Daily Archives: January 20, 2021
Son of a lost fisherman nominated for a 2021 Young Scot Award after his incredible fundraising efforts
It might have claimed his father’s life but Keiran Reid has a special affinity with the sea, remembering the days his dad would take him dolphin watching on the Moray Firth. The schoolboy was just six when fisherman Craig, 25, was washed overboard from the trawler Apollo in a gale-force storm off Orkney. A frantic search – involving helicopters, the Kessock Lifeboat and French and American aircraft diverted from a Nato exercise – was stood down after nine hours. Three months later, another fishing boat found Craig’s body. But only weeks after his father’s death, Keiran, now 11, from Avoch on the Black Isle, started raising money for the local rescue team who had searched so tirelessly for his dad. >click to read< 20:00
Astoria: Coast Guard issues warning to commercial fisherman turning off AIS
The Coast Guard has seen an alarming increase of commercial fishing and crabbing vessels disabling their AIS, purportedly in an attempt to keep their fishing spots secret from competition. “AIS is a vital tool in a host of Coast Guard missions including Search and Rescue and Port Security,” said Lt. Collin Gruin, boarding team supervisor at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River. “It’s not only illegal to turn it off but also incredibly dangerous.” “Crabbers may think that they are protecting their businesses, but they are actually making search and rescue efforts more difficult if an emergency happens at sea,” >click to read< 17:17
P.E.I. fisheries sector gets $3.1M in government funding
The federal and P.E.I. governments are investing a total of more than $3.1 million in the Island’s fish and seafood sectors. The announcement was made during a virtual news conference on Wednesday. The money will go toward nine projects that focus on the implementation of innovative technologies to improve productivity and sustainability within the aquaculture, harvesting and seafood processing sectors. >click to read< 15:31
Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival set for April 25
The 34th annual Town of Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival is slated to be held on April 25. After 2020’s event was canceled due to COVID-19, organizers are hoping to hold the yearly ceremony this time around. Applications are now open for the event’s craft show, with the deadline set for Feb. 26. “The Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival aims to promote local fishermen and the town’s seafood legacy, educate the public on the importance of supporting local fishermen and shrimpers by buying wild-caught and local seafood,,, >click to read< 13:04
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 72′ Steel Offshore Lobster Boat, Caterpillar D343
To review specifications, and information, and 51 photos, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here< 11:22
6 Ocean Priorities for the Biden Administration from the Environmentalist
Since President-elect Biden was voted into office last November, he and his team have been sharing what they want to accomplish in their first 100 days in office.,, In the midst of any political transition, it is easy for environmental issues to be pushed aside in the name of more “urgent” issues. Fortunately, the new administration has given us promising signals that environmental action is high on their to-do list. Here are six things that must be prioritized in the coming weeks and months,,, >click to read< 09:48
To honor our lost fishermen, we must act
Every time a Coast Guard crew embarks on a rescue mission to a commercial fishing vessel, we all want the same outcome – a successful rescue and safe return to shore. Maine communities know too well those outcomes vary. We rescued four fishermen in November 2018 after the Aaron & Melissa II sank 50 miles south of Rockland. Two years later, last November, we lost four fishermen when the Emmy Rose sank northeast of Provincetown. And a year ago this Saturday, Joe Nickerson and Christopher Pinkham perished when the Hayley Ann sank 47 miles southeast of Cape Elizabeth. >click to read< 08:14 More lobstermen in New England are wearing life jackets while they work – >click to read<
Trinidad fisherman credits survival training and the Coast Guard for saving crew
Captain David Rohbrach says, his crab season ended before it started. “I was going to set some gear inside the engine over heated and broke down, things can get, go bad in a real quick hurry,” he said. Rohbach says – when he lost power – his boat started drifting toward the shore – worried his would roll over he radioed the coast guard. “When this happened, I knew exactly how to handle it, what to do, I didn’t have to second guess anything,” he said. Required safety training helped him remain calm – which allowed him to follow proper procedure. video, >click to read< 07:28
