Monthly Archives: November 2019
Uncle Sam wants you to eat more shark
Late last month, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) sent out a newsletter,, “While overfishing has greatly depleted some shark populations overseas, U.S. shark fisheries are some of the most sustainable in the world,” it read. I did a double take, racking my memory for the last time I saw shark as an option at the grocery store or on a restaurant menu.,, So why is NMFS encouraging eaters to eat more shark? Pointing to its strict fishing quotas, the agency suggests that eaters buying American-caught shark can now do so without guilt. >click to read< 07:19
Lobstermen hear proposed measures to mitigate danger to right whales
Patrick Keliher, the commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, explained the plan the DMR will submit to the federal government, hoping the proposal is strong enough to meet guidelines.,, Correction, George Michael Bernier, who fishes out of Gouldsboro, said the proposed changes — while more palatable than the previous plan — still increase the danger and the cost for fishermen. Bernier said plenty of fishermen have thought of selling out but said they are just in too deep. Many would face bankruptcy if they did so,,, Video, >click to read< 06:20
‘It Sucks … But I’m Going To Try It’ — Officials Present Proposed New Gear Rules To Maine Lobstermen – >click to read<
Maine proposes targeted exemptions to help lobster industry weather whale crisis – >click to read<
Seized Dominican boats to be allocated to Dorian-impacted fishers
The boats that the government seized from Dominican poachers over the years are being allocated to fishermen from Abaco and Grand Bahama who have been impacted by Hurricane Dorian, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Michael Pintard revealed. Pintard said the majority of the nearly three dozen apprehended vessels will be given to Bahamian fishers who lost their boats and livelihoods during the passage of the Category 5 storm more than two months ago. >click to read< 21:51
First Nations seal hunters meet with Chinese officials to establish fur market
Tom Sewid of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation and Haida hereditary Chief Roy Jones Jr. were brought in by their business partner, Calvin Kania of Fur Canada, for “bilateral trade discussions” with Tong and Chinese trade commissioner Shanjun Yu late last month, according to Kania. Sewid and Jones’s new firm, Pacific Balance Marine Management Corp., is applying to Fisheries and Oceans Canada to set up a commercial seal hunt in B.C. as a way to reduce the impact of marine mammals on troubled salmon runs. >click to read< 20:09
Federal judge rules that repairs made to his boat by Nathan Carman contributed to sinking of vessel
A federal court judge Monday ruled that faulty repairs made by Nathan Carman likely caused his boat to sink, rejecting an $85,000 insurance claim. Carman’s mother disappeared after his boat sank off Long Island in September of 2016 while on a fishing trip. Carman was later rescued. The Chicken Pox sank while Nathan Carman was tuna fishing off Long Island with his mother, Linda Carman, on board. She is missing and presumed dead. Carman was rescued eight days later by a freighter off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard while floating in a raft >click to read< 16:28
Cod Crusader backing attempt to secure Brexit
One of the north-east duo who launched a campaign against savage fishing quota cuts 17 years ago this week has returned to the political battlefront to fight for Brexit. Carol Adams, formerly Carol MacDonald, said she was so fed up with the wrangling over the UK’s departure from the EU – and its much-despised Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) – that she was “coming out of retirement” despite recent ill-health. >click to read< 15:00
FFAW publicity stunt
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) calls the FFAW-Unifor’s submission of a land bid this morning to protect crab grounds a publicity stunt to deflect attention from the final days of FISH-NL’s membership drive. “The FFAW submits a fake cheque to protect snow crab grounds during the last week of FISH-NL’s drive the same way the union gave away free cod on the St. John’s waterfront the very day in early August that our drive began,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL. “Inshore harvesters aren’t stunned— the FFAW just treats them as if they are. >click to read< 13:51
Fisheries union presents giant novelty cheque for $1 billion to C-NLOPB – >click to read<
