Monthly Archives: July 2018
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for July 6, 2018
>Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >Click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here<07:48
‘How are we going to get paid?’, NOAA shutdown continues to squeeze the life out of Shoreside Businesses
New Bedford, Massachusetts- Anne Jardin-Maynard is an Accountant. She doesn’t own a fishing vessel. The New Bedford native works within an office on Centre Street. Yet for seven months, a groundfish ban implemented by NOAA has prevented Jardin-Maynard from receiving a paycheck. That doesn’t mean owner of Jardin & Dawson, a settlement house, which handles payroll and accounting for fishing boats, has stopped working.,, >click to read<22:12
“NO PIPE, NO WAY” Northern Pulp effluent pipe protest draws huge crowds on land and sea in Pictou
Hundreds of people from all three Maritime provinces gathered Friday in Pictou, N.S., to protest Northern Pulp’s plan to put an effluent pipe into the Northumberland Strait. Many chanted “No pipe, no way” as they marched from the local arena to the town’s waterfront. Organizers estimated at least 1,000 people attended the protest. Dozens of fishing boats and pleasure craft sailed into Pictou Harbour, some flying the Mi’kmaq Grand Council flag. >click to read<18:55
Murrells Inlet fishing community celebrates life of pioneer who passed unexpectedly
The fishing village of Murrells Inlet recently lost a true pioneer with the death of Phil Conklin, a fisherman extraordinaire and longtime owner of Seven Seas Seafood, located right on U.S. 17 Business in the inlet. Conklin passed away unexpectedly from natural causes on June 13 at the age of 71. Five days later a crowd of about 300 family and friends, including a who’s who in the Murrells Inlet fishing and restaurant industries, celebrated his life at Creek Ratz on the inlet’s Marshwalk. The Celebration of Life was indeed a party, complete with an open bar for attendees, per Phil Conklin’s request. His son, Chris Conklin, found a note hand-written by his dad among his closing documents that read “Don’t grieve, have a party. Bye.” >click to read<18:19
Fishing fleet packs Amalga Harbor: On down year for pinks, seiners line up for hatchery chums
Drivers out the road might encounter a somewhat new sight on Thursdays this month: A small armada of commercial seine boats, fishing in close proximity, yards away from the Juneau road system. In a down year for pink salmon, seiners have descended on Amalga Harbor on Thursdays in July for four planned one-day fishing openings. “It’s quite the show,” said Douglas Island Pink and Chum Operations Manager Brock Meredith. It’s the seventh year fishery managers have allowed fishing in what’s called a Special Harvest Area around Amalga Harbor. >click to read<16:31
Fish Farm: Audit finds 70 percent of B.C. fish-processing plants do not comply with environmental regulations
An audit of British Columbia fish-processing plants sparked by gory video of a pipe spewing bloody water into the Salish Sea has found that more than 70 percent of plants audited are out of compliance with environmental regulations, and some operate under rules decades behind modern standards. Stronger measures are needed for the fish-processing industry, to ensure protection of the marine environment, including wild salmon, according to the audit of 30 fish-processing plants released Wednesday by the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in response to controversy that erupted over the plume. >click to read<13:00
He’s not shellfish: N.L. fisherman gets catch of a lifetime, and lets it go
Most fish harvesters like to keep what they catch, but a fisherman in the Bay of Islands decided it was his patriotic duty to let one particularly impressive catch go. Reg MacDonald of Summerside caught an unusual lobster in late June — one bigger and older than most he’s seen in his traps over his four decades on the water.,,, MacDonald couldn’t be sure exactly how old the lobster was, but he estimated it at around 140 years of age. After fishing for 45 years, MacDonald has learned that the darker the colour of the shell, the older the lobster, as it’s an indication that the lobster hasn’t molted in a number of years. >click to read<10:34
600-pound swordfish harpooned by New Hampshire fishermen
The fishing community is buzzing with news that a 600-pound, 14-foot swordfish was caught by commercial fishermen off the coast of New Hampshire. Ted Sutton, 80, of Lincoln, is best known as a ski racing official but he also helps his son, Tom, who runs the Julia G. out of Hampton Harbor. On Sunday, Sutton and Capt. Jeff Ouellette were on their way to Jeffreys Ledge when they saw the swordfish. They have a permit to catch these fish, so Ouellette harpooned it. “It was very exciting because I have been out there fishing for 40 years and I have never seen one before,” Sutton said. “Everyone in the whole fishing community has been calling and are as excited as us about it.” >click to read<09:41
Fisherman drowns in Cook Inlet; body brought to Homer Harbor
A Kenai man died at sea Thursday after falling overboard from a commercial fishing boat this morning north of Kodiak. Alaska State Troopers identified the victim as Anthony Walsh, 62. The U.S. Coast Guard and Alaska State Troopers received a report at about 9 a.m. that a man went into the water off a fishing vessel about 124 nautical miles or 143 miles north of Kodiak in Cook Inlet. According to an Alaska State Troopers dispatch, Walsh fell overboard while salmon fishing with Kevin Loran, 59, of Anchorage. Loran attempted to get Walsh on board, but was not successful.
