Daily Archives: October 16, 2020
Documents Reveal ‘Catastrophic Impact’ Right Whale Protections Could Have On Lobster Industry
Newly released documents by Maine’s Department of Resources are providing a glimpse of what federal action to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales could look like — including the closure of extensive areas of offshore ocean to lobstering. In an August letter to the head of the agency that reviews proposed federal regulations, DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher asked for a meeting to go over options for reducing the risk of right whales becoming dangerously entangled in lobster trap gear and rope. That was after conversations with the federal Northeast Fisheries Science Center that brought to light a proposal that could put big swaths of ocean off-limits to lobstering in federal waters known as Lobster Conservation Management Areas, or LCMAs. >click to read< 18:46
A day in the life of a hoki fishing trawler crew
Johnny Thompson was an accountant in Auckland until a snowboarding accident changed his life. “I had it real bad for a start – those first few days were the worst – eventually I came right but everyone takes different amounts of time to get over it.” Thompson is now part of the crew aboard Sealord’s wetfish trawler Otakou , which Stuff joined for a 15-hour expedition for hoki in the Cook Canyon. The day begins at Picton’s Waitohi Wharf at 9am with a five-hour steam to the fishing grounds at the south eastern end of Cook Strait. However, once the vessel hits the open sea it is literally all hands on deck for all 14 crew members. video, >click to read< 17:50
Trudeau defends federal response as threats escalate over Mi’kmaw fishery in Nova Scotia
“We are expecting the RCMP and police services to do their jobs and keep people safe,” Trudeau said. On Thursday, the chief of the Sipekne’katik First Nation urged Trudeau to step in and make sure those involved in the violence are prosecuted. The vice-president of a fishermen’s union in Nova Scotia has stepped down, citing fears for his family’s safety as threats from some non-Indigenous fishermen opposed to a self-regulated Mi’kmaw lobster fishery continue to escalate. Joel Comeau, a former member of the Local 9 of the Maritime Fishermen’s Union, was supposed to meet with Sack on Friday morning but abruptly cancelled the meeting. Comeau said he’s received “a lot of flak from my people and a lot of intimidation” over his willingness to work with Sack to find a way forward. “This community is out of hand. This community feels unsafe,” said Comeau. >click to read< 16:00
Fisherman medevac’d from shrimp boat 15 miles off Baffin Bay, Texas
The Coast Guard medevac’d a 58-year-old male from a fishing vessel 15 miles off Baffin Bay, Texas, Thursday evening. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a report at 8:30 p.m. Thursday from the crew of the Los Nietos, a 77-foot fishing vessel, stating a crewmember suffered a head injury. >video, click to read< 13:51
“Kicking Lightly” Arthur Jones celebrates 101st birthday
Longtime Queen Anne’s County resident Arthur “Kicking Lightly” Jones of Grasonville celebrated his 101st birthday,, Arthur would also begin working in the seafood industry, mostly at the Kent Narrows — where he was employed for at least 53 years — serving as a foreman at several packing houses that once existed there, managing oyster and clam harvests from the Chesapeake Bay. He met many waterman, and other people, who always asked, “How are you doing?” He’d respond, “Just kickin’, lightly.” From that expression, he earned the nickname “Kickin’ Lightly,” which he is still known by today. He also has been known as Captain Arthur, although he was not a waterman.>click to read< 12:11
Damen Maaskant Shipyards lays keel for two vessels
Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam held a keel-laying ceremony in Poland for two new beam trawlers for Rederij Devan and Rederij Long Ships. While the new beam trawler for Rederij Devan will be christened as the Z21 Avanti, its sister-ship for Rederij Long Ships will be called Z91 Franson. >click to read< 10:09
Damen Maaskant Shipyards Lays Keels for Belgian Fishing Fleet – The vessels are based on Maaskant’s BT3808 design. The BT3808, with specifications that include the maximum permitted length and gross tonnage set by the Belgian Maritime Inspectorate, is a perfect fit for these experienced operators. The basic design has been modified in cooperation with SIP Marine to reduce fuel consumption and increase bollard pull. >click to read<
It’s Important! N.J. cleared to provide $11M in relief for sinking fishing industry
Months after the pandemic rocked New Jersey’s fishing industry, millions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief is set to finally flow to the anglers that need it. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has approved New Jersey’s plan to spend $11.3 million in federal fisheries relief, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-6th Dist., announced Tuesday. The approval allows state authorities to begin distributing the money, which was allocated to the state as part of the $2 trillion CARES Act that became law in March. >click to read< 09:25
Coronavirus Quarantine Period Shapes Unique Season For Deadliest Catch Fishermen
Today marks the opener for the 2020 red king crab fishing season. The beginning of the king crab season is always a busy time in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor,,, Despite the influx of fishermen and television crews, this season was a little quieter than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic and local mitigation protocol that required most fishermen to quarantine for two weeks. Blake Smithmeyer, the greenhorn on the Summer Bay,, Smithmeyer said he was working as a chef at a restaurant in Tacoma, Washington, before his friend, Landon Cheney, the engineer on the Summer Bay, received the call that ended up bringing Smithmeyer to Dutch Harbor. >click to read< 07:52
