Daily Archives: October 6, 2020
Coho swarm Willapa: Astounding run brings increased limits
An unexpectedly strong coho salmon return in the Willapa has fishery managers and biologists reassessing run size,,,. Willapa’s commercial gillnetters are hoping to get more fishing days this fall after early limits to avoid impacts on scarcer Chinook. Commercial fishermen are often the canary in the coalmine when it comes to reporting what’s occurring offshore. The first signs of a bigger-than-expected coho salmon run began showing up on the Port of Peninsula docks a couple weeks ago. >click to read< 18:28
Maine awarded a $2.2M grant to develop a roadmap establishing an offshore wind power industry
The grant, to the Governor’s Energy Office in Augusta, is being made by the Economic Development Administration within the U.S. Department of Commerce. The money will be matched with $267,624 in state funds and $112,457 in local funds. “Unleashing American innovation is critical to our global competitiveness,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in a news release. “This project will allow Maine to capitalize on its technical leadership in the wind power sector to diversify and grow the state’s economy and make it more resilient.” >click to read< 13:48
“Disabilities last a lifetime” – DFO must consider fisherman’s charter rights in licence fight
Dana Robinson of Parkers Cove has a medical condition affecting his leg that hinders his ability to stand on a boat for long periods of time. His boat was operating in the Bay of Fundy under a DFO provision that allows fishermen to designate a substitute operator once they provide adequate medical proof of their condition. The provision, however, only allows the substitution for five years. The time limit doesn’t sit well with Robinson. Disabilities, he said, “last a lifetime.” >click to read< 11:21
Coronavirus Tie-Up: NI Fishermen offered money to stop fishing
Northern Ireland’s fishing fleet is to be offered money to stop fishing as markets for its produce shrink due to Covid. A £1.7m pot is available to fishermen who wish to stop fishing for six weeks. They can apply to either of two “tie-up” periods between mid-October and the end of November. The closure of pubs, restaurants and workplaces across Europe has seen a big reduction in demand for full prawns and scampi – NI’s main exports. The cash will help will crew costs, mortgage payments on boats, insurance and harbour fees. >click to read< 10:35
Long a lifeblood, South Shore fishing industry faces numerous challenges
Over his more than five decades fishing commercially, Frank Mirarchi has watched the business evolve from thriving and straightforward to complicated and diminished, with skyrocketing costs, foreign competition and changing regulations choking an industry synonymous with the South Shore. In the late 1960s, when he purchased his first of three successive boats, fish was abundant enough to make a solid living off of. “By 1985 or so, fishing was pretty bad,” Mirachi said. With profits dropping, he switched from having two other crew members to one. In 1994, the federal government stared limiting the number of days fishermen can be on the water to combat overfishing. Before, some spent 200 or more days fishing each year. Over the years, it was gradually reduced to 30. Mirarchi said this “wasn’t particularly successful”,,, >click to read< 08:54
Commercial Fisherman, Farmer, Joseph Michael Kelly has passed away
Mr. Joseph Kelly, 59, of Parksley, passed away on Tuesday, September 29th. Mr. Kelly was born to Thomas and Teresa Kelly on Long Island, and he grew up in Orient, New York, graduating from Greenport High School in 1978. He attended college in Farmville, VA and after a brief period in Long Island, he moved to Parksley, VA, and spent his career working both as a commercial fisherman and a farmer. He was particularly proud of his fishing boat “Toots”, which he used for both for fishing and long-line lobstering in the waters off the east coast of Virginia. Mr. Kelly was a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather. >click to read< 07:58
