Monthly Archives: April 2019
FISH-NL calls on Ottawa for ice compensation for west coast harvesters
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) is calling on Ottawa to extend EI benefits for fish harvesters on Newfoundland’s west coast impacted by severe ice conditions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. “Some harvesters and their families are having a hard time of it. The heavy ice means they can’t go fishing, and the wolf is beating at the door,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL, in calling for ice compensation in the form of an EI extension. >click to read<17:15
Commercial vessel a ‘total loss’ after Monday morning fire at Westport Marina
The commercial fishing vessel Mary Ann L was a total loss after it caught fire on Float 11 at the Westport Marina early Monday morning. South Beach Regional Fire Authority Chief Dennis Benn said the call came in at 2:45 a.m.; when responders arrived on the scene the vessel was about 5o percent involved in flame. “A good Samaritan was using a garden hose already on the dock, to protect a boat that was next to the burning vessel,” said Benn. At 02:45 this morning, we were dispatched to a commercial fishing vessel fire, on float 11 in Westport. >click to read<16:31
NEFMC Public Hearing Sessions for Limiting Entry to Federal For-Hire Groundfish Fishery
The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) has scheduled a series of public listening sessions throughout New England. The purpose of the sessions is to have preliminary public discussions on the possibility of developing an amendment to the Northeast Multispecies Groundfish FMP to establish a limited access program for the party and charter boat fishery. >click to read dates, time, and place< 15:55
North Uist brothers all at sea with new scallop vessel
Two North Uist-based brothers who founded a scallop fishing business a decade ago have bought a new vessel, thanks to a six-figure funding package. Konrad and Kamil Kosieradzki moved to North Uist from Poland following a one-year university placement on the island in 2004, and established K&K Fishing in 2009. “We’ve seen some challenges since establishing K&K Fishing ten years ago, including the fuel crisis in 2013, but we feel now is the right time to invest in our business.” >click to read<13:27
Bickering in D.C. holds up Florence relief for N.C. fishermen
Political infighting in Washington over Puerto Rico seems to be holding up needed relief for North Carolina victims of Hurricane Florence. Keith Bruno, whose business, Endurance Seafood, sustained devastating damage, said federal dollars could drastically speed up the pace of rebuilding and get his business back on track. “People get tired of asking if I’m back in business and they just forget about you,” >Video, click to read<11:40
Helicopter crew found safe on New Zealand island after crash
Three crewmen aboard a helicopter that crashed off the New Zealand coast while on a rescue mission were found alive on a remote island Tuesday after they were missing overnight. Rescue Coordination Centre spokesman Mark Dittmer said the men were found shortly before noon in their survival suits walking along a beach on uninhabited Auckland Island, some 500 kilometers (311 miles) southwest of the town of Invercargill where they’d left from 16 hours earlier.,,, The helicopter left Monday evening to evacuate a person aboard a fishing boat who needed urgent medical attention,,, >click to read<10:19
Shark Research Could Help Ga. Shrimpers
Shrimpers like William “Catfish” McClain have a shark problem. “They, well they just attack your nets and they eat holes everywhere in ’em,” he said. “And there’s nothing you can do to get rid of them.” Those nets are expensive, in the thousands of dollars each, and the sharks cost shrimpers in other ways.“It hurts us. It hurts the commercial fishermen, because like I say he works for two days, and then he’ll have to sew on his nets for two days. So that’s two days he’s not fishing,” said McClain. “And it causes a lot more work.” >click to read<09:59
Assessing the consequences of oil spills on commercial fish
Each spring, Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) travel from the Barents Sea to spawn further south along the Norwegian coast from Møre to Lofoten, releasing millions of eggs into the ocean. These eggs then begin their own journey, developing into fish larvae as they drift with the currents, north and east towards the Barents Sea. The journey is perilous and their chance of survival is small. For every million eggs, only about 800 larvae survive the first half year. Their fate depends on the movements and prevailing environmental conditions of the North Atlantic Current, >click to read<09:17
