Monthly Archives: March 2020
Haskell’s Seafood Keeping Baymen In Business-Market will deliver directly to homes in wake of coronavirus pandemic
As Jamie Hummel’s markets began shutting down, the Hampton Bays fisherman was genuinely worried what would happen when all avenues to sell his product officially closed. “Everyone is laid off right now,” he said. “With what we do, there’s no backup for us.” Southampton Town Trustee Scott Horowitz saw a Facebook post by his childhood friend and knew he needed to jump into action. He connected Hummel with Captain Peter Haskell, owner of Haskell’s Seafood in East Quogue, who consulted with other baymen, and Assemblyman Fred Thiele, to create a delivery service. >click to read< 09:56
Possible quota reduction on Northern Shrimp concerns Newfoundland fishers and communities
This could mean hard times in an already hard businesses, harvester Chris Rose told the Northern Pen. He is hoping to make enough this season to pay the bills. The St. Carol’s fisherman owns his own boat, with a four-member crew, and has been fishing since 1991.“Two years prior to last year I had to give my crew some of my boat’s percentage so they could get enough to qualify for EI,” Rose said. “We are down to crunching numbers that fine.” He said when he started in 1999 shrimp fishing was great, then it exploded between 2008 to 2014. It has been going steadily downhill since.“Since the peak I’ve lost 80 percent of my shrimp quota,,, >click to read< 08:42
Coronavirus: export fish price crash – Newlyn boat lands huge trip in debt!
By weight, pollack, which is mainly exported to France and Spain was the most plentiful fish on the market this morning in Newlyn where over 8,000kg was landed from four boats – on Monday this week, pollack was making £4.50 a kilo – by this morning the average price was 41p – one boat, which had leased all of its pollack quota at 50p a kilo made a net loss on the trip – which means that not only would the crew – all of whom are ‘share-fishermen’ receive no wage but the boat’s expenses, which included around 6,000litres of fuel,,, >click to read< 07:25
Coronavirus: North Carolina fishermen, seafood dealers work through industry changes due to outbreak
N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order Tuesday closing restaurants and bars to dine-in service. Additionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidance recommending people avoid large gatherings and to practice social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As a result, commercial fishermen, including for-hire and charter fishermen, have been “significantly impacted,” according to N.C. Fisheries Association President Glenn Skinner. “While it’s too early to predict the long-term impacts, it appears they will be devastating if the current situation continues for any length of time.” >click to read< 06:21
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
Norwegian industry vows to keep seafood nation running amid Coronavirus chaos
Both wild fisheries and aquaculture are as food producers considered of critical importance to society. Together with the transport sector the seafood producers are aiming to keep up supply of Norwegian seafood both in Norway and abroad. On Saturday 14th March, the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries issued a formal letter identifying the value chain supporting food production and delivery as critical functions to society. In these difficult times it is important to keep society going, and ensure that everyone has access to healthy and nutritious foods, says Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen, newly appointed Minister of Fisheries and Seafood in Norway. >click to read< 19:10
Tersan Shipyard has signed a new contract for a second freezer stern trawler
The new vessel will be among the world’s largest purpose-built factory trawlers and will trawl Alaska pollock in the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as herring, mackerel and pollock in the Pacific. The vessel is arranged for pelagic and semi-pelagic trawling, using two main trawl winches working in combination with ice trawl gallows and four large pelagic sweep line drums. The Skipsteknisk designed vessel will be 108 by 20 metres with accommodation for up to the 150 people on board,,, >click to read< 16:25
Coronavirus: Maine DMR Director Kelliher urges lobster industry to stop harvesting if there is no market
Patrick Kelliher, director of the state’s Department of Marine Resources, issued a call Monday for co-operation between fishermen and dealers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Harvesters and dealers must put aside their differences and must actively communicate with each other about the realities of the market,” Kelliher said in a notice posted on the department’s website. “Harvesters must refrain from landing products if there is no market for it. Dealers must refrain from buying product for which there is no market in order to minimize loss associated with inventory that can’t be sold.” Kelliher said he does not have the authority to close the lobster fishery, but he is working with Maine Gov. Janet Mills to “fully understand what authorities may — or may not exist.” >click to read< 13:46
Synthetic crustacean bait prepared for major evaluation in Nova Scotia