Rios identified the boat Walsh and Loran fished on as the F/V Hooligan. >click to read<08:56
Fishermen not willing to gamble on Northern Pulp effluent pipe – protest on land, sea Friday
Wayne Noel knows a little something about trust. After 37 years of fishing, some days trust is all he has. He has to trust the lobsters will be in the traps and that his sons, Mike and Brian, will be there to do the heavy lifting when he can’t. He trusts that his fellow fishermen will respond when he is in trouble and that his boat, Tall Tales, will take him to and from his fishing grounds without fail. He admits his fishery has disappointed him from time to time, but his trust has never been broken. >click to read<
Northern Pulp effluent protest on land, sea Friday – A #NoPipe land and sea rally will be held Friday on Pictou’s waterfront with people marching in the streets and boats sailing into the harbour to show their concerns over Northern Pulp’s plans to place an effluent pipe into the Northumberland Strait. >click to read<08:06
Maine lobster fisherman says U.S. border patrol has been boarding American boats, not just Canadian
U.S. border officials have not been deliberately “harassing” Canadian fishing boats in disputed Atlantic waters — agents have boarded numerous American vessels, too, as part of an unprecedented recent operation, says a prominent Maine lobsterman. John Drouin said his and his two sons’ boats and those of other American fishermen have all been stopped in the past couple of months by U.S. Border Patrol vessels, something he’s rarely seen in 40 years plying the waters. “It baffles me just as much as anybody else,” said Drouin, a member of Maine’s lobster advisory council. “I have no clue why they’re here, spending taxpayers’ money and resources … (But) for whatever reason, they now have a presence.”>click to read<22:32
Coast Guard, good Samaritan rescue 2 fishermen after boat capsizes in the Gulf
The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan rescued two boaters Thursday after their 25-foot boat capsized 50 miles west of Naples. Rescued were Frederick Cunningham, 42, and James Nipper, 48.
At 5:56 a.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg received a Mayday via VHF-FM radio channel 16 from a man stating, “Mayday, Mayday – this is the vessel…” but the transmission was lost. Two additional calls from the same man were received but no usable information could be heard. At 7:48 a.m., Coast Guard Seventh District command center watchstanders received an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon alert from the 25-foot commercial fishing boat. >click to read<19:16
Chignik fishermen stuck ashore as sockeye run fails
Communities around the Gulf of Alaska are struggling with low sockeye returns, and villages near the Chignik River are no different. The region is experiencing its weakest recorded run in the last in 50 years. Fishermen are stuck waiting for a commercial opener,,, There’s really only one thing to talk about in Chignik Bay these days — where are the sockeye? “Shock is pretty much the guaranteed feeling of most people as kinda everybody walking around dazed.” according to Ben Allen, a local fisherman. It’s to the point where residents have pulled their subsistence nets voluntarily to try and get every salmon they can up the Chignik River.,, And, like other nearby communities, red salmon is the main source of income that keeps the lights on in the village. >click to read<18:12
DFO Investigation: traps placed in right whale protection zones, Meanwhile In Nova Scotia, 172 traps seized
Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) are investigating whether 33 licence holders violated measures meant to protect North Atlantic right whales. The DFO confirmed that they’ve launched the investigations into licence holders after fishing traps were set in areas closed to protect the endangered species of whales. Canada has closed several fishery zones in the Gulf of St. Lawerence,,, >click to read< – The Federal Fisheries department says they’ve seized 172 lobster traps in Nova Scotia. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) issued the statement on its Twitter account, saying that its detachment in Digby, N.S., seized the traps after harvesters violated the Fisheries Act. >click to read< 15:29
Trump Effort to Lift U.S. Offshore Wind Sector Sparks Interest from Europe
The Trump administration wants to fire up development of the U.S. offshore wind industry by streamlining permitting and carving out vast areas off the coast for leasing – part of its ‘America First’ policy to boost domestic energy production and jobs. The Europeans have taken note. The drive to open America’s offshore wind industry has attracted Europe’s biggest renewable energy companies, who see the U.S. East Coast as a new frontier after years of success across the Atlantic.,,, “This would be American produced energy, and American jobs,” said Vincent DeVito, energy policy advisor to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. “It fits well with the America First agenda.” >click to read<14:32
Forget Lobster: The Scallop Is the Real Seafood King
