Now there is a glimmer of hope. Northern cod stock has reached about 25% of the levels seen in the ’80s. But there is a fierce debate over what the return of cod fishing should look like in Newfoundland. click here to read the story 20:22
Brunswick Maine fish kill. The Real Story, not that Fake News stuff.
This is a real guy, talking straight like a real guy. Invest ten minutes and listen. 19:28
Coast Guard assists shrimp trawler taking on water southeast of Galveston
The Coast Guard provided emergency dewatering pumps to a sinking shrimp trawler approximately 80 miles southeast of Galveston early Wednesday morning. Tuesday at about 9 p.m., a crewmember of the Footprint, a 68-foot shrimping trawler, with four people aboard, broadcast a mayday over VHF marine band channel 16, which was partially received by Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders. The entire transmission was overheard by the vessel Sunshine State, which assisted in relaying the rest of it to the watchstanders. They reported the trawler was taking on water and its onboard pumps were not working fast enough. A HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew was dispatched along with an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and the Coast Guard Cutter Pompano, an 87-foot patrol boat. At 1:26 a.m., the helicopter arrived on scene and the crew attempted to lower a rescue swimmer, but was unable to do so due to weather conditions. The aircrew then lowered a dewatering pump, which the trawler crew was able to use to stop the boat from sinking. The Footprint began making its way towards Freeport at 3:35 a.m., under the escort of the Pompano, and arrived at the Freeport jetties at 11:29 a.m. USCG
FFAW- Premier’s approval of OCI exemptions signs away millions in rural economic development
ST. JOHN’S, June 21, 2017 – FFAW-Unifor is shocked and deeply disappointed in the provincial government’s decision to issue further exemptions to Ocean Choice International (OCI), allowing the company to ship yellowtail, redfish, and American plaice to low wage countries for processing rather than process it locally to employ people in this province. “This decision is a slap in the face to plant workers and rural communities,” said Keith Sullivan, President of FFAW-Unifor. “Issuing these exemptions is a betrayal of the people of rural Newfoundland and Labrador, and is harmful to the overall economy of the province. Our province should be focused on maximizing employment and adding value to our natural resources as a means of building the economy; not padding the bottom-line of OCI.” click here to read the press release 14:17
The Columbia River Fisheries Transition Fund – Money for gillnetters has never been tapped
A fund that was supposed to provide commercial fishermen $1.5 million to adjust to new regulations curtailing gillnetting in the Columbia River has never been tapped. The Columbia River Fisheries Transition Fund, a 2013 creation of the Legislature, was supposed to set aside $500,000 every two years to provide financial assistance to gillnetters through 2019. The money was intended to help fishermen buy replacement gear and offset economic harm due to the expected phasing out of gillnetting in the lower main stem of the Columbia. The money has not been used yet, and after some of it was reverted back to the general fund due to an accounting error at the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Legislature is now poised to do away with the last $500,000 installment. That leaves $500,000, a third of the amount initially intended, and it’s not immediately apparent whether gillnetters will end up applying for or receiving the money. click here to read the story 13:42
Boothbay Harbor Lobster Boat Races draw 34 boats – Photo’s and Results!
On Saturday, June 17, in Boothbay Harbor, spectators on boats, wharves and docks, and a prime spot on the lawn in front of the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) on McKown Point, watched as some of the fastest lobster boats in Maine vied for first place in their respective categories. The event was the 32nd annual Lobster Boat Race, renamed the Charlie Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Race in 2006, in memory of the well-loved and respected Boothbay Harbor lobsterman. Thirty-four lobster boats entered the competition this year. Categories included gas classes based on length and cubic inches, diesel classes based on horsepower and length, a wooden boat race, gas and diesel free-for-alls, and a grand finale: the “Fastest Lobster Boat of the Day.” Results of the 29 races, supplied by race announcer and former organizer Clive Farrin, are as follows: click here for photo’s and race results 13:10
Lobstermen here are gearing up for the seventh annual Bass Harbor Lobster Boat Races, which are set for Sunday, June 25. click here to read the story
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 36′ Northern Bay Lobster (Balsa Cored), 6 Cylinder John Deere
Specifications, information and 16 photo’s click here -Also available is a Federal Area 1 Lobster Permit available for an additional $ 45,000.00. In addition, there are traps and gear available separate of the vessel. To see all the boats in this series, Click here 12:55
Queen’s Speech: Access and management of UK waters to return to British fishermen
A fisheries bill will be introduced to enable the UK to set its own quotas from the point of Brexit. The government’s programme also includes an agricultural bill to “provide stability to farmers as we leave the EU”. This will set out measures to ensure an alternative system is in place to support the sector as the UK leaves the Common Agricultural Policy. Much of the Queen’s Speech, the first by a minority government for 40 years, is focused on preparing for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. click here to read the story 10:27
California fishermen, once blocked by conservationists, now work with them
Morro Bay, a town on California’s central coast, touts itself as a fishing community. Fishing has been vital for the town’s economy, but it collapsed at the turn of the century because of overfishing and subsequent federal regulation. Fishermen were offered some relief money for their losses, but the industry was left for dead. Now, things are on the upswing thanks to an unlikely partnership between local fishermen and environmental group The Nature Conservancy.,,, The Nature Conservancy, a powerful nonprofit, became interested in the area more than a decade ago. Known for buying up land to protect it from development, the group’s first strategy was to buy up about half of all the available groundfish licenses. click here to read the story. 09:49