In early March 2020, Kepley BioSystems shipped several hundred synthetic crustacean baits for evaluation by a major lobster fishery in Canada under the leadership of industry experts, Clare Machine Works and Synergy Seafoods Limited. The effectiveness and palatability of the bait will also be studied in collaboration with the Université Sainte-Anne’s Marine Research Centre.,, This ecologically advanced approach would be made possible by a new formulation of OrganoBait™, an environmentally neutral blend of naturally occurring biochemicals found in wild fish baits and plant proteins that can attract lobsters and other crustaceans. >click to read< 10:53
Coronavirus: Fishermen cannot land their catch in France
The problem is not that boats are not able to land their catches, the issue is that restaurants in France, Italy and Spain have closed down, which has hit the demand for seafood. Fisherman Dougal Lane said it was very worrying. ‘The whole shellfish side of the industry has shut down, the crab and lobster boats, because the European market has crashed and, of course, the other market was China, so the market for shellfish has absolutely come to a standstill. >click to read< 10:04
Northern Shrimp Harvester Roland Genge questions science methodology, hoping for changes to quota rules
He’s seen the best the Newfoundland and Labrador fishery has had to offer over the past 42 years — and the worst. From buying a new boat in the 1980s, to the collapse of cod in 1992, to the rise of shrimp quotas and price, Roland Genge has taken the waves of the inshore fishery in stride. Now, the Anchor Point fisherman is concerned about last month’s shrimp assessments. “We’re going to be cut … every year on account of the way the survey is being done,” >click to read< 08:14
Tell Your Congressmen and Senators: Our US Fishing Industry Faces The Coronavirus Disaster
With the Coronavirus being spread around the world and nations reacting to this threat in many different ways, from doing nothing, to closing the borders and full quarantines, the unintended effects of such government actions have yet to be fully felt. Granted the stock market has lost 30% in value in just 3 weeks time, the average American really doesn’t feel that unless he is living on his investment returns. With the closing of schools, and restaurants and any places of public gatherings an enormous crisis is being created because many people are being put out of work and some of them may not have a business to come back to when the crisis is over. The Coronavirus may topple an empire if we let it. >click to read< 06:17
Economic Resumption? Business Picks up Pace in China, Global Recovery Pace Uncertain
China’s business and travel activities are steadily recovering after being disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak, but rapidly rising infections globally will pose a challenge to the country’s broader economic resumption. Nomura estimated in a research report on Monday about 61.6% of the firms hardest hit by the health crisis in China have resumed work as of March 8, and 74.1% in the broader economy. China reported on Monday no locally-transmitted cases of infection on the mainland outside of the central province of Hubei, the epicentre of the outbreak, for the second straight day. >click to read< 19:28
Coronavirus: Long Island Wholesale fish prices drop as restaurants cut back
The wholesale price for lobsters, normally anywhere from $12 to $15 a pound this time of year, have fallen under $8, dealers say. Other normally pricey fish such as tuna and swordfish are also taking a dive, as restaurants in New York City cut back,, If there’s any silver lining right now, said Nino Locascio, co-owner of Mastic Seafood in Mastic, it’s the walk-in retail market in Suffolk, where business has remained brisk. He also sells wholesale to local restaurants, and that business is down “dramatically,” he said. >click to read< 16:29
An inspiration behind the Brexit campaign – Tributes paid to North-east fishing stalwart Tom Hay
Hundreds gathered in Peterhead on Saturday to pay tribute to ex-Fishermen’s Association Limited chair Tom Hay, who died on March 8. John Ashworth, leader of Save Britain’s Fish and FFL, said: “I knew Tom through business (although not that well) before we joined forces through the Save Britain’s Fish campaign. It all started 28 years ago when representatives of the Scottish Industry came down to York for a training meeting. “I met them at the railway station and took them to their Hotel. Later I spoke to them all about my concerns for our industry. “From that day Tom commenced a journey of outstanding leadership and courage against all odds. >click to read< 13:59
The sad passing of Tom Hay – An inspiration behind the Brexit campaign
Fishing For Leave has paid tribute to industry stalwart Tom Hay who has died followiong a year’s fight with dementia. Save Britain’s Fish and Fishermen’s Association Limited’s ex-chair Tom died on Sunday, March 8 with his funeral taking place in Peterhead on Saturday. >click to read< 15:32
“They Go To Sea”: Local prawn fishermen highlighted in short film
