Monthly Archives: February 2021
Coast Guard medevacs woman from fishing vessel near Cold Bay, Alaska
The Coast Guard medevaced a woman from a fishing vessel approximately 101 miles northwest of Cold Bay, Alaska, Sunday. An Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted the woman at 10 p.m. and safely transported her to a LifeMed flight team in Cold Bay for further transport to Anchorage. Watchstanders at the 17th District command center in Juneau received a medevac request,,, >click to read< 16:53
Fishing into the Future
Fishing into the Future (FITF), an independent UK charity led by people working in the fishing industry, has formed a partnership with the Fishmongers’ Company. The partnership includes a substantial grant to implement a three-year work programme that builds on their innovative learning and leadership initiative. Fishing into the Future’s Chairman, Dave Stevens, owner and skipper of the demersal trawler, Crystal Sea SS 118, remarks on the importance of charity’s work and the benefit the support from The Fishmongers’ Company will bring, >click to read< 12:36
Old Ship – Ultra Modern Propulsion
The conversion of the forty-year-old trawler Nordbas into a modern, efficient low-emission vessel demonstrates that it may make sense to rebuild old vessels. Fishing company Nordnes is focused on reusing old vessels part of their philosophy. The trawler has been lengthened as part of a very 
extensive refit, which has included a conversion to diesel-electric propulsion and the installation of the largest capacity battery pack yet to be fitted to any fishing vessel. It has emerged as Nordbas from its refit at the Green Yard Kleven in Ulsteinvik as trawler/seine netter with a suite of new technology, including hybrid propulsion, electric winches and the use of waste heat to heat the vessel. photos, >click to read< 11:06
“Acceleration” in Sea-Level Rise Found to Be False – An artifact of Switching Satellites
Sea-level data reported from satellites indicate seas are rising approximately of 3.3 mm/year. By contrast, tidal stations have recorded a rise of approximately 1 to 2 mm annually, a rate which is little changed over the century or so for which we have adequate records. Why the large difference? When NASA and NOAA launched new satellites, the data they produced wasn’t the same as the data recorded by earlier satellites. Citizen scientist Willis Eschenbach obtained NOAA’s Excel spreadsheet showing the full dataset for each of the four satellites. >click to read< 09:21
Scottish ministers are contesting a judge’s demand to reconsider a no-trawl scheme
Lady Poole made the ruling after ministers said that the revisiting the proposed pilot no-trawl scheme “would serve no practical purpose”. She took action after, in a landmark legal judgement, the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation (SCFF) won a court challenge over the “right to trawl” in Scotland’s inshore waters which was expected to have a marked bearing in fishing rights across the country.,, But the Scottish Government has decided to appeal her ruling. >click to read< 08:37
A century before civil rights, Black oystermen in Suffolk forged economic independence
One by one, 6 feet apart, the many granddaughters and friends of Marie Hill climbed the three brick steps of her porch in mid-February to pay their respects. They waved through the front door of the Suffolk home where Hill had lived for more than 80 years. “Happy birthday to you. Happy 100th birthday to you,” For multiple generations, Hill’s family, including her husband, Ernest Hill, Jr., had oystered out of Chuckatuck Creek. At its peak in 1910, the village was home to nearly 500 people. With money earned working farms and once-prosperous oyster beds, Hobson residents were able to live in relative independence. photos, >click to read< 17:32
Festival that supports the Bodega Bay fishing fleet missing community
Since 1973 the Bodega Bay community has hosted an annual Fisherman’s Festival,, The blessing of the Fishing Fleet is the highlight of the Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Festival. These solemn annual blessings had their start more than 50 years ago when the event was part of the “Discovery Days Celebration”,,, It is with much regret that we cancel the 2021 edition of the Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Festival (as well as our 2020 festival). While we remain hopeful that Sonoma County continues to gain ground against the coronavirus threat, at this moment hosting the festival on its traditional Spring date creates too great of a risk for our volunteers, vendors, and guests. >click to read< 15:32
Microplastic Pollution: Study points at ship antifouling coatings as a significant source
