Monthly Archives: November 2022
The last days of the F/V Newfie Pride
There were many nights he didn’t sleep. The numbers and scenarios turned over and over in his mind, making rest impossible. “I’d get up two, three o’clock in the morning, night after night, come out to the kitchen table and work the numbers every which way, trying to figure out how we could make it work,” Roland Genge told SaltWire this week. In the end, the Anchor Point fisherman realized it just wasn’t financially possible to keep going. So, the Newfie Pride, the family’s 60-foot shrimp trawler, is dry docked in Port Saunders on Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula, sporting a fresh coat of paint and a For Sale sign. >click to read< 15:26
F/V Skar Senior – Norwegian Seafood Company’s New Locally Built 48M Seiner/Trawler
The seiner/trawler, which is also named Skar Senior, was delivered by the local partnership of naval architecture firm Marin Teknikk and shipyard Maloy Verft. It has an LOA of 48.3 metres, a moulded beam of 12 metres, and accommodations for a crew of 10. The vessel was designed according to the owner’s specifications, which called for advanced purse seining and trawling equipment, 500-cubic-metre RSW tanks, and a vacuum system so that fish is gently hauled on board to ensure the best possible catch quality. The hull was built to DNV light ice class to allow operations even during days of mild winter. Photos, >click to read< 09:39
Southeast’s 2022 commercial salmon harvest was half as large last year’s, but worth millions more
Commercial fisherman in Southeast hauled in just over 29 million fish across the five salmon species during the 2022 season – 17.5 million pink salmon, 9.3 million chum, 1.2 million coho, 1.1 million sockeye, and 257,000 king salmon. Even though the total harvest was half of last year’s (58 million catch), the total value at the docks for Southeast increasedby $12 million this year, to $144 million. That rise in value came primarily because the price per pound of chum salmon increased by half this year compared to last year, at a region-wide average of $1.18 per pound. >click to read< 08:34
Nordic islands face pressure to end decades-old fishing deal with Russia
“There has to be consequences when a country attacks another country. So said the Faroese Social Democratic opposition party Javnaðarflokkurin in a statement to Courthouse News amid heated political debates on the Faroe Islands’ 45-year-old trade deal with Russia on mutual fishing quotas in the Nordic seas. The agreement allows Russian vessels to capture 100,000 tons of herring, mackerel and blue whiting close to Faroese shores in the Norwegian Sea annually, while Faroese fishermen get access to 25,000 tons of cod further north in the Barents Sea. >click to read< 08:04
Federal officials issued ‘economically debilitating’ rules on the Maine lobster industry, court filing says
The Maine Lobstermen’s Association on Thursday filed its opening brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals as the industry works to beat back regulations that it says will crush Maine’s signature fishery. Federal officials have proposed gear modifications to reduce the incidence of entanglement for endangered right whales, which number about 340. Other regulations would close certain areas to lobster fishing while the whales are migrating. The lobstermen’s association argues that the National Marine Fisheries Service must prove Congress gave it authority to issue stringent rules. >click to read< 07:17
Fishermen take case against paying for monitors to SCOTUS
“Making these vessels pay to have the observer coverage on them just decreases hardworking fishermen’s wages and makes it less attractive for vessels to continue,” said Wayne Reichle, president of Lund’s Fisheries of New Jersey and an owner of two of the boats that are plaintiffs in the case. “In some cases, it prevents them from fishing.” The fishermen have made the case that Congress never gave federal regulators the authority to require the expense of paying for the monitors. The price of at-sea monitoring, and who must pay for it, is a longstanding source of tension between commercial fishermen and regulators. >click to read< 21:01
Southampton makes $1.5 million in renovations to Shinnecock Commercial Dock
The Town of Southampton says it has made major renovations to the Shinnecock Commercial Dock to support the fishing industry on the East End. A total of $1.5 million was spent to repair the second largest commercial fishing fleet in New York. Hampton Bays fishermen say the commercial pier needed some work – from crumbling docks, deteriorating bulkheads and parking lots with potholes. Video, >click to read< 19:52
Nova Scotia lobster fishery braces for a downturn as inflation hits
