Monthly Archives: January 2018
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for January 5, 2018
Click here to read the Weekly Update, to read all the updates Click here, for older updates listed as NCFA click here14:43
N.C. officials to write definition of old profession – commercial fishing
North Carolina officials plan to write the definition of one of the state’s longest-standing professions – commercial fishing. The definition seems simple – a licensed person who sells seafood for money. But some anglers could be getting a commercial license just to allow them to catch more fish than they are supposed to, said Sam Corbett, chairman of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission. “They’re going around the bag limits,” Corbett said. “It’s such a crazy issue.” click here to read the story 14:28
Massachusetts: Coast-Wide Shellfish Closure
Due to yesterday’s storm with its associated coastal flooding, ALL shellfish areas in Massachusetts state waters are now CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE with an exemption for the adductor muscle of Bay and Sea Scallops only. Assessment of area status is beginning today, Friday January 5, 2018. Please see the official closure notice for more detail. click here The above-described areas shall remain closed until notification has been received from the Division that the areas have been placed into an open status. 11:57 
Boat Worker Rescued from Water as Ice Rescue Drills in Barnegat Light Prepare for the Worst Case
Ice rescue practice is getting out there to know and conquer the element before it rears its ugly head – and icy weather now has. The Barnegat Light Volunteer Fire Co. and the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad already had two ice rescue drills in the first two days of 2018 when they were called to respond to a fall from a docked fishing boat on Jan. 2. Fortunately, the victim was quickly pulled from the 40-degree water by co-workers. That incident at 10:30 a.m. at Viking Village commercial fishing dock was a 911 call when a male fell in the water from the outer dock. click here to read the story 11:36
Firefighters battle stubborn fishing vessel fire at Lobster Rock Wharf in Yarmouth
Firefighters were called to the Lobster Rock Wharf in Yarmouth Thursday night, Jan. 4, after smoke was seen billowing from a fishing vessel docked there. They arrived on scene to find the Fundy Commander on fire. Firefighters remained at Lobster Rock Wharf throughout the night, drenching the burning vessel with water in miserably cold conditions. Photo’s, click here to read the story 10:20
Tuna goes for $323,000 at Tokyo fish market’s final New Year auction
In the final New Year’s auction at Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji fish market on Friday, the owner of an international sushi restaurant shelled out more than $300,000 for a prime bluefin tuna and said he was “very happy” with the result. The world’s largest fish market, one of Tokyo’s most popular tourist sites, is set to relocate later this year to clear the way for a road needed for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. click here to read the story 09:31
Coast Guard searching for clammer who went missing during blizzard
The man, whose name has not been released, was reported overdue at 11:30 p.m. Thursday. Officials said he left to go clamming in a 16-foot skiff at about 6:30 p.m. during the storm. The man’s skiff has been located, the Coast Guard said. Officials are searching the area of Long Cove, west of Clark Island. link 09:00
Update: Coast Guard, locals search for missing clammer near Long Cove, Maine – Missing is 35-year-old Paul Brenner. click here17:15
“The Bomb Cyclone Storm” (explosive cyclogenesis) – Its a Mess Everywhere!
Gloucester – Water and whiteouts: Homes, businesses flooded; thousands without power – click here00:41
New Bedford – Carlos Rafael continues to give Feds headaches as boat breaks free – click here
Maine – Storm triggers Maine’s worst tidal flooding since historic Blizzard of 1978 – click here
PHOTOS: Massachusetts Flooding During Blizzard 2018 – click here
New Hampshire – Bomb Cyclone Pounds Seacoast – click here
Nova Scotia – Powerful storm surge rips up roads as it slams into Nova Scotia coast – click here
Trump admin intends to roll back ban on offshore drilling
The Trump administration Thursday announced plans to roll back a ban on new offshore drilling off the coasts of Florida and California and is considering more than 40 sites for leasing of natural gas and oil production. The proposal is yet another blow to the Obama-era environmental agenda, and it has the potential to open up nearly all US federal waters that were previously protected. The proposal would increase drilling sites off the coasts of Alaska and in the Gulf of Mexico. It would reinstate leasing sites in Pacific and Atlantic waters. click here to read the story 16:53
Washington DNR chief: Cooke to dismantle fish pens at Ediz Hook
State Department of Natural Resources officials began discussions Wednesday with Cooke Aquaculture Inc. representatives on dismantling the company’s Atlantic salmon fish farm off Ediz Hook, said state Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, the elected head of DNR. Franz canceled the New Brunswick, Canada-based company’s aquatic-lands lease Dec. 15, citing violations including Styrofoam discharges, a defective anchoring system and operating 500 feet outside of its leasehold area by placing its anchors outside the boundaries set in the agreement. click here to read the story 15:43
Dutch propose world’s biggest offshore farm, with a man-made island in the North Sea
When envisioning an offshore wind farm that includes a 2.3-square-mile artificial island, it doesn’t hurt that the country behind it is exceptionally skilled at two things: reclaiming land from the sea and harnessing the power of the wind. These uniquely Dutch strengths are driving an ambitious wind power and island-building project in the North Sea. If and when it’s completed, this 30-gigawatt wind farm would be by far the largest in the world at 2,300 square miles. The farm’s proposed size and capacity, which Quartz notes is roughly eight times the size of New York City,,, click here to read the story 13:25
Are Excluder Devices Saving Sea Lions or Covering Up Their Deaths?
