Daily Archives: December 14, 2021
‘They saved my life’ – Cork fisherman and crewman save man from burning yacht
Fisherman Mick Hoey was tending to shrimp pods in nearby waters with his crewman Cian when he saw the yacht that had caught fire off the coast of Myrtleville, Co Cork. Mr Hoey has said he “made a beeline” for the yacht which was being captained by Alan Mulcahy. It had been a “relief” to see that Mr Mulcahy was “ready to rock and roll” when they approached the burning vessel, Mr Hoey said. Video, >click to read< 17:57
Investigation leads to 66 halibut fishing charges in Nova Scotia
As a result of a 24-month major case investigation in the Sambro area of Nova Scotia, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has laid 66 charges related to the illegal possession and sale of harvested halibut. On December 13, a total of 41 charges were laid at the Halifax Provincial Court for offences under the Fisheries Act and the Atlantic Fishery Regulations, 1985. This is in addition to a total of 25 charges which were laid on January 7, 2021. In total, eight individuals and five companies have been charged in relation to this investigation. >click to read< 16:42
Small scale fishers get rock lobster quota lifeline
Fishing communities have hailed a decision for the West Coast Rock Lobster quota to be increased from 600 tons to 700 tons for the 2021/22 season. In October hundreds of small-scale fishers were up in arms and protested against cuts in the quota. They demanded the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment review its decision and consider the plight of the small-scale fishing communities who depend on the resource for a living. >click to read< 12:53
The Fishermen’s Climate Lawsuit Even the Fishermen Don’t Support
A surprising article has cast a spotlight on the discord in the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), a trade group of commercial fishermen and crabbers who filed a climate lawsuit three years ago. PCFFA members have soured on the case since it was filed and are speaking out about the hypocrisy of suing fossil fuel companies for producing the very products they rely on to power their fishing boats and question if litigation is the best way to address climate change. These comments are particularly noteworthy given how this case was launched in 2018. As EID Climate noted at the time, cozy ties between the leadership of the group and attorneys seemed to be the reason for the case. But as we see now, the group itself may not actually have been on board. >click to read< Toxic waters devastated Pacific Coast fisheries. But who’s to blame? – Union leaders say fossil fuel companies must pay for rising ocean temperatures. Not all boat captains are persuaded, >click to read< 10:30
Fifteen Month Build
‘It’s a huge difference compared to the old F/V Baldvin,’ skipper Arnar Óskarsson said, when the new trawler had left the storm behind and had a day’s steaming to go to dock in Keflavík. 15 metres longer than its predecessor and has an extra four metres of beam, F/V Baldvin Njálsson performed well on the way home, although the route back to Iceland involved taking a long detour out to sea to sidestep the heaviest weather. ‘We have even had the owner on board for the delivery trip. She’s 82 years old, and decided to take a trip to Spain and come home with us,’ he said. photos, >click to read< 09:44
NPFMC ties limits on Bering Sea trawlers to halibut abundance
The council that manages fishing in federal waters voted to link groundfish trawl fishing in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to halibut abundance today. The action caps, at least for now, a six-year debate about curbing halibut bycatch in Alaska. For many who have been following that debate, the decision comes as a surprise, since it’s expected to deal what trawlers say is a crushing blow to their fishery. >click to read< 09:10
NEA Statement on the Death of National Heritage Fellow Ralph W. Stanley
It is with great sadness that the National Endowment for the Arts acknowledges the passing of Master Boatbuilder Ralph W. Stanley, recipient of a 1999 NEA National Heritage Fellowship, the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. From Maine’s Mt. Desert Island, Stanley descends from a long line of mariners who first settled on the island around 1760. Stanley grew up in Southwest Harbor where commercial fishing boats and pleasure boats have always been a prominent part of the local landscape. >click to read< 07:57
’Twas the night before mullet season
’Twas the night before mullet seasonw hen all through the village not a husband was home there was no one around. The nets were all hung by the fisherman with care in hopes that the mullet run soon would be there. My crew in their slickers and new boots and caps took a few moments to take a quick nap. When out on gulf there roared such a sound, like thunder the fish, they showered all around, away to our nets we flew like a flash, tore open the box lid threw the net, splash. >click to read< 07:08