Fisheries union presents giant novelty cheque for $1 billion to C-NLOPB
Days before a C-NLOPB call for bids closes, Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest fisheries union made what president Keith Sullivan called a “last-ditch effort” to stop the process. Sullivan, who leads the Fish Food and Allied Workers, presented an oversized cheque for $1 billion Monday morning at the headquarters of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, made out to the board. >click to read< 13:38
FFAW publicity stunt – The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) calls the FFAW-Unifor’s submission of a land bid this morning to protect crab grounds a publicity stunt to deflect attention from the final days of FISH-NL’s membership drive. >click to read<
Alaskan red King Crab available in Eugene for first time in 20 years
Crab season is back and with a special guest. Alaskan red King crab is now available in Eugene after it hasn’t been in 20 years. It’s a new, rare delivery to the Fisherman’s Market, on 7th Ave. and Blair Blvd. that may become an annual routine.,,, His new shipment of nearly 20 crabs was recently caught by the Alaskan fisherman, Bill Prout, on his fishing vessel. Rogers says Prout hopped on a plane and flew the crabs to Eugene as checked baggage. >click to read< 12:25
The Giga and Terra Scam of Offshore Wind Energy
Can anti-fossil fuel policies based on climate crisis alarmism possibly get any more insane than this?,, Wind “farms”? Like some cute, rustic Old McDonald family farm? Are you kidding me? These would be massive offshore electricity factories, with thousands, even millions, of turbines and blades towering 500-700 feet above the waves. Only a certifiable lunatic, congenital liar, complete true believer, would-be global overseer or campaign-cash-hungry politician could possibly repeat this IEA hype – or call these wind energy factories renewable, sustainable or eco-friendly. >click to read< 09:25
It’s Peconic Bay scallop season on the North Fork
A calendar hanging in the northforker office has holidays marked in bold red letters. In November, there are three such days: Election Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. If we had any say on the contents of said calendar, a fourth holiday would be added on Monday, Nov. 4: Peconic Bay Scallops Day. >click to read< 08:15
On This Day: November 4,1991, Gloucester Times first reported the Andrea Gail missing
The Coast Guard continued searching today for a fishing boat due back in Gloucester last Friday from a trip to the Grand Banks off Newfoundland, Canada. The 70-foot Andrea Gail was supposed to have returned to port by Saturday with its crew of six fishermen, according to Chief Petty Officer Alan Burd. Rest in Peace, Gentlemen, and you are not forgotten, >click to read, with additional links< 06:45
Dungeness commercial crab season likely to be delayed over risks to whales
California’s state fish and wildlife chief is poised to delay this fall’s commercial Dungeness crab season for eight days under a legal settlement,,, Bodega Bay fisherman Dick Ogg said he appreciated the unenviable spot Bonham is in and the pressure he is under to avoid taking chances with an endangered species while positioned directly in the lens of a microscope. “You know, he tried to make the best possible decision he could make and still give the fishermen the opportunity to take advantage of the Thanksgiving market,” Ogg said. “It was tough.” >click to read< 14:50
Canadian firm’s steelhead trout farm plan under the microscope after salmon escapes
Last month, a net pen used for fish farming and operated by Cooke Aquaculture Pacific began to dip below the surface off Bainbridge Island. A hole in a pontoon left the structure’s southeast corner partially submerged. Repairs were eventually made. But now as the New Brunswick-based Cooke seeks to farm steelhead trout — instead of the nonnative Atlantic salmon that state law will soon ban — the incident has caught the attention of state regulators. >click to read< 12:58
Arnold’s Cove company investing $10M in high-tech plant
The president and CEO of Icewater Seafoods in Arnold’s Cove wants more cod.,, He said his company is investing $10 million over three years to buy the latest cod-processing technology, and claims Icewater is the only North American processor dedicated full-time to Atlantic cod production. Seventy-five per cent of the $10 million is coming in the form of conditionally repayable loans from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Atlantic Fisheries Fund. >click to read< 09:56
