Daily Archives: March 18, 2020

Coronavirus: Irish Fishermen advised to stop fishing due to market collapse

Fishermen in the south and west of Ireland have been advised to cease fishing this weekend following what has been described as a ‘complete collapse of the market’ here and in Europe. The Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation said it would be irresponsible to keep landing fish if it is only going to be discarded. The Chief Executive Patrick Murphy said a specific financial package needs to be put in place for the fishing industry otherwise there will be utter devastation. >click to read< 20:10

Big Wave Surfing and Commercial Fishing with Matt Becker

The talented crew over at 805 Beer have been releasing these high-quality mini-docs for a while now — spotlighting different occupations, exploring fringe cultures, and generally celebrating life. This time they’ve given us a glimpse into the lifestyle of second-generation California surfer/fisherman Matt Becker, who makes his money off commercial fishing, and feeds his soul off surfing spots like Maverick’s. It’s not a safe or soft routine, but it’s the only way Matt would want to live. Video, >click to watch< 18:44

Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 35′ Gillnetter/Lobster boat, 300HP John Deere

Specifications, information and 5 photos >click here<, Vessel is in excellent condition! To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 15:23

Coronavirus: Flattening the economy to control COVID-19 will have limited benefits at high costs

In 2016, U.S. economist Larry Summers, commenting on the release of a report titled The Neglected Dimension of Global Security: A Framework to Counter Infectious Disease Crises, said that “relative to its significance, there is no issue that gets less attention” than the risk of pandemics and epidemics.,, scrambling to catch up, the political authorities at the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) and in towers of power around the world who underplayed the pandemic risk are engaging in a giant social and economic experiment: the temporary shutdown of the $100-trillion world economy to fix a real looming crisis they long ignored. And it is an experiment. Governments around the world are using the global economy as a test tube for science and behaviour theories that the COVID-19 pandemic can perhaps be managed and controlled by imposing draconian limits on most economic activity. >click to read< 13:31

Coronavirus: As Canned Tuna Fly Off Shelves, Operations of US Boats Are Compromised

Consumers bracing against Covid-19 have raised demands not only for health and safety products but also for many food staples, including tuna. StarKist Samoa, located in the US Territory of American Samoa, supplies tuna for the US market. “The StarKist Samoa operation relies on the US tuna fishermen, and direct fish deliveries to the cannery are a major component of our business model,” said StarKist Samoa in a statement today. “We have seen an increase in sales that has been attributed to the Covid-19 impact, and we are doing our best to keep up with the demand. >click to read< 10:35

Coronavirus: Urgent measures sought to help shellfish sector market undermined by continental closures

Discussions are ongoing with the Scottish Government for temporary help for the sector which is hardest hit among the local strands of the fishing industry. Shetland’s continental exports are mostly crab and scallop, but prawns (nephrops), which form a huge part of Scottish seafood exports, are also badly affected. Shetland Fishermen’s Association executive officer Simon Collins said that it was essential to support a sector that in normal times was very healthy in order to tide it over till the effects of coronavirus had broken. >click to read<08:40

Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Company’s largest creditors battle as receivership stalls

A hearing will be held to give the creditors of Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Company a chance to replace the firm overseeing the receivership of the seafood processor. Jessie filed for receivership on Feb. 26, short changing several fishermen owed money by the company.,, Florian Mumford, captain of F/V Dream, Jim Kary, owner of F/V The Beachcomer and Kary’s nephew Ross Kary, sat in the courtroom while the two attorneys argued. >click to read< 07:35

Coronavirus: COVID-19 hits lobster industry hard

On the day when Massachusetts restaurants officially were barred from offering on-site dining for at least three weeks, boat prices for live lobster were reported to dip to as low as $3 a pound in Maine and $3.25 in Massachusetts and wholesale dealers were trying to determine their next steps. “Right now, we’re trying to figure out what we’re going to do,” said Joe Ciaramitaro, one of the owners of Capt. Joe & Sons in East Gloucester.,, “It’s tricky right now,” said Monte Rome, owner of Gloucester-based Intershell. “The restaurant business for us is obviously over for now. It’s one minute at a time, not even one day at a time.” >click to read< 05:58