Daily Archives: March 27, 2023
Brixham trawler sank rapidly after capsizing off Devon coast
Government experts have completed their investigation into the sinking of a Brixham-registered trawler off the East Devon coast. The Angelena capsized and sank off Exmouth in June 2021, and the skipper was rescued unhurt from the water by a nearby military launch. The interim report published today says the steel-hulled stern trawler Angelena, which was built in 1988, sank just before midday on June 18 2021 around eight nautical miles southeast of Exmouth while its fishing gear was being recovered by the skipper, who was operating the vessel alone. The cod end was full of sand, mud and fish. >click to read< 19:38
Windfall of €8m for family at heart of Atlantic Dawn fishing group
Atlantic Dawn, the Donegal-based international fishing group, has paid an €8m dividend to an entity controlled by the McHugh family who are behind the business. The dividend underscores how the group has continued to deliver a strong financial performance while keeping its turnover and profit details shielded from the public. Atlantic Dawn, headed by chief executive Karl McHugh, is one of Ireland’s largest fishing groups and estimated to control more than 7pc of the country’s entire fishing quota. >click to read< 17:40
No commercial Togiak sac roe herring fishery this spring, after years of a shrinking market
Fish processors have indicated they will not buy Togiak herring this season, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s outlook released March 20. It’s the first time there hasn’t been a commercial fishery there in decades. That means that this spring, over 57,400 tons of herring will go unharvested. But as the market has declined, so has the price for herring. Tim Sands, said they’ve seen an especially sharp decline in interest since the COVID-19 pandemic began three years ago. The size of the commercial fleet in Togiak has shrunk as well. It used to comprise hundreds of vessels. But last year no gill netters fished, and just eight purse seine vessels participated, hauling in less than a quarter of the available harvest. Togiak herring, meanwhile, are doing just fine. >click to read< 13:50
Nova Scotia will lift moratorium on seafood processing and buying licences in 2023
Nova Scotia will end its five-year moratorium on issuing new seafood processing and buying licences. The “temporary” moratorium was imposed in 2018 while the province reviewed its licensing regime. Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Steve Craig says he does not know why the freeze was imposed by the previous Liberal government. “I’ve even had people tell me that the moratorium is the policy, which is not the case. The Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance lobbied for the moratorium, which still allowed for the sale or transfer of an existing licence. >click to read< 11:40
Morro Bay – Winds of Change
The offshore wind industry is expected to grow in coming years, sourcing a global market for renewable energy. The waters off Morro Bay have been sanctioned by The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) as a viable site for offshore wind development, considering the town’s existing electrical transmission capabilities. The introduction of an offshore wind farm would have devastating effects on Morro Bay due to the town’s historic reliance on the fishing industry. This project has the potential to displace fishermen and cause widespread economic harm to the community. Winds of Change explores the complexities of this case, while giving underrepresented fishermen a voice in the matter. Video, >click to watch< 10:01
Furious fishermen block France’s largest port in row over EU rules to eliminate trawling
French fishermen protesting against a European Union project to restrict bottom fishing symbolically blocked the main French fishing port, Boulogne-sur-Mer, on Sunday evening, the prefecture and the regional fisheries committee said. Seven fishing boats enacted a blockade at the entrance to the port, the prefecture said. Olivier Leprêtre, president of the Hauts-de-France regional fisheries committee told AFP the EU Commission’s plan “would be the death of the port of Boulogne”. He pointed out that with such a measure only 20 percent of the waters of the Pas-de-Calais Strait would remain accessible to fishing. >click to read< 09:01
‘Wicked Tuna’: T.J. Ott Pays 5-Figure Fine for Illegal Act
Back on Dec. 7, 2022, the Massachusetts Environmental Police revealed that its officers began investigating the illegal sale of bluefin tuna, a federally regulated species in October 2021. During the investigation, they discovered that bluefin tuna was being sold at a Gloucester fish market, and a captain faced criminal charges. In November 2022, the captain reached a plea deal with the state and paid $13,000 in fines for the illegal sale of the fish. Although the post didn’t mention Ott, the Gloucester Daily Times later reported that he was the captain involved. >click to read< 07:57
