Monthly Archives: September 2020
“The icon of the creek” – Wayne Magwood remembered by family, friends
Wayne Magwood and his shrimping boat, The Winds of Fortune, called Shem Creek home for decades. He often sold his catch on the corner of Mill Street and Coleman Boulevard, near the site of the accident. Some say, he taught everyone on the creek how to shrimp. He’d take young shrimpers under his wing and teach them the ways while helping them get their boats ready for the job. One of those young shrimpers is Lockwood Freeman who is also Magwood’s nephew. “We’ve just been getting it ready. We were really just getting going. I’m just devastated. It just feels like a dream,” said Freeman. video, >click to read< 08:29
Mike Rowe of “Dirty Jobs” pens heartfelt note after Lowcountry shrimp boat captain’s death
On Friday morning, Lowcountry shrimp boat Captain Wayne Magwood passed away after being hit by a car on Coleman Blvd. in Mount Pleasant. Magwood, the captain of The Winds of Fortune, once appeared on the hit TV show called Dirty Jobs with host Mike Rowe in Season 2 of the show. “Deadliest Catch was not yet a thing, and most Captains of any respectable fishing vessel would never allow a camera crew aboard. But Captain Magwood was game. He loved his boat, loved his home, and loved his job – all of which was made obvious to me on the day we spent together,” Rowe said.,,, The Winds of Fortune – I met Captain Wayne Magwood in 2005, back when he welcomed me aboard The Winds of Fortune, a shrimp boat that plied the waters off Shem Creek in South Carolina. We were shooting the second season of Dirty Jobs, and I wanted to do a story on the shrimp industry. >click to read< 18:00
‘Nothing good in this reform’ – Controversial fishing reforms in NSW – More debt, less certainty
A long-awaited report has found the New South Wales Government’s sweeping fishing industry reforms, which were supposed to solve major structural problems, have plunged fishermen into debt and business insecurity. The number of commercial fishermen dropped from a high of 3,500 in the 1980s to 1,100 prior to the reforms, and 300 have left since. In 2016, the NSW Government tried to address the overallocation of fishing licences during the 1990s and early 2000s, to prevent overfishing, and restore the sector to profit. The Business Adjustment Package (BAP) was designed to 
help inactive or older fishermen retire their licences. >click to read< 12:54
A page with a lot of posts on the NSW Government Fishery Reforms, such as Catch Shares New South Wales Style – Half the Small Boat Fishermen will disappear, >click to read<
Irish Fishing industry faces perfect storm of no-deal Brexit and Covid challenge
Patrick Murphy’s stark summing-up of the current state of the Irish fishing industry is not breaking news to those involved. But it will come as a surprise to many people in West Cork that fishing accounts for such a huge chunk of the local economy. When you think about the businesses that supply the hundreds of vessels operating off the south coast, it quickly becomes obvious why the industry must be protected here. Even medium-sized trawlers will use thousands of euro of diesel every year, and a modest operator will take on board about €500 or €600 worth of groceries to feed a small crew for a week. >click to read< 11:28
Seafood Trade Relief Program: USDA tweaks farm assistance program to fund fishermen hurt by U.S. China trade war
Jeremy Leighton is a dive fisherman based in Ketchikan. But it’s not just geoduck fishermen. Frances Leach heads up United Fishermen of Alaska, a fishing industry group. “China seems to be one of the biggest markets for a lot of our seafood products in Alaska. And not just buying them for consumption, but also processing. We send a lot of seafood over to China to be processed,” Leach said. Now, Leighton and thousands of other U.S. fishermen could be eligible for a new program designed to help fishermen hurt by the tariff on seafood. It’s an Agriculture Department initiative called the Seafood Trade Relief Program. U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan said it’s a new twist on an old trade war strategy. “There have been long standing U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that provide relief to farmers, when their products exported are hit with retaliatory tariffs,” Sullivan said. >click to read< 10:21
Longtime shrimper Wayne Magwood identified as pedestrian killed in Mount Pleasant crash
A longtime shrimp boat captain who recently retired from his trade was killed when a dump truck overturned Friday morning in Mount Pleasant, authorities have confirmed. Edwin “Wayne” Magwood, 67, of Mount Pleasant, died at 10:13 a.m. at Coleman Boulevard and Mill Street of blunt force injuries suffered in the crash, according to the Charleston County Coroner’s Office. Magwood was a pedestrian, the Coroner’s Office said. >click to read< 08:14