In a new study, a team of environmental chemists found indications that ships may be leaving behind a trail of plastic particles in their wake. “Our hypothesis is that ships leave a kind of ‘skid mark’ in the water which is of similar significance as a source of microplastics as tire wear particles from cars are on land,”,,, The common consumer packaging plastics were seen near the coastline. However, in the open North Sea and the Elbe Estuary, particularly along the main shipping lanes, the composition differed. These plastics are not commonly used in packaging materials and likely came from a different source. “We believe that these particles originate from ship coatings,,,, >click to read< 13:11
F/V Scandies Rose: Expert witnesses point to flawed stability calculations
When the Scandies Rose sank on New Year’s Eve of 2019, fishermen from all over Alaska were shocked. Five of the crew perished when the ship rolled onto its side, along with the ship’s captain Gary Cobban. Two crewmembers were rescued from a life raft by a Coast Guard helicopter crew.,, This week, the Coast Guard convened a Marine Board investigation into the cause of the sinking. So far, expert witnesses have described serious problems with the boat’s stability report, which is a rating of how stable the vessel is and how much equipment it can bear. And those issues might extend to many other fishing boats around Alaska. >Audio, click to read/listen< 09:54
Innovation in Survival
In simplest terms, when deployed in the water, a life jacket gives the casualty time to survive and reduces time for location and recovery. Flotation is the first obvious tool in survival. Spinlock dynamic bladders are designed to lift and rotate a casualty on to their back, holding the mouth above water and the body at a 45-degree angle to the horizontal, even if they are unconscious.,, On inflation of the life jacket the spray hood is simple to deploy.,,, the only SOLAS approved life jacket light that lifts the powerful led light above the user’s head, making the light visible for 360 degrees rather than only from the front of the casualty. >click to read< 07:50
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for February 26, 2021
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<23:01
Maine: Local legislators sponsor bills in support of commercial fisheries
The 130th Maine Legislature has released a list of bills proposed in the House and Senate, and local representatives are focused on the commercial fishing industry, The lobster fishery, in particular, is facing competition from offshore wind energy development and conservation measures, both which affect lobstermen and their livelihood. Representative William “Billy Bob” Faulkingham, An Act to Prohibit Offshore Wind Energy Development. Rep. Genevieve McDonald is sponsoring three fishing-related bills. Rep. Robert Alley Sr., has proposed An Act to Support Maine’s Sustainable Lobster Fishery and An Act to Support the Sustainability of Maine’s Lobster Markets. >click to read< 19: 33
F/V Scandies Rose: Tragedy survivor details harrowing experience during sinking
Jon Lawler, who was on the F/V Scandies Rose on Dec. 31, 2019, when the boat began rapidly sinking into the sea,,, As soon as things began going wrong around 10 p.m. that New Year’s Eve, Lawler knew something was severely amiss, he said, and immediately ran upstairs, encountering Capt. Gary
Cobban in the process. “And I look at Gary,” he said. “And I said, ‘What the f— is going on? What’s going on?’ And he said, ‘I don’t know what’s going on. I think we’re f—— sinking.’ ‘No f—— s— we’re sinking.’ Fast forward, and Lawler would miraculously make it outside the boat alive, donning a rescue suit. That, though, was hardly the end of the distress. Video, >click to read< 13:35
Cryptic mortality – Human-caused North Atlantic right whale deaths are being undercounted
A study co-authored by scientists at the New England Aquarium has found that known deaths of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales represent a fraction of the true death toll. This comes as the death of a calf and recent sightings of entangled right whales off the southeastern United States raise alarm. The study, published this month in Conservation Science and Practice, analyzed cryptic mortality of right whales. Cryptic mortality refers to deaths resulting from human activities that do not result in an observed carcass. (what the,,,) >click to read< 11:58
“What I’m reading now being proposed by NOAA will essentially put me out of business,,,”
Lobsterman John Drouin said in his 42 years of fishing around Cutler, he has never seen a right whale. Many other Maine lobstermen have said the same thing about their experience on the water. But that may not matter.,, he and Maine Marine Resources Commissioner Pat Keliher said the true threat in the NOAA documents would come in 10 years when scientists say the threat to whales should be reduced by 98 percent, effectively eliminating all lobster ropes and potentially ending the way they have fished for generations. “It’s devastating. Totally changes the face of the Maine lobster fishery,” said Keliher, “and we’d have no idea from an economic standpoint what it will mean in the long run.” >video, >click to read< 09:38
