Daily Archives: January 1, 2019
UPDATE: Coast Guard continues search for missing fishermen near Block Island, RI
7:13 PM Multiple Coast Guard crews and good Samaritans searched throughout the day Tuesday for two missing fishermen after their boat capsized and sank approximately two and half miles southeast of Block Island, Rhode Island. The captain of the fishing vessel Mistress notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England at around 1:30 a.m. that the boat was taking on water. The watch standers issued an urgent marine information broadcast to vessels in the area to request assistance for the crew of the Mistress. The fishing boat Captain Bligh responded and rescued one crew member from a life boat. The remaining two crew members have not been located. >click to read<20:12
North Atlantic Right Whale: Fishing closure looms over South Shore lobstermen
The annual fishing closure that forces a halt of the lobstering industry each winter is still a month away, but lobstermen are already pulling their traps out of the water and preparing for a long three months of trying to make ends meet. For the last four years, federal regulations have forced lobstermen out of the water from Feb. 1 to April 30, an attempt to lessen the number of North Atlantic right whales that die due to fishing gear entanglements. Not only can the fishermen not be in the water, but they also have to pull all of their traps from the ocean floor before Feb. 1 — as many as 800 per commercial license. >click to read<19:15
A coastline destroyed by the wind farm invasion
018: That was the year . . . when wind farm ugliness and blight became a fact of life for the half million folk who live in coastal Sussex. The Rampion wind farm – insultingly called after the beautiful purple Sussex county flower and one of the largest such installations in Britain – was granted planning permission in 2014, was built at breakneck speed and since April has been operational. At the year end, the ramifications are painfully clear. Sea views from the elegant squares and terraces of every settlement from Worthing in the west, through Hove and Brighton, to Peacehaven in the east are now dominated by the 116 bird-slicing turbines, each towering to a massive 460ft. >click to read<17:14
Pembroke river closure upsets scallopers
The closure of all of the Pennamaquan River to scallop dragging because of the mooring field off the Pembroke boat landing on Hersey Neck has upset some scallop fishermen who would like to drag in that area. Perry fisherman Howard Calder notes that draggers used to go there first at the start of the season because there were so many scallops there. While they’re no longer as abundant in the river, the area does provide a sheltered place for dragging on windy days. “It’s too bad to have it completely shut down,” he says. The area was closed to scallop dragging at the request of the Town of Pembroke, according to Jeff Nichols, the communications director for the Department of Marine Resources (DMR). >click to read<16:25
Talking kettles of fish with Fisheries and Oceans Minister Jonathan Wilkinson
iPolitics spoke with Fisheries and Oceans Minister Jonathan Wilkinson earlier this month, on the day before his six-month anniversary at the helm of the department. We asked him about his role, marine protected areas, whales and oil spills, and other issues. This interview has been edited and condensed. Q: You’re half a year in. How’s it been going so far? A: Well, you’ve been keeping better track (of time) than I have. It’s been incredibly interesting and incredibly busy. I have been travelling enormous amounts. Obviously, when someone becomes a new minister in a new area, there’s a huge learning curve, but I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s certainly a challenge; lots of the files are not simple, but it’s been great. >click to read<12:45
Fishing industry lobbies for Maine commissioner to retain his post
The leaders of Maine’s fishing industry want Patrick Keliher to stay on as head of the state’s Department of Marine Resources under incoming governor Janet Mills. “Our industries are confronted by major issues on the water, in international waters, and within several regulatory arenas that have major consequences for our ability to do business and remain profitable,” industry leaders wrote in a rare joint letter to Mills. “The future success of Maine’s seafood industry depends on the continued strong leadership, stability, institutional knowledge and political capital that only Commissioner Keliher possesses.” >click to read<10:36
Coast Guard, good Samaritan search for 2 missing fishermen near Block Island, RI
The Coast Guard along with a good Samaritan are searching for two missing fishermen after the fishing boat Mistress capsized Tuesday morning off Block Island, Rhode Island. At approximately 1:30 a.m. the captain of the Mistress issued a mayday call stating the boat was taking on water near the Block Island Wind Farm. The fishing boat Captain Bligh was nearby and responded to the scene first. The crew of the Captain Bligh rescued one fisherman and reported that the Mistress had capsized, and two fishermen were missing. >click to read<09:36
