Daily Archives: February 11, 2021
Mount Pleasant honors late iconic shrimper Capt. Wayne Magwood, with commemorative plaque
The Town of Mount Pleasant will commemorate the life of iconic Shem Creek shrimp boat captain, Wayne Magwood, with a special plaque on Thursday. Captain Magwood was struck and killed by a passing truck while crossing Mill Street at Coleman Boulevard in September 2020. His boat, Winds of Fortune, was a familiar sight on Shem Creek, according to the town. They say he was a passionate advocate for the local shrimping industry and a “great town partner at the Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival for the past 33 years.” Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie and members of town council joined the Magwood family on Thursday afternoon to unveil a commemorative plaque on the new Shem Creek pedestrian bridge. video, >click to read< 18:45
Wow. Just, Wow. A belly full of fish ramps up seal debate
If you have a weak stomach, the video might be difficult to watch. But for fish harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador, the images of a seal stomach being cut open to reveal a gut full of small herring and Arctic cod is proof enough that seals are a factor in the slow recovery of cod stocks. Last week Dion Weir and a buddy hunted a few seals for personal use in Hall’s Bay, off the Baie Verte Peninsula. They were filled with small fish. “Up in these bays now they’re eating herring and Arctic cod,” Weir said. “Wherever the cod is, the seals are there.” Multiply that by 7.6 million seals,,, >click to read< 15:42
The Biggest Hauls Ever Made on Deadliest Catch
When most people think of fishing, they immediately envision a serene and relaxing activity,,, However, that image changed for a lot of people in 2005 when Deadliest Catch debuted on the Discovery Channel. The series follows crab fisherman as they venture out into the ocean in search of Alaskan king crab and snow crab. The fishermen often have to brave harsh weather and intense storms and the job can quite literally turn deadly in just a matter of seconds. At the same time, however, the reward that comes with huge hauls makes many people feel like the job is worth it. So, just how big can these hauls be? >click to read<13:50
Long Island Commercial Fishermen oppose Governor Cuomo’s artificial reef expansion plan
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to expand artificial reefs in the waters off Long Island is hitting a wave of opposition from commercial fishermen who say it would rob them of their fishing grounds and income. The state wants to double the size of the reefs.,, Malcolm McClintock, who owns two fishing trawlers, says he has already spent a long time learning where the existing artificial reefs are. He says more would create a larger problem for an industry already under stress. “One more thing piled on top of many other things. Every little bit hurts.” video, >click to read< 12:40
Network Failure: Emergency VHF radio channel unreliable across Southeast Alaska
Coast Guard Commander Lyle Kessler said mariners calling on Channel 16 may have trouble getting through to watchstanders. The Coast Guard is advising mariners to carry an alternative means for sending distress calls. That ranges from an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, satellite phone or even a conventional cell phone. As of Wednesday, Kessler said nine VHF repeaters — Althorp, Cape Fanshaw, Duke, Gravina, Mt. Robert Barron, Mud Bay, Mt. Ripinski, Yakutat and Zarembo — are working only intermittently due to the microwave interference issue. >click to read< 09:59
CARES Act relief funds for New Bedford fisheries topped $5 million
In May 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced an allocation of $300 million for fisheries assistance. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Massachusetts received the third-highest amount in funding with about $28 million. Alaska and Washington received the most with $50 million each and Maine was fifth with about $20.3 million. New Bedford alone received about $3.8 million, or approximately 13.6% of the state’s allocation. The funds provided much-needed relief for an industry seeing up to a 49% drop in landings revenue,,, >click to read< 08:12
FROTH THE FIZZ!
For those who haven’t seen this yet, two P’rtleveners, Felix Griffiths and Ross Sloan have been working on ‘FROTH THE FIZZ’ – a comic style series of stories about the British fishing industry. In my eyes, Brexit should be about buying British, supporting our local business’ and communities, not half the shit we were told in the leave campaign. How on earth did we think Brexit would work without this?! >photos, click to read< 07:28
NC Fisheries Association seeks to intervene in civil suit against state
The N.C. Fisheries Association, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the state seafood industry, filed Jan. 28 in Wake County Superior Court a motion to intervene in the civil complaint filed Nov. 10, 2020, by the Coastal Conservation Association’s North Carolina branch against the state. CCANC, a recreational fishing and conservation nonprofit, alleges state officials have mismanaged coastal fisheries resources. “Along with our motion to intervene, we have filed a proposed motion requesting the dismissal of the CCA lawsuit against the state,” the association said. >click to read< 07:02