Man jailed 47 days for illegal lobsters
The Gloucester man caught landing 230 illegal lobsters in two separate incidents — 183 in one case, 47 in the other — now is essentially paying for his most recent crime by spending what amounts to as a day in jail for each illegal crustacean. James A. Santapaola Jr., 42, of 16 Forest Lane, has begun serving 47 days in Middleton Jail after he entered guilty pleas to 28 counts of possession of illegally short lobsters and 19 other counts related his possession of 16 V-notched lobsters and three oversized lobsters among his illegal landings. >click to read<08:19
Coasties face charges including use and distribution of cocaine
Nine Coast Guard members face criminal charges of use, possession and distribution of cocaine and marijuana as a result of the USCG’s internal investigation into drug use in Kodiak, according to documents obtained by the Kodiak Daily Mirror. A majority of those charged are aviation technicians stationed at Base Kodiak or Air Station Kodiak. A total of 31 service members have faced some kind of punishment as a result of the investigation so far; the investigation remains ongoing. >click to read<21:04
‘Our Logo, Our Story’ – Gloucester debuts new logo for 400th-anniversary celebration
Gloucester Celebration Corporation, the official organizers of Gloucester, Massachusetts’ 400th-anniversary celebration, has selected the winner of the Gloucester400 Logo Design Contest. Originally submitted anonymously for consideration, the logo representing Gloucester’s 400th anniversary was developed by Linn Parisi, a 13th generation Gloucester native.,,, Gloucester, America’s oldest seaport, will be “400 years young” in 2023. To celebrate its past, honor its people, and welcome its promising future, the city has begun preparations for celebrating this historic milestone and organizing the year-long celebration of its anniversary.>click to read<15:13
North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District candidate Phil Law Responds to N.C. Seafood Industry questions
Phil Law (Republican) is a candidate for North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House. Law is running in the primary on April 30, 2019. The general special election is September 10, 2019. Note: The general election will be held July 9, 2019, if no primary runoff is needed.,,, Question 5.) What do you think of windfarms in the ocean off our coast? I do not favor this idea. >click to read< 13:33
Fisherman surprised vessel isn’t write-off following sinking in Moray harbour
Keith Sutherland’s boat Emblem was one of two crafts that began to take on water at Burghead on Friday night. The Hopeman-based fisherman, who predominantly catches prawn and squid, returned the following morning at about 5.30am with his nephew to begin pumping water out of the vessel – before getting help from a local who offered his tractor to get the boat back on an even keel. >click to read<12:33
Louisiana: Shrimp Season to Open April 25 in a Portion of State Outside Waters
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced that the portion of state outside waters between Calliou Boca and the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island shall reopen to shrimping at 12:00 p.m. on April 25, 2019. The closure area is defined as follows: >click to read<Recent biological sampling conducted by the department has indicated that small white shrimp, which have over-wintered in these waters from January through the present time, have reached marketable sizes and the closure is no longer necessary.11:30
Even after sinking of Seattle-based F/V Destination, Coast Guard slow-walks training for fishing boat skippers
The Coast Guard investigation into the 2017 sinking of the Seattle-based Destination, released last month, was the latest in a long succession of Coast Guard inquiries to spotlight serious stability problems that led to commercial fishing boats going down and their crews dying. Earlier findings prompted Congress, in a 2010 overhaul of commercial fishing safety laws, to require operators take a short course that reviews how loading gear, boat modifications and changing weather conditions can affect a vessel’s ability to stay afloat. But nine years later, the Coast Guard has yet to come up with regulations to enforce the safety mandate. Even in the aftermath of the Destination investigation, which documented the missteps that contributed to the loss of six crew members in the Bering Sea, Coast Guard leaders have yet to say when this training rule might be in place. So the stability courses remain voluntary, often sparsely attended. >click to read<11:07
