Monthly Archives: August 2021
Retiring rescue helicopter paramedic Doug Flett recalls life on the frontline
The call came at midnight. An emergency beacon had been activated. That was all intensive care paramedic Doug Flett, pilot Graeme Gale, co-pilot Mike Reed and Search And Rescue’s Brian Benn knew as their helicopter ascended into the darkness at Taieri Airfield. Who, why, where – they did not have a clue. “We picked up the beacon not long after lifting off and tracked it heading north towards the coast,” Flett recalls of that May, 2003, night. Back then, the National Rescue Co-ordination Centre was a Monday to Friday, daytime operation. After-hours jobs were run from the on-duty staffer’s home using a briefcase and a cellphone. On this occasion, things did not go well. >click to read< 08:59
DFO and fishing vessel safety – A Damning Indictment of its safety culture
Fisheries and Oceans’ decision not to extend the halibut fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence for the province’s inshore harvesters who didn’t catch their quotas due to poor weather is a damning incitement of its safety culture, says Merv Wiseman, an outspoken search and rescue advocate. “DFO is telling fishermen if you don’t go to sea because of bad weather you’re going to lose your fish,”,,, “Putting extra pressure on fishermen to make decisions contrary to safety is a recipe for disaster that we’ve seen play out too many times.” A Transportation Safety Board report into the 2016 drowning of four Shea Heights fishermen found they took a risk in going out in questionable weather in order to land their weekly cod quota, and to recover fishing gear before deadline. >click to read< 07:34
Is the fishing industry irrelevant to our governments?
Now our governments are auctioning off vast areas of valuable seabed to wind farm developers, with the apparent approval and encouragement of our own Shetland Islands Council. Proposed area’s presented for consideration when combined, would cover roughly half the area of the Scottish mainland. This would exclude the fishermen from having access to some of the richest and most prolific fishing grounds in Europe. >click to read< 18:00
Fishermen protest at Karachi harbour
Fishermen in Karachi on Saturday staged a protest after docking their boats at the harbour and Keamari Jetty. However, after assurance from Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Marine Affairs Mahmood Moulvi, fishermen called off the protest. Fishermen started to protest against unnecessary checking of their boats in the open sea and misbehaviour of the government and maritime officials. The fishermen also staged a sit-in on the main Maripur Road, blocked the traffic for several hours. Asif Bhatti, a representative of the fishermen community, said that fishermen had been unable to do fishing for the last two months and now they are facing problems in feeding their families. “A large number of women and children also joined the protest.” >click to read< 17:11
Bad Press for Block Island Wind Farm! The blades ain’t turning, questions of cables, and huge $$$ extra’s!
The Block Island wind farm has largely shut down – And so I can understand why no one wants to talk about how four of the farm’s five turbines have, without any public notice, stopped running this summer. I spent the better part of a week trying to learn why, It was an unsatisfying explanation. More troubling, the reburying of the cable, The last estimate to rebury the cable was $30 million, I can understand why Ørsted and the other wind company contenders jockeying for new development up and down the Eastern Seaboard might be worried about bad press for the Block Island system, given the growing opposition to wind farms from the fishing industry, consumer activists and coastal communities where cables are proposed to come ashore. Thank you for the exposure, David Collins! >click to read< 12:58
Fishery policy should by guided by existing managing bodies, not back-door lobbying campaigns
These groups include fishermen’s organisations and representatives from other bodies including marine compliance, science and environmental agencies. The RIFGs are designed to enable all interested parties to take part in decision-making about their local fisheries and agree on how they should be managed. You would think that bodies like Open Seas might welcome this devolution of consultation and management to local level as evidence of a worthwhile attempt to create healthy participation in the governance of our seas but no, they would wish to leapfrog and undermine that democratic consultative process and opt to lobby for their own binary and simplistic agenda. >click to read< 10:49 By Fiona Matheson, Stromness, Orkney
Boasts about boosting fishing quotas after Brexit have been branded “codswallop”- The fish don’t exist!
