Monthly Archives: October 2021
Can American lobstermen survive new restrictions, ESA listing of the North Atlantic Right Whale?
For centuries, North Atlantic right whales were aggressively hunted for their meat and their oil, which was used to keep lamps lit and to make soap.,, Since 2017, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) has documented 34 dead whales (21 in Canada; 13 in the U.S.), and 16 whales with serious injuries from entanglements or vessel strikes. In an attempt to conserve and rebuild the population, NOAA announced new regulations in August 2021 on the Maine lobster and Jonah crab industries, including the closure of large parts of the Gulf of Maine to lobstering between October and January and requiring more traps per trawl to reduce the overall number of lines in the water. >click to read< By A.N. Smith 13:15
Coast Guard, good Samaritan’s rescue 3 from fishing vessel taking on water near Cape Flattery, WA
The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan vessel crew rescued three people aboard a 48-foot fishing vessel taking on water Friday one mile north of Tatoosh Island near Cape Flattery. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound command center received a report at 1:15 a.m. Friday that the 48-foot commercial fishing vessel F/V Garda Marie began taking on water within the Olympic National Marine Sanctuary with three adults aboard. >click to read< 12:17
California oil spill forces fisheries to wait at least 2-4 weeks before restrictions lift
“Nothing,” Terese Pearson, who runs the 50-year-old business with her husband, Tommy, said of the empty state of the tanks, now nearly two weeks after an oil spill off Huntington Beach earlier this month.,, On Wednesday, the response team started collecting samples that will be tested for chemicals found in crude oil. For Pearson, the testing can’t come soon enough.,, This was the first time in the shop’s 50 years it didn’t have lobster to offer on the season’s opening day, which started just as the oil spill shut down local waters. photos, >click to read< 11:37
Photo’s, Florida Stone Crab season begins for local crabbers
Stone crab season began in Florida on Friday prompting area crabbers to the Gulf of Mexico with traps loaded with fish heads and pigs blood. The goal: haul in thousands of pounds of the highly sought after crustacean claws, known for their delicate and succulent taste. Justin Ivers, left, of New Port Richey, and Josh Brokus, of New Port Richey, collect a basket of stone crab claws on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, while offloading them from a stone crab boat at Lockhart’s Seafood Fish and Stone Crab Market at 589 Island Dr. in Tarpon Springs. Photos, >click to read< 10:55
The NLGIDC Supports the Position of an Inshore Fisheries Coalition on the New Redfish Fishery
The Newfoundland and Labrador Groundfish Industry Development Council (NLGIDC) clearly supports the position of a coalition of inshore harvester associations, Indigenous nations, and those involved in seafood processing in Newfoundland & Labrador, Quebec and New Brunswick. This coalition issued a News Release on this important issue on October 14, 2021 that called on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to immediately suspend its consultation process on the rapidly growing redfish resource in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. >click to read< 09:57
The redfish fishery is returning. So is angst about quotas for inshore harvesters
A coalition led by the union representing workers in Newfoundland and Labrador’s fishing industry is sounding the alarm about plans for an emerging commercial redfish fishery, saying there are big concerns about potential quotas for inshore harvesters.,, That process is favouring the offshore sector, according to the president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union, and forgetting the inshore harvesters when it comes to redfish. Keith Sullivan and the FFAW spoke out at Thursday on behalf of a coalition that includes inshore harvester associations, Indigenous groups and seafood processors in Atlantic Canada. >click to read< 09:17
The NLGIDC Supports the Position of an Inshore Fisheries Coalition on the New Redfish Fishery – >click to read<
Fish Galore! It’s a fine Fishy Friday in Newlyn
Cool cloud colours this morning but still autumnal temperatures pervade… Lots of fish photo’s, from Tuna to Turbot! >click to read< 08:34
The body of a missing fisherman was found off Yarmouth
The body of a missing fisherman has been found off the coast of Yarmouth, N.S. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre said the 52-year-old was found at 2 p.m. AT Friday by search and rescue personnel. JRCC spokesperson Lt.-Cmdr. Brian Owens offered his condolences to the family, friends and community of the fisherman. The man was the captain of a fishing vessel identified as the Miss Janet, which was travelling from Shelburne to Saulnierville. The man’s identity has not been released at the request of his family. Our condolences. >click to read< 15:54
