Daily Archives: October 27, 2022
Fishing boat catches undetonated explosive off RI
The U.S. Coast Guard said an explosive caught by a fishing vessel Wednesday morning was detonated. According to Petty Officer Ryan Noel, the F/V Ocean State hauled up the unexploded ordnance four nautical miles off the east coast of Block Island. The vessel was instructed to anchor two miles west of Point Judith, while the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal group was called in to detonate the device. All three crew members were evacuated and a one-mile safety zone was set up around the vessel for the 9 a.m. detonation. >click to read< 20:21
‘This is the death rattle for Irish fishing’: dozens of trawlers to be decommissioned in State scheme
Up to 80 trawlers from the country’s 180-strong offshore fishing fleet could be destroyed if all their owners are accepted onto the Brexit Voluntary Decommissioning Scheme. “People don’t seem to realise what is happening here. “This is the death rattle of the Irish fishing industry. “If all those 82 ships are taken out of the fleet, that will leave just 78. Alan Carleton, who has applied to decommission his family’s trawler Syracuse, said he could no longer afford to be a fisherman.“Two years ago, I would spend around €2,360 for fuel for an eight-day fishing trip. “That cost is now €13,200 for the same trip.” >click to read< 17:54
Large Claws a Good Sign for Stone Crab Season
“My grandfather started Kirk Fish Company in the late 1940s, early 1950s, we’re not exactly sure when,” Kelly Kirk said. “My dad grew up here on the docks. I grew up here on the docks. It’s been in the family since then. The season seems to be starting out decent. It’s so hard to tell this early on. It usually takes a solid two weeks before we can judge what the season will look like and what the catch will be. But from what I’m hearing from the crabbers locally, and up and down the coast, the crabs are healthy, they’re strong. I’m optimistic that it’s going to be a strong season.” One sign of a good stone crab season, according to Kirk, is the size of the claws. “It’s a good sign when you see a lot of big ones,” Kirk said. “We’re seeing quite a few big ones already. >click to read< 13:44
The fight to protect right whale, lobsters roils Maine politics
In a state where few things matter more than lobster, it’s no surprise that Mainers are getting a hefty portion of crustacean politics as part of the campaigning for the 2022 midterm elections. What is surprising, however, is the high level of anger and frustration pointed squarely at Washington regulators, with many arguing that NOAA’s new rules are unfair and will hit the prized lobster industry far too hard. Rule backers say they’ll help protect a dwindling population of whales that’s at grave risk from fishing gear. “The men and women who make up Maine’s iconic lobster fishery are facing a terrible crisis, a crisis not of their making, a crisis that is due to this administration’s onerous regulations,” photos, >click to read< 12:11
Government Report Fails to Acknowledge True Implications of Foreign Control
Today, the provincial government released a report entitled, “A Review of Foreign Investment in the Newfoundland and Labrador Fishery.” While FFAW-Unifor is hopeful that the report’s recommendations will limit further foreign-control of our province’s resources, it fails to acknowledge or address the existing challenges hurting fish harvesters, plant workers, and coastal communities. “The entire processing industry is controlled by a handful of large companies – companies that continue to eat up smaller companies, continually growing their share and reducing competition in the industry. This situation is hurting inshore fish harvesters and plant workers, and it’s hurting the economic sustainability for coastal communities,” says FFAW-Unifor President Keith Sullivan. >click to read< 10:44
SEA-NL on foreign investment
Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) says a provincial government review of foreign investment in the fish processing sector misses the boat entirely in terms of addressing the extent of foreign control and corporate concentration. “The report certainly has nice pictures,” says Ryan Cleary, SEA-NL’s Executive Director. “Beyond that the takeaway about foreign control and corporate concentration in the fishing industry is that Minister Derrick Bragg missed his calling as a window-dresser.” The report of foreign investment in the processing sector comes more than two years after the province approved Royal Greenland’s takeover of Quinlan Brothers and St. Anthony Seafoods in September 2020 upon recommendation of the Fish Processing Licensing Board earlier that month. >click to read< 10:11
For local commercial fishermen, their work is also a passion and a relationship to Monterey Bay.
Neil Gugliemo comes from a long line of fishermen. His great grandfather, his grandfather, his father and his uncles were all fishermen. Gugliemo started his fishing career near Los Angeles in San Pedro, fishing for halibut, crab, swordfish and lobster. Now he looks for sardines, mackerel and squid. “Monterey is a beautiful place to fish,” he says. Leaving in the evenings on weeknights, the 80-and-a-half year-old – he insists on noting the half – heads out to drop his net and collect fish. “It is getting harder and harder. The price of fuel, insurance, the regulations and price of fish is affecting the way I can survive,” he explains. “The price of sardines hasn’t gone up. Five years ago it was around $1,000 for a ton, today it is about $1,017. >click to read< 09:06
Celestial Dawn – Custom Designed Prawn Trawler for Scottish North Sea Fisherman
A new prawn fishing vessel designed by Macduff Ship Design has been delivered to owner and boat captain George Hepburn of Peterhead in the north-east of Scotland. Celestial Dawn replaces Hepburn’s earlier similarly named vessel, which was delivered in 2000. Like its predecessor, the new Celestial Dawn will be used to trawl for prawns in the North Sea. The newbuild is also the first of a planned series of three trawlers. The design of Celestial Dawn began in 2018. Although intended to fish in a similar way to the owner’s previous vessel, the design of the new vessel was focused on both enhancing crew comfort and improving fuel efficiency. Photos, >click to read< 07:56
