Daily Archives: May 23, 2020
Fire Tears Through San Francisco’s Pier 45 Fishing Offices, Equipment at Fisherman’s Wharf
The four-alarm fire at San Francisco’s Pier 45 will put a real strain on the fish and crab industry that’s an important part of Fisherman’s Wharf. Several dozen fishing businesses are located on the rear of the pier, including offices, vehicles and equipment. Hundreds of thousands of crab pots were lost at a cost of more than $300 apiece, leading to a burned plastic smell in the area. The fishermen and crab fleet keeps most of their gear at Pier 45. “It’s a complete wipeout for the majority of the crab fleet there,” California Coast Crab Association President Ben Platt told KCBS Radio. >click to read or listen< 22:31
Here’s What Cast Members of ‘Wicked Tuna’ Make per Episode
The Wicked Tuna cast members’ salaries look a whole lot different than when the show kicked off back in 2012. And crew and deckhands always make far less than captains, or crew members who have risen to stardom either because the network saw potential, or their personalities stood out for TV. When it first aired, the crew reportedly pulled in between $2,000 and $3,000 per boat, per episode, separate from whatever fish they hauled in. As of 2019, that figure was up to $10,000 per episode — but some of the longstanding series stars may make up to $100,000 per show. >click to read< 17:46
“I’m in fear of my livelihood,” “They really don’t listen to us.” Florida shortens stone crab season over industry objections
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the shortened season and other new limits are necessary to sustain Florida stone crabs,,, The agency’s scientists said many crabs don’t survive their claws being removed, and crabs have been overharvested since the late 1990s. Its data, challenged as inaccurate by the industry, showed the fewest pounds of stone crab claws harvested since 1986 during the season that ended last year. Wholesale claw prices in some areas have tanked from low demand, as diners avoid restaurants and consumers reduce spending amid concerns about the economy. The commission said Gov. Ron DeSantis may reduce the amount of money crabbers must pay for next season’s trap certificates as part of a crab-industry bailout related to the virus. >click to read or listen< 15:14
This is very cool! Happy Birthday! Celebrate the Lobster Lady’s 100th birthday on TV
The Rockland Historical Society will bring its June program to everyone at home this year. The program will be a documentary film, “The Lobster Lady,” based on the lifelong career of Virginia Oliver who started lobstering with her older brother when she was eight years old. Oliver will turn 100 June 6. She is, no doubt, the oldest licensed lobster fishing person in Maine and probably the World. With 92 years of experience, Oliver is looking forward to starting a new season. She lobsters with her son, 77-year-old Max Oliver. Weather permitting, they go out three times a week. Both have their own traps. Oliver has 200 traps of her own. >click to read< , >click to watch the film< 12:05
Alaska: Commercial fishermen struggle in coronavirus pandemic
“We tied the boat up, hoping and waiting for things to stabilize a little bit,” said Jim Hubbard, who has been commercial fishing for nearly 50 years. Hubbard’s vessel, Kruzof, has been docked for two months during the coronavirus pandemic. With many restaurants shut down or operating at a limited capacity, it wasn’t worth it to fish. “We learned that about 80% of our seafood goes to the restaurant trade and the species we target, more the commodity-based fish species. It’s really basically gutted our markets,” Hubbard said. “We’re not making money, tourist people aren’t making money, the restaurants aren’t making money, and it just keeps going down,” said Cory Harris. Harris owns the F/V Tribute and just returned to Seward from a recent fishing venture. He wants to make whatever money he can even if the prices aren’t great. >click to read< 11:05
Ireland: Warning fishing industry is on brink of collapse due to lack of Coronavirus support
Ireland’s €1.2 billion fishing industry is on the brink of collapse, according to industry representatives who say it has been decimated by the collapse in domestic and EU markets since the start of the Covid-19 crisis. But they also say the government’s lack of appropriate help could prove to be the final nail in the coffin. The representatives point to the fact that Agriculture Minister Michael Creed recently announced more money for harbour repairs than for packages to help fishermen and women. They also say a scheme he announced last week to help pay the costs of boats that can’t fish because of the crisis is “not fit for purpose”. >click to read< 10:25
BREAKING: Crews battle 4-alarm fire at San Francisco’s Pier 45 at Fisherman’s Wharf
Crews are battling an enormous fire a San Francisco warehouse on the city’s iconic Pier 45 at Fisherman’s Wharf Saturday morning. Firefighters told our sister station KGO-TV that additional structures and the SS Jeremiah O’Brien ship are threatened. The ship is one of two remaining fully functioning Liberty ships launched during World War II. It’s unclear what ignited the flames. Crews say no one has been hurt. The fire was first reported around 4:40 a.m. local time. As of 5:49 a.m., the fire department said crews were making progress on the flames. >click to read< 09:22
Two survivors of 42 days adrift at sea struggle to return home to Marshall Islands
Two Marshallese men who survived a six-week, 1,640km drift are well and awaiting their return home from Weno, an island in Micronesia. A third man, who was in the boat when it left Marshall Islands on April 2, reportedly jumped into the sea 17 days into the 42-day open ocean drift. Earlier this week, the Micronesian government’s patrol vessel transported the two men from isolated Namoluk Atoll to Weno for medical check ups. “The sea was rough and my husband kept telling Junior to remain on the boat, but he jumped from the front end of the boat,” she said of her phone call. >click to read< 08:42