East Hampton Town Baymen Will Resume Truck Beach Civil Disobedience
East Hampton Town baymen are planning a second act of civil disobedience on Sunday morning at a stretch of ocean beach on Napeague commonly known as Truck Beach,,, “The baymen are planning an event,” Daniel Rodgers, an attorney representing several of them, told The Star. “Going forward, they have alerted all interested parties to continue to use the beach as normal, on a daily basis as well as weekends. They intend to make their point until someone is arrested.” >click to read< 12:26
Full Steam Ahead! SEA-NL founding convention is scheduled for Nov. 18-19th in Gander
Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) — a new group formed to represent the province’s more than 3,000 licensed, independent owner-operator fish harvesters — has scheduled its founding convention for Nov. 18-19th at Gander’s Quality Hotel. “It’s full-steam ahead for SEA-NL,” says Ryan Cleary, interim-Executive Director. “Enterprise owners will finally get their own distinct voice in the industry they drive, and, ultimately, achieve a direct say in all decisions that impact their enterprises.” >click to read< 10:14
F/V Bear still stuck in the sand at Island Beach State Park
A 68-foot fishing boat named Bear was (remains) stuck in the sand Thursday morning after it ran aground at the southern end of Island Beach State Park overnight, according to the Coast Guard. Sometime Wednesday night, watchstanders at the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received a report through VHF Channel 16 of a grounded fishing boat in the sand with three people aboard, officials said. Video, 20 photos, >click to read< 09:42
Would you quit your job for $110,000? This California swordfisherman said no
Fisherman Gary Burke eyed all that’s left of a fleet that once helped satisfy America’s insatiable appetite for swordfish: four old vessels with splotches of rust showing through peeling paint. Decades ago, there were more than 100 such ships in Santa Barbara alone, towing mile-long drift gill nets in choppy seas far beyond the breakwater. Today, there are perhaps a dozen in the entire United States, and they will probably soon be removed from service. “We’ve been whittled down by regulations and old age,” Burke grumbled as he climbed aboard the 50-foot vessel Tytan, which has been his private domain for 35 years. >click to read< 08:39
UPDATED: Search continues for 54-year-old missing fisherman off Yarmouth
Crews with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre are searching for a missing fisherman in the waters off southern Nova Scotia. The centre said they were notified at about 4 a.m. AT of a man who had gone overboard from a fishing vessel about 27 kilometres off the coast of Yarmouth, N.S. Lt. Cmdr. Brian Owens said there were initially four people on board the vessel. Three of them went to sleep, leaving the captain in the wheelhouse. The band office of the Sipekne’katik First Nation confirmed the missing man is a member of the community. Several fishermen from Sipekne’katik were out on the water assisting in the search Thursday. >click to read< 17:32
Newly Launched New Bedford Foundation Aims to Keep Fishermen Safe
A new charitable foundation in New Bedford is getting started on its mission to keep fishermen safe by supporting the creation of safety standards in one of the most dangerous industries in the country. Board members yesterday announced the launch of the Seaworthy Foundation, which advocates for safe working conditions on fishing vessels. The foundation was started by family members of fishermen Michael Roberts and Jonathan Saraiva, who died in December 2017 when their boat, the F/V Misty Blue, sank off the coast of Nantucket. >click to read< 15:20
Crews search for missing fisherman off southern Nova Scotia
Crews with the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre are searching for a missing fisherman in the waters off southern Nova Scotia. The centre said they were notified at about 4 a.m. AT of a man who had gone overboard from a fishing vessel about 27 kilometres off the coast of Yarmouth, N.S. Lt.-Cmdr. Brian Owens said there were initially four people on board the vessel. Three of them went to sleep, leaving the captain in the wheelhouse. When one of them woke up at about 3:30 a.m. AT, the captain was no longer in the wheelhouse. They searched the boat, but he wasn’t on board. >click to read< 12:03
Canada demands $25M in COVID relief assistance back from thousands of fishers
