Monthly Archives: April 2023
Striking fishery officers stand aside as poaching continues for lucrative baby eels
“Our net should be here, not some illegal fisherman,” says Brenda Golden, a co-owner of Wine Harbour Fisheries. Golden is looking under the Liscomb River bridge where a fine mesh net supported by floats stretches into the black foamy water. Hoping to have the net removed, Golden’s daughter reported it to the local Department of Fisheries and Oceans on Tuesday. Fisheries officials did not provide a response when asked about this incident. Nor to questions about the impact of the ongoing Public Service Alliance of Canada strike on its ability to rein in widespread illegal harvesting. >click to read< 07:15
Body recovered from wreckage of sunken Jersey fishing vessel, L’Ecume II
A body has been recovered from the wreckage of the L’Ecume II, a fishing boat which sank after a collision with a freight ship off Jersey’s west coast in December 2022. Three fishermen were on board when the vessel collided with Condor Ferries’ freight ship, the Commodore Goodwill. The bodies of crew members Larry Simyunn and Jervis Baligat were found, while the L’Ecume II’s skipper, Michael ‘Mick’ Michieli, remained missing. Officials have confirmed that the crew working to raise the sunken trawler recovered a body on Wednesday evening (26 April). The body was brought to shore in a coffin and is yet to be formally identified. >click to read< 15:03
Newfoundland and Labrador Fishery Crisis Expands to Lobster
Harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador are facing another crisis in the fishery – this time with lobster – with companies refusing to buy because they claim the formula-calculated price is not to their liking. Today’s formula calculation is based on market prices and puts the harvester share at $14.37 per pound. The ASP position at Panel would have put the price at 14.20, 17 cents lower. While this number is expected to drop in the coming weeks as fisheries open throughout the Atlantic Canada, this starting price is an all-time high for Newfoundland and Labrador harvesters. As a result, companies are colluding to shut down all fisheries in Newfoundland and Labrador that don’t eliminate their share of the risk. >click to read< 15:08
U.S. Shrimp Industry and Congressional Allies Urge ITC to Maintain Antidumping Orders on Imported Shrimp
The United States shrimp industry recently made its case to maintain antidumping orders on imported shrimp from India, Thailand, and Vietnam before the International Trade Commission (ITC). On April 11, 2023, the ITC conducted a hearing in connection with its Third Sunset Review on the antidumping orders. The American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA) presented five witnesses from shrimp processors in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida who relayed stories about the continuing injury caused by ever- increasing volumes of dumped imported shrimp. >click to read< 13:58
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 44’11” x 18’6″ Novi Scalloper/Dragger, Cat 3306
To review specifications, information, and 35 photos’, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here< 11:57
‘It’s the best time of year’: P.E.I. 2023 lobster fishing season opens on south shore April 26
The 2023 spring lobster fishing season opens this week along P.E.I.’s south shore, and excitement is building for what could be one of the nicest setting days in years. This year, there will be two opening days for the spring lobster season. Setting day for harbours along the south shore will be on Wednesday, April 26 – four days earlier than the traditional setting day of April 30. general manager for the Souris Harbour Authority, told SaltWire during an interview on April 24 he is excited about the early start. “It’s the best time of the year,” Daggett said. “We’d give up Christmas for it. It’s the best.” >click to read< 11:17
Shining the Light on Baby Crabs
The light trap at Whaler Bay is one in a network of 20 traps placed throughout the Canadian side of the Salish Sea, from Read Island in the north to James Island near Sidney in the south, as part of the Hakai Institute’s multiyear Sentinels of Change program. Launched in 2022 to mark the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, this community-centered initiative involves understanding how marine invertebrates are adapting to the changing environment. The light trap project, which focuses on the native Dungeness crab—a much-loved treat on the coast that can grow to the size of an adult’s outstretched hand—is a part of this program. Photos, >click to read< 10:17
U.S. identifies Gulf of Maine area for offshore wind development
President Joe Biden’s administration on Tuesday said it had finalized an area of nearly 10 million acres in the Gulf of Maine for potential offshore wind development, a major step toward expanding the industry into northern New England. The announcement was the latest milestone in the government’s plan to put wind turbines along every U.S. coastline to help displace fossil fuel for power generation and fight climate change. In a statement, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said it would kick off a 45-day period for public comment on the area, which sits off the coasts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. >click to read< 08:25
UPDATE: Coast Guard rescues 2 from a life raft near Cape San Blas, Florida
The Coast Guard rescued two overdue fishermen from a life raft near Cape San Blas, Florida, Tuesday. At 3:21 p.m., the aircrew of a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules located a life raft with the two missing fishermen aboard. The aircrew then vectored in the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Dolphin which embarked the fishermen and transported them to awaiting emergency medical personnel. The fishermen were last reported to be in stable condition. Coast Guard Sector Mobile watchstanders received the initial call Monday evening from the vessel owner stating his vessel, F/V Capt Ken-Wil, was without power and taking on water. >click to read< 07:25
Coast Guard searching for overdue shrimp trawler with 2 people onboard near Cape San Blas, Florida
