Monthly Archives: November 2019
Coast Guard medevacs injured fisherman 10 miles off Oregon coast
A Coast Guard aircrew medically evacuated an injured fisherman Tuesday morning off the commercial fishing vessel Arctic Storm 10 miles southwest of Newport. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Facility Newport rendezvoused with the Arctic Storm at 7:36 a.m., and hoisted a 21-year-old male off the fishing vessel and transported him to Samaritan Pacific Community Hospital in Newport for treatment. >click to reads< 17:53
Cortez fishing giant and business leader named Manatee County’s Outstanding Agriculturist
Karen Bell was supposed to present a talk on the $11 million Manatee County seafood industry. Or, so she thought.,,, “I am just shocked — thank you so much — because, and I thought, Scott, I thought we were here for you,” Bell told the crowd, and Scott Moore, a charter boat captain and conservationist who is being inducted into the Manatee County Agriculture Hall of Fame. “I’m just shocked that you all got one over on me.” Bell serves on local and national boards representing the seafood industry and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Reef Fish, >click to read< 16:59
Frontiers 190: Iron Men of Bristol Bay
Alaska is a place where much of its history is still fresh, yet with so many stories on the verge of disappearing forever. Such is the case with the double ender sailboat, pushed by the wind and the tides across Bristol Bay in pursuit of salmon. For more than 60 years, they were the workhorses of the canneries that brought in fishermen from all over the world in big sailing ships to work the boats and pull in nets, heavy with sockeyes, all by hand. The sailboats may have been beautiful, but they were dangerous. And although motorized boats appeared on the market in the 1920s, Bristol Bay fishermen weren’t allowed to use them for commercial catches until the 1950s. Video, >click to read< 11:22
Lobster boat crew accused of catching 116 undersized lobsters
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management said the crew of a commercial fishing boat is facing federal charges for an illegal lobster catch. DEM said environmental police officers responded last week to Point Judith, where they helped NOAA officials inspect the catch of lobster boat that was fishing in federal waters.,,, DEM did not name the fishing boat or the people facing charges. >click to read< 10:13
Concerned groups offer assessments of Northern Pulp’s plan to pump effluent into strait
Groups that have voiced concerns about a Nova Scotia pulp mill’s plan to pump millions of litres of treated wastewater into the Northumberland Strait are to issue a response to that plan today. Northern Pulp submitted thousands of pages of documents,,, Several groups are scheduled to give their assessments of the focus report at a news conference in Pictou this morning, including the Town of Pictou, Pictou Landing First Nation, fishermen from across the Maritimes and the environmental group Friends of the Northumberland Strait, >click to read< 09:00
Clearing the fog on UK fishing
It should come as no surprise that the future of the U.K. fishing fleet will be one of the principal battlegrounds of the 2019 general election. Few industries resonate more with the emotions of the British public; and although on a macro-economic scale, fishing is not the force it once was, many coastal communities are still culturally and financially dependent on the vessels of all sizes that, among other things, provide our national dish — fish and chips. So, there will be no shortage of soundbites or promises of quick fixes from parliamentary hopefuls of all political colors. >click to read< 08:24
N.E. Offshore Wind Leaseholders Submit Uniform Layout Proposal to the U.S. Coast Guard
The five New England offshore wind leaseholders – Equinor, Mayflower Wind, Ørsted/Eversource, and Vineyard Wind- announced a uniform turbine layout proposal submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard with 1 nautical mile (nm) spacing between wind turbines. The companies issued the following joint statement: “In response to feedback from key stakeholders, we have proposed to adopt a uniform turbine layout across our adjacent New England lease areas. >click to read< Please >click here< for the report prepared by W.F. Baird & Associates Ltd. and an accompanying letter from the five New England offshore wind leaseholders. 07:49
Dungeness Crab season’s delay causing instability
Randy Smith stood on the harbor sidewalk talking with a group of fellow fishermen, their large commercial fishing boats – piled high with empty crab traps – swaying at the docks. They had hoped to be fishing by now, but instead are left deciding where to go. Smith’s crew of five had planned to fish in their home waters during the holidays, but with the crabbing season delayed, they’re preparing for two months down south in his boat, the Mistasea. >click to read< 06:48
N.E., Mid Atlantic-Vessel Monitoring System Software Update Required for Vessel Owners
The VMS unit installed on your vessel requires a software update to comply with recent regulatory changes and prepare for potential measures that still must be approved before going into effect. Depending on your vendor, the new software will be released and available on November 25, 2019 (SkyMate and Woods Hole Group), or will update automatically on November 25, 2019 (McMurdo). Begin using this new software for trips after December 6, 2019. Bulletins with additional information have been mailed and are also available on our >website<. Questions? Contact: Sustainable Fisheries, (978) 281-9315 or Northeast VMS Team, (978) 281-9213
An experiment on the river – Researchers hope fish trap will be safer for wild fish
