Monthly Archives: March 2021
Declining salmon runs to restrict 2021 commercial season
During a press briefing on Friday morning, John McManus President of the Golden State Salmon Association said the added restrictions will deal a blow to commercial fishermen. “You may wonder why we’re in this predicament this year, there are some near term and some longer-term reasons why but at the end of the day, we’re seeing a decline in our salmon runs here in the state of California,”,,, Joe Conte said his biggest concern is losing more of his fleet. “I saw a lot of guys just kind of hang it up during crab season, a lot of guys saying they were gonna see how salmon turned out before they made some life decisions,” >click to read< 09:55
The harbour is full of boats and the storm hasn’t even arrived yet.
It’s not just the small visiting beam trawlers chasing soles, but also some of the biggest in the Brixham fleet like the Georgina, William and Julie of Ladram,, along with the biggest beam trawler in the south west, the Enterprise… the Charisma has had a name change to the Charisma of Ladram reflecting her change of ownership in joining the rest of the Ladram fleet… 11 photos, >click to view< 09:16
Nova Scotia’s Mi’kmaq chiefs want to see the science that restricts their fisheries.
Last week, Federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan, in a bid to end the conflict that has arisen since the Sipekne’katik First Nation began a moderate livelihood lobster fishery in September, announced that such fisheries would be required to operate within established commercial fishery seasons. That announcement, sandwiched between two meetings with the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs, won praise from commercial fishers, who have contended that fishing outside their established seasons harms the fish stock. However, it drew scorn from Indigenous fishers,,, In a statement Friday, the assembly said that despite requesting specific data sets from the department during meetings over the past week, “including detailed scientific, economic and management data to justify the imposition of commercial seasons,” no such data has been provided. >click to read< 07:40
Leslie “Buddy” Rose, 81, of Harkers Island has passed away
Leslie Roger “Buddy” Rose was born July 15, 1939, to Leslie and Christine Rose on Harkers Island, being the first son after seven daughters. Six more children followed Leslie. His father, Leslie, was a commercial fisherman with Stacy Davis for at least 20 years. Times were hard for a family that size on a fisherman’s pay. As a teenager, he commercial fished with Ivey Gaskill,,, He and his wife Ann decided to take a chance on starting his own boatbuilding business. It was tough starting with nothing, especially that first year or so, but eventually things improved. Leslie built 62 boats over a 17-year period, sending boats as far north as Massachusetts and as far south as Florida. >click to read< 19:04
Crown-Indigenous Relations should take the lead on the Nova Scotia lobster dispute, pointing to DFO’s lost credibility.
The Liberal government’s “new path” that has been broadly rejected by Atlantic First Nations is an “interim measure,” says Liberal MP Jaime Battiste, to address moderate livelihood fishing,,, Mr. Battiste (Sydney-Victoria, N.S.) is one of three Mi’kmaw Parliamentarians, who together offered solutions to the conflict that has persisted since September,,, For Mr. d’Entremont, part of the problem, though, is that the matter has become an Indigenous relations issue, because of the longstanding problem with DFO’s approach, and lack of enforcement. “We’ve gotten too far into Indigenous rights and what an agreement, or a treaty back in [1760] told us. It’s hard to apply it to today’s economy, in today’s fishing industry, and I don’t know how to fix that,” he said. Mr. d’Entremont acknowledged it’s a perspective that would make some “very mad.” “I recognize the right, but I understand the right can be regulated,” he said. >click to read< 18:00
Relatives believe a submarine may have cause the sinking of the trawler Bugaled Breizh
The inquest into the deaths of two French fishermen who died when the trawler Bugaled Breizh sank in 2004, will be reopened later this year. Previous hearings relating to the deaths of Pascal Le Floch and Yves Gloaguen have been in Truro, as their bodies were returned to Cornwall. The Ministry of Defence denies claims a Royal Navy submarine was involved. Three other men also died when the boat sank off the Lizard peninsula. Relatives believe the trawler was dragged underwater when a submarine became snagged in its nets. >click to read< 14:48
Massachusetts Lobstermen fear end of their livelihood
Dan Pronk is worried a new set of proposed NOAA and NMFS restrictions aimed at saving the North Atlantic right whale could be the nail in the coffin for the lobstering industry on Nantucket. “We’ve got five years left of lobstering down here,” said Pronk, the only commercial lobsterman on Nantucket, and one of only a handful of lobstermen around the region with traps south of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. “It’s career ending if they get their way. We’re bending over backwards to appease these people. >click to read< 13:28
