Daily Archives: February 26, 2019
Aussie made, Whangārei registered new scampi trawler in town
A new fishing trawler designed to fish the cold-water scampi fields off New Zealand’s deep south was built in Adelaide and is registered with Whangārei as its home port. It is not the first commercial fishing trawler to work out of Whangārei but the 25 metre Karearea is the only one hunting scampi and possibly the only fishing boat registered in Whangārei to fish the southern seas. >click to read< 20:02
Latest DFO assessment of NL snow crab presents a ‘mixed bag’ of stock health
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) released its stock assessment for snow crab Tuesday, Feb. 26 and overall it was described as a “mixed bag.” According to information provided in a technical briefing, there are modest increases in overall exploitable biomass of snow crab but it is near its lowest observed level since the mid 1990’s. DFO crab scientist Dr. Krista Baker did point out there is a return to cooler waters, which is a positive sign going for the stocks. >click to read<18:14
Coast Guard aids fishing boat taking on water
The U.S. Coast Guard came to the aid of a fishing boat in danger of sinking early Monday morning. The FV Captain Bligh was “was taking on water and needed help” while in 15- to 20-foot seas 28 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard, Petty Officer Nicole Groll told The Times. The crew reported their generator failed, Groll said. A Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod lowered a dewatering pump to the crew, enabling them to keep the vessel afloat, she said. >Video, click to read<16:24
The grim lesson of Little Bay Islands
I can remember traveling to Little Bay Islands in 1957 when I was 10 years old with my father on the MV Grace Boehner delivering flour and other freight. I marveled at how alive that community was. Boats going and coming in the harbour, wheelbarrows full of salted cod as they were pushed to the weights. Wheelbarrows full of Atlantic salmon. Seemed like hundreds of people working on the wharf. Children at play, singing and laughing. Now, this fishing outport community is beaten to its knees and voted to relocate because the loss of fish resources and the closure of its fish plant.>click to read by John Gillett, Inshore fisherman, Twillingate<14:55
Licence Revoked! Change Islands family says herring licence lost due to paperwork error
Lloyd White is warning others in the commercial fishing industry after he lost his herring licence in 2018 and had a review of his licence reinstatement revoked by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Be sure to fill out your paperwork correctly, said the Change Islands man, who blames his situation on a clerical error. Heather White, Lloyd’s wife, incorrectly filled out the paperwork online in 2017 when applying and paying for her husband’s licences for the upcoming season. Lloyd has been a commercial fisherman for the last 40 years. She paid, in full, for the licences she had correctly filled out — but Heather had simply missed a check-box,,, >click to read<14:09
State officials to vote Tuesday on Vineyard Wind project
The R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council is scheduled Tuesday to vote whether Vineyard Wind’s proposed 84-turbine offshore wind energy farm – the first large-scale project of its kind in the nation – is consistent with state policy. The council’s decision – called a federal consistency determination – is needed as part of the federal permitting process. Much of the vote is expected to rest on a newly agreed upon $16.7 million “financial mitigation package” between New Bedford-based Vineyard Wind and the Rhode Island Fisheries Advisory Board to provide compensation for anticipated impacts of the project on the state’s commercial fishing businesses. >click to read<12:54
Tuesday’s council meeting is open to the public. It is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at the Corless Auditorium at the University of Rhode Island’s Bay Campus on South Ferry Road in Narragansett.
Governor Dunleavy has a gag order on AK fish budgets, bills
Alaska’s new slogan is “open for business” but good luck trying to find out any budget details when it comes to the business of fishing. The Dunleavy administration has a full gag order in place at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and all budget questions, no matter how basic, are referred to press secretary Matt Shuckerow. Likewise, queries to the many deputies and assistants at the ADF&G commissioner’s office are deferred to Shuckerow who did not acknowledge messages for information. “It isn’t just the media or Alaskans. Legislators are faced with that same gag order,”,,, >click to read<10:27
Fishermen Approve Controversial Compensation Deal
“Many of the commercial fishermen gathered at the Holiday Inn on Route 1 were displeased with the agreement. Dockside buyers of seafood felt excluded from the process and wanted compensation for the loss of squid and other seafood moving through their fish houses. Meghan Lapp, fisheries liaison for Seafreeze Ltd., which owns four fishing boats and two processors at Davisville Pier in North Kingstown, said the new offer was only made known two days earlier and the fishing industry needs to comment. “There has been no public meeting that has heard public comment on the proposal that is before the FAB today,” Lapp said before Dellinger cut her off.” (Go to minute mark 24 to watch). Fishermen who showed up were not allowed to speak. Their livelihoods are on the line and they weren’t given the time of day. The FAB finalized negotiations with Vineyard Wind on Feb 15 and CRMC signed on Feb 21, without anyone knowing. The final documents were made public on Feb 22, and this meeting took place on Feb 23. >Video, click to read<09:19