Fish traps have been outlawed in the Pacific Northwest for decades, but researchers plan to test an experimental trap in the Columbia River in hopes that it will be safer for wild fish than traditional fishing methods. Adrian Tuohy, a biologist and project manager for the Wild Fish Conservancy, said the proposed fish trap, also called a pound net, would be put in the Oregon side of the river so biologists can monitor how many fish are in the river and how many wild fish survive after being released. >click to read< 16:36
Scam Alert: Claims Offshore Wind Will Soon Power The World Are Pure Bunkum
Built on lies and fuelled by subsidies, the wind industry is the biggest government mandated scam in history. Around the world, governments have thrown trillions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies at wind power; set mandates and punitive targets and helped developers ride roughshod over rural communities. Out at sea, trawlermen are left furious as they watch their once lucrative fishing patches get turned into industrial wastelands, and their livelihoods wrecked, forever. Now, the wind industry and its propaganda outfits are making even wilder claims about how offshore wind will soon deliver the bulk of the planet’s power needs. >click to read< 15:48
Photographs that celebrate the fishermen and boat restorers keeping the North East’s maritime heritage alive
Growing up on the coast in the North East of England, the rich landscape of Teesside has long inspired photographer Mark Luck. In his moving series, On the Turn of the Tide, he takes a closer look at the people who are helping to keep the region’s maritime heritage alive, despite the difficulties they face. “The passage of time has brought about change to fishing and the boats used by the fishermen on the North East coast,” Luck explains. Photo’s, >click to read< 12:10
Illegal foreign fishing draws congressional eye
Nathan Rickard, representing local shrimpers through the Southern Shrimp Alliance, was one of the people invited to speak on a panel to the subcommittee. He said federal anti-dumping laws helped provide stability to an industry that received a massive hit from imported shrimp beginning in the late ‘90s. “Although the industry permanently had lost many shrimping families, and has struggled to maintain its foothold in some coastal communities, the threat that the industry would entirely disappear has abated,” Rickard said. “The U.S. shrimp industry currently produced about one out of every eight pounds of shrimp that are consumed in our country. >click to read< 10:10
NOAA Wants More Cameras On Fishing Vessels And Fewer Biologists
John Hankins owns the boat “Courageous,” which he sails out of Warrenton on the northern Oregon coast. He had a smile after returning from 25 days fishing for albacore. “I’m full,” he said. “Both tanks!” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration didn’t assign a fisheries observer to his boat this trip. But he said, it happens fairly regularly. “They’re usually not a problem for us,,, >click to read< 09:20
Impact of offshore wind on fisheries unknown
Fishing is an integral part of the blue economy, but the planned offshore wind development will affect over 100,000 acres of ocean currently used by fishermen to sustain the very industry the authors applaud. Once the Rhode Island-Massachusetts wind energy area is fully built out, an area of roughly 1,418 square miles – vastly larger than Cape Cod – will be covered in turbines roughly a mile apart. How this will affect fisheries is unknown. by Mary Newton Lima >click to read< 07:57
Coast Guard interdicts lancha crews illegally fishing US waters
Coast Guard law enforcement crews detected and interdicted five Mexican lancha boat crews engaged in illegal fishing in federal waters off the coast of southern Texas, Saturday.,, Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi has intercepted 22 lanchas and interdicted 15 lanchas north of the U.S./Mexico Maritime Border since Oct. 1, 2019. 3 Photo’s, >click to read< 17:59
Hearing November 19th! State of the 2019-20 Dungeness Crab Season and Putting Fish Friendly Highways in the Fast Lane
Senator Mike McGuire, Chair of the. Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (JCFA), and Assemblymember Mark Stone, Vice Chair, are hosting an important hearing next week on two critical topics: the upcoming Dungeness crab season and how fish passage barriers on our state highways are impacting species recovery. The hearing, titled: State of the 2019-20 Dungeness Crab Season and Putting Fish Friendly Highways in the Fast Lane will be held this coming. Tuesday, November 19 from 9 a.m. to noon at the State Capitol in Room 112. >click to read< 14:18
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for November 15 , 2019
Legislative updates, Bill updates, Calendar, >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 13:03
Microplastics found in oysters, clams on Pacific coast
Tiny threads of plastics are showing up in Pacific oysters and razor clams along the Oregon coast—and the yoga pants, fleece jackets, and sweat-wicking clothing that Pacific Northwesterners love to wear are a source of that pollution, according to a new Portland State University study. On average, the researchers found 11 microplastic pieces per oyster and nine per clam in the samples, and nearly all were microfibers, which can come from clothing made from synthetic or natural materials as well as derelict fishing gear. “These microfilaments can be shed from clothing, up to 700,000 per load of laundry,” Baechler said. “Those particles then travel out through greywater into wastewater and to the coast.” >click to read< 11:21
