Daily Archives: April 19, 2021
PFMC Recommends Commercial Chinook Fishery Closure in Northern California
The Pacific Fishery Management Council has recommended closing the commercial chinook fishery between the Oregon border and the Fort Bragg area due to low fall salmon returns forecasted for the Klamath River. Meanwhile, the recreational fishery will be open for chinook from June 29 through Aug. 1,,, These recommendations will take effect if adopted by U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo,,, >click to read< 19:33
Secor Power: Coast Guard is suspending search for remaining crewmembers
The Coast Guard is suspending its search Monday for the remaining missing Seacor Power lift boat crewmembers 8 miles south of Port Fourchon. Eight crewmembers remain missing. Coast Guard boat and aircrews, local agency crews and good Samaritans searched for a cumulative 175 hours, covering over 9,200 square nautical miles. “We extend our appreciation to everyone who volunteered to assist during the search effort. Suspending a search is one of the toughest decisions the Coast Guard has to make,” said Capt. Will Watson, commander of Coast Guard Sector New Orleans. >click to read< 15:17
Hundreds attend the 53rd annual Blessing of the Fleet in Darien, Georgia
Sunday, hundreds of people gathered around the waterways of Darien to take part in the 53rd annual Blessing of the Fleet. The tradition celebrates the area’s biggest industry, shrimping. “This is the very heart of the community. For these men and women to know they’re supported means a tremendous amount to them,” said Bill Barton, Priest for St. Andrew’s & St. Cyprian’s Episcopalian Churches. >video, click to read< 13:09
Offshore Wind Farms: Cape May Commercial Fishermen Must be Heard – They may be heard, they won’t be listened to
“The commercial fishermen have a lot of reservations about what’s going on,” said Thornton. “I would like the board to take a position to oppose this, “I am going to personally oppose it,”,,, Thornton cited figures provided by Rutgers University, reporting the commercial fishing industry in the county produces $192 million of product. “It is very significant,” In the Northeast, from Maine to Virginia, the county is ranked second in value and total pounds harvested, he said, adding it is “standard practice” in Europe and Asia to compensate commercial fishing businesses for lost income from offshore wind projects. NO! “We’re not hearing any of that here. Not at all,” said Thornton. In the U.S., there is no legal process for that to take place, he said. Certain states negotiated payments of their own with commercial fishermen, he continued. >click to read< 10:54 (starting to smell,,,)
Lack of papers for fishermen rescued off Cork coast under investigation
Three separate investigations are under way into how two fishermen, who were dramatically rescued from a fishing vessel last month, had no permits to work on board. Mohamed Elbahlawan (40) and Elhag Abdrabo (32), both Egyptian, were among seven crew airlifted from the on March 27th, off the Cork coast as it battled “horrendous” sea conditions and 7m (22ft) waves over two days. The fact that they had no work permits – which the boat owner, R&E Fish Ltd, should have applied for – means they have no access to social welfare supports. They are stranded, unable to work and unable to afford to go home. >click to read< 09:18
N.J. commercial and recreational fishing groups aligning against coming offshore wind farms – ‘This is our farmland’
Capt. Hank Lackner docked a 100-foot trawler in Cape May on a recent day after unloading a catch of squid that might end up as calamari on someone’s plate just about anywhere in the United States. Lackner fears that offshore wind farms coming to the waters off the New Jersey coast in the next few years could threaten his business. Other commercial and recreational anglers, along with the Recreational Fishing Alliance, a political action organization, share his concerns. Jim Donofrio, founder of the RFA, and one of the most outspoken critics of offshore wind, says the industry creates too many issues for fishing that haven’t been fully addressed. “We want them gone,” Donofrio said. >click to read< 07:55