The Voices of Gloucester Fishermen: NOAA offers virtual trip through Gloucester fishing history
The voices speak to the experience of living and fishing in America’s oldest commercial seaport, of the challenges and the joys of working on the waters of Cape Ann and beyond. They are at once a snapshot and endurable timeline collected into recorded interviews and fashioned into an 
integrated story map of the Gloucester fishing and community experience. The stories and the voices which tell them are contained in the newest online chapter of the Voices of Oral History Archives organized and produced by NOAA Fisheries’ Northeast Fisheries Science Center. It’s titled “Strengthening Community Resilience in America’s Oldest Seaport” photos, video, >click to read< 11:55
Skipper David Marr found guilty of not keeping lookout
The captain of a trawler which swamped a small boat causing it to sink, and three men to drown, has been found guilty of not keeping a proper lookout. Mircea “Mitch” Ilie, 40, Irinel Popovici, 41, and Treaiam Dumitrache, 50, died on an overnight fishing trip on the James 2 in August 2017. Marr, 
55, of Peterhead, will be sentenced later. He was found guilty at a Lewes Crown Court trial, which was sitting at Brighton Magistrate’s Court. >click to read< David Marr did not see men in fishing boat – Their fiberglass boat was designed for inland waters only and did not have adequate lights or Radar reflectors. >click to read< 10:42
Boat capsizes near Cape Kiwanda due to rough conditions
Despite being cautioned by fellow dory fishermen due to adverse conditions, a commercial fisherman launched his 21-foot wooden dory boat into the surf to retrieve his crab gear. According to Marine Deputy Dennis Greiner’s investigation and interview with the captain, the captain and one observer occupied the boat. The two men were making their third attempt to get through the surf when they took water over the bow. The captain then decided it was too rough and turned around to head back to the beach. >photos, click to read< 09:03
Offshore wind farms will damage New Jersey’s economies and ruin it’s ocean views
The hundreds of wind turbines due to be built up to 20 miles off New Jersey in the next five years or so will spoil ocean views, undermine local economies and hurt wildlife while boosting the profits of overseas developers, critics say. These opponents reject claims by wind farm builders and their enthusiastic supporters, including Gov. Phil Murphy, that the clusters of turbines are emissions-free. The manufacture and maintenance of the massive steel structures will require huge amounts of fossil fuel-powered energy,,, Jim Donofrio, executive director of the nonprofit Recreational Fishing Alliance, rejected Murphy’s argument that offshore wind is good for the environment, the economy and the future. >click to read< 08:33
I’m Desireé – Woman Reunites With Her Rescuers 35 Years After They Saved Her Life
In 1986, Desireé Rodriguez and her family went on a day trip on their family boat. What started as a carefree day trip soon turned into tragedy. At the time, Rodriguez, who was 9-years-old, had fallen asleep next to her little sister at a table on the boat’s lower deck. She was awakened by her father’s orders to get out of the ship because it was sinking. “One by one, her family members just let go of life. All hope seemed lost, but then a group of fishermen spotted her. Paul Strasser and Mark Pisano are two long-time fishermen based out of San Pedro. Great story, with an emotional video. >click to read< 07:33
Cape Breton First Nation’s plan for early fishing forced hand on new regulations
A spokesperson for DFO says the department was preparing the new regulations for the early May start to the commercial lobster fishing season, but was rushed into action by Potlotek First Nation’s plan to start fishing in mid-March. “We can’t have what happened last year in St. Peter’s Bay, where there was a fishery plan for combined Eskasoni and Potlotek for about 1,000 traps and we saw almost three times that in the water. We can’t have that again, it’s not sustainable,” said DFO spokesperson Jane Deeks. Chief Wilbert Marshall strongly denies that claim. In her statement, Jordan cites Marshall II, the amendment made to the Supreme Court Marshall decision that allows for treaty rights to be regulated on the grounds of conservation. >click to read< 18:42
Maine fishermen plead for the public’s support
Gov. Janet Mills’ LD 994 law required the Public Utilities Commission to approve an experimental offshore wind farm with Maine Aqua Ventus/Diamond Offshore Wind. The research array would be up to 40 miles in size in prime fishing areas. Some see this as a step in the right direction for the environment; others, including many fishermen, fear it will do just the opposite. Some fishermen voiced concerns during a recent series of webinars. According to Dustin Delano, another meeting was scheduled, yet cancelled last minute by Diamond Offshore CEO Chris Wissemann, who said he would not be speaking if “certain fishermen” were involved. photos, >click to read< 14:52
Tasmania: Seafood, rock lobster industry receives state government relief package