Regaining control of British waters was a major part of the Leave campaign before Brexit but six months on and questions have been raised about the supposed benefits An investigation using the Government’s own data and backed up by former officials has revealed that £31.8million worth of extra fish promised in Parliament “don’t exist”. That money should have come from a big rise in the quota for sole and plaice. But James White, 38, a fisherman from Felixstowe, said: “They can increase the quota a hundred fold and we won’t be able to catch more. These fish don’t exist.” >click to read< 08:03
Treaty rights are a provincial and federal election issue says Sipekne’katik First Nation Chief Mike Sack
The fishery offers the Mi’kmaw community in central Nova Scotia a path out of poverty, Sack said. But the strict restrictions on what Indigenous fishers can catch and sell further perpetuates the cycle of injustice,,, Indigenous fishers in Nova Scotia argue that a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision affirms the Mi’kmaw treaty right to fish for a “moderate livelihood” when and where they want, including outside the federally regulated commercial fishing season. Some critics, however, are quick to point out a clarification later issued by the court saying the treaty rights would be subject to federal regulations. >click to read< 16:52
Chinook catch falls short in first Southeast troll opening. Fleet gets a another shot.
Southeast’s commercial troll catch of king salmon fell short of its target in the first summer opening in July. The fleet gets another shot at those chinook in a second fishing period that starts Friday, Aug. 13. The region’s king salmon catch is managed under the Pacific Salmon Treaty between the U.S. and Canada. Commercial trollers had 119,300 fish remaining on this year’s allocation under that agreement going into the summer season. That leaves a target of 53,000 for the second opening. Fish and Game expects it could take seven to 10 days for the fleet to hit that mark. >click to read< 13:33
New Trawler Delivered From Karstensens Shipyard
In March of 2019 a contract was signed between Mats Johansson, Vingaskär Fiskeri AB and Karstensens Shipyard A/S for the construction of a new 34.00 m Trawler. The finished ship was taken over by the Shipping Company on 15 June 2021 after some delay, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The new vessel is a state-of-the-art combi trawler, designed for fishing for both fish for human consumption and shrimp, with everything within the latest of machinery, equipment and equipment. The project as a whole has been carried out in a very close and intense collaboration between Shipping company and Shipyard. To review the specification, and 31 photos, >click to read< 12:30
Ocean Fisheries Ltd: Propspeed foul-release coatings has now become a must-do job at all haul outs.
Propspeed, leading innovator of underwater foul-release coatings, announced today it has been selected by Ocean Fisheries Ltd. as the preferred foul-release coating for its fleet of commercial fishing vessels. “Application of Propspeed has now become a must-do job at all haul outs. In addition, we historically had issues with weed growth on the keel coolers for the main and auxiliary engines, ice maker, hydraulics and echo sounder transducers. After a discussion with Propspeed we applied the product to the echo sounders and keel coolers at our most recent 2020 haul outs and we expect the same lack of growth to occur. We would have no hesitation in recommending other trawl vessel owners apply Propspeed because it severely inhibits weed and marine growth. >click to read< 10:15
Prince William Sound catch jumps to 35.7M fish
Commercial harvests in Prince William Sound have reached over 35.7 million fish, including nearly 32 million pink salmon, up by over 5 million fish from a week earlier, according to the state’s latest preliminary commercial harvest reports. As of Wednesday, Aug. 4, that report showed harvesters delivering to processors in Prince William Sound 31.9 million pink salmon, 2.5 million chums, 1.3 million sockeye, 11,000 cohos and 7,000 Chinooks. The biggest overall contributor to the harvest to date is the Prince William Sound general seine fishery, >click to read< 09:12
Canada, Eight B.C. First Nations sign amended CFN Fisheries Resources Reconciliation Agreement
The Government of Canada is committed to a renewed relationship with Indigenous Peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnership. Delivering on this commitment, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan and Coastal First Nations President Chief Marilyn Slett, with representatives of CFN member nations, announced the signing of the amended CFN Fisheries Resources Reconciliation Agreement. This amended agreement sets out the next steps to be taken in planning for commercial community-based fisheries encouraging a greater flexibility in community participation and greater access to fishing licenses and quota. It also includes support for the CFN member Nations to make investments in gear, vessels, licences, operations, and infrastructure. >click to read< 07:59