Longtime shrimper and vessel retire from Shem Creek – Winds are blowing in a new direction for a historic shrimping vessel that has been a fixture on Shem Creek for more than 30 years. The Winds of Fortune, a staple of Shem Creek’s maritime history, has sold. Wayne Magwood, longtime shrimper and captain, originally purchased the vessel in 1987 and hauled it to the Lowcountry from Alabama. Three decades later, it’s now departing from its dock after being scooped up by a seafood distributor from Holden Beach, N.C. >click to read<
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for September 11, 2020
Legislative updates, Bill updates, Calendar, >Click here to read the Weekly Update<, to read all the updates >click here<, for older updates listed as NCFA >click here< 18:07
BP, Equinor Partner to Develop Offshore Wind Farms off New York, and Massachusetts
Two of Europe’s largest oil companies will develop offshore wind projects jointly in the U.S. in yet another example of energy giants migrating towards the development of renewables. Equinor of Norway, and has entered into an agreement to sell a 50% stake in two of its U.S offshore wind farm projects to Britain based BP for $1.1 Billion. Empire Wind, located just southeast of the Long Island coast, spans 80,000 acres, with water depths of between 65 and 131 feet. Beacon Wind is located 20 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and covers 128,000 acres. >click to read< 15:40
The Offshore Wind Farmers are Winning! Benefits Package Totals $29 Million for East Hampton Town
The Town of East Hampton and the town trustees will share a community benefits package worth almost $29 million in exchange for easements allowing Orsted U.S Offshore Wind and Eversource, partners developing the proposed 15-turbine South Fork Wind project, That decision has infuriated many residents of that hamlet, as well as most commercial fishermen in the town, though the site has equally impassioned support of other Wainscott residents, one of whom called in twice to Tuesday’s virtual meeting. >click to read< 12:31
Mi’kmaq planning their own moderate livelihood fishery outside DFO seasons
Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is downplaying plans by Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq to create their own moderate livelihood fishery, characterizing the move as part of ongoing negotiations to implement a 21-year-old Supreme Court ruling. “Right now we are working with the First Nations communities to determine what a moderate livelihood fishery looks like. We’re continuing to have those meetings with them,”,, The Trudeau government has managed to get moderate livelihood deals with three bands; one in Quebec and two in New Brunswick. >click to read< 10:55
Georgia: Impacts of Coronavirus pandemic on selling shrimp
It’s been three months since the start of shrimp season. Back in June, a McIntosh County shrimp boat captain said his first catch could have been better. Shrimp boats hit the Georgia waters early in the morning Thursday. Darrell Gale said he’s had average catches, but when it comes time to selling the shrimp, that’s where he’s struggling. >video, click to read< 10:07
NOAA Fisheries Needs to Declare Fishery Disaster for Northeast Fisheries
NOAA Fisheries needs to declare a fishery disaster for the north Atlantic fisheries of the east coast due to complications caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. Due to government shutdowns of the primary market for US seafood, the restaurants, the fishing industry has been suffering not from a shortage of fish, but from a shortage of markets to sell them. 70% of the sea food consumed in the United States is sold in restaurants, the Corona pandemic has caused complete shutdowns of indoor dining in many states or reduced capacity seating in others. This has resulted in no demand for fresh local US caught fish, a very perishable product, and the resultant low prices that haven’t been seen in 50 years. By Jim Lovgren, >click to read< 07:38
Petersburg to send salmon disaster declaration request
The numbers of salmon caught in the region this summer are some of the worst since Alaska became a state. “As far as the net fisheries go in Southeast, the net fisheries being the drift gillnet fishery and the purse seine fishery, we are looking at some all-time lows for salmon harvested in those fisheries,” said Troy Thynes, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s region one management coordinator for commercial fisheries. “The region 10-year average for the seine ex-vessel value is about $73.5 million,” Thynes said. “So this year’s value of eight million (dollars) is considerably less than that. And then the gillnet ex-vessel value, the recent 10-year average is about 27.4 million and right now we’re looking at around seven million, again very preliminary and we still have ongoing fisheries. These numbers will change.” For further comparison, the salmon harvest last year topped 101 million dollars and the year before 133 million. >click to read< 18:46