Aleutians East Borough Mayor aims to combat loss of fishing permits to drug addiction
With an “alarming” loss of commercial salmon fishing permits in rural communities, Aleutians East Borough Mayor Alvin Osterback has an idea on reversing the “graying of the fleet,” by allowing young fishermen to establish themselves with leadership experience on the water. His plan also aims to combat the loss of fishing permits by drug addicts who inherit and then sell their fishing privileges in order to stay high. The plan to add a second name to salmon permits will ultimately require legislative approval. It has already been endorsed by a group representing local government officials. “A whole generation of fishermen are missing because of drugs,”,,, >click to read< 08:08
Meetings this week – Lobster industry braces for right whale changes amid turbulent times
“Right now, we’re all fishing hard, so it’s taking our mind off it some, but it feels like we’ve been waiting and worrying about what whales might do to us for so long now,” said Jake Thompson, a Vinalhaven lobsterman. “We can manage the rest of it, but whales? Everybody’s worried about whales.” Lobstermen will have a chance to weigh in on Maine’s plan to protect the endangered right whale from buoy line entanglements at Maine Department of Marine Resources meetings in Ellsworth, Waldoboro and South Portland this week. >click to read< 06:51
Oregon Coast charter boat captain uses sea as his salvation after paralyzing crash
Depoe Bay is touted as having the smallest natural navigable harbor in the world. Life moves slow there, but on the Tacklebuster charter boat, the pace can pick up real quick.,, Tyler grew up on the Tacklebuster and learned the ropes from his dad, the skipper. He always felt the call of the sea. But on a sunny day in June 2008, a day much like the one we met him on, life came to a screeching halt. In a matter of two seconds, JT says their entire world flipped upside down. >click to read< 18:33
Coast Guard confirms serious problems with channel 16
By the time the U.S. Coast Guard issued an alert in mid-October about VHF-FM radio outages throughout Southeast Alaska, word had already spread through the commercial fishing fleet from harvesters worried that mayday calls might go unanswered. “I don’t think the fleet is aware of how severe of a problem this is,” said Jeff Farvour, a commercial harvester from Sitka. “Fishermen usually feel the Coast Guard is on to these things. It doesn’t look like it’s going to be fixed any time soon.” >click to read< 15:11
Dungeness crab ‘meating up’ at slowest rate in years; also slow to harden
Dungeness crab in Long Beach Peninsula waters have the lowest percentage of meat in at least five years of late-October testing. More than 85% of local crab also are too soft to harvest. This is bad news for the traditional Dec. 1 opening date, which has often proved illusory in the past two decades.,, All areas must be at least 23% before a commercial crabbing season can commence under terms of the Tri-State protocol that governs crabbing in the waters of Washington, Oregon and California. In another potential problem for a timely season start, Washington coast crab are especially slow to harden this autumn. >click to read< 11:47
More than six month delay to north-east ice plant has fishermen calling the build a ‘fiasco’
Plans for £400,000 ice plant at Macduff were welcomed last year, with hopes it would increase landings and reduce time and costs for local boats. But the completion date in April was delayed and the official opening date in June was postponed. And last night, the development was branded a “total shambles” Skipper John Clark, who owns and operates trawler Reliance II, last night demanded answers about the project, which has been partly funded by the European and Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF). >click to read< 10:43
She’s A Mom. What’s Your Superpower? An Interview with Representative Genevieve McDonald
In this interview, Genevieve McDonald tells us how she went from being a lobster boat captain to a state Representative of Maine, all while becoming a first time mom to beautiful twin daughters who motivate her to blaze a trail for women everywhere. Tell me a little bit about yourself. I am a member of the Maine House of Representatives and serve on the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources. My district is comprised entirely of islands off the coast of Maine. In addition to serving in the Legislature, I am a lobster boat captain out of Stonington, Maine, and a mom to twin daughters, Evalina & Elise. >click to read< 08:55