Hundreds of struggling fishers, who have been hard hit in recent months, have received a much-needed cash relief. The state government announced a fee relief package of $663,000 for rock lobster and other commercial wild fishers. Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council’s chief executive Julian Harrington said the seafood industry, even more so, the rock lobster industry, were still recovering from the impacts of Coronavirus. “Cash flow margins for fishermen are very narrow and any financial support and fee relief is welcomed.” >click to read< 13:26
From Oregon to Massachusetts, fishermen’s wives associations are the backbones of their communities
In spring 2020, the fishing community of Newport, Oregon, shuttered along with the rest of the country. A coronavirus outbreak at a local Pacific Seafood processing plant left fishermen sitting on docks with no buyers for their Dungeness crabs, while restaurants closed and families found themselves housebound. That’s when Taunette Dixon and her organization, the Newport Fishermen’s Wives, stepped in.,,, In Massachusetts, the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association was founded in 1969. “We were shore captains,” said Angela Sanfilippo. “We would make sure when the boats came in, they’d get everything they needed so they could go back out the next morning at 2.30. The wife would be responsible to make sure these things happened. As their wives, we knew more than them.” >click to read< 11:32
SB 29: Setnet permit buyback bill moves from Senate committee
Without objection, the Senate Resources Committee advanced Sen. Peter Micciche’s Senate Bill 29 to the Finance Committee March 8; the bill authorizes the state to buy back nearly half of the upper Cook Inlet setnet permits on the Kenai Peninsula from any members. “We’re finally at the end of our rope. Fishing families that have been fishing the East Side of Cook Inlet for generations are at the end of their rope,” Micciche said to the committee. “We want some of those fishing families to remain viable and give those that choose to be bought out an opportunity to move to other fisheries or to retrain for another line of work.” >click to read< 09:59
Jetties Needed at Oregon Inlet
Congressman Greg Murphy is lending his voice to reviving pursuit of twin jetties to prevent sand clogging the inlet’s navigation channel. The inlet, the only opening from sound to ocean between Virginia and Hatteras, has been badly shoaled from recent storms, making it hazardous for fishing vessels and charter boats to navigate. The authorized depth of the navigation channel is 14 feet, although the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has had difficulty maintaining the channel to that specification. With the new Basnight Bridge having multiple high spans, there is now flexibility to re-mark the navigational channel to follow best water, but shoaling persists. >click to read< 08:22
Mi’kmaw lobster harvester will fight Canada’s reconciliation ‘death certificate’ after being charged by DFO
“I feel like I’m doing nothing wrong, and here I am. I have to go to court. I’m being treated like a criminal. It’s belittling. Craig Doucette stands accused on two counts of fishing lobster without authorization. He’s also accused of fishing lobster during a closed time, violating the Atlantic Fishery Regulations of the Fisheries Act. Doucette doesn’t dispute that he was fishing. But he contends what he did wasn’t illegal based on Peace and Friendship Treaties from the 18th century. “One-hundred-and-ten per cent: I’m not guilty,” he said. >click to read< 07:25
Forgotten industries – Auctioning off enormous areas of precious fishing grounds to offshore wind farm developers
At a time when Scottish fishing communities are still trying to come to terms with the regulations they face after the Westminster Government’s adoption of a Brexit deal,,, The Scottish Government appear to be intent on heaping more pressure on the Scottish fishing communities, as they are presently auctioning off enormous areas of precious fishing grounds to wind farm developers and are creating massive Marine Protected Areas, that prohibits fishing activities. This will concentrate the fishing effort in other areas, putting more pressure on the available fish stocks in what fishing grounds are left. By William Polson, Whalsay, Shetland. >click to read< 18:12
Coronavirus: UK Fishing industry shrank ‘dramatically’ during pandemic
Activity fell sharply in Britain and China in 2020 but increased in US, Japan and South Korea. In a year of unprecedented decline, the UK and China saw the most “dramatic declines” in fishing activity,, In Britain, whose fishing industry was badly hit by storms in the months before the pandemic, there was a drop,,, while in China there was a fall,, . Fishing activity also decreased in Italy, Spain, France and Norway, mostly in the first months of 2020. Early on in the pandemic, boats were tied up and many workers in the Scottish fishing industry were forced to use food banks as export demand fell, restaurants were closed and lockdown restrictions were introduced all over the UK. >click to read< 16:02
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 1995 60′ Steel Shrimper, Cat 3408, Fed Permit
To review specifications, information, and 10 photos, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here<12:02
Deadliest Catch season 17 – What a Time to be Alive!