New Study – B.C. Salmon farms regularly under count sea lice, potentially putting wild salmon at risk
The study shows mandatory sea lice counts performed by the operators of the fish farms drop by between 15 and 50 per cent when they’re not being done during an audit by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). “That isn’t really a minor effect. This is a pretty obvious result,” said lead researcher Sean Godwin, who conducted the research for his PhD at Simon Fraser University. Salmon farms are required to perform monthly counts of the sea lice on their fish and make those numbers publicly available. The counts are self-reported, but fisheries officials perform occasional, pre-arranged audits to make sure the numbers are accurate. If the lice counts pass a certain threshold, the operators are required to pay for delousing treatments. >click to read< 15:59
Prince Edward Island: New fishermen left out of Coronavirus support programs
The P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association is trying to get federal support programs for fishermen changed so people new to the industry can qualify. The association says these new fishermen don’t qualify for the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant program, the Canada Emergency Business Account or the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. That’s because they need to supply information about their previous work in the industry. “There are several of the programs that require one or two years of previous financial information, which of course a new entrant would not possess,” said Ian MacPherson, executive director of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association. >click to read< 13:05
Hurricane Laura: A Paramedic’s diary – Kelly Grayson recounts weathering the storm
0700, August 26: Shift start. My partner and I do a rig check, and immediately leave to purchase ice for our coolers. We’ll be without power and communications by the time this shift is over.,,1600, August 27:“Does this place have a public restroom?” a man asks. I’m supposed to tell him no, but something about him speaks of a man at the end of his rope. He is dressed in overalls with no shirt, and white rubber boots. I point silently to the men’s room, and after he relieves himself, he stands in the hallway like a man lost. “How’s Cameron?” I guess, and he answers with a sigh of despair. “Under water. My house is gone. I got out with my wife, my kids and my dog. I don’t even know where we are.” We tell him, and my partner says, “You got what’s important. Everything else is just stuff. You can rebuild.” “Don’t know how,” the man sobs. “The shrimp boat I worked on sank at the dock. I don’t even have a job.” >click to read< 09:46
Humpback Whale freed from 4,000 pounds of fishing gear
An injured whale was rescued from the waters between New York and New Jersey,,, The whale was reported to the Coast Guard after being spotted by a recreational boat off the coast of the Rockaways in New York City, across from Sandy Hook, in late July. An investigation showed it was entangled by several buoys and thousands of pounds of steel fishing gear. Although whale entanglements are not unusual, a rescue effort of this magnitude is, experts said. “Using a hacksaw rescuers were able to cut through the steel cable holding the whale and the whale was able to swim free,” Nickles said. >click to read< 08:08
Bizarre salmon season winds down short of state projections
On top all the other effects of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s been a strange year for Alaska’s commercial salmon fisheries. As the fisheries are winding down, the total landings are about 17 percent behind the projections statewide. The Copper River sockeye run was a flop, as was the chum run statewide, and the silver salmon harvest was down everywhere except Kodiak and Bristol Bay. Prices were down, too, and processors had the extra expense and responsibility of keeping workers healthy in remote communities at close quarters. >click to read< 22:14
Coast Guard crews search for crewman missing from F/V St. Marie Anne off Oahu
Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu was notified by the fishing vessel St. Marie Anne, homeported in Honolulu, that a crew member was missing. The captain estimated the crew member was last seen at approximately 4 a.m. JRCC Honolulu watchstanders launched crews at 9 a.m. from Air Station Barbers Point, Cutter Joseph Gerczak and the Cutter Kimball to begin searching. The St. Marie Anne crew is also searching. >click to read< 19:46
