Daily Archives: November 20, 2018
Vineyard Wind loses backing of a fishing board, decision may have serious consequences for proposed offshore wind farm
The Fishermen’s Advisory Board, which advises the Coastal Resources Management Council on fishing issues related to offshore wind, voted unanimously Monday to deny its support out of fear that the layout of the project’s 84 towering wind turbines in Rhode Island Sound would close off fishing grounds that are considered some of the most productive for the state’s commercial fleet.,,, The disagreement could have broader implications for the offshore wind industry and its relations with fishing communities all along the Northeast coast that are already fearful of being shunted aside in the interests of new energy development. >click to read<20:53
Coast Guard orders Taylor Energy to stop 14-year Gulf of Mexico oil leak
The Coast Guard is coming down hard on the owners of a broken oil platform that has been allowed to leak off southeast Louisiana for more than 14 years. New federal estimates put the leak rate at the Taylor Energy Co. well at 10,500 gallons to 29,000 gallons of oil per day. That’s five to 13 times larger than government’s estimate from just a year ago, and would rank the Taylor Energy leak as one of the largest and longest-running oil spills in North America. >click to read<18:36
N.L. crab fishers taken aback by DFO’s latest details on crab data
Alfred Fitzpatrick says it seems the opinions of fish harvesters aren’t carrying much weight with the science branch of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) as of late. “We always thought we had a pretty good relationship with DFO Science – when it come to crab anyways, cod is another story,” said the Garnish-based fishermen, who represents harvesters from the Burin Peninsula in crab fishing areas 10 and 11 on the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW-Unifor) union’s inshore council. “It seems like now it’s changing. It’s not a good working relationship, not as good anyway, I’ll say.” >click to read<16:10
Final harvest numbers in hand, halibut commission set for meeting
All of Alaska’s Pacific halibut fisheries stayed within their quota limits this year, but not all individual sectors within the fishery areas did. The final regular landings update for 2018 from the International Pacific Halibut Commission, issued Nov. 15, outlines the final data available before the first interim meeting of the commission. Overall, all Pacific halibut fisheries for Canada and the U.S. harvested about 26.5 million pounds of halibut, or about 95 percent of the total limit of 27.9 million pounds. >click to read<15:15
New Bedford Port Authority to become fisheries rep to offshore wind
The New Bedford Port Authority has reached an agreement with all offshore wind developers operating in the Massachusetts/Rhode Island market to serve as the designated Fisheries Representative of the commercial fishing industry to each of the development companies, according to a news release. Under federal guidelines issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management offshore wind developers must establish a fisheries representative to be the fishing community’s primary point of contact for communicating project-related concerns to the developer. >click to read<14:13
Fishermen’s blockade prevents survey ship from getting out of Pictou Harbour
In a showdown in Pictou Harbour Monday morning, a fleet of fishing boats forced a survey vessel back to port. Close to 30 fishing boats surrounded a small survey vessel tied to the wharf in Pictou and the attempt to survey the area for Northern Pulp’s new pipeline might be shutting down for several days. “They made it out to the mouth of the harbour,” said fisherman Darryl Bowen.“We were all just sitting there. They couldn’t get through, so they just turned around and came back in.” (Thank God someone has some fight left in them!) >Video, click to read<
Donnie Carlson found his niche on Swan’s Island
Many people in the lobster industry see fishing as a birthright. They fish because their father fished, and maybe his father before him. Donnie Carlson started on that familiar path, but took an unexpected turn 30-plus years ago. As a boy, Carlson, a life-long resident of Swan’s Island, worked as sternman for his father during lobster and scallop season. Unlike most island boys, though, he suffered from terrible motion sickness. While he loved working outdoors, he decided early on he wouldn’t have a career on the water. >click to read<10:41
Local fishermen approved to trawl commercially off coast of Virginia Beach
If you head to a restaurant in Virginia Beach, you might just find freshly caught Virginia shrimp on the menu. That’s thanks to an experimental fishing permit given to two local fishermen. Deputy Chief of Fisheries Management for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission Patrick Geer said in recent years, they have seen waters along the East Coast starting to warm. That, in combination with a few other factors, has caused an increase in larvae to settle in our area, meaning more shrimp are surviving in our waters. >click to read<10:10
Vessel Incident Discharge Act – Commercial Fleet Gets Relief on Vessel Ballast Water Issue
US Coast Guard legislation that passed the US Senate Nov. 14, will relieve commercial fishing vessel owners and operators from federal and state regulations for ballast water and other incidental discharges.,, The provisions provides a permanent exemption on incidental vessel discharge for all commercial fishing vessels and commercial vessels under 79 feet in length. Without this exemption, small vessel operators and fishermen would be forced to obtain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permits for even the most basic activity, including vessel deck runoff, hosing out their fish holds, and other minor discharges. >click to read<09:27