Fishermen are seeing the downside of a cyclical industry at a time when inflation has sent their input costs skyrocketing. Geordy Bennett, a lobster boat captain in Riverport on Nova Scotia’s south shore, said he just spent $2,900 to fill his boat, Ava Brianne, with diesel at $2.03 per litre. “And it will probably be more next time,” Bennett said. Interest rates and the cost of bait and traps are also up. “It’s phenomenal. It’s doubled and we haven’t left the wharf,” Bennett said on a blustery day preparing traps for the upcoming season. >click to read< 18:10
Maine Lobstermen’s Association Files Opening Brief in Appeal of Burdensome Federal Regulations
The fight to save Maine’s iconic lobster industry has reached the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, as the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) filed its opening brief in a challenge to the federal regulations poised to crush workaday fishermen. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is implementing a rule that requires fishermen to reduce the risk of right whale entanglement with lobster gear by 98 percent. The overwhelming majority of Maine lobstermen are unable to afford compliance with the draconian risk reduction plan, that according to the NMFS, will not even recover the whale population. The plan will likely result in a corporate takeover of the remnants of Maine’s fishery, destroying the culture, charm, and most importantly, the families and communities who have responsibly fished Maine lobsters for generations. >click to read the press release< 11:38
The Hansen Legacy On Deadliest Catch All Started With The Opilio Crab
The latest spinoff of Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch,” titled “Deadliest Catch: The Viking Returns,” heavily emphasizes the family and history of series regular Sig Hansen. Fans of the series will know him best as the longtime captain of the F/V Northwestern, and “The Viking Returns” follows Hansen as his journey across the globe comes full circle, returning him to his family’s homeland in Norway in an attempt to establish his own crab-fishing empire. >click to read< 10:53
Poll shows overwhelming numbers of the public support local fishing
Overwhelming numbers of the public believe the government should not be allowed to squeeze fishing communities out of our seas, a fishing body has said. In polling carried out for the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) by JL Partners, 78 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement: “governments should ensure that fishing communities are not squeezed out of our increasingly crowded seas”, with only four per cent disagreeing. The survey follows a report for the SFF and National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), published this year, which showed that more than half of Scottish waters could be closed to trawling by 2050. >click to read< 10:14
Bill introduced to ban controversial fishing method in Virginia
A bill has been introduced for the next session of the Virginia General Assembly to place a two year moratorium on Atlantic menhaden reduction fishing in Virginia’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay. State Delegate Tim Anderson is sponsoring the bill. Menhaden are a baitfish that serve as forage for a wide number of larger and sportfish species. The method of fishing has been criticized by sportfishing and conservation groups. Omega Protein operates a fishing fleet that targets menhaden. Critics say menhaden numbers have been driven down in the Chesapeake because of it, and that sportfish numbers have dropped as a result. Video, >click to read< -09:37
Workers rescue Bella Coola fishing boat jammed under a pier in Bella Coola harbour
Two pile drivers are being hailed as heroes after they rescued a fishing boat that was jammed under a pier in the Bella Coola harbour on Monday, Nov. 7. The risk of the situation was heightened by the fact there are seven fuel pipelines connected to the Columbia Fuels dock at the pier. Had the boat hit them, it could have been a disaster, the operations supervisor for the Bella Coola branch of Columbia Fuels Jordan Prong said. At around 8:30 a.m. Monday, the Algoma 2 fishing boat was under the dock and ramming into the pilings, said its owner’s husband Carl Schooner. “We did not know what to do.” Video, >click to read< 07:58
SEA-NL: Seal summit fails to produce action plan
Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador says while federal officials maintain Ottawa has changed its tune regarding the negative impact of seals on East Coast fish stocks, there is still no plan to address the problem. “A change in tone remains just talk without a plan to back it up,” says Ryan Cleary, SEA-NL’s Executive Director. “Until Ottawa produces a game plan with clear objectives and timelines to deal with the rising seal population, events like this week’s Seal Summit in St. John’s must be seen as window-dressing.” A two-day seal summit wrapped up Wednesday in St. John’s with an open call by federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Joyce Murray for proposals to study seals in the marine ecosystem. >click to read< 07:11
Texas Oyster Fishing at a ‘Crossroads’ – Parks and Wildlife has closed most of the state’s bays to commercial harvest.