UPDATEED: Coast Guard suspends search for missing mariner 300-miles east of Hawaii – Coast Guard watchstanders suspended the search for the missing mariner, Phouc Nguyen, Friday evening 300-miles east of Hawaii. >click to read< 4:42 AM (2 hours ago)
Seafood Trade Relief Program: Fishermen impacted by retaliatory tariffs can apply for help from the USDA
Fishermen and those in the U.S. seafood industry can start applying for help from the Department of Agriculture if they were impacted by retaliatory tariffs from foreign governments. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced Wednesday the USDA will provide approximately $527 million in relief to those impacted. “The Seafood Trade Relief Program ensures fishermen and other U.S. producers will not stand alone in facing unjustified retaliatory tariffs while President Trump continues working to solidify better and stronger trade deals around the globe.” >click to read< 17:16
Coast Guard crew rescues fisherman from surf near South Beach State Park
A Coast Guardsman swam from shore to rescue a fisherman from the surf near South Beach State Park early Tuesday morning after his vessel ran aground and began taking on water. The fisherman was forced to abandon ship after the vessel began breaking apart in 10-foot surf. At approximately 11:40 p.m., Coast Guard Sector North Bend watchstanders received the initial mayday call from a fisherman over VHF-FM radio. The lone mariner aboard a 44-foot commercial fishing vessel, F/V Legend, Commercial Fisherman Matt Davney requested assistance, reporting he was on the south jetty at Newport. >click to read< 14:53
Coast Guardsman swims from shore to rescue mariner south of Newport – A Coast Guardsman swam from shore to rescue a fisherman from the surf near South Beach State Park early Tuesday morning after his vessel ran aground and began taking on water. The Coast Guard said the fisherman was forced to abandon ship after the vessel began breaking apart in 10-foot surf. 3 photos, >click to read< 10:36
Nordic Hosting Public Zoom Meeting Wednesday taking questions, Study Results for Land-Based Fish Farm
Nordic is currently preparing its permit applications for a land-based aquaculture facility on the Samoa Peninsula in Humboldt County and has recently submitted the discharge permit applications to the Water Quality Control Board and the Coastal Commission. As part of these applications, a Dilution Study and a Marine Resources Impact study were conducted. Environmental protection is at the core of Nordic Aquafarms’ vision and Nordic is pleased to share the results from these studies. On Wednesday, September 9 at 6 p.m., Nordic will present study results, a general project overview and take questions from the audience,,, for details, and log in information, >click here< 13:57
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 71′ Steel Stern Trawler with State and Federal Permits
To review specifications, information and 1 photo, >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here<11:29
Lorraine Loomis: What we don’t know about of harbor seals and California sea lions could be hurting salmon, orcas
What we don’t know about populations of harbor seals and California sea lions in western Washington could be hurting salmon, orcas and other marine species — as well as fishing communities and economies — far more than we think. It’s estimated that seals and sea lions eat about 1.4 million pounds annually of threatened Puget Sound chinook and take six times more salmon than Indian and non-Indian fisheries combined. Historically, tribal fishermen never used to see seals and sea lions traveling up western Washington rivers. Today, we need to manage in-river predation by harbor seals of out-migrating juvenile salmon and returning adults — especially the threatened chinook that are their favorite target. >click to read< 10:17
President Trump to to prohibit offshore drilling along Florida, Georgia and S.C. coasts
The president signed a memorandum on Tuesday instructing the interior secretary to prohibit drilling in the waters off the South Carolina coast, Georgia coast and both Florida coasts. The ban would last for a period of 10 years, from July 1, 2022, to June 20, 2032. “South Carolina is blessed with the most beautiful and pristine beaches, sea islands, and marshes in the nation. Seismic testing and offshore drilling threatens their health and jeopardizes the future of our state’s $24 billion tourism industry. Today’s announcement is good news, but we must remain vigilant in the conservation and preservation of our coastline,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. The existing moratorium covers the Gulf of Mexico, and Trump said the new one would also cover the Atlantic coast. >click to read< 08:30