Kodiak Fisherman Sentenced to Prison and fined $1M for Lacey Act violation
According to court documents, James Aaron Stevens, 47, an experienced commercial fisherman, vessel owner and captain, pled guilty in November 2020 to falsely labeling fish in violation of the Lacey Act. Stevens, owner and operator of F/V Alaskan Star and F/V Southern Seas, falsely reported where he harvested 903,208 pounds of individual fishing quota (IFQ) halibut and sablefish. Stevens knowingly falsified numerous documents, IFQ landing reports, Alaska Department of Fish and Game fish tickets, and fishing logbooks, to show that he harvested fish in locations and regulatory areas where he did not fish and omitted areas where he actually fished. Stevens committed this offense over the course of 26 fishing trips spanning four IFQ fishing seasons (2014-2017). Taken together, the halibut and sablefish that Stevens falsely reported had an approximate dock value of $4,522,210 and market value of $13,566,630. Stevens sold the falsely labeled fish caught during these trips, which were, or were intended to be, transported in interstate and foreign commerce. >click to read< 19:08
Captain William “Barnacle Bill” Louwsma of Everglades City, a commercial fisherman, has passed away
William “Barnacle Bill” Louwsma, 65 of Everglades City, FL died Friday, July 16, 202. He was a commercial fisherman for stone crab in the Gulf of Mexico and crawfish in Marathon. He was captain of the F/V Whatever and took great pride in working hard to provide for his family. He was a sports enthusiast who loved the Florida Marlins, the Miami Dolphins, and the Miami Hurricanes. He also followed the Detroit Lions when the Miami Dolphins were not depressing enough. He loved to tell stories, some of which might have been true. He hated prosecutors and cottage cheese. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Florida Stone Crabbers Association >click to read< 14:14
RCMP investigating Mi’kmaq lobster boat tie-up line slashing allegation
The RCMP are opening a criminal investigation into a report that nine lobster fishing boats operated by Mi’kmaq fishers were purposely cut loose from a wharf Thursday in southwestern Nova Scotia. Sipekne’katik First Nation Chief Mike Sack has alleged the boats were cast adrift from their berths in Weymouth North, N.S., to damage the band’s property and intimidate its fishers. The Mounties said in an email today they are taking the complaint seriously and looking into the matter. video, >click to read< 11:47
Fishing Industry Urges Prime Minister To Support Industry After Brexit Fiasco
Scottish fisheries leaders have urged the Prime Minister to help them build back the industry after the bad Brexit deal, which left skippers battling for fishing opportunities while EU vessels continued to have full access to UK waters. At a business meeting in Fraserburgh, they asked Boris Johnson for action not words on improving prospects for the fleet in five years’ time when the arrangements are due to be revised. In the meantime, Mike Park, chief executive of the Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association, pressed Mr Johnson to order an independent review of the “flawed” science behind proposed quota cuts from ICES to key species such as cod for 2022. ‘As well as the lack of fishing opportunities, the industry is facing a spatial squeeze as offshore wind grows. >click to read< 10:33
Move Over! Industrial aquaculture/aquafarming has Maine lobstermen and fishermen hot under the collar
High-profile privately funded ventures have lately been converging on this corner of the North Atlantic. Norwegian owned American Aquafarms wants to salmon in Frenchman Bay, and other large Canadian and Dutch finfish aquaculture companies are moving into the region. This bustle, though, has raised the hackles of lobstermen and women represented by grassroots Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation organization. They say large-scale aquaculture corporations are intent on “privatizing” the public ocean, in the process displacing locals who’ve fished these waters for years and endangering their livelihoods. They feel considerably less optimistic about the burst of interest in aquafarming in their local waters,,,>click to read< 09:07
Boatbuilding program launches dory this Saturday
Bouncing back from the COVID-19 shutdown last year, Islesford Boatworks is celebrating the launch of its 16th boat this Saturday. The 20-foot dory will be used by a local lobsterman, Rick Alley, to net groundfish for bait. Like their other boats, the dory was completed in summer boatbuilding school for children ages 6 to 16. Islesford Boatworks was founded in 2006 on Little Cranberry Island to use wooden boatbuilding to help preserve the local maritime legacy and to teach children woodworking, island ecology and island history. Each year, a group of kids and adults completes a wooden boat and launches it in August in a pirate-themed gala. >click to read< 07:55