Fishing trawler stuck on Big Bay beach near Milford Sound
Attempts to refloat a trawler grounded at a remote beach near Milford Sound with four people onboard have been unsuccessful. Southland harbourmaster Lyndon Cleaver said the boat, named Remus, suffered a mechanical problem before grounding at Big Bay, north of Milford Sound on Thursday. A salvage team from Wanaka flew to the area at 7am this morning on behalf of the boat’s insurers, Cleaver said. They were able to start the vessel at high tide and tried moving it off the beach. photos>click to read< and >here<08:17
Right Whale – Wrong Data
This graph mistake turns this whole whale lobster debate on it’s head. They gauged their whole extinction claim on a population number that they figured from a birthrate curve overlaid on a population graph so naturally it looks like tons of whales are suddenly dying when the birthrate went down starting in 2010, one year after the record calving of 39 baby whales. 20 whales born in 2010, plus 7 more, attributed to their downward tracking line meant 27 whales died. Oddly nobody noticed this ridiculous mathematical blunder and for ten years they have been charging around wondering who was killing all these whales. >click to read< 19:29
F/V Scandies Rose: Survivor Jon Lawler’s Wrenching Testimony, Experts note serious flaws in a USCG regulation
The architects who testified were not involved with the development of the stability booklet for the Scandies Rose, a Washington managed boat which went down around 10 p.m. in the Gulf of Alaska during a storm that generated National Weather Service warnings of heavy freezing spray. Also Wednesday, Jon Lawler, one of the two survivors of the seven-person crew, offered wrenching testimony of the final minutes before the boat went under. After donning a survival suit, he exited the wheelhouse amid what he described as sheer panic as the boat tilted crazily and tossed people about. >click to read< 17:38
Judge Drops Shinnecock Fishermen’s Federal Lawsuit
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by three Shinnecock Indian Nation fishermen who have fought to protect their indigenous fishing rights in eastern Long Island. David Taobi Silva, Jonathan Smith and Gerrod Smith were seeking $102 million in punitive damages, as well as temporary and permanent injunctions to end what they call racial discriminatory practices by state and local law enforcement. “[The men had] not put forward sufficient evidence to establish that the state proceeding is motivated by a desire to harass or is conducted in bad faith,” U.S. District Court Judge Sandra Feurestein said in her ruling. >click to read< 15:02
Evolution of the lobster fishery over 78 years: 92-year-old lobster fisherman looks back
Back in the day when Garnet Snow fished for a living to provide for his wife and five children, he fished alone. He paid 25 cents for a seasonal lobster license to a Nova Scotia fisheries officer at the time. Snow started fishing full time in a 25-foot boat called Olive Oil, with his father Earl Snow, when he left school in Grade 8 at age 14. Snow was born in 1929 on Snow’s Island, on the Eastern Shore about halfway between Ecum Secum and Sheet Harbour, and now at 92, he looks back at the local fishery of the 1950s and the next several decades. >click to read< 10:19
Europe’s 500 year old seafood tradition
It was low tide, so Axel trudged through wet sand for about 1km to reach the water’s edge. When the sea and sand finally met, Bekaert slid on thigh-high waterproof boots, bright yellow waterproof overalls, a slicker and a fishing hat. She unlatched the cart and tied a large funnel-shaped drag net to Axel’s back. She then suspended two wicker baskets from his sides and mounted her 23-year-old steed, wedging her way in between the baskets. Bekaert then carefully led the massive animal thigh-deep into the cold waters of the North Sea to trawl for shrimp – just as Flemish fishermen in this small community have been doing for more than 500 years. photos,>click to read< 09:36
Oregon Health Authority pulls social distancing ad which depicts fishermen tossing a man overboard
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has pulled an ad that depicted a crew of fishermen throwing a man overboard in a life raft in order to practice safe social distancing. The ad did not sit right with some in the coastal community of Newport and their mayor spoke up about it. In a letter to Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Tuesday, Newport Mayor Dean Sawyer asked that the OHA immediately take down the ad. Sawyer goes on to say that a crew member of a ship going overboard “should not be joked about by the Oregon Health Authority,” and that the commercial “brings back terrible memories” to Newport families that have lost a loved one to sea. Watch the stupid video! >click to read< 08:07
Wanda Carol Jentry – A Fisherman’s Wife
