Daily Archives: June 29, 2021
F/V Scandies Rose: NTSB announces probable cause of the sinking – Issues Report
The National Transportation Safety Board unanimously approved the investigative team’s findings on the sunken vessel’s probable cause. On Dec. 31, 2019, the F/V Scandies Rose was traveling southwest, west of Kodiak Island, but sank in frigid waters near Sutwik Island. Only two of the seven crew members survived the wreckage.,, Combined with heavy lopsided ice accumulation due to wind and sea conditions, which were more extreme than forecasted during the voyage, caused the vessel to sink near Sutwik Island. >click to read< NTSB Issues Report on the Sinking of the Scandies Rose – According to the NTSB, Scandies Rose likely accumulated 6-15 inches of ice on surfaces exposed to wind and icing during the voyage. The added weight from ice accumulating on one side of the vessel – plus the stacked crab pots on deck – raised the Scandies Rose’s center of gravity, reducing her stability and contributing to the capsizing. >click to read< 17:41
Significant Commercial Fisheries closures in BC – DFO to offer licence buyback to those ready to call it quits.
Federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan today announced “an initial step towards longer-term reductions in fishing pressure on stocks of conservation concern with significant commercial salmon closures for the 2021 season.” Jordan also announced there will be a federal fishing licence buyback offered to commercial fishers who are ready to call it quits. DFO’s Salmon Integrated Fisheries Management Plan for 2021-22 will result in closures to about 60% of commercial salmon fisheries in B.C. for 2021. >click to read< 15:22
English Channel Fly-Shooter Agreement Breakdown – Opinions are divided!
For some, fly-shooting is seen as a gentle method of fishing, with low fuel consumption and limited seabed impact. This is a technique has become increasingly popular, although in the Eastern Channel region and in other parts of France it has come in for criticism from small-scale fishermen, who claim the fly-shooters are stripping their grounds bare in record time. Fly-shooting is now prohibited inside the 12-mile zone off the coast of Brittany, and in the Channel, the situation has become critical, with more and more French, Belgian, Dutch and English fly-shooters operating in the region. >photo’s, click to read< 13:29
Commercial fisherman frustrated by red tide fish kills destroying his livelihood
Dead fish by the thousands are causing a smelly mess in the water and on the shorelines around parts of Tampa Bay. Commercial fisherman David Gill was shocked when he first saw it Monday morning near the mouth of the Alafia River. “I wanted to scream and rip my hair out because I watched my livelihood die right in front of me,” says Gill, who has been fishing these waters since he was a boy. For years, Gill and other fishermen have traveled miles to get away from red tide, which he believes is exacerbated by pollution, including the release from Piney Point. He’s angry about it. video, >click to read< 10:59
Devon lifeboats race to French trawler fire
Two South Devon lifeboats took part in a five-hour mission far out in the English Channel after a French trawler caught fire. Firefighters were winched down to the deck of the stricken trawler during the operation. Torbay and Salcombe both launched their RNLI lifeboats to go to the aid of the French fishermen. A spokesman for Torbay RNLI said the trawler had suffered an engine room fire 36 miles south east of Berry Head on Sunday afternoon. Four French trawlers joined the two lifeboats in the rescue,,, The stricken trawler was towed out of the Channel shipping lanes,,, >click to read< 09:45
The calamari comeback state, part 2? Fishing industry booming in RI following pandemic
Restaurants are packed, outdoor dining has expanded, and tourists are flocking to Rhode Island for the seafood the state is known for. Although the local fishing industry is booming, prices are skyrocketing and it’s all because of the pandemic. During the peak of the virus, prices dropped, and fishermen had a hard time selling what they caught. “Narragansett just happens to be the home port for the world’s largest squid producers,” Operations Manager at Seafreeze Shoreside Rich Fuka said. “In fact, Rhode Island leads the world in squid production.” >click to read< 08:49
Senate Approves Bill Exempting Commercial Fishermen from State Unemployment Tax
“Currently, New Jersey’s commercial fishermen are on the hook for unemployment taxes, but they are not paid hourly wages, and they have never been able to collect unemployment benefits,” stated Testa. “This bill will have significant impact on the state’s vital fishing industry that has been extremely hard-hit by the pandemic.” According to a release, Testa’s bill (S-3501) would exempt commercial fishermen who are paid on the percentage of fish caught or a percentage of the selling price of those fish from the state unemployment law and its costly tax on earnings. >click to read< 07:52