Scallop boat Captain William Francis Phaneuf, “Cape Cod Bill,” 72 has passed away
William Francis Phaneuf, “Cape Cod Bill,” 72, died Saturday, July 31st at Tobey Hospital in Wareham while holding the hand of his number one caregiver and youngest daughter Nichole. He was the son of Mildred (Myers) Phaneuf and the late John H. Phaneuf. He was a Navy Veteran and served during the Vietnam War. In his later years, he made a home for himself in Wareham, MA. Affectionately known as “Cape Cod Bill” to the most hard-core and rugged guys in the fishing industry, Billy was a proud, seasoned fisherman who honed his craft in his early years, from quahogging and bay scalloping in Bourne, MA, and later leading the toughest of crews as a scallop boat captain out of New Bedford, MA. Through the years, Billy ventured out for every type of fishing up and down the East Coast. He was an artist, he created beautiful paintings and illustrated short stories for his children. He loved to make music and never left home without his harmonica. >click to read< 22:16
Sipekne’katik First Nation lobster boats cut loose from a wharf in Nova Scotia.
The chief of the Sipekne’katik First Nation, Mike Sack, issued a statement saying the boats were cast adrift from their berths in Weymouth North, N.S., with the “intent to cause damage and intimidate the community.” Sack says the boats were ready to take part in the band’s food, social and ceremonial lobster fishery, which is regulated by federal rules but is not limited to a particular season. >click to read< 17:53
The Bluefin Tuna Trophy angler season closed in March. Normally it would last into June.
Challenges abound, but lobstermen say they’re in it for the long haul
Around 2 a.m. each morning, a parade of trucks from around the region begins the journey down to the Stonington docks, marking the start of another day of lobstering in Maine. In short, a large part of coastal Hancock County and beyond depend on lobster. One of the locals that has made her living off lobster is Julie Eaton, a member of Stonington’s 300-plus lobster boat fleet. She’s been at it for 39 years now and to her it’s not just a job, it’s a way of life. Every fisherman has their own story, but almost all of them say they got into the business because they love working on the ocean. 
For the hundreds of lobstermen in the region, things are going pretty well at the moment, even with the pandemic. While things are going well, if you talk to almost any Downeast lobstermen about the future of their industry, the conversation will come to two things: right whales and wind turbines. >click to read< 13:28
Customs Crackdown: U.S. blocks Fiji fishing boat from unloading, citing forced labor and debt bondage
Customs officials have blocked a commercial fishing boat from bringing tuna and other seafood into the United States, citing what they said was the use of forced labor by its operator, a company based in Fiji. The Customs and Border Protection agency said on Wednesday that it had found that operators of Hangton No. 112,a long-liner owned by the Hangton Pacific Co. Pte Ltd., had withheld workers’ wages, kept their identity documents and subjected them to debt bondage. If the vessel tries to dock at a U.S. port, or distribute its cargo in the country, officials said, its cargo would be held until its operator could prove that the fish were not caught using what the agency has described as “modern-day slavery.” >click to read< 10:35
Investigation finds Co Wexford boat capsized due to loss of stability
The FV Alize sank on January 4th, 2020, near the end of a 36-hour trip dredging for scallops. The two men on board were Joe Sinnott from Kilmore Quay, and William Whelan from Saltmills, Co Wexford. Shortly before 11pm, Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter R117, and a Dunmore east RNLI lifeboat were tasked with responding to an emergency beacon, about 12km off Hook Head.,, Less than two hours before the boat capsized the skipper called a family member and told them they had 29 bags of scallops on board, and were on the final trawl, after which they would be returning home. >click to read< 09:31
Cargo vessels endanger North Atlantic right whales off Port of Savannah
Cargo vessels operating off the increasingly busy Port of Savannah are the primary violators of speed limits intended to protect the critically endangered right whales,,, The report comes as North American Right Whales again experience a declining population. NOAA lastest report on conservation efforts, issued December 2020, cites two leading causes of injuries and death as: A vessel strike, meaning the whales’ bodies may be sliced or chopped by ships’ propellers; and getting tangled in fishing gear,,, Canada has joined the U.S. in issuing rules intended to protect right whales from ship collisions. >click to read< 08:41
Clayton Wyatt Smalley, in Coffman Cove, Alaska – “The man John Wayne wanted to be.”
