Monthly Archives: January 2022

NCFA – North Carolina Wildlife Federation brings in the New Year with a lie!

Over the last month I’ve received two emails from Tim Gestwicki, CEO of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, asking me, and many others, to donate money to the NCWF to help fund their efforts to eliminate inshore shrimp trawling in NC. These two emails, like many before, contain much of the same disinformation I’ve come to expect from the Wildlife federation anytime they attempt to engage the public in the management of our coastal fisheries. He also failed to mention that NC shrimpers produce on average, 10 million pounds of shrimp, or food, annually. A very important fact, when you consider that more than half of Americans consume seafood on a regular basis and that shrimp is the #1 seafood preferred by American consumers. >click to read< by Glenn Skinner, NCFA-Executive Director 08:42

Coast Guard rescues 2 crewmen from commercial fishing vessel fire off Fort Myers Beach

A Coast Guard Station Clearwater MH-60 helicopter rescue crew rescued two people, Sunday, after their vessel caught fire approximately 28 miles south of Fort Myers Beach. The aircrew transported the men to Fort Myers Beach High School where local emergency services personnel treated the men on scene. The captain of the vessel contacted Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders via marine radio Channel 16 at 8:13 p.m., stating his 65-foot fishing vessel, F/V Jenna Dawn, was on fire. The captain activated his emergency position indicating radio beacon to mark the vessel’s location. Video, >click to read< 16:04

As Maine’s climate changes, scallop farming offers optimism

“One of the reasons we started farming scallops was because even though there’s a hesitancy for most people to admit it, there’s an awful lot of storms on the horizon for the lobster industry,” said Alex de Koning, of Bar Harbor-based ​mussel and oyster farm Acadia Aqua Farms. “It’s a tough nut to crack, but if you crack it, your potential benefits are just tremendous.”,, Marsden Brewer, owner of PenBay Farmed Scallops in Stonington, has been a commercial fisherman for most of his life. When his son, Bob, was in high school, Brewer worried about what the future would hold. Neither ground fishing nor lobstering seemed like a stable occupation,,, “I got tired of worrying about limitations,” he said. “I wanted to do something where I could maybe realize my potential.” >click to read< 13:11

New Year’s traditional ceremony at Fukushima port

Fishers at one of the northeastern Japanese ports damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami have held a traditional ceremony to mark the New Year. Ukedo port in the town of Namie in Fukushima Prefecture suffered severe damage to its breakwaters, seawalls and other infrastructure when it was hit by the disaster. Work to rebuild the facility was completed last year. The ceremony, which is said to date back about 100 years, took place on Sunday, with some 300 people participating. It began with a local Shinto priest performing a ritual in front of fishing boats. Video, >click to read< 11:49

DFO says it is considering request from P.E.I. fishermen to change lobster setting dates

The federal government is considering allowing P.E.I. lobster fishermen to start the spring season earlier than normal. Krista Petersen, a spokeswoman with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Gulf Region,,, “Before DFO makes any decisions on requests for season date changes, proposals need to be discussed with all groups who fish in a particular lobster fishing area,’’ Petersen said in an email. “Issues related to safety, weather, ice conditions and harbour dredging will be taken into consideration.’’ >click to read< 10:48

Lifelong Waterman Thomas Edward Haddaway, Sr. has passed away

Our hearts are breaking as we mourn the passing of Thomas Edward Haddaway, Sr. Born in Tilghman on Aug. 17, 1941 to Frances and Edward Haddaway, Tommy was the backbone and strength of his family,,, A lifelong waterman, Tommy loved nothing better than to be on the water in his workboat crabbing, tonging or fishing. After “retiring” he totally looked forward to steering the boat for his son, T, while they were patent tonging. He enjoyed cutting up and carrying on with his watermen friends and adding to the many tall tales and delightful stories that were often heard at Fairbank Tackle. >click to read< 09:20

Newlyn: That was the year that was – 2021 in pictures

Notwithstanding Covid, history was made in January 2021 when Newlyn’s fish auction went online signaling the end of the shout auction. Busy markets are now devoid of buyers, all of whom bid from the comfort of a remote computer, wherever that may be. The demise of things that had been a feature of the harbour for many years was to be repeated several times later in the year, the next casualty being landings of fish from the boats in the Waterdance fleet being landed in Newlyn but transported by road for auction at Brixham which, despite the need to reduce the carbon footprint, sees large quantities of the sae fish then transported back to Newlyn for processing and transported yet again back up the A30 for distribution beyond Cornwall. Photo’s, >click to read< 08

Port of Delcambre improving docks with $2M federal grant

While Bayou Carlin is a great place fishermen can sell directly to the public, it’s not without its flaws. Sunken shrimp boats litter the docks, debris rests in the channel, and hurricanes have damaged the structure. Port of Delcambre Director Wendell Verret admits the local seafood industry has been in decline for many years. “We’re just hanging on by our fingernails really to be honest,” Storms, the economy, even marine biology can all be obstacles to the Louisiana fisherman. Though those things are outside of the industry’s control, the infrastructure is. Video, >click to read< 15:34

Defibrillator campaign equips fishing boats with lifesaving medical devices

Automated external defibrillators can restore a heartbeat after it slows, or even stops. After crews aboard the Hibernia oil platform heard a distress call about a fisherman in cardiac arrest, Hibernia Management and Development Company decided to fund the defibrillators, paying for 105 of them. The Heart and Stroke Foundation then partnered with the provincial Fish Harvesting Safety Association to think about how to put them in place, said Mary Ann Butt. As a result of the partnership, Butt said, 105 fishing boats are now better prepared for a cardiac emergency. >click to read< 14:46

These guys are having an exceptional New Year after being rescued by a Fishing Trawler

Three Orange Valley fishermen who went missing four days ago have been reunited with their families. On the morning of December 27, Luis Manuel Yirvin, his cousin Gilbert Jesus Milan Mendoza and their captain Ender Emil, left Orange Valley aboard the F/V Simon Peter owned by Richard Mendoza, 2021 to fish in the Grand Boca. When they did not return, relatives informed the authorities, who then began search and rescue efforts. Fellow fishermen aboard a fishing trawler from Orange Valley discovered the three fishermen around 1:30pm yesterday. >click to read< 10:27

Wild pink salmon came in stronger than expected

Prince William Sound’s 2021 commercial salmon fishery proved challenging in the midst of a second year of the global novel coronavirus pandemic and increasing climate change, with harvesters delivering nearly 70 million salmon valued at an estimated $121.49 million. That added up to almost $72 million more than the value of last year’s commercial harvest of 25.5 million fish, according to preliminary state fisheries summaries. Humpy returns were the big surprise. Everyone came into the season a little bit skeptical because 2019 was such a poor year, but they perked up when they realized what they were seeing, Scannell said, of the odd year pink salmon run. >click to read< 09:58

In Labrador, desperate pleas for search and rescue resources still unanswered

Dwight Russell can’t forget the apologetic words from one of the RCMP officers who came to his door on a Sunday evening in September. “We just don’t have the adequate resources to be able to do this,”,,, Mr. Russell’s son Marc Russell and his crewmate Joey Jenkins had been missing for two days after their boat failed to return to the wharf in Mary’s Harbour, a fishing community of about 350 people in southern Labrador. In this corner of Newfoundland and Labrador, where fishing is a lifeblood for many, the pair weren’t just missing fishermen, they were “Marc” and “Joey.” >click to read<, other related posts, >click here< 09:08