Daily Archives: August 15, 2018
During biggest salmon return in years, up to 22,000 litres of fuel might have spilled into the Fraser River
The smell of diesel filled the air as crews worked to recover a capsized tugboat that may have spilled as much as 22,000 litres of the fuel in the Fraser River between Vancouver and Richmond on Monday night. Canadian Coast Guard spokesperson Dan Bate said it’s unknown what caused the George H. Ledcor tug to capsize around 10 p.m. PDT Monday, just east of Vancouver International Airport. There were four people aboard the vessel and all were rescued by the crew on a nearby tug, Bate said. In a statement, the First Nation said the fuel spill is “of great concern” to the Musqueam people, who have been fishing the biggest salmon return in years on the Fraser River alongside other fishermen. >click to read<20:28
The mysterious case of Alaska’s strange sockeye salmon returns this year
There’s something unusual going on with the sockeye salmon runs returning to Alaska this year. In some places — like Bristol Bay — the runs are strong. In others, like the Copper River or the Kenai River they’re unexpectedly weak. In some places, there are sockeye that are unusually small. In others, sockeye of a certain age appear to be missing entirely. It’s a mystery. In Southeast Alaska, one of the first Fish and Game staffers to notice an unusual trend was Iris Frank, a regional data coordinator and fisheries technician. Frank’s lab is on the first floor of Fish and Game’s Douglas Island office that looks like it hasn’t changed much in the 32 years since she got there. >click to read<18:06
NEFMC Seeks Input From Fishermen and Research Partners on RSA Programs; Take the Online Survey!
The New England Fishery Management Council is asking fishermen and their cooperative research partners who participate in the Atlantic Sea Scallop, Atlantic Herring, and/or Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Programs to take an online survey and provide feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of these programs and pass along any suggestions for improvement. Other stakeholders who have an interest or role in RSA programs also are encouraged to take the survey.,,, The survey, which contains roughly 40 questions, will be available online until mid-September 2018. >click to read<17:02
F/V Lady Kathy comes up for air after 20 years
Local fishing vessel, the Lady Kathy, was hauled out of the Charleston Marina on Monday for the first time in over 20 years for maintenance. Owner of the boat Richard Shore inherited the Lady Kathy from his father a couple of years ago. The boat, named after Shore’s grandmother, was built in 1971 by his grandfather and father. “It’s been a long time, about 20 years since it was last hauled out. That’s suicide for any other boat. Usually you take it out once a year,” Shore said. 3 image >click to read<16:14
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 44’11” Fiberglass Crabber, 8 Cylinder Detroit
Specifications, information and 21 photos >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here<15:19
A mighty wind, by Kevin Gray – The more you read, the dirtier it gets.
Jeff Grybowksi likes to tell the story about the whale.,,, For Grybowksi and his surrogates, as well as for the powerful environmental groups blowing wind into his green-energy sails, this is a handy anecdote, one they frequently recycle to journalists and policy makers. In the face of commercial fishermen’s warnings that Deepwater’s wind farms will kill their industry, Grybowksi’s parable portrays the company as a true steward of the environment. At the same time, the story underscores the brinksmanship that has propelled Grybowski’s company from startup obscurity to leading player in the booming domestic offshore wind trade: They are ready to go down to the wire for the sake of their hedge-fund investors.,,, But not everyone out here is impressed by Deepwater’s plans, or by Grybowski, or his whale. >click to read<10:52
After fire destroys seafood processing plant, Pacific Seafood celebrates their plant reopening in Warrenton
Pacific Seafood in Warrenton celebrated its grand re-opening Tuesday, five years after fire destroyed the seafood processing plant. “It’s been a great day that’s taken five years to achieve,” Pacific Seafood President & CEO Frank Dulcich said. “I’m extremely proud of our community and this team.” On June 4, 2013, a massive fire that broke out at the facility, while contractors torched a new, tar roof. “Within 45 minutes the whole building was engulfed in flames,” recalled Dulcich. “There was a lot of sadness.” Video >click to read<09:27
N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission panel in disarray ahead of quarterly meeting
Just as the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission convenes on Wednesday for its quarterly meeting in Raleigh, there has been a complete turnover of the panel’s commercial fishing members.
By statute, the nine-member board must include three members representing the commercial industry. Sammie Corbett and Alison Willis, both of whom have served since 2014, submitted their resignations Monday night.,,, Both the N.C. Fisheries Association and N.C. Watermen United sent letters Tuesday to state officials asking that no action be taken on any issues that affect the commercial industry until there is full representation. >click to read< 08:44
Man died cleaning tanks onboard boat at Fraserbugh Harbour amid ‘poison fumes’ alert
A man who tragically died onboard a super trawler boat at Fraserburgh Harbour yesterday is believed to have been poisoned by toxic fumes. Four other men were also hospitalised following the incident. The men are reported to have been cleaning tanks on the giant vessel when they were overcome by the fumes. Emergency services initially received a concern call shortly after 2pm yesterday for three men who had fallen ill but despite the best efforts of those involved one man was pronounced dead a short time later.,, The tragedy happened on the Fraserburgh-registered trawler Sunbeam which was docked in the deepwater Balaclava Basin. >click to read<05:43