Surrounded by family, Wanda Carol Jentry, went to her forever home to be with our Lord after a brief battle with cancer. Wanda was born on November 5, 1945 in Birmingham, Alabama,,, Wanda married her high school sweetheart, David Jentry. Wanda and David joined her dad, Miller, in the commercial fishing industry that eventually led them to Washington and then on to Kodiak, Alaska in the late 70’s. Her passion for helping people, as well as, her love for being a fisherman’s wife led her to join Kodiak’s Fishermen’s Wives & Associates when she moved to Kodiak. She is survived by her husband of 55 years David Jentry, her children, grandchildren, family, and friends. >click to read< 21:03
N.S. fishing vessel overloaded with fish, fuel, ice and freshwater at time of sinking
In its investigation report released Wednesday, the board said the Atlantic Sapphire should have been carrying no more than 41 long tons of cargo. When it sank around 11 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2018, the trawler was loaded with over 60 long tons, putting it about 46 per cent over capacity. “On the occurrence voyage, the crew caught a full load of fish in less time than on any other trip that year, so there was more fuel, freshwater, and ice on board than usual,” the report said. “The crew did not appreciate the risk to the vessel’s stability created by this excess weight,,, >click to read< 19:33
Enviros and lobster fishermen are unhappy with proposed federal regulations to protect right whales
In a public hearing Tuesday night, conservationists and fishermen alike roundly criticized federal regulators’ proposed changes in fishing rules to protect endangered whales from fishing gear. Much of the discussion focused on so-called ropeless lobster fishing technology, which allows traps to be located and retrieved using remote-control systems. Conservationists see that as the ultimate solution, But many Maine fishermen scoff at the idea, and Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher agreed it’s not practical for Maine’s diverse fishing grounds. >click to read< 15:33
U.S. Coast Guard announces formal investigation into F/V Coastal Reign capsizing
The Coast Guard announced today a formal marine casualty investigation has been convened into the marine casualty of the commercial fishing vessel Coastal Reign which capsized February 20, 2021 resulting in the loss of two lives. The crew of the 38-foot fishing vessel, Coastal Reign, were attempting to cross the Tillamook Bay Bar inbound when the vessel capsized with four crewmembers on board. The Coast Guard has established an e-mail address for the public and interested parties to provide information, ask questions and make comments related to the ongoing investigation and scheduled hearing. This e-mail will be checked regularly and all correspondence will be acknowledged. The e-mail address is: [email protected]. >click to read< 13:48
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 45′ Gamage Trawler with MaCap Permit
To review specifications, information, and 22 photos, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here<11:08
‘Waves of tears’
When Angie Chase got the phone call that a fishing boat had flipped near the Tillamook coast, she “just knew.” Todd Chase was on the fishing boat that capsized near the mouth of Tillamook Bay on Saturday. He was one of the two fishermen who died. They raised their four boys — Zach, Cord, Bowen and Brayden — in Tillamook and Astoria. Cord looks most like his father, but as his brother Brayden explains, each brother takes after their father in one way or another. “We have the waves of lots of tears, and we have moments of laughter, and moments of reflection,” Angie said. Video, >click to read< 09:16
Canada: History shows a path to resolve lobster fisheries dispute
As we reflect on recent violence in Nova Scotia over the lobster fisheries, it’s important to know if there are any precedents around the core issues and if prior instances can help guide us now. The case of the Saugeen Ojibway of the Great Lakes provides some particularly useful insights to help reach a settlement to the lobster fisheries dispute. Conflict between Indigenous peoples along the Great Lakes and the state has been around since the rise of non-Indigenous commercial and sport fishing around the 1830s and 1840s. In the 1990s, things came to a head,,, >click to read< 08:29
More than $200K raised for families of fishermen lost aboard the F/V Chief William Saulis
More than $200,000 have been raised to provide monetary donations to the families of the fishers who went missing off the coast of Delaps Cove, N.S., according to Full Bay Scallop Association and Yarmouth Sea Products. The association set up ‘The Chief William Saulis Benevolent Fund Trust’ in December of last year with funds raised through a GoFundMe page and contributions from the vessel owners and other members of the association following the tragic incident. The association said that contributions can be made to the account at any branch of the credit union, and will cover the following expenses: >click to read< 07:14