The federal government is demanding 4,193 Canadian fishers repay $25.8 million in COVID-19 relief assistance paid out in 2020 under the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant Program,,, DFO said many harvesters were ineligible because they were regular wage-earning employees rather than self-employed sharepersons, as required under program rules. Travis Nickerson of Clarks Harbour, N.S., received an overpayment letter. “It’s a mess,” said Nickerson, a lobster boat crewman. “They gave me something when I really needed it, and now they want it back.” >click to read< 10:40
Offshore Wind Farms: As turbines rise, small-scale fishermen have the most to lose
David Aripotch is 65, a weathered man with gray hair, just tall enough to see over the helm. He has been fishing for almost a half-century, but he still gets excited every time the net is lifted from the ocean. It’s all the other things that eat at him. The federal fishing quotas that sometimes make him steam as far south as North Carolina to catch fish he can find off Long Island. The mind-boggling expenses of running a fishing boat: $5,000 a month for insurance, $30,000 for a new net, $60,000 for a paint job. Worst of all are the wind farms. “There’s so many things going against you as a commercial fisherman in the United States,” he said. “And now these wind farms, it’s almost like that’s the final nail in the coffin.” >click to read< (2nd article of 2 parts, >part 1<) 09:20
Biden plans to expand offshore wind farms to all US coasts
The Biden administration has unveiled plans to expand offshore wind energy farms in a move that could see turbines built along much of the US coastline.,,, The plan is expected to meet a backlash from some coastal and fishing communities, and it needs approval from state, local and environmental groups before any construction begins. Commercial fishing companies have argued such offshore wind projects would make it difficult to harvest valuable seafood species, like lobsters. Some conservation groups also fear the large turbines will kill thousands of birds and affect marine life. >click to read< 08:31
Inquest: No evidence British submarine sank French trawler in 2004
Ever since the boat sank, the families of the sailors have demanded a proper investigation into the men’s deaths. They have maintained over the years that the sinking could have been caused by a submarine becoming caught in the ship’s nets, something the Ministry of Defence has denied. The inquest heard on Wednesday that the Royal Navy Police Special Investigation Branch (RNPSIB) would not have been blocked from investigating the potential involvement of British combat vessels. >click to read< 07:51
Environment squall over MP’s Devon fishing trip, helped him understand the problems
MP Anthony Mangnall sailed into a social media squall when he spent the weekend on board a Brixham beam trawler. Mr Mangnall gutted fish on the decks of the Georgina of Ladram during his working trip at sea on board the first new beam trawler built in a generation for the Brixham fleet.,, Afterwards he said the trip had highlighted some of the industry’s issues. He said: “First, getting new recruits into the fishing industry is a real problem. Many of the crew on Georgina of Ladram started after school, but they just aren’t seeing new young people join their ranks. >click to read< 21:57
4 Mi’kmaw bands launch moderate livelihood fisheries with government approval
In a news release Wednesday, the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs said the treaty fisheries will happen in the Acadia, Annapolis Valley, Bear River and Glooscap First Nations. The group said the Kespukwitk District Netukulimk Livelihood Fisheries Plan will start Thursday, though not all communities will launch then. The Mi’kmaw chiefs said they are following the path set out by the Potlotek First Nation to fish and co-operate with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.,, The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance, which represents commercial fishers, said its members support the deal. “We believe this is an important step in the right direction,,,” >click to read< 19:31
Pogies are back in Maine, and lobstermen say they’re more valuable than ever
Lobstering in Maine requires lots of bait, but Atlantic herring, a favored bait, are in short supply. Over the past few years, rebounding menhaden have been taking up the slack. Jamie Steeves, the lobster dealer who owns the boat the crew uses to catch the pogies, will sell the fish to lobstermen from the dock. “Let’s put it this way. If we weren’t catching pogies, and I say we as a whole, the industry, all my friends, those around us, if we weren’t catching them, this industry as lobstering would be in a lot of trouble,,, photos, video, >click to read< 16:53
Brown Crab Behaviour Negatively Affected by Offshore Wind Farm Underwater Cables