The Coast Guard is searching Tuesday for an overdue vessel with two people aboard near Cape San Blas, Florida. Missing is Michael Redman and Jimmy Mallory. There is currently no description available for the mariners. The Coast Guard began searching Monday evening after Coast Guard Sector Mobile watchstanders received a phone call from the owner of the 54-foot shrimp trawler F/V Capt. Ken-Wil who reported his vessel disabled and without power with two people aboard. 2 photos, >click to read< 17:48
Fishermen-developed “banger bar” helps reduce risk of injury on crab boats, OSU study finds
Dungeness crab fishermen are at high risk for on-the-job injury, but having a metal bar to bang crab pots against as they harvest can help them prevent injury, an Oregon State University study found. The study sought to determine whether the fishermen-designed “banger bar” actually improves worker safety aboard crab vessels. The metal bar is installed atop the crab-sorting table and makes it easier for fishermen to empty the crab pots they haul up from the ocean floor, but there is no industry standard on whether crabbers install one or how they configure it. 4 photos, >click to read< 13:21
Lennox Island to fish 1,000 lobster traps off P.E.I.’s North Shore, with or without DFO signoff
The chief of Lennox Island First Nation says it will fish 1,000 traps in the spring lobster fishery off P.E.I.’s North Shore this year as part of its treaty-protected fishery — whether or not the Department of Fisheries and Oceans approves. The First Nation was planning to do the same last year, but ended up reaching an understanding with DFO to fish no more than the 300 traps the federal government could authorize in the spring, and later fish another 700 off the South Shore as part of the fall lobster fishery. Chief Darlene Bernard said she’s always been clear about her community’s intention to fish all 1,000 traps out of their own wharf on Lennox Island in the spring of 2023, and now they’ll be following through. >click to read< 11:38
The windmill energy fantasy of net-zero carbon emissions is a dangerous ideology jeopardizing national and economic security.
Where is Don Quixote when we need him? His fantasy was to slay giants (in reality, windmills) in his quest to fight injustice through chivalry. Green energy proponents have a carbon dioxide “net zero emissions” fantasy of powering civilization through green energy windmills and solar panels. Green energy advocates are for building windmills with trillions of taxpayer dollars and displacing existing energy and transportation industries. The result is weakening America and aiding the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) quest for world domination. Don Quixote’s quest was a fantasy. Green energy advocates’ quest for “net zero” power emissions is also a fantasy — a dangerous fantasy for America. >click to read< 10:38
P.E.I. South Shore lobster season starting early to avoid fishing into July
There will be two opening days in P.E.I.’s spring lobster season in 2023, with setting day for harbours on the Island’s South Shore on Wednesday, April 26, four days earlier than the traditional setting day of April 30. “The early opening is in an effort to keep the season from extending into July,” said Mike Dixon, who chairs the lobster advisory committee for 26A. “We have fished into July in the past, and we know that’s the time of year that the lobsters are into their reproductive stage and also their moult stage, so it’s to make sure that the season’s over June 30 or earlier.” >click to read< 09:12
Panel of Democrats, environmental activists blame climate change for whale deaths
The gathering, held in an oceanfront conference room as a half-dozen dolphins frolicked in the ocean behind them, also strongly criticized a bill in the House of Representatives containing numerous incentives for oil and gas companies, and which eliminates several environmental protections currently in effect. It also was a retort to opponents of offshore wind development, who claim that preparation for wind farms off New Jersey and New York are killing whales along the U.S. East Coast. Numerous federal and state agencies say there is no evidence that the deaths are related to offshore wind survey work. At Monday’s event, Pallone said, “The science has not linked the whale deaths to offshore wind activities. Climate change is the biggest threat to marine mammals.” >click to read< 07:48
Coast Guard rescues 2 from fishing vessel taking on water near Cape Chiniak, Alaska
Kodiak, Alaska — The Coast Guard rescued two mariners Sunday after their vessel began taking on water in the vicinity of Cape Chiniak. A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew hoisted both survivors at 9:11 a.m. and transported them in stable condition to awaiting emergency medical services at Air Station Kodiak. They were then transferred to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center for further medical assessment. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command center received notification at 8:00 a.m. Sunday that the 64-foot commercial fishing vessel, F/V Alitak was taking on water with two people aboard. >click to read< 18:35
“The market has collapsed.” With crab season on the line, seafood producers’ association digs in its heels on price
Jeff Loder, executive director of the Association of Seafood Producers said Monday the crab market has softened in the past few weeks, and the group will not negotiate a new price with fishermen. “The market has collapsed. Prices need to reflect that,” he said. Loder said each day the industry is delayed, with fishermen in the Maritimes and Quebec already out on the water, the worse it is for everyone. “Snow crab is not selling. There’s a glut in inventory,” said Loder, speaking for the first time since the provincial price-setting panel set a minimum price of $2.20 Cdn per pound for harvesters, who responded with protests and say they can’t afford to fish for that price. “We need raw material to get those plants going, and to have any chance to compete with our competitors in Atlantic Canada, who are all fishing in Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and P.E.I. at $2.25 a pound,” Video, >click to read< 16:00
In the Race for Clean Energy, Is Offshore Wind Harming the Nation’s Fisheries?
