Daily Archives: February 20, 2020

The $2 million fish? Jersey fishermen calling on government to allow targeting the bluefin tuna market

Don Thompson, president of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, said Jersey should look to Prince Edward Island, the smallest Canadian province, whose industry for commercial and charter boat tuna fishing is worth about $2 million a year. In recent years, fishermen have reported seeing an ‘abundance’ of Atlantic blue fin tuna – which are classified as endangered – around the Island in the summer months but there is a total ban on catching them for Jersey vessels. No such ban applies to French boats. French newspaper Ouest France reported that 5.4 tonnes of tuna were landed at Granville market last year. A single fish can be worth thousands of pounds. >click to read< 21:18

This Fishing Life – Six-part documentary gave viewers insight of the struggles facing the Cornish fishing industry

These are the faces of a new BBC Two documentary giving viewers an unprecedented look into the Cornish fishing industry. Cornwall: This Fishing Life was a six part series on BBC Two that finished earlier this week, which touched upon everything from Brexit to banning the sale of second homes. The first episode was focused on Mevagissey, one of the few remaining working fishing villages in the county, which has been tackling the issues posed by tourism. It was followed by a second part which focused on Newlyn and the community’s strong support for Brexit – with over 90% of the UK fishing industry voting to leave the European Union. This page has 38 great photos, >click to read, view< 18:50

Lobster trap tag from sunken Newport boat washes up on an English beach

When the lobster boat Holly & Alexander sunk south of Nantucket in 2003, the crew had been hauling from 1,954 lobster traps located on the bottom of the ocean, 100 miles offshore along the continental shelf. Each trap had its own lobster trap tag, according to the boat’s owner, William “Bill” Palombo. At least one of those lobster tags floated the more than 3,000 miles from the Nantucket area to the coast of Cornwall, England, where it was recently recovered by a volunteer from Friends of Portheras Cove, which conducts regular beach cleanups. >click to read< 15:12

Council passes legislation ending zoning dispute between watermen and a neighbor

When boys in the Whitehall Beach neighborhood reach teenage years, they go and work for the watermen. Some stay for a long time, some don’t, but Pat Donoho, who has lived across the street from the creek for 51 years, said the length of time is not as important as what they learn: a good work ethic. Donoho’s son was one of them — which is why she turned up to the Anne Arundel County Council chambers Tuesday night to testify in support of a bill that allows for watermen’s commercial use in certain residential areas, which were at risk due to zoning challenges. The council unanimously passed the bill following public comments. >click to read< 13:28

P.E.I. fishermen adjust to newly imposed gear markings

The P.E.I. Fisherman’s Association said it’s receiving calls from local fishermen asking for clarification over the new gear markings imposed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Like any new management measure, Griffin said, it will take time to get used to. “Prior to this there were no gear markings,” she said. “It’s a brand new … management measure in place, so there’s always a little bit confusion when a new management measure comes in,” Griffin said.  To reflect the United States Marine Mammal Protection Act, fixed gear fishermen on P.E.I. will now be required to have specially-coloured fishing gear rope. One piece to represent the Gulf region, one to represent the species they are fishing and one to represent the location of their trap. >click to read< 11:48

Carlos Rafael: Twelve fishing vessels sold to Blue Harvest Fisheries to stay in New Bedford

“Today’s acquisition by Blue Harvest represents a level of investment in New Bedford and the groundfish fishery we haven’t seen in years,” said Port of New Bedford Director Ed Anthes-Washburn. “The Port is pleased to see that Blue Harvest is continuing to invest in vessels, processing and facilities.”
Rafael, dubbed ‘The Codfather,’ controlled a significant portion of New Bedford’s fishing fleet before a federal investigation and ensuing guilty plea led to a 46-month prison sentence for falsifying fishing quota, cash smuggling, and tax evasion which he started in November 2017. >click to read<  11:02

Orsted and Eversource Wind Farm Plan Is Paused. What about those jobs promised by the mult-national wind farmers?!!

Orsted, the Danish energy company that acquired Deepwater Wind of Providence, R.I., in 2018 and then joined with the Connecticut energy company Eversource on the South Fork Wind Farm and other offshore wind projects, has set a timeline that would have the wind farm operational by December 2022. The federal government’s pause on it and on Vineyard Wind, a proposed wind farm jointly under development by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Avangrid Renewables, have put their respective timelines in doubt. Vineyard Wind, based in New Bedford, Mass., issued a statement last week in which Lars Pedersen, its chief executive officer, said that its 2022 target date for completion “is no longer expected.” >click to read< 09:48

Scots offshore wind farm revolution has created just 6% of jobs forecast by ministers – At the time of the 2010 strategy, it was said that Scotland had the natural resources to become the “green energy powerhouse of Europe” and said: “It is critical that Scotland exploits the opportunities being made available by the offshore wind industry.” Sound like the crap todays carnival barking politicians are spewing today! >click to read< 09:50

A new fish processor is buoying King Cove’s fishermen. But,,

King Cove has long been a company town. For decades, its fishermen were frustrated by Peter Pan Seafoods, Inc., the private company that runs King Cove’s own massive processing plant. Especially vexing were the limits: While another processor in the region was buying far more salmon, Peter Pan would only buy 35,000 pounds from each boat, each day, said A.J. Newman, a King Cove city council member who skippers the 58-foot Lady Lee Dawn.“It’s hard to watch your friends catch double what you caught,” said Newman. “Peter Pan had too many boats,,, >click to read< 08:44

PFDs: Encourage fishermen to wear lifejackets while on deck – Safety training and equipment saved lives

The Polaris sank so rapidly that skipper Gordon Mills only had time to send out a Mayday to the coastguard before the vessel became submerged. But it was local fishing vessel, the Lynn Marie, which arrived first on scene. The skipper and a crew member from Polaris had been in the water for at least 15-20 minutes before help arrived. Skipper of the Lynn Marie feared the worst as they arrived at the scene as the Polaris had already gone below the water. He stopped his engine and heard two men in the water shouting. >click to read< 07:38