Clayton died suddenly in his home of 45+ years in Coffman Cove, Alaska. He was born in Santa Barbara, CA, and shortly after birth moved to Alaska when his mother, Marcella Smalley “Opheim,” returned home. While not born in Alaska he was the essence of an Alaskan man, hardy, handy, possessing the inner strength and will to conquer whatever came his way. He was raised in a fishing family, spending summers at the family fish camp on Prince of Wales Island with his siblings and grandparents, Roy and Maude Opheim, while mom worked at the Waterfall cannery near Hydaburg. Each of us had our own skate and enjoyed the challenge of going alone to set and pull our gear. Camping on the beach every night, up before dawn to troll, gillnet or check our skate engrained a strong work ethic that few folk sleeping in a warm cozy bed can understand.,,, I know this is long but I hope you understand how hard it is to put the life a a man who lived like he was invincible and could do anything on one page. >click to read< 07:48
Banning fishing in ‘monument’ a grave mistake
I was a founding partner of Boston Sword & Tuna, which today employs over 180 Massachusetts residents with good wages and benefits. The company processes and distributes swordfish and tuna harvested by American vessels in the waters off New England and the mid-Atlantic. After selling my ownership in the company several years ago, I decided to return to my origins as an owner-operator of commercial fishing vessels. But that future is at risk from a proposal in Washington. Last month, the Washington Post (I’m sure WaPo wants the re-closure!) reported on a confidential memo sent by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to the White House, urging President Biden to enact a full ban on sustainable American fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. By Tim Malley >click to read< 18:48
Crackpottery? A Ropeless Future for Lobster Fishing, they say!
The object thrown overboard was not in fact a trap but a ropeless fishing system deployed in a demonstration for passengers on the boat, including a film crew, a reporter and three people who study or advocate for right whales. Zack Klyver chartered the boat and arranged the demonstration. Through his consultancy, Blue Planet Strategy, he has been working as an intermediary between manufacturers, whale advocates and lobstermen, who find themselves on various sides of a regulatory survival equation as the federal government moves to protect endangered right whales. In ropeless fishing, Klyver sees a potential win for everyone involved, but getting there may take time and a fair amount of persuasion. Some funky photos, >click to read< 17:40
Proposed Halifax infill threatens the loss of lucrative lobstering grounds
An Eastern Passage lobster fisherman says some of his best catches come from a spot slated for infilling in Halifax’s Northwest Arm. Justin Stewart said Andrew Metlege’s plan to infill (make land) 45 metres out into the Arm in front of a home the developer,,, Stewart doesn’t want to lose the lucrative lobstering area to landfill. “It just sucks because when something like that is lost, then I’ve got to go in and split another place with somebody else. There’s lots of boats around.” He was a tad reluctant to talk about how good the lobster fishing is on the Arm for fear of attracting more competition. “There’s me and one other person and I think most people think we’re kind of crazy up there. But it works pretty good. photos, >click to read< 14:40