Earth Day: Not a Single Environmental Prediction of the Last 50 Years Has Come True
We should be thankful that the gloom-and-doom predictions made throughout the past several decades haven’t come true. Fear-mongering about explosive population growth, food crises and the imminent depletion of natural resources have been a staple of Earth Day events since 1970. And the common thread among them is that they’ve stirred up a lot more emotions than facts. >click to read<10:23
Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team to Focus on Right Whale Survival This Week
On April 23, a group of approximately 60 fishermen, scientists, conservationists, and state and federal officials will come together to discuss ways to further reduce serious injury and mortality of endangered North Atlantic right whales caused by trap/pot fishing gear. The group will meet in Providence, Rhode Island for four days. At the end of the meeting, they hope to agree on a suite of measures that will reduce right whale serious injuries and deaths in fishing gear in U.S. waters from Maine to Florida to less than one whale per year, the level prescribed by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. >click to read<10:01
Letter: ‘We found her in the tulip fields’ – a story of tragedy, and beauty
After wandering the furthest reaches of the tulip fields in beautiful Skagit Valley, Mt. Vernon, Washington, and me holding our granddaughter the whole time (I wouldn’t give her up), I needed a break from walking and so sat down on the bench outside the gift shop as the girls wandered inside.,,, The two sisters exited the gift shop with not one, but two – one purchased by each of them because they couldn’t decide which was cutest – of the softest, impossibly long lop-eared, scraggle-furred, stuffed rabbits affectionally – per the tag – named ‘Harey’, or, actually Harey One, and Harey Two. Harey hails from Cricket Island, and his tale began with one of the worst commercial fishing disasters in U.S. history,,,, >click to read<09:31
Captain Rescued from 77 Foot Clam Dredge After Experiencing Medical Issue
Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers rescued the captain of a clam dredge after he experienced a medical incident while fishing in the Atlantic Ocean. Ronald Garay, captain of the 77 foot commercial clam dredge Mary T, was operating in the Atlantic Ocean south of Point O’ Woods, Fire Island, when he began to experience shortness of breath and called for assistance over Marine VHF radio. The Marine Bureau heard the call and dispatched a rescue boat, Marine Kilo, crewed by Officers Keith Magliola and Christopher DeFeo, who are both New York State Certified Emergency Medical Technicians. >click to read<08:54
The long life and slow death of a large lobster named Lanny
Few of his kind would live a life like Lanny the Lobster did. The three-foot, 22-pound crustacean lived for decades in the Atlantic Ocean, before he found himself in the clutches of an ocean dragger.,,, Because Lanny had lived for so long, Caudle said it was felt he deserved the chance to live out his days at sea. Seafood wholesaler Mike Caudle had named him after hockey star Lanny McDonald, having noted an apparent resemblance between the retired Calgary Flames captain and the crustacean.,,, >click to read<10:59
Mackerel trap approved for St. Margarets Bay, will fish from mid-May to July
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has approved a commercial mackerel trap in a popular recreational area of St. Margarets Bay, N.S., outside Halifax. The case prompted a community debate about whether the historical fishery still fit in the increasingly urban area. “Obviously, I’m pleased with it because that’s what we applied for and it finally came through,” said fisherman Gary Burchell. Burchell has been given a two-year licence to install a large mackerel trap at the tip of Micou’s Island, a protected nine-hectare island on the eastern side of St. Margarets Bay. >click to read<10:03
Forget Offshore Windfarms! How Canada’s other major energy export could light up New England states
Last week, Maine’s Public Utilities Commission approved a new transmission line connecting Quebec’s hydroelectric projects to the eastern United States. The US$950-million New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project still needs approvals from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and a U.S. presidential permit from the U.S. Department of Energy. If approved, the construction of the 1,200-megawatt transmission line will provide power to consumers in the six New England states at a time when the region’s ageing power plants are set to retire. Maine’s approval of the project — which also faced criticism from environmental groups,,,Another stalled project includes the Access Northeast natural gas pipeline, backed by Enbridge Inc., Eversource Energy and National Grid. >click to read<09:27
