Daily Archives: June 17, 2022

Coast Guard aircrew medevacs fisherman from vessel near Cold Bay, Alaska

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew, forward-deployed to Cold Bay, medically evacuated a mariner from the fishing vessel F/V Golden Alaska, on Tuesday, near Cold Bay. The aircrew safely transported the 57-year-old male to Anchorage to awaiting Emergency Medical Service personnel, who then transported him to receive a higher level of care. >3 photos, click to read< 15:49

N.L. MP vows he’s ‘gonna keep pushing’ forward on seal management legislation

Clifford Small may have lost a battle in his bid to convince the House of Commons of the need for legislation to manage seal populations, but the Newfoundland and Labrador Conservative MP says he’s not about to give up the fight. Small’s private members’ bill, Act for the Conservation of Fish Stocks and Management of Pinnipeds (seals), or Bill C-251, died when it came to the House for second reading on June 15. There’s more than one way to move a bill through the parliamentary process, said Small. Bills can start in the House or they can be introduced through the Senate, he said, indicating that’s the path he may pursue next. >click to read< 14:20

Troubled Waters – British Fishermen and Brexit

More than two years after Brexit, British fishermen are angry. They were promised more control over fishing rights in British waters, but what they’ve gotten is reduced income. Many of them voted Leave, but now they feel they’ve been let down. The fishing industry overwhelmingly supported Brexit. Darren Kenyon is a fisherman from Grimsby in North East England. He believed in the government’s Brexit promises – including more control over fishing rights in British waters — and voted Leave. But two and a half years after Brexit, he feels betrayed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Kenyon’s income is lower than it used to be and there’s more red tape than ever. >click to read< 12:10

The End? Dwindling catch puts future of Portland Fish Exchange in jeopardy

The auction provides space on the Portland Fish Pier for fisherman to bring their haul and for seafood buyers to bid on the fresh catch. But it has struggled in recent years as fishermen are landing fewer fish. And they often take what they do catch to Massachusetts, which has robust seafood markets. The goal has been to support and maintain Portland’s fishing fleet, but a dwindling catch has made that more difficult and the auction struggles to fill its four times weekly sales of seafood. Rob Odlin, a fisherman who is president of the Portland Fish Exchange board, said fishermen are struggling and many are opting to take their catch to Massachusetts to sell to take advantage of more lucrative lobster sales. >click to read< 10:20

All eyes on Washington over bill that could ‘halt’ offshore wind construction

US legislation whose current language threatens to slam offshore wind project construction is expected to be passed with less restrictive provisions. But how much the manning provisions of the Coast Guard Authorization Act will be watered down remains unclear. In March, the US House of Representatives passed a spending bill for the US Coast Guard that included provisions requiring crews on specialised offshore construction vessels to be citizens either of the US or their ship’s flag state. The legislation requires passage in the US Senate. >click to read< 09:14

Fisherman who vowed to dump shrimp if no buyer stepped forward has found one,,, in Nova Scotia

The La Scie inshore fisherman who vowed to dump his first load of northern shrimp for the season if he couldn’t sell the catch has found a buyer across the Gulf in Nova Scotia. “Thank God we don’t have to dump it,” says Ryan, who operates the fishing enterprise, F/V Atlantic Blue Too, with his son Josh, the skipper and license holder. “A Nova Scotia buyer has agreed to purchase the shrimp for significantly more than buyers are willing to pay here.” Most of the province’s shrimp fleets in the Gulf and off the east coast have yet to untie this season, despite the fact the spring price was set on April 24th, and the fishery opened on May 29th. >click to read< 08:04