St. Paul government declares emergency in attempt to get ahead of looming crab crash
The Pribilof Island of St. Paul runs on snow crab — also known as opilio crab. The community’s Trident Seafoods is one of the largest crab processing plants in the world. So when fisheries management officials announced the species “overfished” and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game shut down snow crab for the first time in the fishery’s history in October, City Manager Phillip Zavadil knew the community needed to act fast. “We’re trying to get creative and have people understand that this is going to happen more and more, and that we need to address it,” Zavadil said. “We can do something now, instead of waiting for next year, when we don’t have any funding or we can’t provide services.” About two weeks after ADF&G’s closure announcement, the city declared a cultural, economic and social emergency. >click to read< 10:51
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 42′ X 16.5′ David MacDonald Lobster Boat, 500HP Volvo
To review specifications, information, and 22 photos’, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here< 10:09
The next generation: Tyler Miranda fights for New Bedford fishermen
Tyler Miranda went on his first fishing trip on his father’s lobster boat when he was six years old. Little did that child know that over 30 years later he would launch to prominence among New Bedford scallopers when he led the charge against a proposed limited access permit leasing program earlier this year. “I don’t want to be a Wal-Mart fisherman,” he said before representatives of the New England Fishery Management Council in May. “I think the fisherman’s voice should be heard.” Video, photos, >click to read< 07:43
Joyce Murray Brings Opening Remarks to Seal Summit
Every major player in the seal industry gathered in one large room at the Delta Hotel yesterday to brainstorm their way to new products and markets. Ministers, senators, scientists, business, FFAW, Indigenous leaders and MPs took part in the session. Media, however, were not allowed to cover it, and were told to leave the room following opening remarks by Fisheries and Oceans Minister Joyce Murray. While media were barred from yesterday’s seal summit discussions, Murray will take reporters’ questions when the two-day event wraps up this afternoon. >click to read< 07:04 Newfoundland and Labrador,
Nicole Expected to Become Hurricane Wednesday Before Impacting Florida’s East Coast
Tropical Storm Nicole is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday as it moves toward the east coast of Florida, forecasters said. Nicole had maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour and was moving west-southwest at 13 mph about 270 miles east of West Palm Beach, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Nicole is forecast to be at hurricane intensity by Wednesday or Wednesday night while it is moving near or over the northwestern Bahamas, the hurricane center said. >click to read< 06:37
Poor boat maintenance led to fatal sinking of fishing vessel near Bamfield
Poor boat maintenance contributed to the sinking of a fishing vessel near Bamfield two years ago that killed two crew members, according to a Transportation Safety Board of Canada report released Tuesday. Two fishermen died and one was rescued on Aug. 11, 2020, after a commercial tuna fishing boat that left Cowichan Bay capsized off Washington state. In the early morning hours, the F/V Arctic Fox II reported taking on water. The master attempted to deal with the water and ordered the crew members to prepare to abandon the vessel. >click to read< 13:46
Man, tired of living in U.S., steals boat to go back to Cuba, gets arrested on way
A 30-year-old Miami man was jailed in the Florida Keys after authorities say his plan to steal a commercial fishing boat in order to head back to Cuba hit a serious snag Monday. According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, a Marathon man reported that his 40-foot fishing boat was stolen that morning and said one of his former employees, Cristian Torres Perez, had recently quit “and had been talking about returning to Cuba as he disliked living in the U.S.” >click to read< 12:10
First National Bank supports Maine’s lobster industry with $300K donation
