Daily Archives: July 25, 2017
FFAW-Unifor flip flops on support for Marine Protected Area off Newfoundland’s South coast after FISH-NL embarrasses union into it
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) says the FFAW-Unifor’s last-minute objections to proposed regulations governing a Marine Protected Area (MPA) off the province’s south coast — after initially supporting them — is an attempt to cover its gross incompetence. “The FFAW-Unifor only opened its mouth after FISH-NL embarrassed the union into it,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL. “FISH-NL says jump and the FFAW-Unifor asks how high. Only jumping’s not enough — the FFAW does not deserve to represent inshore harvesters.” On June 24, the federal government launched a 30-day consultation period over proposed regulations to govern the Laurentian Channel MPA, which, at more than 12,000 square kilometres, would be Canada’s largest — and the province’s third protected area. click here to read the press release 20:31
US congressman wants imported seafood tracked like domestic products
For the second straight congressional session, a representative from Texas has introduced a bill he claims would level the playing field between American fishermen and their foreign counterparts. Late last month, U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold filed the “Protecting Honest Fishermen Act of 2017.” The legislation calls for all seafood sold in America to be traceable from the time it was caught to the time it was served. Under current regulations, importers do not need to provide the same level of information as domestic fishermen. “American fishermen shouldn’t be at a disadvantage to foreign fishermen especially here in the United States,” the Republican said in a statement. click here to read the story 17:44
Maine: Penalties for lobster fishing violations stiffened
Harsher penalties for fishing law violators went into effect last month after aspects of state Sen. Brian Langley’s (R-Hancock County) bill aimed at curbing violations was adopted as emergency legislation by the Maine Legislature. LD 575, An Act to Improve the Enforcement of Maine’s Lobster Laws, was adopted after the Senate voted 32-1 in favor of the changes on June 14. The new law sets minimum punishments for violations such as scrubbing lobsters, fishing over the trap limit, fishing “sunken trawls” (unmarked by a surface buoy) or untagged gear and molesting lobster traps. The bill also allows the Department of Marine Resources commissioner to revoke the license of anyone found guilty of sinking, burning or destroying another fisherman’s vessel. click here to read the story 14:34
In Supporting Offshore Drilling, Virginia’s Governor Now Stands Alone in the Southeast
The North Carolina governor’s office — once the leading force behind the push to open the Southeast coast to offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling — has reversed course under new leadership and amid dramatic political shifts on the issue. Gov. Roy Cooper (D) held a press conference this week on a barrier island along the Crystal Coast, a popular North Carolina tourist spot, to announce that his Department of Environmental Quality would submit formal comments to the Trump administration opposing permits allowing seismic testing for offshore oil and gas reserves.,,, That leaves McAuliffe as the lone Southeastern coastal representative in the Governors Coalition,,, click here to read the story 13:47
Officer honored after April rescue effort off Tangier Island
The U.S. Coast Guard has honored a Virginia Marine Police officer for his “vital assistance” in the investigation of the sinking of a commercial fishing vessel in April which resulted in the death of a Tangier Island waterman and the rescue of his son. Coast Guard Capt. Richard J. Wester, captain of the Port of Hampton Roads, presented Master Officer Richard W. Pruitt with the Coast Guard Sector Hampton Road’s “Command Coin” in a ceremony during the Virginia Marine Resources Commission monthly board meeting. On April 24 at about 2:30 p.m., a distress signal was sent out by the late commercial waterman Edward Charnock, 70, and his son, Jason Charnock, 39, that their boat, the Henrietta C, was sinking, Coast Guard officials said. click here to read the story 13:08
Cape Breton lobster season shows signs of a good future in the industry
Lobster fishermen say they not only had a great season this year but also got a glimpse into a great future for the local industry. “We saw lots of undersized lobster and lots that were spawning, “ said Herb Nash, president of the Glace Bay Harbour Authority and president of the 4VN Groundfish Management Society. “You’d catch 10 or 12 lobsters and have to put all of them back but two or three as they’d be spawning or undersized. That’s a good sign for the future. If you don’t have them you don’t have a future. It was really good.” Nash said despite the season getting off to a rocky start when it first opened this was one of the best seasons yet. click here to read the story 11:41
Former Pacific Seafood executive sentenced for embezzlement
A former executive who embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from Pacific Seafood Group was sentenced Monday in federal court to two years in federal prison. Andrew Henry Jacobs, 50, spent 11 years at the family-owned company Pacific Seafood Group, rising to serve as vice president of employee leadership and development for the company’s 2,500-member staff. While receiving a six-figure salary, he spent at least his last four years embezzling money from the company, stealing an estimated $900,000, according to prosecutors. He was sentenced after pleading guilty to wire fraud and filing a false income tax return. Using a company credit card and the authority to issue corporate checks, he secretly diverted company funds to purchase electronics, jewelry, firearms, vacations and prostitution services, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Bounds. He concealed his theft by doctoring receipts and invoices used to track expenses, according to the prosecutor. click here to read the story 11:08
Conservation groups sue to stop snapper season extension
Several conservation groups have filed a lawsuit against the federal extension of red snapper season recently announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce. In the suit, the groups said the decision jeopardizes the ongoing recovery of Gulf red snapper by increasing the federal private angler fishing season thirteen-fold. Chris Dorsett, vice president of conservation policy and programs for the Ocean Conservancy (one of the groups involved in the suit), spoke out against the extension of the federal season.,,, “This lawsuit is without merit,” Byrne said. “A lot of work went into this emergency rule put forward by the Department of Commerce. They went through a lot of study and worked with the individual Gulf states to get the state seasons in line with the federal seasons. The Department of Commerce did their homework here, and I have confidence that this lawsuit from a liberal Washington, D.C. environmental group will not ultimately be successful.” click here to read the story 09:18
UPDATED: Coast Guard, good Samaritans assist rescue of 4 from capsized vessel near Raspberry Island, Alaska
A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk crew and good Samaritans assisted with the rescue of the captain and three crew members Monday from a capsized fishing vessel in the Kupreanof Strait near Raspberry Island. The crew of the Calista Marie arrived on scene and rescued one crewman from the Grayling, as the Grayling’s skiff driver rescued the master. The aircrew diverted from a training flight when they observed the captain of the capsized fishing vessel Grayling jump into the water to assist the fourth crewman. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Anchorage received a call on VHF-FM channel 16 at 3:25 p.m. Monday from the crew of the Calista Marie reporting that they responded to the capsized Grayling. The captain of the Grayling was able to pull one of his crewmen safely onto the Grayling’s purse seiner skiff and initiate CPR. The MH-60 Jayhawk crew then transported him to awaiting EMS at Kodiak Municipal Airport.
The cause of the capsizing has not been determined. “That fisherman didn’t hesitate. It was incredible to see him jump into 47-degree water to save his crew,” said Lt. Kevin Riley, an Air Station Kodiak Jayhawk pilot. “It is a testament to how tough those fishermen are and how far they will go to help their fellow Alaskans.” Weather on scene was 17-mph winds, 5-foot seas with unrestricted visibility. -USCG- click for video 07:52
Captain of capsized fishing boat jumps from safety back into water to rescue crewman – The captain of a commercial fishing boat jumped back into 47-degree waters Monday to save one of his crewmen after their vessel capsized near Kodiak Island, according to a witness and the U.S. Coast Guard. click here to read the story 18:55