Dungeness crab season may be delayed
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife made the announcement Friday in response to a settlement with an environmental group over whale entanglements in commercial Dungeness crab fishing gear.,,, Even if the eight-day delay to the commercial season happens, it should not disrupt the Bay Area tradition of cracked Dungeness crab on the Thanksgiving table, said Noah Oppenheim, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations. However, it would cut into a peak period for the local fishing fleet, >click to read< 08:02
Video: Coast Guard, Navy conduct medevac of injured fisherman off Hawaii
The Coast Guard and Navy conducted a medevac of an injured mariner 431 miles off Hilo, Big Island, Thursday.,,, At 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu (JRCC) watchstanders received a report from the master of the commercial fishing vessel Lady Alice stating a crew member was suffering from an eye injury he sustained while fishing. >click to read< 06:59
Sam “Sammy” Lee Liverman, Jr. of Colington, October 28
Sam “Sammy” L. Liverman, Jr. has gone to be with the Lord. He transitioned peacefully from his earthly life in Greenville, NC Monday October 28, 2019. Sammy was born April 18, 1968- the son of Sam and Virginia Liverman, of Colington, NC. Sammy was a proud waterman- fishing, crabbing, and shrimping out of Colington nearly his whole life. In addition to commercial fishing, Sammy was employed with NC DOT for several years as a professional equipment operator.,, Sammy will be remembered by all who knew and loved him. >click to read< 15:32
Gillnet Fishermen: Update on Closed Area 1 and Nantucket Lightship Closure Areas
On October 28, 2019, Federal District Court Judge James E. Boasberg issued an Order and Opinion on a lawsuit challenging a portion of the New England Fishery Management Council’s Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2. The Order prohibits NOAA Fisheries from allowing gillnet fishing in the former Nantucket Lightship Groundfish and Closed Area I Groundfish Closure Areas, until such time as NOAA Fisheries has fully complied with requirements of the Endangered Species Act,,, >click to read< 14:29
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for November 1, 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< 11:57
Bahamas’ $75 Million Spiny Lobster Fishery Has Been Set Back Years In The Wake Of Hurricane Dorian
Hurricane Dorian, which battered the Bahamas between September 1st and 3rd 2019, has devastated the islands’ $75 million Caribbean spiny lobster fishery. The vital economic sector, which employs more than 9,000 Bahamians, will take years to rebuild from the category-5 hurricane.,,, A Post-Disaster Damage and Needs Assessment carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organization during October 2019, confirmed that nearly 80% of the fisheries sector and its supporting infrastructure, including lobster and conch collection centres in Grand Bahama and Abaco, ranged from being significantly damaged to completely destroyed. >click to read< 11:28
FISH-NL plans Day of Action for Nov. 6th: ’We need more fight to make this work’
The Federation of Independent Sea Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador (FISH-NL) is organizing a Day of Action for Wednesday, Nov. 6th — a final opportunity for the province’s inshore harvesters to break free from the FFAW-Unifor. It’s been made more than clear that the FFAW-Unifor is not working in the best interests of inshore harvesters,” says Ryan Cleary, President of FISH-NL. “Fishermen know the score, but it’s in their hands now. They have spent years complaining on the wharf about the FFAW, but now the time has come to either join the harvesters putting up a fight, sign a card, and take a stand, or accept the scraps they’re been left with by Ottawa, the other provinces, foreign nations, offshore companies, and the FFAW.” >Click to read< 09:55
The One that Didn’t Get Away: The Atlantic’s Largest Menhaden Fishing Fleet Faces Penalties
At a meeting this week in New Hampshire, commissioners from Florida to Maine voted unanimously to find Virginia out of compliance. Eric Reid is a commercial fisherman who represented Rhode Island at this week’s meeting. “I got boats sitting at the dock too. And when the fed said fishing is over, we stayed tied to the dock. We didn’t write a letter saying ‘hey I’ve got 150 employees as well and we need to make money and we’re going.’ We stopped,” Reid noted. “It kinda rubs my nose in it a little bit. I don’t care for it.” >click to read< 08:50
