Daily Archives: August 7, 2020
Barnegat Light longline boat’s surprise catch
You can file this in one in the category of unique catches. An opah weighing 125 pounds was landed by longline vessel Alexandria Dawn, which docks at Viking Village in Barnegat Light. The boat returned Aug.4 from nearly two weeks of fishing for tuna and swordfish at the Georges Banks, near the Canadian line. The vessel’s Captain Bob Brewster made about two dozen sets, one of which caught the opah, said Viking Village employee Austin Schwerzel, who photographed the crew with the fish. >click to read< 15:02
Alaska fishermen face ‘perfect storm’ of problems during Coronavirus pandemic, but state grants could help
On Friday, the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development announced that the COVID-19 small business grants program was being expanded. Starting Aug. 6, commercial fishermen across Alaska can apply for grants worth between $5,000 and $100,000. Before that date, fishermen were ineligible for help as they typically don’t have business licenses. Many in Alaska’s fishing industry need the assistance. Robert Venables, the executive director of Southeast Conference, said fishermen across the region had been reporting poor returns. “This year it’s been a perfect storm, the slump has continued. The catch is even worse than last year, by far,” Venables said. >click to read< 13:56
Matthew Roy Bigwood, Commercial fishing boat builder, founder of Bigwood Propeller Corp
Matthew Roy Bigwood, 65, passed away peacefully at his home on August 1, 2020. He was predeceased by his brother, Jonathan L. Bigwood. He is survived by his wife Mary Alice Bigwood (Kennedy); as well as his sister-in-law Peryntha (Perrie) Bigwood and nephews, Justin Emerson and Jonathan (Trevor) and many other loving family members and friends.,, His father Waldo aka (Jack) was a carpenter by trade and the two boys Jon and Matt inherited Dad’s many talents. In the early 70′s they built a 28 foot wooden lobster boat named The Marian Louise, after Grandma Bigwood, in the back yard in Spencer. They also built three large, steel commercial fishing boats on the property in the Mills. >Click to read< 10:50
PEISPA, PEIFA disappointed with the opening date of fall lobster season
The opening day is Monday, Aug. 10. A media release issued from the PEISPA explains this date will create difficulty for lobster processors to handle the large number of lobsters that will be harvested in the first week. The release goes on to say the fall season would usually start on Aug. 9, but since that date falls on a Sunday this year, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) supported changing the opening date. “We are very disappointed that DFO rejected our simple but impactful request to start the fall fishery on Aug. 7,” said Jerry Gavin, executive director of the PEISPA. The P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA) also made a formal request for an earlier start date, confirmed executive director Ian MacPherson. >click to read< 09:54
The economic fallout for plummeting demand and prices is producing the worst conditions lobster fishermen have seen in years
“The problem is really only beginning for this industry,” said Sue Clough, who, along with her husband Vincent runs Stern Seafood, a major buyer in Scarborough of lobster harvested by local fishermen.,, Dennis Violette, who has been fishing for lobster out of Scarborough for the past 40 years, said prices for lobster now are about $1.25 per pound less than at this time last year, due to the drop in demand. He and his fellow lobstermen aren’t shipping as many overseas as in previous years, and demand has dropped from processors in Canada, which are usually big customers for local fishermen like himself. If tourists stay away this fall, he said, it’s only going to get worse. >click to read< 09:02