Plan would protect 21 coral hot spots in Gulf of Mexico
The plan would create 21 protected areas off the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Thirteen of the areas would carry new commercial fishing restrictions, and that has attracted the attention of fishing groups, who want the government to take a cautious approach. Pew Charitable Trusts has characterized the plan as a way to protect nearly 500 square miles of slow-growing coral “hot spots,” and is championing the protection plan as a way to spare vulnerable corals from fishing gear. >click to read< 10:30
Gary Robinson of Warren, has passed away
Gary Robinson of Warren passed away Nov. 6 at the Sussman House in Rockport just a week shy of his 80th birthday.,, Gary graduated from local schools and was later trained in computer programming. He worked for more than 40 years as a Marine Specialist for the State of Maine Lobster Project at the Department of Marine Resources in Boothbay Harbor. He enjoyed traveling up and down the Maine coast interviewing lobster fishermen and gathering data for his computer analysis. >click to read< 09:07
Fishing boat successfully pulled off rock by harbour tugs
The fishing boat which ran aground north of Lerwick Harbour in the early hours of Saturday was successfully pulled off later in the day. The Inverness-registered Rosebloom (INS 353) got stuck on the “Soldian”, a rock which the current Lerwick lifeboat’s predecessor was named after. The lifeboat was called out at 1.30am on Saturday and was on the scene just 10 minutes later,,,, photo’s, >click to read< 07:11
NOAA Argues to Allow Makah Tribe to Hunt Gray Whales off Washington Again
More than two decades ago, Makah tribal members killed a 30-foot gray whale in the waters off the Olympic Peninsula amid bitter protests from animal-welfare activists. The tribal hunt in May 1999 touched off a protracted legal battle that on Thursday took center stage inside a Seattle federal building. The proceedings over the tribe’s treaty right to hunt gray whales are expected to last more than a week in the courtroom-like setting. >click to read< 23:12
Sad day for Newlyn, tragedy for a fishing family.
A Newlyn fishing family suffered a tragic accident yesterday when a crew member who was working on the beam trawler Resurgam. Local emergency services were called to Newlyn Harbour, Cornwall, around 16:15 Thursday afternoon. Sadly, the young man was pronounced dead at the scene. >click to read< 21:05
Rbdf Arrests Dominican Poachers With Huge Catch
Dominican poachers who were arrested by Royal Bahamas Defence Force officials and the US Coast Guard this week were carrying some 30,000 pounds of illegally harvested marine products. On Wednesday, HMBS Cascarilla under the command of Senior Lieutenant Samantha Hart along with the US Coast Guard arrested 17 suspected poachers on board the 76-foot Gerchard II in waters near the Cochinos Bank. The seized boat came into port yesterday at the RBDF Coral Harbour Base. >click to read< 17:26
LDWF estimate: Louisiana fishing industry sustained $258M in losses during historic flooding
The Louisiana fishing industry suffered an estimated $258 million in losses due to the historic 2019 flooding event, according to a fisheries disaster economic impact analysis conducted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Governor John Bel Edwards announced today (11/15). The analysis was submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for helping the state qualify for its portion of the $165 million in fisheries disaster assistance currently available on the federal level. >click to read< 14:06
Bait and switch: Why this food scientist is taking lobster fishermen out for coffee
Zhuliang Tan grins broadly as he explains why he wants to meet with lobster fishermen from across Nova Scotia for conversations over coffee for science. The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia-based food research scientist was laid off during his company’s restructuring this past August, something he now enthusiastically embraces as a blessing in disguise. With numerous published peer-reviewed articles,,, >click to read< 12:48
Steuben man found guilty of shooting fisherman’s dog, Franky the pug
A judge has convicted a Steuben man in the August 2018 killing of a dog owned by a lobsterman he had worked for. At the end of a one-day bench trial Thursday in an Ellsworth courtroom, Justice Robert Murray found that Justin Chipman, 24, was guilty in the shooting death of Franky, a pug whose body washed up on a Winter Harbor beach days after he went missing while his owner was out of town. Chipman and another man — Nathan Burke, 38, of Hancock — were accused of taking Franky from Phil Torrey’s house,,, >click to read< 10:43
Salmon and steelhead Band-Aids
Here we go again putting a Band-Aid over a sucking chest wound. Ask anyone who spends time on Washington and Idaho salmon and steelhead waters why the salmon and steelhead are declining and you will get a variation of answers. They will range from sea lions to dams to nets to birds to commercial fishing. by Kelly M. Colliton, >click to read< 09:43
CDFW Announces Quality Delay for Commercial Dungeness Crab in Northern Fishery, and Important Updates to Pending Opening in Central Fishery
In a memo released today (11/15), CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham delayed the northern California commercial Dungeness crab season due to poor crab meat quality test results. The delayed area in the north includes Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties (Fish and Game Districts 6, 7, 8 and 9). The northern Dungeness crab fishery is delayed until 12:01 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 16, 2019 pending another round,,, >click to read< 09:03