In season 17, Discovery says that “half the crab boats of the Bering Sea fleet are tied up in Seattle” while “an existential threat faces the fishermen who make the long-haul trip to Dutch Harbor, Alaska,” because they face “a potential closure of the entire fishery” for the 2021 season. The crab survey conducted during the summer by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game didn’t happen because of C0VID-19, and that means “the captains will be fishing blind with no charts or guidance on where to find crab on the grounds, making an already challenging season even more difficult,” short trailer, >click to read< 10:03
B.C. frozen-at-sea spot prawns would be illegal – could be off the market
An interpretation of a new ruling by the DFO, would find the sale of any spot prawns frozen-at-sea illegal. The ruling, as written, indicates the following: “No person who catches and retains a fish under the authority of a license issued for the purpose of commercial fishing shall have the fish in possession if the fish is skinned, cut, packed or otherwise dealt with in such a manner that […] where size limits are applicable, the size of the fish cannot be readily determined.” That means tubs of frozen-at-sea spot prawn tails could be off the market. Members of the industry are asking for public support in challenging the decision, supporting B.C. harvesters, and giving consumers the ability to continue the movement to access Canadian prawns and eat locally. >click to read< 08:49
State and local agencies continue work to address grounded vessel at Dillon Beach
Officials said the Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders received initial reports at 8:45 a.m. Friday, March 5, that the American Challenger was being towed southward by the Tug Hunter from Puget Sound, Washington, when the Tug Hunter lost propulsion due to a rope entangling the propeller. On Tuesday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said marine surveyors boarded the American Challenger to continue their inspection of the vessel’s fuel tanks by using sound tapes and paste to get an accurate reading of the amount of fuel aboard. >click to read< 07:45
Bernadette Jordan: Fisheries officers will enforce the rules. Moderate livelihood fisheries must take place within the commercial season
Anyone caught harvesting lobster outside the commercial fishing season this year will have to contend with fisheries officers, says federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan. The minister was referring to Mi’kmaw chiefs in Nova Scotia who have uniformly rejected the federal governments mandate that all moderate livelihood fisheries must take place within the commercial season. The Mi’kmaw chiefs say they intend to defy the federal government and fish out of season again this year. They say the federal mandate was imposed without adequate consultation or scientific justification. >click to read< 18:15
Obituary: Roger E. Libby – Port Clyde, Maine
Roger Edgar Libby, 88, died peacefully, following a period of declining health, Friday, March 5, 2021. Born in Thomaston, he was the son of Edgar and Dorothy Cramer Libby. Following high school Roger entered the U.S. Navy serving in the Mediterranean Sea on an Air Craft Carrier during the Korean War. Returning to the States, he married Betty Kobs on June 13, 1954. Roger spent much of his career as a truck driver. Starting as a “milk man,” he worked his way up,,,. Always called to the ocean, Rogers dream was to be a fishing captain. For many years he and Betty ran a successful commercial fishing fleet. He fished off and on through his life, and in recent years loved going out on the water with his sons. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him. >click to read< 14:23
Oil contamination found at Marin beach when vessel grounds following towing incident
The incident happened Friday morning while the 90-foot fishing boat was being towed south from the Seattle area, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The tugboat Hunter became disabled when a rope got tangled in its propeller. Rough sea and poor visibility forced the tug crew to discontinue the job, the department said. The tugboat was towed to Sausalito, and the fishing boat drifted into the rocks south of Estero de San Antonio. The boat, named American Challenger, is being watched by officials,,, On Monday, the Coast Guard did not have an estimated time in which the fishing boat could be removed. >click to read< 12:10
NJ Fishing Community Says Coronavirus Aid Helped Keep Them Afloat
With New Jersey’s commercial fishing industry about to receive a second round of federal coronavirus aid, boat owners and those who run fishing-related businesses say the extra money is helping keep them afloat amid a sea of red ink. The state’s fishing industry received $11 million last March under the CARES Act, an early aid bill passed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. And it should get roughly the same amount under a second bill passed by Congress in December.,, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. said Monday. Pallone held a news conference Monday at the Belford Seafood Cooperative in Middletown with boat owners and those who run related businesses. >click to read< 10:24
Trawler skipper was looking at WhatsApp, swamped a small boat, killing three leaving one survivor
A Scottish trawler skipper was looking at WhatsApp when his dredger swamped four friends on a fishing trip, killing three of them, a court heard. The men drowned after David Brooks Marr failed to hear their screams or see their tiny pleasure boat and lights as he steamed straight at them. Mr Marr, 55, from Peterhead was looking at WhatsApp messages on his mobile phone when he should have been keeping a lookout, a jury was told.,, The tiny Norman 18.5 is designed to be used on inland waterways only and did not have adequate lights or a radar reflector, the court heard. >click to read< 09:21
