Daily Archives: March 13, 2019
Windmills On The Best Fishing Grounds? Let’s stand up for our fishing resource, a nationally vital food supply.
First of all, why in the hell would anyone want to plant complex machinery, such as wind turbines, in an offshore marine environment in over 100 feet of water …if there were any alternative sites at all? It makes no sense. Only if, perhaps they are so repugnant that on land they will not be tolerated within sight of civilization. So put them “Safely out to sea” and out of sight! This push for offshore wind on the best fishing grounds is motivated by irresponsible and mindless greed! It is not cost effective, not a good long term business plan. And it is certainly not healthy for the ocean ecosystem, or for food security. >click to read<20:11
Sunken boat near Fishers Island monitored for pollution threat
The U.S. Coast Guard and the state Department of Environmental Conservation are assessing potential pollution off the coast of Fishers Island after a “patchy sheen” was seen surrounding a fishing trawler that sank Sunday morning. Two men aboard a commercial fishing boat named “All For Joy” and based out of Hampton Bays issued a distress call about 7:30 a.m. Sunday after they began taking on water in a fish hold. They abandoned the trawler about two hours later and were pulled aboard a Coast Guard rescue vessel a minute before the All For Joy capsized. The boat is owned by Rick Lofstad, who could not be reached for comment Tuesday. >click to read<15:43
How a small change in scallop gear could make a big difference on P.E.I.
Some Island scallop harvesters are adjusting the way they do their work this year, in the hopes that it’ll help make the fishery more sustainable. The idea is that by increasing the size of the holes, or rings, in the trawler used to fish scallops, only larger ones will be caught, leaving younger ones to grow and multiply. With this in mind, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has changed the minimum ring size for one of the scallop fishing areas surrounding Prince Edward Island, Zone 22.,It was aboard Island scallop harvester Richard Gallant’s boat that this research took place last spring — with assistance from the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association. Gallant has been harvesting scallops for more than two decades, and said he’s been advocating for changes like these for a while.,, >click to read<14:11
Options presented for Washington’s ocean salmon fisheries based on predictions
Fish managers released their options for Washington’s ocean salmon fisheries that reflect recent concerns over projected chinook stocks and optimism about improved returns of coho. Three options for ocean salmon fisheries were approved Tuesday for public review by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC). Kyle Adicks, salmon fisheries policy lead for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says that the three alternatives are designed to protect the low numbers of chinook expected to return to the Columbia River and Washington’s ocean waters. >click to read<13:00
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 78′ Stacked Wheelhouse Steel Scalloper, 600HP, CAT 3412
Specifications, information and 3 photos >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here<12:08
Sen Bruce Tarr champions expanded in-state lobster processing, proposal backed by Senate
The state Senate has approved a measure authored by Gloucester Sen. Bruce Tarr, and championed by a bi-partisan coalition of state senators, that will reform state lobster laws would permit licensed wholesale dealers to process unfrozen lobster parts, import unfrozen shell-on lobster parts, and allow for the sale of processed lobster parts.,, “We have the second-largest lobster catch in the nation yet, without this bill, our raw and frozen lobster parts are processed in Canada or Maine only to then be brought back to local consumers,” said Tarr. >click to read<11:27
Yacht captain gets probation in death of Stonington fisherman Walter Krupinski
A New Jersey yacht captain has been sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay $1,800 of restitution after pleading guilty to colliding with a small fishing boat off Westerly in 2015, killing its captain, 81-year-old Walter Krupinski of Stonington. In sentencing documents, the attorney for Cooper Bacon disputed the findings of a Coast Guard investigation which found he was at fault for Krupinski’s death but said Bacon pleaded guilty to manslaughter “to avoid protracting the pain of this accident any further for both Mr. Krupinski’s family and his own.” As part of the sentencing agreement, Bacon surrendered his Coast Guard 100-ton merchant mariner’s certificate, agreed not to work as a captain for hire and is limited to operating a small personally-owned boat.,,, Krupinski’s wife, Peggy, said Tuesday that she did not feel the probation and the reimbursement of the money she had to spend to dispose of the damaged boat, was enough of a sentence. “To me, he got off pretty easy,” she said. >click to read<10:04