First National Bank announced Monday a $300,000 commitment to the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. The donated funds will take the form of a $150,000 direct donation to the MLA’s Save Maine Lobstermen campaign. The MLA is currently appealing a court decision in its lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service which, if enacted, would decimate Maine’s lobster industry and negatively affect not only the economy of Maine’s coastal communities, but also the economy of the entire state. Additionally, the Bank will provide longer term support in the amount $150,000 to assist the industry in any way the Association sees fit. >click to read< 11:21
Say no to blood money
New England Aqua Ventus, a joint venture between Diamond Offshore Wind, a subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Corporation, and RWE Renewables, the second largest company in offshore wind globally, was formed to develop UMaine’s floating offshore wind technology demonstration project. The Biden administration is dumping trillions of taxpayer dollars into offshore wind initiatives and offshore wind companies are big donors to environmental causes which was, without a doubt, one reason for Bigelow’s decision to grant this easement to NEAV. Eliminating our lobster industry clears the way for a Gulf of Maine filled with windmills. These global companies are financially supporting the environmental groups that are driving the North Atlantic Right Whale risk reduction measures aimed at eliminating Maine’s lobster industry. >click to read< By Patty Minerich 08:27
Still reeling from Ian, Florida shrimpers are desperate to get back on the water
Jimmy Driggers, 85, got into the fishing business when he was just 13 years old. He’s a shrimper in Fort Myers, Fla. “I was a mullet fisherman, [a] commercial fisherman in my younger days,” he said. Driggers walks with a prosthetic leg from an injury he sustained on his boat about a decade ago. It’s decorated with a sea lighthouse. He owns one shrimping boat the F/V Miz Shirley named after his wife. It can carry 50,000 pounds of shrimp. Driggers said the industry has been hurting for decades, and that he was paid more back in the 1980’s than he is today. Fuel prices have skyrocketed. Then came Hurricane Ian. It pushed The Miz Shirley half onto a seawall and half was left in the water –- unusable. >click to read< 07:28
Coast Guard medevacs Skipper from shrimp boat off Freeport, Texas
The Coast Guard medevaced a 60-year-old man from a shrimp boat Monday off Freeport, Texas. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center watchstanders received a notification at 6 a.m. from the crew of the Barbara Elaine, an 81-foot shrimp boat, stating their captain was experiencing symptoms of a heart attack. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac. >click to read< 06:53
Summit or same-old, jury out on DFO’s latest move on seals: SEA-NL
Nov. 7th, 2022 – Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador will be represented at this week’s Seal Summit in St. John’s and is eager to learn whether the event will lead to clear objectives and an action plan. “DFO Minister Joyce Murray took a monumental step earlier this year by acknowledging seals eat fish, and skippers now want to hear what Ottawa is prepared to do about it?” says Ryan Cleary, SEA-NL’s Executive Director. “The next two days will reveal whether the federal government will put words to actions, and we’re going in with a positive attitude,” added Cleary, who will attend the summit with board member Merv Wiseman. >click to read the press release< 15:39
Latest LNG Powered Pelagic Catcher
Designed by Salt Ship Design, F/V Sunny Lady follows Libas, built for Lie Gruppen at the same yard as the first fishing vessels to run on LNG as fuel. Cemre has another such innovative vessel under construction, the Skipsteknisk-designed Selvåg Senior, which has been launched for outfitting – cementing Cemre’s reputation for building highly sophisticated fishing vessels. F/V Sunny Lady – the name is a historical one for owners Teige Rederi and came from a merchant vessel that was once part of the family company – is arranged for pelagic trawling and purse seining. Photos, >click to read< 14:46
Federal Government Hosting Seal Summit in St. John’s
The federal government is hosting a Seal Summit in St. John’s this week to discuss product development and market innovation with various stakeholders. Seal populations off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador have exploded with many in the fishing industry pointing to seal predation as one of the factors hindering cod recovery. As of last week, the location of the two-day summit still had not been released to media. >click to read< 12:08