A new study blames the fishing industry for the New Zealand sea lion’s decline, but some scientists have doubts.,,, To cut down on collateral damage, some fisheries employ excluder devices, special nets that allow unwanted animals to escape without forfeiting target fish. Australian fishers use seal excluder devices, or SEDs, while turtle excluder devices (TEDs) allow reptiles to pass through American trawls. click here to read the story 11:21
FishNet-USA – What do you do with it?
A message from Nils Stolpe – I know that a lot of commercial fishing industry people receive FishNet-USA, but I don’t have a solid handle on what gets done with it after it’s received. I hope that you all read it. I know that some of you do because I’ll get an email or two after every issue complimenting me on it, but I don’t have much of an idea what happens after that. Accordingly I’ve put this note together to let you know what I think you should do with it after you read it – assuming that you agree with at least some of what I’ve written, and that you’d like to have other folks read it. click here to read the recommendations 08:25 
Cuomo: State to seek 800 megawatts of offshore wind power
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday said the state will seek solicitations for “at least” 800 megawatts of offshore wind this year and next, following his call for 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind in the state by 2030.,,, Commercial fishing groups have opposed offshore wind projects, fearing loss of vital fishing grounds, while green-energy advocates say they will reduce global warming and spur a new green-energy economy. click here to read the story 06:39
Woody Boating At 15 Degrees! What Could Go Wrong? And It Did!
While the globe was downloading the New App, and watching it crash over China and having Android issues, we decided to see if we could get the Boatres’s New Trawler started and get her to our dock, her new home. Hey, a boat ride helps everything… Right? Now, this was not for the faint of heart. It was cold as crap.. in a Virginia way. And it was around 3PM once we built up the courage to try. Photos, click here to read the story 21:53
Battling Ice On A New Bedford Fishing Boat
The normally bustling docks along New Bedford harbor were practically deserted Tuesday as an arctic cold front kept some boats off the water. On one pier, a deckhand heaved a sledge hammer against the ice-caked roof of the Gabby G, a fishing boat on the New Bedford pier. Ice covered practically every exposed surface of this 105-foot dragger. The boat’s captain, Mario Gonsalves, said he wanted to get another run in before a snow storm that’s predicted to hit Thursday. But first, the crew had to de-ice the boat. click here to read the story 19:25
Squamish First Nation’s bid for more sockeye fails in court
A British Columbia First Nation has lost a bid for a larger allocation of the scarce Fraser River sockeye salmon fishery. The Squamish First Nation opposed a decision by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2014 that raised its sockeye catch to 30,000 fish from 20,000, and also increased allotments of chum and pink salmon. The First Nation filed an application for a judicial review after federal officials rejected its request for 70,000 sockeye for food, social and ceremonial purposes. click here to read the story 17:44
Frozen lobstermen face additional winter challenges
With inches of ice covering the harbor and no end of severe winter weather in site, local lobstermen are struggling to keep their boats in the water during the last month of the legal lobstering season. Tuesday and Wednesday saw captains breaking up ice surrounding their boats and trying to move their vessels to safer locations before a storm pummels the region today.,, lobstermen are facing two predicaments: dealing with a cold snap the likes of which hasn’t been seen for the last 100 years, and having to get all traps out of the water by Feb. 1 before a three-month ban on lobstering begins. click here to read the story 16:15 
Foreign fishermen settle human trafficking suit
Two Indonesian fishermen who say they were enslaved on an American fishing boat have settled their lawsuit against the vessel’s owner seven years after escaping and being granted special U.S. visas as victims of human trafficking, their lawyers told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The attorneys said Sorihin, who uses just one name, and Abdul Fatah settled their lawsuit against Thoai Van Nguyen, the California-based owner and captain of the Sea Queen II. The settlement outlines steps Nguyen must take to continue to fish but does not disclose a financial award. The captain denies all allegations of abuse or human trafficking and has always followed federal laws when employing foreign crews, Nguyen’s attorney said. click here to read the story 14:32
To our valued readers and supporters of Fisheryation.com
To our valued readers and supporters of Fisherynation.com: Please allow us to thank you for your valued support, input and allegiance to this effort of connecting fishermen who share common industry interests worldwide. We started this site with a vision of creating a platform for like-minded people that would be a “Go To” place for all fisheries related issues. We believe from our hearts that we have accomplished this goal. Since August of 2012, and every single day of the year since then, this site has kept up with the goings on around your communities. click here to continue reading 13:29