Brown crabs are “mesmerised” by electromagnetism from underwater power cables from underwater power cables laid around Scotland for offshore wind farms,,, “Underwater cables emit an electromagnetic field. When it’s at a strength of 500 microteslas and above, which is about 5 per cent of the strength of a fridge door magnet, the crabs seem to be attracted to it and just sit still,” Alastair Lyndon of Heriot-Watt University said. “If they’re not moving, they’re not foraging for food or seeking a mate. >click to read< , with a link to the study.14:07
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 50′ Duffy Scalloper with limited access – part time small dredge
To review specifications, information, with 31 photos, >click here< , To see all the boats in this series >click here< 11:32
Outside The White House, Much Of The World Is Going Nuclear
President Joe Biden’s weak standing in public opinion polls is so dangerous for incumbent Democrats that party colleagues up for reelection in 2022 may soon be chanting, “Let’s go, Brandon!” Outside of the leadership of the Democratic Party in the U.S., politicians worldwide are moving toward embracing the energy source that can reliably generate significant power without greenhouse gas emissions—and without a large geographic footprint (like offshore wind farms!). >click to read< 10:22
The Fisherman is the Ultimate American Hero – Fish and Men
A decade ago, while living in coastal New Hampshire, Darby Duffin had a conversation with the wife of a local fisherman. That conversation “hit me in the gut,” he said, and it haunted him for the next two years.,, “It stuck with me because it struck me emotionally,” he said. “It made me stop and think of the fishing community and the families that are involved because we don’t hear about them. Duffin took a closer look into local fishing communities, something he called “this iconic American trade so intrinsic to the cultural and economic vitality of the region” and discovered it had “devolved into a slow, quiet death spiral.” Worse, its demise seemed to be going unnoticed. Video, >click to read< 08:50
Trawler bycatch debate heats up after dismal 2021 returns
Chinook salmon returns were dismal virtually everywhere in Alaska this year, from Southeast to the Bering Sea, with few exceptions. That follows a trend, as abundance has declined over roughly the last decade. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is debating changes in its meeting this month. Trawlers, which use weighted nets to drag either along the bottom or in midwater, are permitted a certain amount of bycatch as they fish for their target species, the largest of which is pollock. Bycatch is always a heated issue, but it is especially so now. >click to read< 07:10
P.E.I. lobster boat Captain Clarence White’s sentencing set in fatal boat collision
A sentencing date has been set for a P.E.I. lobster boat captain convicted in a 2018 boating collision that killed two men. Clarence Barry White, 53, was found guilty of two counts of dangerous operation of a vessel causing death on Sept. 10 in Supreme Court of P.E.I. White’s matter was back in Supreme Court on Oct. 12 before Chief Justice Tracey Clements, who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 17, 2022. White was originally charged with two counts of criminal negligence causing death, but was convicted after a trial by Justice Gregory Cann of the two lesser but included offences of dangerous operation of a vessel causing death. >click to read< 17:12
UK sub ‘not involved’ in 2004 French trawler tragedy
A British military submarine linked to the sinking of a French fishing trawler nearly 18 years ago had nothing to do with the incident, the UK vessel’s former captain said Tuesday, sparking fury from victims’ relatives. The families of the five crew members who died on the Bugaled Breizh on January 15, 2004 are hoping an inquest at the High Court in London will confirm their view that the boat was pulled down by the British submarine HMS Turbulent. But the Turbulent’s former commander Andrew Coles said the nuclear vessel was docked on the day of the tragedy. “We definitely weren’t involved,” he told the hearing in London, echoing other witness testimony at the hearing. >click to read< 16:17
You gotta read this! Congress considers extensive appropriations for environment, fisheries
A congressional committee recently proposed billions of dollars in environment, and fisheries related appropriations, which may help protect and restore the North Carolina coast and its fisheries. Not everyone supports the proposed appropriations, however. N.C. Fisheries Association director of government relations Jerry Schill said in a strongly-worded email Oct. 9 to the News-Times he has no plans on reading, studying or lobbying for or against the proposed budget. Mr. Schill said he was in Washington, D.C., Sept. 28 to work on labor issues that relate to commercial fishing.,, “It was a frustrating day because, well D.C. just plain sucks,” Mr. Schill said. “ >click to read< 14:59 (Billions $$$ to NOAA!)