Tom Hafer remembers the first time the fish stopped biting. It was a little over 20 years ago when fiber optic cables were being installed in waters off the coast of central California, where he fishes commercially for spot prawns and rockfish. The fishing was disrupted for “miles and miles,” says Hafer, who has been fishing since the 1970s. Now, he and many other fishermen are bracing themselves for what could be a much larger threat looming in the water. Offshore wind farms, which are ramping up in the United States, could come at a tremendous cost to fishermen as they are being sited in prime fishing areas. And the process of erecting wind farms and their long-term presence in the water could alter aquatic ecosystems, potentially driving away fish and marine mammals. >click to read< 10:27
SNP minister says fishing ban ‘will not be imposed’ on communities
Scotland’s Net Zero Secretary has defended her government’s controversial plans to expand protected marine areas – insisting that no sites have been identified and proposals will not be “imposed” on coastal communities. Fishing bosses have reacted angrily to plans by the Scottish Government to consider introducing highly protected marine areas (HMPAs). Under the plans, designated areas would be under rules to “strictly protect and leave undisturbed, all natural processes of the marine ecosystem”, including “the seabed, water column habitats and everything that lives in the protected area”. >click to read< 09:12
Fishermen: Haddock limits to lead to shutdown
In two tows during a fishing trip in March, Gloucester fisherman Joe Orlando caught what could have been almost his entire allocation for Gulf of Maine haddock under catch limits proposed for fishing year 2023, which begins May 1. Orlando harvested 7,000 pounds in those two tows, about a half day’s worth of fishing, Jackie Odell, executive director of the Northeast Seafood Coalition pointed out to members of the New England Fishery Management Council, NOAA Fisheries and others in an email. His allocation for the upcoming fishing year is expected to be 8,000 pounds. >click to read< 07:57
P.E.I. harbours damaged by Fiona being readied for spring lobster season
At Red Head Harbour near Morell, about 75 per cent of the harbour’s infrastructure was damaged by the late September wind and waves from Fiona, and some of the repairs are expected to take years. “We had lots of room before and everybody had to tighten up. Everyone had to take less space to allow a couple more gears in the east wharf and the south wharf,” said David Sansom, president of the Red Head Harbour Authority. Ottawa designated $100 million for urgent harbour repairs as part of a $300-million recovery package for Atlantic Canada announced in the days after Fiona. Photos, >click to read< 07:05
‘Enough is enough’: Midcoast lobsterman decries regulations to protect whales
Jason Lord, a second-generation Midcoast said he understands the effort to save critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. The problem, he contends, is lawmakers, government agencies and conservation groups have it wrong by targeting the Maine lobster industry, which has been forced to use breakaway trap lines and observe a seasonal no-fishing zone to protect the whales. “I’ve never seen a right whale off the coast of Maine,” said Lord, 50, who has been in the industry for 30 years. An Arizona congressman recently proposed a bill that could lead to further regulations like ropeless lobster traps. Last week, Maine Lobstering Union Local 207 Executive Liaison and Political Director Virginia Olsen testified against the bill on Capitol Hill. >click to read< 18:23
F/V Mary B II: Coast Guard owes the public answers
It has been more than four years since the deadly capsizing of the crabbing vessel FV Mary B II while it attempted to cross the Yaquina River bar inbound in stormy weather, killing the skipper and two crew members as Coast Guard vessels were nearby. The captain had previously operated off New Jersey and wasn’t familiar with Pacific Coast conditions. At the time of the hearings, the lead Coast Guard officer said a report was expected before May 2020. However, almost four years have now elapsed since the hearing and the Coast Guard has not released its final investigation report publicly. >click to read< 11:42
Who is Captain Sewall Maddocks?