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 38′ Libby Lobster boat, 375HP, 6 Cylinder Volvo
Specifications, information and 9 photos click here To see all the boats in this series, Click here12:22
Crab Fishing in California: Risky Business
Dungeness crab, buttery and served steaming hot, is a Christmas tradition on many central California tables. But two years ago families had to forgo their holiday treat, and they were not the only ones to suffer. California fishermen were crippled by an unprecedented algal bloom that contaminated crabs with a neurotoxin called domoic acid, which is deadly to humans. That shut business down through the most lucrative part of the season, from Thanksgiving to Christmas. click here to read the story 11:41
It’s a keeper: Louisiana lifestyle show ‘Out Da’ Bayou’ to debut on Discovery Channel Saturday
John Jackson and Robin Vucinovich are storytellers. Starting Saturday, Jan. 6, they’ll be telling those stories to Discovery Channel viewers through their “Out Da’ Bayou” way-of-life series.,, “We can pretty much do any subject. We’ve gone out and worked cattle, done cutting horses, catching rattlesnakes, fishing, spending days on crab boats and oyster boats,” Jackson says. “We’re even going into some of the coastal restoration things that have to do with seafood.” click here to read the story 11:05 
Port Townsend: Port commission votes to evict tenant
The Port of Port Townsend commissioners voted unanimously Dec. 13 to evict a commercial salmon and tuna fisherman from the port’s Boat Haven moorage facility. The tenant is Joel Kawahara, 62, of Quilcene. Both the commissioners and Kawahara declined to offer details about the eviction. When asked why Kawahara is being evicted, Commissioner Peter Hanke said, “It’s a legal matter. Call our attorney.” click here to read the story 08:51
Letter on Fish Farming – Shame on NOAA
NOAA, of all organizations, knows how destructive fish farms are to the ocean and its inhabitants (“NOAA wants to fund more fish farming to offset trade gap,” Dec. 14). Did they conveniently forget that in 2014 Aqua Bounty was fined for repeated environmental violations of genetically engineered salmon and banned from selling their GE fish in the USA? Or, how about the six storms in 2014 and 2015 in Jordan Bay, Nova Scotia, where 31 bird nets, 90 feet in diameter, and dead fish washed ashore, becoming aquaculture-site sewage and litter? click here to read the letter 20:52
“American lobster larva,” wins people’s choice in Photography category of the 2016 Visualization Challenge
As a master’s student in marine biology at the University of Maine, Jesica Waller spent the summer taking pictures of baby lobsters.,,, This image of a live three-week-old specimen was one of thousands Waller took. It captures the distinct, delicate hairs on the legs. Since lobsters have very poor vision, they rely on their leg hairs for sensory tasks such as finding food. Adults have them too, meaning baby and grown-up lobsters alike taste with their feet. This illustration won people’s choice in the Photography category (click here) of the 2016 Visualization Challenge, now called the Vizzies click here to read the story 18:38
Massachusetts Large Whale Seasonal Trap Gear Closure In Effect from February 1 – April 30
The annual Massachusetts Large Whale Seasonal Trap Gear Closure Area (Seasonal Closure) will be in effect from February 1to April 30. During this period, all pot and trap gear must be removed from the waters within Seasonal Closure. This applies to all commercial pot and trap gear fishermen regardless of whether they are state or federally permitted, as well as all recreational lobster and crab fishermen. click here to read the notice 17:34
Trollers call for chinook management ‘with a scalpel, not a sledgehammer’
Fishermen in Sitka are pushing back against a proposed king salmon conservation plan that could impose deep restrictions on fishing seasons in 2018. The local Fish & Game Advisory Committee instead has offered some strategies of its own for protecting chinook returning to three major Southeast river systems. They’re calling it “management with a scalpel, instead of a sledge hammer.” click here to read the story 16:53
Follow your dreams – Little Bro teaches this family some life lessons
Let me introduce you to Little Bro. We all know that person struggling to find their passion, right? It’s a common trope, “Office Space,” the lost soul floundering in an unfulfilling job. That was my brother for a great many years. In a culture relentless in its obsession with college and upward mobility, those with gifts and talents outside the curriculum are undervalued. The people who actually make the world function with hands, backs and brains get little in the way of direction. click here to read the story 12:37
Maine: Bills to address commercial license glitches
The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Marine Resources will meet next Wednesday for hearings on three bills aimed at fine-tuning the state’s commercial fishing license system. One bill, LD1652, would allow the Department of Marine Resources to set up a limited entry system for shrimp fishermen in any year when the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission sets the state’s northern shrimp landings allocation at less than 2,000 metric tons. Currently there is a moratorium on shrimp fishing in the Gulf of Maine.,,, The two other bills are more technical. click here to read the story 11:24