Commercial skipper fined for throwing bear banger at sea lions
B.C. harvester Allan Marsden pleaded guilty in Courtenay Provincial Court to disturbing marine mammals under section 7.1(b) of the Marine Mammal Regulations. Marsden was fined $8,000 and prohibited from possessing explosives for the next three years. The March 2019 incident in the Strait of Georgia made headlines after a video of it surfaced on social media. The video prompted a lengthy investigation by fishery officers from the Georgia Basin North Conservation and Protection detachment out of Nanaimo. (I watched it again, and yes guys. it was awesome!) >video, click to read< 16:48
Membertou First Nation Investments to Expand Participation In Atlantic Canada’s Commercial Offshore Lobster Fishery
Clearwater Seafoods and Membertou First Nation are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement for the sale of two of Clearwater’s eight offshore lobster licenses to Membertou First Nation. Membertou is investing $25 Million to purchase the licenses, significantly increasing their presence in the commercial fishery in Atlantic Canada. >click to read< 15:28
Clearwater gives up piece of offshore lobster monopoly to N.S. First Nation for $25M – Clearwater currently holds all eight Canadian offshore licences that are fished with a single vessel, the F/V Randell Dominaux, out of Shelburne, N.S. It is the only year-round lobster fishery in Canada and the only one with a quota. Paul said Membertou’s two licences will continue to be fished by the Clearwater vessel. Membertou has gone to the First Nations Finance Authority for the money for the purchase. >click to read<18:26
DFO working to keep U.S. markets open to northern fisheries
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is working to ensure that fisheries in Nunavut and Nunavik will be able to export their products to markets in the United States after next year. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2022, the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act’s import provisions rule will take effect. Four Greenland halibut (turbot), three Arctic char fisheries, and a shrimp fishery will all need to comply. “This rule ensures that the U.S. will only accept imports of fish and fish products originating from foreign countries that have enacted management measures to reduce marine mammal bycatch”,,, DFO submitted a progress report to NOAA and proposed that three Arctic char gillnet fisheries be exempt based on their location in river estuaries, short time in the water and shallow depth. NOAA rejected the request for an exemption. >click to read< 14:00
Blue Horizon Seafood closed their doors and evacuated for Hurricane Laura. Half of their boats did not survive.
One Hackberry business is dedicated to serving its community with the freshest seafood, but after being hit by Hurricane Laura, they’re not sure when they’ll be able to reopen. Out of the 27 boats docked at Blue Horizon only 14 survived the storm. “The boats that went down they can’t be recovered, they’re all tore up just like this right here and 11 of our fleet is down I think there’s only about 14 left in the fleet. But everyone Is trying to pick up the pieces at the house and they’ll come to see what they can do with the boats.” video, click to read< 12:52
Obituary: Louis Puskas Jr. of Barnegat Light, New Jersey has passed away
With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Louis Puskas Jr. of Barnegat Light, New Jersey, born in Rocky Hill, New Jersey, who passed away on September 2, 2020 at the age of 89. He is survived by : his wife Frances “Fran” Puskas; his sons, John Puskas (Shannon), Paul Puskas and Matthew Puskas (Cheryl); his sister Linda Jane Richardson; and his grandchildren, Jill, Christina, Mary, Paul, Jacob, Logan, Jennifer, Matthew, Andrew, Shea, John and Grace. He is also survived by many loving cousins, nieces, nephews and many, many friends. >click to read< We posted this in 2014 about Capt. Lou Puskas – From the historical archives of the commercial fishing industry, Captain Lou Puskas certainly steps into the limelight. He has had a tremendous career and seems to be somewhat of a legend. This man rediscovered tile fish, lobbied against foreign fleets fishing in US water and survived three boat sinkings. >click for video< 11:33
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 9th 2020 from 3:00 to 9:00 PM at 1801 Bayview Avenue, Barnegat Light, NJ
Legendary Commercial Fisherman Lou Puskas Jr. Dies – Puskas has been described as “a legend” and a “fearless” fisherman by members of the Barnegat Light commercial fishing community – he survived three boats sinking under him and is credited for starting the tilefish industry out of Barnegat Light. >click to read< 9/9/2020, 13:02