K-6 gillnetter is a reminder of Kenai’s long fishing history
One of the earliest commercial transactions involving Alaska salmon occurred in 1786. In that year two British ships stopped in Cook Inlet, which was then under Russian-American Company control, to trade Hawaiian yams for fresh salmon. The Russian-American Company never developed a for-profit salmon industry. However, after the United States acquired Alaska in 1867, Americans began operating salteries in Southeast Alaska to preserve the fish for market. In 1878, the first Alaska cannery was built at Klawock on Prince of Wales Island. Within four years, canneries had reached Cook Inlet in Southcentral Alaska. >click to read<08:31
Crescent City Harbor District – Harbor prepares for potential squid fishery
Though they’re most abundant between Baja, California and the Monterey Bay, the Crescent City Harbor District is preparing for the possibility that fishermen may bring market squid to its docks. Commissioners on Thursday voted 4-0-1 in favor of adding a quarter-cent poundage fee for squid to its fee schedule. Commissioner Carol White was absent. According to Crescent City Harbormaster Charlie Helms and Commissioner Rick Shepherd, a quarter-cent poundage fee is the going rate at other ports that see market squid come across their docks. >click to read<14:28
Photo Article: Dean Bradshaw Proves Blue Can Be Bleak Aboard a Fishing Trawler
It’s fascinating to follow a photographer’s epic adventures through their photos, not only to get a glimpse of their experiences but also their interpretation through choices in creative elements like color, composition, and mood. A perfect example is the cinematic documentary Icelandic Fishing series of Dean Bradshaw, where he shows us what went down during the 12 hours he spent aboard a fishing trawler in Iceland. If you’re looking for inspiration for documenting your next adventure, this set is certainly worth a look. “It was about 5:30 am when we boarded the fishing trawler. Plenty of photo’s! >click to read<13:46
New super sturdy lobster trap goes into production
The Lobster Trap Co., which aims to build a more robust trap than what is now available, is making its first commercial manufacturing run of its plastic product this lobster season. The Yarmouth-based company started taking orders three weeks ago and plans to produce at least 10,000 lobster traps for the 2019-20 lobster season along the southwestern shore of Nova Scotia. The new trap design, which meets regulations for use in Canada and the U.S., would replace the wire-mesh components of current traps with polyethylene-based plastic. >click to read<11:41
OPINION: Bristol Bay’s future is in our fish and natural resources
We are just a few of the many young adults whose livelihoods depend on the clean water and pristine land that has sustained the people of Bristol Bay since time immemorial. As Pebble tries to sell Alaskans on its sham of a mine plan, this time by focusing on jobs, we want to clear something up: We oppose Pebble Mine. We want to protect the environment that provides the resources to sustain our communities and families, and we won’t stop until our work is done. >click to read<11:17
Harbor district, energy authority looking to create a ‘clean’ industry future with aquafarm, offshore wind energy
The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District and the Redwood Coast Energy Authority outlined plans Friday at the Humboldt County Economic Development Summit for infrastructure upgrades on the Samoa peninsula to build a land-based aquafarm and offshore wind energy project with an anticipated completion date of 2025 or 2026 — renewable energy projects that could have a significant positive impact on the county’s workforce development. >click to read<10:07
Canada says no to Asian carp as lobster bait
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is throwing cold water on the prospect of importing Asian carp from the United States for use as lobster bait.
With bait prices on the rise, the invasive species was promoted as a cheaper bait source for the lucrative fishery. “The CFIA is aware that the industry has expressed interest in importing Asian carp for bait for the lobster fishery,” agency spokesperson Christine Carnaffan said in an email. The position is news to promoter Patrick Swim of lobster.ca, who said he has spent months seeking permits from both countries to import Asian carp from the Illinois River as bait for the lobster fishery in southwest Nova Scotia and Maine. >click to read<08:46