Sewall’s love for the ocean first began when he was in grade school lobstering with his uncle Earl Brewer Sr. In 1977 he made his first trip on a trawler fishing with Richard McLellan on the F/V Sea Bring. He later became captain at 19 on the 82-foot F/V Irene’s Way, which was built for Richard at Goudy and Stevens in East Boothbay. In the early 80s, Sewall started to captain for F. J. O’Hara and Son’s out of Rockland, Maine He worked on the 110-foot F/V Alliance and later on the 119-foot F/V Araho, both stern trawlers, while fishing ground fish in the Gulf of Maine and on the northern edge of George’s Bank. Sewall later fished outside the 200 mile limit from Newfoundland on the tail of the Grand Banks. These boats typically had a crew of 5-6 people and caught 30,000-100,000 pounds of fish per trip with the fish being layered in ice in the fish hold. Great story! >click to read the rest< 10:22
CDFW INVESTS $17.5 MILLION IN THE KLAMATH BASIN
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently provided $17.5 million for the collaborative planning and implementation of three emergency projects that aim to restore critical salmon habitat, improve water management and make the Klamath Basin more resilient to climate change. “I would like to thank California Governor Gavin Newsom and Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton Bonham for supporting our efforts to rebuild salmon runs on the Klamath River and its tributaries,” said Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Myers. “I also want to acknowledge the diverse group of stakeholders working on these projects. Together, we are carving out a new path toward restoration in the Klamath Basin.” >click to read< 09:25
Offshore wind farms bring many uncertainties to RI fishing industry, consumers
I refer to those who fish, commercially, recreationally and for-hire fishermen (charter), as well as those who depend on them to catch fish, such as Rhode Island’s seafood processors, and ultimately consumers. Those who depend on Rhode Island’s millions of dollars of seafood face uncertain futures. This uncertainty is palpable in these communities and there is a feeling that mitigation taking place between wind developers and those who fish lacks consideration of any equity to those being adversely impacted. To many who fish these areas, developing wind farms and their array of cable is little different than strip mining mountains for coal in other parts of the country. By Chris Lee, >click to read< 08:06
Cleethorpes PETA ad compares eating fish to ‘eating a cat’
Animal rights charity PETA has put up a new billboard near a Cleethorpes chippy telling locals that ‘eating fish is like eating a cat’. The new advert is located at 145 Grimsby Road in Cleethorpes. The neighbouring town of Grimsby is a key player in the UK’s seafood processing industry, and was once the fishing capital of the world. The striking billboard shows a smiling fishmonger holding a limp fish from one angle and a dead cat from another. >click to read< 14:30
Understanding the Bering Sea snow crab collapse
The Bering Sea snow crab season was canceled this year after billions of crabs disappeared – devastating a commercial fishing industry worth $200 million dollars and the livelihoods of those who depend on it. Now, fishermen and researchers are working to figure out what happened. On this Alaska Insight, host Lori Townsend is joined by Gabriel Prout, a crab fisherman and owner of the F/V Silver Spray, and Erin Fedewa, a fisheries biologist with the federal government, to discuss the impacts and potential causes of the crash. Video, >click to watch< 10:56
Forget fall snow crab fishing; seafood consultant says it didn’t work before for Newfoudland and Labrador
It was an idea proposed by fish harvester Jason Sullivan. As Newfoundland and Labrador crab fishing boats remain tied up, their captains saying they can’t afford to fish for this year’s price of $2.20 a pound, the Bay Bulls inshore fisherman suggested waiting to fish in the fall might mean better prices. His theory is that holding off to fish until fall might give the market time to absorb the leftover inventory from 2022, and be a prime time to deliver fresh crab to consumers for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. >click to read< 09:59
F/V Kodiak Enterprise: Unified Command stands down for vessel fire in Tacoma, Washington
The Unified Command composed of Tacoma Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, Washington Department of Ecology and Puyallup Tribe of Indians, with support from several other agencies, which was stood up to respond to the April 8 fire aboard the fishing vessel Kodiak Enterprise moored in the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma, was stood down Friday. Over the last several days, responders alternated between removing fuel and pockets of water, to maintain vessel stability. All of the diesel remaining aboard the vessel was successfully removed with no fuel spilled or sheening observed during defueling operations. Now that the pollution threat has been mitigated, the Unified Command has stood down. >click to read< 08:51