A short film highlighting the life of Queensland’s hard working prawn fishermen has featured Grunske’s By The River owners and their passion for local seafood. Focusing on areas including Bundaberg and Hervey Bay to Townsville and the Gold Coast, the video titled “They Go To Sea” was posted recently by Australian Wild Prawns. Grunske’s By The River has been included in the short film with owner/skipper Paul Grunske stating the hard working fishermen and women he deals with every day was a big part of the success of his business. Video, >click to read< 09:23
Coronavirus: The day our world changed
Coronavirus has changed everything. We just haven’t noticed it yet. But those changes will become more apparent by the day. Where COVID19 is taking us is uncertain. It appears contained in China. South Korea seems to be on top of its rate of spread. But Italy, the US and Europe may soon be overwhelmed by the contagion. But Flinders University change ecologist Professor Corey Bradshaw says that, ultimately, its impact will not be counted in human fatalities. Nor in the cost of treating the sick. It will be in our minds. It’s in our economic system. >click to read< 07:45
What lives, what dies? The role of science in the decision to cull seals to save cod
Atlantic cod on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland supported one of the world’s greatest fisheries for over three centuries. Yet this seemingly inexhaustible resource is in bad shape. Some stocks are now endangered and their survival could depend on removing a key predator, the grey seal. This raises some difficult questions: How do we determine the value of one species over another, and what is the role of science in this conundrum? My colleagues and I in the Fisheries Economics Research Unit at the University of British Columbia are fascinated by these questions. As an interdisciplinary group of economists, ecologists and social scientists, we commonly attribute values to animals in different ways. >click to read< 16:55
Video: Coast Guard medevacs fisherman injured 170 miles southwest of Kodiak
The Coast Guard medevaced an injured fisherman Saturday from a boat southwest of Kodiak Island. A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak hoisted the 49-year-old man from the 58-foot fishing vessel Alaskan Dream at approximately 1:15 p.m. He was transported to Air Station Kodiak and placed in the care of awaiting local EMS. Video, >click to watch< 15:31
Fishing Presents a Vexing Snag in Brexit Talks
In the pitch black of early morning, huge waves hurled the 30-ton vessel from side to side, drenching crewmen who struggled to keep their footing as they cast the trawler’s nets into the swirling seas. But, once back on the bridge, the skipper, Dave Driver was oblivious to the stomach-churning motion of the boat, and dismissive of the perils of his work — even as he recalled once falling overboard and, on another occasion, rescuing two fishermen from drowning. “I’m my own boss, I do what I want, I think it’s the best job in the world,” said Mr. Driver, who left school at age 15, but now owns the 1.2 million pound trawler Girl Debra, named after his wife. He has only one major gripe in life: the French. photo’s, more, >click to read< 14:51
Quinlan Bros. to be sold to Royal Greenland in another N.L. fishery shakeup
In a stunning move, the owners of Quinlan Brothers Limited — one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest and best-known seafood processing companies — have announced the proposed sale of their company to Royal Greenland. The sale involves the transfer of licenses, so it is subject to provincial government approval. The deal is expected to close later this year, following the end of the 2020 processing season. If approved, the deal will mean that Quinlan Brothers Limited and Quin-Sea Fisheries Limited will once again be under common ownership. >click to read< 11:57
Sealing was a dangerous job
I always remember a picture of my great-grandfather standing next to a pile of harp seal pelts on the heaving and unpredictable ice floes in the frigid North Atlantic Ocean off Newfoundland. Most of the fishermen, who became sealers for just a few weeks every spring, wore only the clothes and footwear that they had on when they arrived at the fleet,,, It was risky business, but the fishermen were typically poor and had big families to feed, so many jumped at the chance to join the seal fleets, despite the significant hazards involved. more, >click to read< 09:44
“Looking Back”: The Keep Fishermen Fishing Rally
Measured by any meaningful criteria the Keep Fishermen Fishing rally held on the steps of the Capitol on March 21 was a stunning success. It was attended by thousands of fishermen from as far away as Alaska, twenty one Senators and Members of the House of Representatives, and at least a half a dozen other VIPs made room in their busy schedules to come out and address the people who attended. From the most conservative of the conservatives to the most liberal of the liberals, these politically divergent speakers had one message; fix the Magnuson Act and bring back the balance between conservation and harvest. For the second time at the national level recreational and commercial fishermen – no matter what fisheries they participated in, no matter what their disagreements on allocation or lesser issues were, and no matter where they were from – were standing together and demanding a return to the original intent of the Magnuson Act;,,, >click to read< 08:09