When I tell people that I’m a part-time resident of Maine, I often get an enthusiastic, “Wow, you must get sick of lobster.” And, yes, it’s true. I do get sick of lobster. But not from eating too much. I get sick of lobster cultists, that roving band of hard-shelled Hare Krishnas who loudly express devotion to the crustacean as they wander the Maine coast in search of shrines they call “pounds.”,,, The central tragedy of their endless rovings is the long and pernicious shadow they cast over the region’s true and absolute delicacy. I am talking, of course, about big, flavorful sea scallops, which are the north’s bona fide maritime royalty.,,, Fundy scallops are massive; some are the size of filet mignons. Often, two or three scallops per person are enough for dinner. >click to read<12:56
Moosabec Reach Lobster Boat Races are a speed extravaganza
Historically, the Moosabec Reach Lobster Boat Races have been held, in most years at least, on July 4, timed to coincide with Jonesport’s holiday festivities. Historically, two things were virtually assured: a great parade and dungeon-thick fog that delayed the start of the races — occasionally for days. Because the holiday falls on Wednesday this year, the races were shifted to Saturday, with astounding results. There was no fog on Moosabec Reach, and, according to Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association President Jon Johansen, 101 boats registered to compete, perhaps the biggest fleet in the history of the event, and the races actually started on time. >click to read<10:38
Mike Hicks: Fishery closure would be devastating
In an attempt to stabilize the populations of the southern and northern killer whales, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans is requesting feedback on its draft proposal to permanently close the Swiftsure and Laparuse banks for recreational and commercial fishing. This closure would devastate the coastal communities of Port Renfrew, Bamfield, Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino and every recreational and commercial fisherman who earns their livelihood or enjoys their recreational pastime in what is considered one of the greatest accessible salmon and halibut fishing grounds in North America. >click to read<09:42
U.S. Border Patrol questions crews of at least 2 fishing vessels in (disputed) Canadian waters
The federal government is investigating reports that two Canadian fishing vessels were approached, and crew members questioned, by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Canadian waters in the Gulf of Maine in late June. According to Global Affairs Canada, the incidents occurred June 24 and 25 around Machias Seal Island and North Rock.,, Machias Seal Island is a tiny spot between New Brunswick and Maine that has been the subject of a territorial dispute between Canada and the United States for decades. Roughly 700 square kilometres of water surround the island in what’s called a grey zone. Lobstermen from both sides of the border fish those waters. >click to read<
Coast Guard investigating cause of fishing vessel grounding off Honolulu Airport
The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of a fishing vessel grounding off the Honolulu Airport, Wednesday. Coast Guard crews and salvors from Cates Marine responded to the grounding Wednesday morning, the vessel was successfully refloated, and the Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the grounding. About 30 minutes past midnight Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a report from the master of the Sea Goddess, an 83-foot Honolulu-based longliner, they were aground about 150-yards from the middle runway at Honolulu Airport with six people aboard. >click to read<18:43
How Fisheries Contributed To The Independence Of The United States
Every Fourth of July, on the United States’ favorite cookout holiday, millions of Americans grill corn and barbecue hot dogs in celebration of the country’s independence. However, burgers and potato salad aren’t exactly representative of the way the Founding Fathers dined as they conspired to liberate the colonies from British rule. Thomas Jefferson adored French food, James Madison enjoyed ice cream, and George Washington loved seafood – especially American shad. While lore closely associates George Washington with a cherry tree, he was actually an avid fisherman. He enjoyed deep-sea fishing and devised his own tackle box. During his presidency, he would even use fishing trips to resolve disputes among cabinet members. 2 pages >click to read<18:01
Mark the Date: August 20th, Labour Relations Board Hearing – FISH-NL hires province’s top labour lawyer
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) wishes to inform inshore harvesters and the public at large that Aug. 20th has been set as the date for a hearing before the province’s Labour Relations Board. As well, St. John’s lawyer David Goodland — one of the top labour lawyers in the province with a proven track record of holding the FFAW-Unifor to account — has been hired to represent FISH-NL. “Harvesters have needed the patience of a tonne of saints in waiting for the Labour Relations Board to deal with FISH-NL’s application for certification, but after 19 months we’re getting there,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL. “We’ll get the vote yet.” >click to read<17:21
