Daily Archives: November 6, 2019
Canada-U.S. tensions expected to be big topic at right whale meeting Thursday
Canadian-U.S. trade relations and tensions around fishing regulations are expected to be top of mind Thursday at a discussion about North Atlantic right whales. Dozens of people from the fishing industry and conservation groups are in Moncton to meet with officials from Fisheries and Oceans Canada. ,, Hanging over Thursday’s meeting is the threat that in 2021, the U.S. could ban Canadian seafood imports if officials here don’t put in place equivalent protection for marine mammals.,, After six whale deaths had been reported by Canada by early July, NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Chris Oliver requested an emergency meeting with Fisheries and Oceans and Transport Canada, urging immediate action. >click to read< 19:09
Three Fishermen Narrowly Rescued from Sinking Boat
Three men were narrowly rescued from a sinking fishing boat in Breiðafjörður fjord, off the coast of West Iceland, yesterday. “The crewmembers were exhausted when we arrived, so this was a very close call,” Sigurður Þórarinsson, captain of the fishing boat Leynir, tells Morgunblaðið. “They were lying on the lifeboat, which was upside down on the water. The crew of Leynir received a message from the Icelandic Coast Guard shortly before noon yesterday, asking them to look for the boat Blíða, which had disappeared from radar. >click to read< 18:13
Halibut bycatch increases as council considers cod options
Data released preceding the International Pacific Halibut Commission’s upcoming interim meeting shows that almost all the regulatory areas of Alaska from Southeast to the Bering Sea — areas 2C through 4E, respectively — caught more halibut as bycatch in the 2019 season than they did in 2018, with the exception of area 4B, which covers the western Aleutian Islands. Coastwide, from California and British Columbia through the Bering Sea, bycatch increased by more than 1.5 million pounds,,, >click to read< 15:48
Proposed Customs and Border Protection Modifications Will Weaken the Jones Act
By Meghan Lapp – The Jones Act, or Merchant Marine Act of 1920, has been the foundation of U.S. maritime commerce for 100 years, requiring coastwise trade, i.e. transport of merchandise between two U.S. points, to be conducted on U.S.-flagged, U.S.-owned, U.S.-built vessels, which must be crewed by a minimum of 75% U.S. citizens and/or permanent U.S. residents.,,, On October 23, 2019, Customs and Border Protection issued a bulletin, “Proposed Modification and Revocation of Ruling Letters Relating to CPB’s application of the Jones Act to the Transportation of Certain Merchandise and Equipment Between Coastwise Points” (see page 12). >click to read< 14:35
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 2017 45′ (Dixon Hull) Fiberglass Lobster Boat, 6 Cylinder Baudouin, 12kw Genset
Specifications, information and 21 photos >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 12:15
Century-old fishing boat set to be scrapped at Port of Garibaldi
Built in 1915, the Amak likely has a sea of stories to tell. Unfortunately, the ship’s tale is ending in a disheveled state sitting tilted to its side on parking lot concrete. Charles Ells bought the ship in 1938, converting it into a fishing boat before hydraulics were used to pull in nets, according to former owner Alex Ells. It sailed the Oregon Coast from 1938 until 2015 and was sold two years later. It sat in the Port of Garibaldi, aging away, until October 13, 2019. Video, photo’s, >click to read< , and >here< 10:29
EDITORIAL: Menhaden harvest limit actually means something
Last week, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the partnership, or “interstate compact,” that sets harvest limits for 27 fisheries up and down the Atlantic Coast, officially accused Virginia of allowing Omega Protein to overfish,,, In a December 2017 press release on the deal, Cooke hinted at a new use: “The animal feed ingredients produced by Omega Protein are an important component in Cooke Aquaculture’s production of healthy Atlantic salmon, making this acquisition a strategic move that greatly enhances Cooke’s vertical integration.” So instead of rockfish, maybe the Bay’s menhaden will be feeding farm-raised salmon in Canada. >click to read< 09:15
Boat fire sends smoke billowing over Portland
A fire at the Portland Fish Pier sent smoke billowing over part of the city Tuesday. The fire was reported around 9:30 a.m. Officials said people were working on the boat at a dock when the fire started. The Office of Rep. Chellie Pingree tweeted that the fire was right outside their offices. “A boat neighboring my @CityPortland office caught fire this morning,”>click to read< Video, >click to read< 08:09
Legal playing field tilted against dead fishermen
When commercial fishermen and other seafarers die on the job, does the law provide justice for their survivors? The case of the Mary B II’s deadly sinking off Newport in January of this year shows the legal process tilts toward boat owners in several ways, largely to benefit the economy. “Once a seaman dies, the estate has very few remedies,” said Joe Stacey, a Seattle maritime lawyer who represented late crewman Joshua Porter’s estate in reaching a settlement with the boat’s owner. >click to read< 06:55
