Daily Archives: October 27, 2018
Nova Scotia scientist says “one-of-a-kind” PFD much needed option for fishermen
A former Department of Fisheries scientist has helped develop a one-of-a-kind Personal Flotation Device that he says could stem the tide of fishermen drownings in Nova Scotia. For starters, Paul Brodie says the inflatable, waterproof work suit is far superior to what he calls bulky, cumbersome PFDs and life jackets currently on the market that many fishermen in the province simply don’t wear. “Everyone likes to be free of restrictions when they work but that’s why we have all these mortalities,” said Brodie. “Something has to be done about this appalling loss of people that sometimes happens 100 metres from shore.” >click to read<17:20
Large fire guts fish plant in eastern Newfoundland
A fish plant in a small community in eastern Newfoundland has been gutted by a large fire, leaving the village without its core employer. The local volunteer fire department was dispatched to Hickey and Son’s Fisheries Ltd. in O’Donnell’s on St. Mary’s Bay at around 1:15 a.m. on Friday. By daylight, all that was left was a twisted heap of charred metal and smoldering ash, and fire Chief Tony Daley said the building was a “total write-off.” RCMP are investigating. >click to read<
Fire destroys St. Mary’s Bay fish plant – >click to read<16:31
Maine boat builder enjoys smooth sailing aboard ship
Tom Siske never has to worry about paying property tax bills. That’s one of the main benefits he enjoys during life aboard the Prophet, a replica cod fishing boat that drops anchor here after a busy summer sailing season.
A self-employed furniture maker, Siske built the vessel himself. “The design goes back to 1830,” he said. “This would have been a common cod fishing boat. It was designed by a man named Davis in Booth Bay Harbor. The original boat was built in 1832. >Click to read<16:02
NOAA scientists admit a gaffe on risk to whales of lobster trap lines
Late last month, the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center released a “technical memorandum” suggesting that expensive efforts by Maine lobstermen aimed at reducing the risk that endangered North Atlantic right whales and other large whales would become entangled in vertical buoy lines had backfired. According to the memorandum, issued just before a weeklong meeting of NOAA’s Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team in Providence, R.I., to consider possible changes to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, when the industry increased the number of traps trawled together and marked by a single buoy line, lobstermen began using stronger rope. That worsened the entanglement problem. >click to read <13:01
Scituate’s four remaining federal fishermen. Its time to revolt!
Jefferson Airplane – Volunteers (with Lyric) right click – Kevin Norton, Phil Lynch, Tom Bell and the Gustafson family operate five boats between them, down from 17 boats a decade ago and dozens 40 years ago. The decline, the fishermen say, is due to the massive influx of new fishing regulations over the years, coupled with recent changes in state and federal laws that make it nearly impossible for a new generation of fishermen to break into the industry. As a result, the five remaining boats could be the last to call Scituate home and the town’s once-rich maritime industry will be lost forever, they say. “If we don’t do something to change in the next year or so, we’re going to lose all the fishing boats in town,” Norton, who captains Miss Emily, said. “This harbor supports a lot of families, and that could go away really soon. >click to read<