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 49′ 6″ Fiberglass/Wood Lobster/Gillnetter, 6 Cylinder Cummins 855, Volvo – 13.5 KW
Specifications, information and 28 photos >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here<16:55
North Coast crabbers haul in above average catch in 2017-18 season worth $42 million
The North Coast had a significantly improved Dungeness crab season this year, hauling in 14.3 million of the 19.4 million pounds of Dungeness crab landed in California so far this season, according to preliminary state data provided to the Times-Standard on Tuesday. While there were a few obstacles, Trinidad crab fisherman Mike McBrayer said Tuesday that he had a much improved season thanks to a great crew and good weather that permitted him to get out on the water more days. “And there were crabs, and that’s always a good thing,” McBrayer said.>click to read<15:47
Brexit: A ‘sea of opportunity’ for Scotland’s fishing fleet, claims industry leader
Brexit offers a “sea of opportunity” which gives Scotland and the wider UK a chance to become world leaders in the harvesting of sustainable seafood, the head of Scotland’s fishing industry has claimed. However, as Brexit negotiations continue at the highest level of both the British and Scottish governments, Bertie Armstrong, Chief Executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, has warned that the possibility of remaining in the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, or even granting similar access to European trawlers, would be a complete betrayal of Scotland’s seaside communities. He has also fired a warning shot across the bows of the EU by stating that any actions that prevent Scottish sea food from reaching European markets on time after Brexit will simply result in the Scottish seafood industry finding new markets elsewhere. >click to read<12:54
A Political Fish Tale That Could Bait Trump
A fish story isn’t one without a bit of exaggeration. Consider menhaden: A bony, little fish used for bait and to make fertilizer, animal feed, dietary supplements and lipstick, it is vital to marine ecology as a bottom-of-the-food-chain staple for other creatures, finned and winged, and as an oceanic janitor, scrubbing waters clean of algae. And menhaden is the protagonist in an economic and political tale that could lead to a confrontation between President Trump and the state that denied him a sweep of the South in 2016: Virginia.,,, And this fish story includes a little-noticed and rare breach between Gov. Ralph Northam and his predecessor, fellow Democrat Terry McAuliffe,,, Racing to the exits, McAuliffe, whose political action committee received $15,000 from Omega in 2017, initiated an appeal to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to forgo the new restriction. >click to read<12:24
Reckoning Day for the South Fork Wind Farm is upon us.
Though it’s been the subject of numerous public hearings and board meetings for two years — not to mention endless conjecture and innuendo — Deepwater’s Wind’s offshore wind farm is still in its infancy. Deepwater’s proposal has become controversial and contentious. Some environmentalists question the cost of the project. Fishing groups fear the turbines and underwater cable will harm some fish species and disrupt fishing around the turbines. Bonnie Brady, executive director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association and a board member of the Center for Sustainable Fisheries, has been an early and persistent opponent. >click to read<10:59
Robert Henry Smith, Jr.
Robert Henry Smith Jr. of Lincoln City, Oregon, passed away on May 30, 2018. Better known as Bob (or Burly and or Bobby by many in the family). Bob was born Sept. 12, 1941 in Portland Oregon to his parents of Mary Frances (Murphy) Smith and Robert Henry Smith.,, Bob worked on King Crab boats in Alaska. I love to tell the story of him likely being the only person you would ever know that fell overboard, in the dark, no survival suit and survived! It did not detour him from eventually becoming a full time commercial fisherman. “Burly” loved his time on the sea and was at his best when he was 100 miles out on a clear night, by himself, and pursuing the elusive “Tuna” or “Wild Salmon”. A celebration of Life will be held August 18, 2018 at the Yaquina Bay Yacht Club, Newport, Oregon, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., overlooking the “Norma Jean”. >click to read<09:57
Three crew members safe after troller Leona sinks during opener
Three people were rescued when their fishing boat took on water and and sank in Sitka Sound Monday night (7-2-18). The 33-foot troller Leona, owned by Hank Moore, called about 11 p.m. saying it was in trouble near Povorotni Point about 7 miles south of Sitka. A Coast Guard helicopter, a Sitka Fire Department rescue boat, and another fishing vessel, Pacific Pearl, responded to the scene. The helicopter dropped a pump, but after some difficulty starting it, the crew reported that the pump was not controlling the flooding. >click to read<22:31
